Monster

4.4 | Silvana's Ruin

"Wait, Yuri." Jeno grabbed Yuri's hand just as she was about to leave the room.

She looked back. "Yes?"

"Can I come with you?"

Yuri glanced at Afia. The older girl nodded. "Fine, but stay close and try not to get into trouble. Grab your backpack, come on."

Yuri stepped towards the window and opened it, grabbing her staff and hopping out, Afia behind her. The two girls turned towards the window and held out their arms, catching the boy when he jumped. Jeno grabbed Yuri's hand as they ran away, and Yuri grinned as the wind whipped through her hair. She and Jeno were finally free.

It didn't take long to get to the open road, and that's where they were faced with problems. "Fia, Jeno can't disappear like us. He'll get hurt if he gets hit, he can't run like we can, and we don't have a car."

Afia nodded. "Ok, let's take a train."

It was an odd sight, the three of them, ducking through bushes and under trees until they emerged next to one of the many train stations. "Jeno, do you have money?" Yuri asked.

"Yep."

Once they boarded, the three sank into seats near the back. Yuri sighed. "It's gonna be a long ride." Jeno fell asleep on her shoulder as Yuri ran her fingers through his hair. It had been a long time since she'd seen him, he had grown so much in two years. She wasn't sure how she felt about it.

Afia seemed to notice her concern. "It doesn't matter how much he's changed Yuri, he's still your brother."

"It feels like I barely know him anymore."

"He probably feels the same Ri. We've all changed. It's inevitable. But no matter how much you or him or I have changed, we're still family. He still loves you, and I know you still love him."

Yuri nodded, glancing down at his peaceful face, breath softly moving strands of his hair back and forth. "I'm going to have to leave him again once I'm finally done."

"Just because you won't be able to live together doesn't mean that you won't be able to visit. He'll have a long life, I guarantee it. He'll be safe until he passes into your hands Yuri. And whatever he faces beyond, I'm sure he'll be safe there too."

Yuri sighed. "I don't want him to be lonely."

"Yuri, everyone is lonely sometimes. It's like a rite of passage. You'll still be able to protect him."

"Death isn't a bad thing, I know. It's just the uncertainty that scares people. What's on the other side?"

"We're not supposed to know until it's our turn."

"Don't you want to be able to give them answers?"

"It's not my job to, it's yours Yuri. All I know is when they die, and when they come to life. I never know what happens to them when they pass to your hands, I never feel the pain that you do when a soul has completed it's course in this world. I never have to feel scared or confused when I give a soul up to the other side. That's all you."

"It's not fair sometimes. You feel the joy of a new life, I feel the pain at its end."

"Hey, at least you get to comfort them."

"I can't answer all their questions."

"Sometimes they don't need it. They just need to know that what's ahead of them is better than what's behind them."

"I guess." Yuri glanced out the window. "We're almost there, aren't we?"

"Yep."

Yuri sighed. "It's time."