I don't remember how my mom died. I don't remember the flames, I don't remember feeling the heat, nor how I survived. Everyone wants to know what happened, I wish I could tell them but I can't. I only remember the after, waking up in the hospital and being surrounded by doctors and police officers. Doctors were trying to figure out how I could survive a fire without any burn marks and the police were trying to figure out how the house caught on fire.

Too many questions to be answered and I couldn't talk. My throat felt as if it had been scorched by the fire and the flames came out of my mouth. The doctors and police took my silence as a shock to what happened. But I won't ever forget the look on their faces, full of pity because they knew something that I didn't know.

No one wanted to give me more pain and neither did I, so I buried it.

Doña Refugio came to my rescue, the neighbor's crazy old lady with her frizzy brown-gray hair. She wasn't crazy, she was an old woman slowly losing her memories but my mom trusted her with my life. Refugio helped my mother by teaching me my father's native language. She took care of me when my mom had to go to work. She also knew of our true identity, banshees. Mom trusted her and Refugio became like a grandmother to me.

Left in her care, Refugio raised me until my last year in high school. She continued to teach me Spanish, taught me how to garden, learned to conceal the truth, and tried to help me fight the voices. She always wanted me to win, but they won again when they spoke of Refugio's death.

I flattened the edges of my black skirt as I have been anxiously doing for the past couple of minutes. A week has passed since Theo's father died and I was able to find out today was his father's funeral. I have been standing outside the stone-cobbled funeral home, tip-toeing back and forth on entering.

Groups of people stood outside in black clothing idly talking to one another. They were beginning to stare at me, Come on, Nora. You need to do this. It's the least you could do.

Once more I flattened out the black skirt while wiping down my clammy hands and my boots began to click the ground swinging the wooden door open. Instantly, the smell of coffee brewing and gardenia lingered through the air. My eyes roamed around the lobby room, candle-shaped lights, gray walls, small tables with vases filled with different flowers, and a bunch of people either sitting down on the couches or standing.

I began to walk as I passed through people until the strong aroma of coffee once again filled me, the room seemed to be occupied with food and drinks. Cookies, sandwiches, brownies, coffee, water, and many more foods. My stomach grumbled in response. Now is not the time to hunger, remember what you came for, I scolded myself.

I turned away from the delicious sweets and moved my legs towards the big room where the casket stood until I accidentally bumped into someone's shoulder. Contents of the person's bag spilled out, I hurriedly reached to help pick up the items when I noticed a glass bottle shaped into the form of a tear.

My hand reached for it, picking it up as I saw liquid shifting between blue and purple. There were words inscribed onto the bottle, PĀX. I furrowed my eyebrows, I turned around to see a girl with waves of long brown hair as she kept pushing her back behind her ears as she tried to pick up the rest of her stuff.

I could only see her side profile but she was very pretty. Her high cheekbones, long lashes, thick eyebrows, and olive skin. She finally faced me, her golden eyes widened at my hands.

I stretched my arm out handing over the tear-drop bottle, "I think you dropped this when I bumped into you. I am sorry about that." I said cautiously.

She stiffly nodded her head, "It's okay, I have been clumsy lately."

Her hand reached over to grab as she did, our hands slightly brushed and it was like a feeling I always had, it was heavy and it seemed only just now I was feeling this, a weight I didn't know I was carrying.

A gasp escaped from the girl's lips as she looked at me, "How are you alive?"

It was low but I heard the words that came out of her mouth. It felt like a punch but with a hidden meaning behind it and I didn't even know her. I couldn't form the words to respond.

Noticing she had spoken out loud, she pressed her hand over her mouth.

She began to ramble, "I am sorry, I don't know why I said that. I am sorry."

"It's okay," I said as I got from the ground as she did as well, looping the bag over her shoulder.

She shook her head stressing, "I am sorry, I am not a weird person sometimes I say things I shouldn't. It's a bad habit."

I gave her a small smile as I handed over the tear bottle, "It's okay really, I understand. I have a bad habit too, I hear things I shouldn't." I carefully placed the bottle on her palm trying not to touch her but the feeling came over again.

The candle-shaped light flickered, both our heads snapped towards it and from the corner of my eyes I could feel her stare drilling at the side of my head. I didn't want to say that happened because of me or us, I looked over to her and decided to ignore it.

I dropped the bottle in her palm and backed away, "Do you know where I could find Theo?' I asked, trying to drift away from the creepy experience.

She blinked then nodded her head as if agreeing to ignore what happened too.

"Yeah, he is in that room. I will walk you there." She said as she stood next to me, I was going to protest but she already started walking.

I followed behind her into the room where the sounds of soft cries and murmurs were spread across, the casket stood in the front, and from my view, I could see Theo's father peeking out. A picture of Theo's father was placed next to his casket, in the loving memory of Jack Pierce. It was him, it was the same man who I saw standing next to Death.

I looked away as I saw the rows of chairs filled leaving only a couple left. I couldn't decide what I should do first, sit or talk to Theo.

Pulling me away from my thoughts the girl spoke up again, "Do you go to St. Agnes too?" I looked over to her and nodded my head.

She returned a small smile, "I am Dilara by the way."

"Nora," I replied.

Dilara turned her head towards the rows of chairs before she pointed out, "He is right over there." I muttered a thank you, "I will see you around, Nora." She said warily.

