The Ghosts of Bridgette Beach

Evette and Evander ran into Malory, Markus, and Aria on the corner of the River Bridgette and the Carnivali Connection. Malory, Markus, and Aria were also on a walk-about, they knew they were dead because the light had called to them, but they weren't ready to leave just yet. Evette and Evander didn't know they were dead, they didn't even notice that no one else saw them, since they only eyes for each other. The only other company they needed was their friends, who felt like family.

The only thing they had in common was that they all spoke French and neither of them remembered their lives before. Death felt like life without the complications and continuous expenses that came with living. In Death, they were truly free. Even better than that, they were still together. Regardless of what else they forgot, they never forgot or lost each other.

They forgot the small and important details, but remembered some things. Malory and Aria could play the piano, Aria played so beautifully that people wept. Evander played the piano too, that was how he'd met Evette, and they still smiled when they retold the story. Markus preferred the guitar or drums to the piano, but loved to listen to his wife and daughter play.

Markus and Evander both loved trains and ships, and talked about them for hours. Sometimes Malory joined them, she just listened to them talk. The wives sipped coffee and talked about mysterious lady things. Malory was often lonely and bored, but she wouldn't cross-over without her parents.

They all liked to read and talk about the books they'd read. They all liked strolling bare-foot by the sea, sometimes they splashed in the waves, or swam. It must have been funny to see prints in the sand, or see the water splash without seeing any people.

Occasionally, there were people that could hear or see them. Occasionally, they heard or saw other people. Usually, the living and the dead crossed paths and shared places without knowing it. They each lived their lives in the times they knew, just as they had known it. They were blissfully aware of time passing them by. That was true of most ghosts. Very rarely were they even aware of each other.

Evette and Evander didn't know that, nor did Malory, Markus, or Aria. All they knew was that they had found each other and their afterlives were better for it. Meanwhile, in the land of the living, the Karalee family was mourning another great loss. Their only hope was that their loved ones would comfort and guide each other-side.

Evette and Evander had been in the car behind Malory, Markus, and Aria. They had all been going to Arias piano recital, crossing the bridge over the River Bridgette. There was an accident, and several cars went up in flames, including theirs. Evette and Evander died instantly. Markus pulled his wife and daughter out of the car and tossed them over the bridge, into the water to put out the flames.

It could have been the collision, it could have been the fire, it could have been the impact of the water or drowning... It really didn't matter. They were gone, and the Family went through the stages, starting with shock and denial. Meanwhile, the spirits lingered, as they sometimes do.

Markus and Malory had discussed it, they couldn't tell Evette or Evander that they were ghosts, they weren't ready to hear it. Once they realized it on their own, they could all cross over together. The Family sometimes came to the lakeside, and the ghosts knew when they were there. No one, Malory mused, was quite ready to say good-bye. At lease no one was alone.