The dark room lit up with candles revealing the sphere shaped space we were in. The man in chains was an elderly man, pupils lacquer black like an abyss.

Alice’s hand was right in front of me.

Shaking?

“Alice stop messing around! Is this really you?”

“Of course it’s me! Do you really think you’re the only one who wants to see their family.”

“It’s not like I asked for this! It just, it just happened.”

“Spare me the details, just walk over to the other side for real this time.”

I scowled at Alice’s face which was half shadowed by the candle above. I clasped to her hand and pulled myself up, not letting go. I shoved the shaking hand into her sight.

“Is this a reaction of someone resolved to kill someone off.”

Alice’s eyes widened and red became highlighted across her cheeks.

“Sh-shut up! You don’t know what I’ve been through.”

“What does that mean? I’ve known you for my whole life since we were toddlers.”

“You don’t know what it’s like being alone!”

Her voice was rasp. Her eyes shut with tears descending down her face.

“I’m all alone. Always wondering when I can finally see my mom and dad again. My sister. My brother. Tell me, KK.”

Alice clutched onto my shoulders and looked me straight into the eye.

“What do I do?” Her voice cracking.

My heart sunk. The devastation upon the face I stared at was gut wrenching.

Her parents and her siblings? She never told me any of this… Alice was never the type to talk about herself, ever.

“Enough!” The old man bellowed once more.

“What she said is intriguing and I can tell upon the wavering of your soul that you are disturbed. So I will make this offer.”

He stretched his arms wide like he was leading a sermon.

“One of you will die. Choose.”

Alice spun to face her body towards him.

“What? That isn’t what you said.”

“The result will be the same, unlike you Kayla would never kill. Isn’t that right?”

This isn’t the Alice I know. No! I refuse to acknowledge whoever this is.

The man waved his arm clockwise, the rattling of chains growing louder. The scene started to change. The walls and ceilings melted away revealing fallen snow.

We were outside of the museum once again. On the ground laid Alice’s body flat beside the road. Across from the road was my own body, lifeless in the snow.

“What happened to us!” I yelled.

“Alice became the victim of a hit and run. You passed out due to shock and now walk on the plane that separates life and death.”

“No! Alice didn’t get hit! Right? Alice, tell him.”

“I’m sorry. He’s right.”

I grabbed at her hands, her cold hands. They were shivering, but from what?

“Then, what about me! Why aren’t I breathing.”

“Don’t you know, KK? Everytime you sleep, you die.”

That’s impossible. Dead? How could I die everytime I sleep?

“You didn’t know about Alice’s family did you, Kayla?” The gruff voice questioned.

I nodded slowly in response. I knew nothing of Alice.

“Very well, I will show you the past that she carries.”

He spun his hand again, this time counter-clockwise. The snow on the ground melting, the sun rising high in the sky but not emitting any heat.

The museum that was in front of us, crumbled down and revealed a medium-sized house in its place. In our surroundings that were once trees, became a neighborhood sprouting up houses from the ground.

The door from the house in front of us swung open. A kid with brown hair ran out with a toy airplane in hand.

“Max?” Alice whispered in a hushed tone.

She dropped my hand and proceeded to walk forward. Then a second person came running out the door.

“Max come here!” The little blonde girl yelled, chasing after him.

It’s Alice but… as a kid.

The little Alice in front of us playfully tackled Max onto the ground and wrestled together. They were laughing in pure bliss.

“That’s my brother, I see my little brother! Max! Max I’m here!”

Alice tried to run forward but was restricted to step onto the lawn. A barrier stopped her from leaving the asphalt of the street.

“Let me go! I can finally talk to Maxie again. Please!”

The desperation intertwined with excitement in her voice was apparent. It broke what was left of my heart into pieces.

The children didn’t notice our presence at all. It is after all, a scene of the past. Alice fell to her feet, watching them with her hands on the barrier.

I stared at her clawing in the barrier. Her eyes grew wide and panicked, as if she just remembered something terrifying.

“Hey, what’s that smell?” Max asked from the embrace of his sister.

“I don’t know, go check it out. I command you, private Max!”

Little Alice picked him up and placed him firm on his feet before playfully pushing him along into the house.

“No! No! Don’t go!” Alice wailed out, pushing at the barrier with all her strength.

“Stop! Please, stop! Don’t leave! Sir, help him. I can’t get through! Save my brother!”

The child of Alice hummed a lullaby, walking towards us. Inches away from the current Alice, she smiled.

“Don’t cry, my momma tells me to always smile.”

And with those words, the house behind her echoed out a fiery explosion.

What… what is this?!

The inferno blazed out from the roof and out the door. Windows shattering and debris falling from the air. The smell of gas and ashes lingered heavily under my nose.

“No! Not again!”

The real Alice pushed forward and tumbled, the barrier no longer in place.

She stood wearily to her feet and shuffled towards the house. The little girl stayed beside us and watched her back as she inches closer to the house.

A second explosion occurred, propelling Alice backwards onto the ground. The intensity of the flames roared while sirens could be heard in the distance.

“You didn’t know this did you?” The gruff voice said to me.

“This was the fate of cards your closest friend was dealt with. In a single moment, everything she once loved burned in ashes. Do you still hesitate?”

I clenched my first and gritted my teeth.

“Enough, she has lived through this once already. Please stop. I know what needs to be done.”

I walked over to Alice and embraced her in my arms like she did before. She sobbed into my chest relentlessly only pausing for gasps of air.

The child walked beside me, bringing her fingers onto the sides of my mouth.

“When I grow up, I’m going to be a princess. Until then, let’s smile. Together.”

The scene around us started to change once more, the child evaporating into thin air. We were back by the snow blanketed road where our physical bodies laid.

The only sound were the echoes of the grief-stricken Alice who sobbed in my arms.

“Have you come to a decision?”

“Yes.” I said without hesitation.

I cupped Alice’s face in my palms and made her look me in the eye. Her snot ran down her red nose with her blue eyes pulling me deeper.

“Alice, I give you my wings.”

No words. Only with sniffles and an embrace were responded.

“Very well, I give you 24 hours to say goodbye.”

With the rotation of his hands, we appeared in my bedroom.

“Release.”