"See you around." I turned around walking towards the front of the room where I saw Theo's disarrayed curls, my heart clenched and I could feel my hands becoming clammy again.

Wiped down my hands against my skirt and stuffed them into the pockets of my coat. I didn't have a plan nor knew exactly what I was going to say to Theo, I mean I am still confused as to how I could hear a ghost or spirit. I run my fingers through my hair and push myself to walk again.

I slowly start to peek to see Theo's face. His eyes are on the casket, unblinking, bloodshot, and empty. I squeezed the inner coating of my pocket, my feet wobbled as I moved closer to him.

Once I was in front of him without moving his gaze, he murmured "Thank you for coming."

He was in a daze, everything around him didn't matter nor did the people who expressed their condolences. They were showing him pity and he was tired of hearing those words, but they won't stop. I lower myself to look him directly in the eyes, I swallow down the throbbing form in my throat.

"Theo." I croaked out.

He finally sees me, it is probably the first time he has seen someone's eyes again.

Theo blinks a couple of times before he clears his throat, "I remember you. It was Nora, right?" He says raspily.

The freckles I had seen are now hidden by his sullen cheeks, his eye bags are heavy, and just the sound of his voice I can tell he hasn't kept himself hydrated.

I lean in a bit forward, "Yeah it's Nora, do you want to get some water?" I hold my hand out.

His foggy eyes dart between my hand and the people standing behind me, I am his escape. Theo grabs my hand, I quickly pull him away from the room and everyone else. He quietly trails after me as I pull him into one of the empty rooms.

I picked the one across from the food room, it's smaller than the other rooms. There are only three-cushion chairs and each one is pushed against the corner, the walls are black and a dainty chandelier hangs above us.

I drop Theo's hand as he sits down in one of the cushion chairs, "I will be right back." I told him.

He doesn't say anything, I walk across the room to search for a water bottle, and as I find them I grab two bottles. I entered the room again, this time I closed the door behind us and walked over to Theo handing him the bottle of water.

He accepts it but doesn't bother opening it, his face is turned away, and beginning to lose himself again.

"Drink. If you are going to cry, you have to stay hydrated." He comes back.

Theo breaks into a weak smile and begins to open the water bottle, "I am sorry. I am just-I am just I don't know, I am sorry. Thank you for helping me get out there for a bit."

"You don't have to apologize for anything, you are grieving but the heart needs a break sometimes," I respond softly.

He tries to smile again but it's pointless, he gulps down the whole water bottle and squeezes the bottle whole, almost crushing it.

Theo looks down at the crumpled plastic bottle, "Thanks, I needed this but I should go back out there."

Do it now. Do it now. Do it now.

I cleared my throat, "Before you go, I wanted to tell you something." He furrowed his eyebrows, "But I need you to not freak out because when I tell you this you might not believe, I mean I wouldn't believe me-"

He cuts me off, "Nora, what is it?"

I take a deep breath in and let it out, "It's about your dad." Theo immediately stands up from the cushioned chair as his eyes become alive for a brief moment.

"What about my dad?" He questions.

My hand forms a fist, my fingernails are digging themselves into my palm. I squeeze my eyes and open them to see Theo's eyes, they are darting and they are searching for hope.

"I saw him before he died-No, I saw him on the day he died." I am gripping the water bottle as I meet Theo's eyes, "I saw him after he died. He wanted me to give you a message. He wanted to say one last thing before he left."

His eyes widened and I could see the disbelief and its morphing into anger, "Is this some sick joke? Because it's not funny-"

"I am serious. I know you don't believe me but please listen to the last words your father left you and if you still don't believe me, I promise I will leave." I pleaded.

He drags his fingers against his face, he stumbles back and a soft cry escapes.

I hear him croak out, "Please. Don't lie to me."

Tears are forming around my eyes and I nod my head even though he can't see me.

"He wanted you to know that he is sorry. He is sorry for not being able to fight it this time, but it was too strong. He wanted you to know that he loves you so much and he is so proud of you. He will be watching over you with your mom." I rush the words before my voice cracks.

More tears escape from Theo's eyes as he shakes his head, he still doesn't believe me but he wants to believe the words I told him.

I take a step forward and swallow my tears, "Your mom had a necklace, right?" Theo's body freezes, I continue "The word courage is inscribed in the back. Your dad told me about it, he said you are going to need it for the life ahead of you."

His mouth parts slightly but nothing comes out, his eyes are darting back and forth.

"Gather up your courage now, Theo. You are going to need it to face everyone out there."

I begin to retreat and turn away, I think I probably have done enough damage. I am still grasping the water bottle tightly and my heart is hurting because I want Theo to believe these words.

"Wait."

I turned around.

"How do you know that?" He asked weakly as tears continued to stream down his cheek.

I sighed, "I told you, your dad told me."

"He really said that to you?" Theo whispered.

I nod my head slowly, he becomes quiet again and I think he still doesn't believe me so I walk out to open the door to leave.

As I open the door and I hear Theo say, "Thank you." My shoulders and nerves are calming down but soon guilt rises. Remember it's your fault he is dead.

I walk out the door and close the door behind me, I look up and see the God of Death leaning against the wall across from me. I gripped the doorknob to hold myself from falling, my heart pounds violently.

A mischievous smirk plays on his lips, "Hello, raven. I missed you."