'Adja.'

Sylvana kneeled beside what was left of Adja and stayed silent for an hour. I can't move anymore. I think I can see her... but I can't speak. Adja felt lost and weak, but not unconscious enough to reappear where she had died.

'I will take you back, I will not wait,' Sylvana said all of a sudden, raising Adja from the grass, gritting her teeth with the effort.

No... don't do this for me... You will get tired! Adja achieved the movement of one eye towards her arms and saw they had disappeared. She almost fainted on the way back, in the void, with no sound of cracking leaves, the feeling of wind in her hair nor any tension in her neck. I hate this life. It's not a life.

'This will never happen to you ever again, Adja,' Sylvana said, as if she had heard her. 'You will not need to exhaust yourself of run away anymore.'

She didn't talk again for long minutes.

'You went very far, for a first stroll... But not the right way. I was buried at the other side of the family estate.'

'D... F...'

'Do not speak, do not speak,' Sylvana advised her. 'You will be on your bed soon. My bed will become yours, alright?'

Where are my parents and Grandma? Where is Léon? Where are the police? Adja regretted sabotaging her own mind to avoid them all. Was Sylvana going to recount what had happened?

'Your mother screamed,' Sylvana said, grim.

Adja was filled with dread, so intense and unbearable of an emotion that it didn't show in any form. She would have preferred screaming of crying for hours.

'She said that everything was her own fault and that she should have prevented you from having this hobby... Léon was very efficient, he comforted your entire family and explained it was your fate. I think it moved them, they understood.'

Adja could very well imagine her parents accepting that the line of her life ended here and then. But how could I talk to them? I could I make them aware that I'm still here?

'The police ruled your death as an accident. Natural.'

Sylvana's voice broke on the last word, but Adja didn't have the strength to deny it was murder. Involuntary homicide, as they say. Imagining her parents mourning her was the last step leading to the acceptance of her new existence. After this, nothing will ever be worse.

Overwhelmed with sadness, plagued by regrets, Adja let Sylvana carry her to her bed and put her on the covers, where she didn't stay for long.

'You will not fall very low, trust me.'

Only Adja's nose peaked from the bed. She could vaguely see sheets around her and wondered how long her catatonia would last. She heard Sylvana sit next to her.

'They took your body, and Léon tried to send me a message. I think he will be back soon with your family to contact us.'

The idea made Adja panic, but she composed herself quickly. It was what they had planned, wasn't it? It's not fun anymore when I try to visualize the scene. Her crying family, not believing the spirit box was legit... The experiment could turn into a disaster.

'Now, rest. I will take care of you,' Sylvana said, too authoritative to sound affectionate.

Adja felt a shiver of fear travel her spine. Is she going to take advantage of my weakness? She's way too enterprising... She could already see the young woman make her clothes disappear and put her hands everywhere, as she did the previous time, but without any mutual consent. I said I wanted her to go on, but not when I'm in such a state...

'I am going to prepare my favorite tea, when you feel better. Do you know chai masala? It comes from far away and costs a fortune, but mine will be free and unreal... I will recreate the scent and the taste for you. I am sure it will be realistic.'

Sylvana spent the following hours giving a monologue about what she liked to eat, drink, listen to and sew when she was still alive. She loved fish and thanked the Skies everyday that she lived near the sea, even if she had to walk to buy some. Tea remained her favorite drink and she sewed shawls by the dozen, listening to Elisa play the piano, usually Chopin.

Adja rose slowly to the surface of the bed, stronger and stronger, galvanized by Sylvana's simple and touching stories. She felt mortified and ashamed because she had thought, once again, that her friend would hurt her. Sylvana is a good person, a normal and respectful person. Even though she had spent decades alone in this house, she hadn't lost her moral compass.

They stared at each other without speaking, a shy smile on their face. Time didn't exist anymore. So beautiful, so calm... That's how I admire her, not when she's jealous or scary. Sylvana ended up blushing and offered her some tea, trying to create a diversion. It's too intense for her, maybe. And for me too! Adja heard her heart beating in her ears, and she wasn't sure she created the sensation herself.

Sylvana pretended to grab something at the other side of the bedroom and gave her a searing teacup. A delicious scent of spices filled the room and Adja's nostrils.

'How did you do this?'

'With some training,' Sylvana answered. 'Drink, but be careful...'

Impatient, Adja cooled the tea down with her mind and drank it bottoms up.

'I had never really tried drinking tea,' she admitted after thanking Sylvana. 'It's actually good!'

'Of course, it is good. I was not going to make you drink a horrible thing!'

'Like what?'

'Cod liver oil.'

Adja laughed, followed by Sylvana, even if her knowledge of cod liver oil was very theoretical: she had never consumed it in her live. It was only a story from her paternal grandmother, who had been raised with more or less tasteful remedies... Adja coughed and put a hand on her heart.

'It feels nice to laugh a little...'

When Sylvana stayed silent she added, nervous:

'After such a day...'

'I am happy I spared you all of this,' Sylvana sighed, sitting on the bed.

She crossed her arms and stared in the void.

'It was horrible to see your family like this. I would have preferred meeting your parents in other circumstances, and I wanted to talk to them so much! Léon never used the spirit box, it was not the right moment, but I would have told them you were going to be happy, that I was going to take care of you and your memory, until you would be at peace enough to leave.'

Sylvana's mouth twisted but her pale cheeks remained dry. She's crying, but she doesn't care about creating tears... Adja embraced her and put her head on her shoulder, skinny and sharp under her cheek.

'Thank you,' she murmured, unable to say more.

Adja closed her eyes but ended up opening them, irritated.

'In a normal situation, I would have fallen asleep... But nothing's happening.'

Sylvana made a big grey plaid appear and forced Adja to lie down underneath with her, diagonally, their feet hanging in the air.

'We can still pretend, it is how death it,' she said, putting her arms around her.

Adja felt her warm breath against her neck, her fingers intertwined with hers and placed on her belly.

'We're not really pretending...,' Adja whispered, smiling.