Through the Ghost

Back on The Amaryllis, Tal exited the shower in his personal quarters. It’d felt good to rinse the metaphorical and physical grime of The Pit from his person. When he’d first heard Braden’s plan he’d thought himself capable of setting aside his past, and focusing on the future. Yet an hour after the trip, the resurfaced memories continued to haunt the edge of his mind.

A knock at the door redirected his attention.

“One second,” he called out to them.

The door opened just as he was putting on the last of his clothes. Anna stepped into the room

“I meant to tell you, I like what you did to the place,” she commented.

“Thanks, everything okay?”

“Oh, yeah, Chara found a box of crayons, she’s currently redecorating the guest room now that we’ve moved back into it. I’m wanted to check on you. Allie told me what happened, I’m going to kill Braden the next time I see him.”

“It’s fine, we needed their help.”

“We could have found another way. I remember how much those places affected you.”

“I put that behind me a long time ago. I’m good.” Tal scoffed with false bravado.

She looked at him incredulously, then took his hand in hers.

The self-loathing, the repressed anger, they all fell to the wayside. It felt like a belt had been removed from around his chest. He smiled.

“We can still go. Leave Devlin to solve his own problem, make a life on some small backwater planet without a name,” he pleaded.

“He’ll find us.”

“You don’t know that.”

“And what about the next colony The Sons hit? I have enough blood on my conscience. I won’t sit by and wait for history to repeat itself.”

“We don’t even know if they’re behind it.”

“You told me Rahn had a lead, I’m guessing this was it.”

“I lied,” he finally admitted.

“What?” The compassion flushed from her voice.

“Rahn wasn’t investigating New Azariah. I told you that to get you to come back with us.”

Anna dropped his hand allowing it to fall loosely to his side. “I should go check on Chara,” she announced.

She walked towards the door, it slid open to allow her access. He stood to stop her.

“Wait,” he called out.

She stopped, but didn’t look at him.

“I’m sorry.”

“I need to take a walk.”

“Are you coming back?”

He waited for a response, for her to turn around and look at him. Time ticked by a second at a time. It felt like the moment would never end. Then time caught back up, and she was gone.