How to Make a Sinner Sleep

103 | ghosts; a sacrificed dreaming

Three people—one man, two women—crouched outside an empty house, animal skeleton masks resting over their faces. With the fog wrapped around them, they seemed suspicious and creepy.

In front of them, two identical women stood, their long, silky white hair flowing to the ground as their feet hovered delicately above the ground. Their skins seemed to shimmer with a sheen of glitter, one a pale purple, the other a light pink.

The pink woman's eyes narrowed into the fog, a disapproving frown curling her pink lips. "I don't approve of this, sister."

The lavender woman laughed lightly, a weave of purple threads spilling and connecting from her finger, slowly dripping to the ground. The purple silk spilled to the ground and ran towards the house, slipping in the cracks.

"It has been three years, longer for us. You know the rules. Our interference will forbid us from returning for some time."

Despite her sister's warnings, the lavender woman shook her head gently. "I wondered why he hadn't contacted me in so long. But several times, I have felt the pull of his regretting soul, inching closer to our Hall."

"It is not our responsibility to care."

"I can feel it though, sister." Her eyes flickered to the group of masked humans, and she smiled. "I can feel you too—the depths of your guilts and regrets. The hopelessness intertwined with hope."

Her gaze settled on each of the three. "Guilt and regret seems to be the most prominent emotion, so deep, I taste it in the back of my throat."

The woman with a bird mask scrunched her freckled nose. "That sounds unpleasant."

"It isn't. The emotions, that is what makes you living." Her smile remained pleasant, but her eyebrows furrowed slightly as a lavender glow continued to spill from her fingers. "I am curious too, what you regret, why you are so guilty."

Niklas leaned back, thoughtfulness in the depth of blue eyes. "I wonder too, beautiful faeries, why you came to me first to help him."

"I love the world of the living."

"And from what I've heard, that in helping us, you may not be able to return for some time. As a punishment, I'm guessing?"

"You're skeptical."

Niklas paused, and he smiled helplessly. "I can't slack off when it comes to that fool we're dealing with. I won't make my mistakes twice."

The rose woman scowled, her eyes narrowing sharply. "You dare to suspect my sister's goodwill when your fate is the most twisted of three?" Fine strings seemed to cross over her beautiful eyes, a glow of gold threads. "You, who is destined to outlive all."

Holly spun her head in disbelief at Niklas. "Come on? What? You're immortal, why didn't you say so?"

"No," said Niklas quietly. "She just means I'll outlive you. All of you."

"Sister," said the lavender faerie softly. "I thought you didn't enjoy telling people about their fates."

"I don't like telling people when they'll die—because that distorts fate. Telling this human what he already knows will not change anything. I don't like that he doubted you."

Niklas, the charming man he was, simply smiled silently.

The lavender faerie smiled too, her eyes softening. "I can understand your doubts. They stem from love; just as my sister defends me. I'm willing to help for the soul that weeps for this child, and all those who wish yo save him, including you."

Purple continued to grip from her fingers, and the light pulse of colour around her body seemed to dim as well. "I grieve too, for the tragedies that binds my friend, every time it seems like he's about to escape."