THIRTY: No Regrets

Was she allowed to enjoy something so sweet?

As she pondered that question, the soulless eyes of the nephew and uncle turned away from her to resume replaying the moment they were eternally trapped in. The boy continued dancing and laughing, and the man went on smiling at his beloved nephew.

The longer she watched, she thought she imagined a third figure joining them--a woman with long black hair who joyfully danced with the boy.

"That's right," Kel whispered to herself.

Barclay's sister was Leif's mother but had died long before the other two. Now the both of them, boy and uncle, had gone to join her.

Uncle and nephew.

Mother and son.

Sister and brother.

A family happy to be reunited once more.

Or so Kel imagined.

The visions of ghosts dissipated as Calix walked through where they had been dancing, on his way back from gathering firewood.