Lili walked with her mother. The sun cascaded across a field of poppies. There was a thick forest in the distance. Lili waved to her mother as she left her side. Lili hesitated then turned in a circle. The only way out was through the forest.
“Can you come with me? I’m frightened.”
Abigail did not return but Lili heard her voice. Écoute…écoute…écoute…
Lili moved into the thick dark forest where the trees grew so tall, they blocked the sun. The ground was soft and dry. She listened to an owl, then a crow flew overhead, flapping its wings loudly. Lili stopped for a moment and listened carefully. The gentle wind whistled through the timbers. A stream trickled in the distance. Crack! A twig snapped ahead. It could be a deer, Lili thought. Her mother told her to listen. Écoute. Another crow flew by. Caw! She continued to walk an unmarked trail until she stopped to lean on a tree and gaze towards the sky. The forest spun around her. She became dizzy and fell to her knees. When the spinning finally stopped, she stood firmly in the middle of a cemetery. She touched some of the ancient headstones as she walked by.
“Don’t cry,” she said.
“The dead don’t cry,” a voice whispered.
“Well someone is crying,” Lili said.
“´Écoute,” another voice whispered.
Lili quickly turned in time to see a raven flying ahead. She followed it until it landed on a headstone, there, at the base of it, were dead flowers being replaced with fresh ones by the auburn-haired girl. Lili tried to touch her, but her hand fell through her image. The girl wore a tattered and torn black tutu. It looked as though she had spent days walking around the old cemetery. The young girl began to dance around the headstone. She lost someone important to her. Just like in Lili’s previous dream, the girl lifted a dagger and plunged it into her heart.
Lili was already sitting up in her bed when she opened her eyes. She wrapped a sweater around her and walked to the windows. She watched the sheep graze in the sun. Lili heard a light tap on her door. It was Anne with tea.
“It’s freezing in here,” Anne said as she sat the tray down on the writing desk. She poured her a cup of tea and handed it to her.
“I thought it was just me adjusting to the climate.”
“No. It isn’t you dear. Someone is here.”
“Who?” Lili looked around the room for a spirit.
“That is a good question, dear.” Anne walked around the tiny room, then, took a seat on a chair by the fireplace. “I don’t see like you do, but it’s never been this cold in here.”
Lili wrapped the shawl around her tightly.
“I will leave you alone so you can connect with this spirit. Let me know if you need anything.”
“Thank you, Anne.”
Anne stopped in the doorway, “Lili, I have a friend I would like you to meet. We can visit her for lunch sometime this week.”
Lili nodded, still distracted by the presence in the room with her.
“Finish your tea, dear. You have so much more to discover here.”