Chapter 20: Between The Veil

Lena had always seen ghosts. Ever since she was little, they would appear around her—faint figures, echoes of the past. Most were harmless, caught in their own memories, unable to move on. She had learned to ignore them—until she met Adrian.

It was the first day of her senior year when she saw him. Adrian sat in the back of the classroom, alone and quiet. He had deep gray eyes that seemed strangely familiar, like she had seen them before. Something about him drew her in. He never spoke unless spoken to, but when he did, his voice was smooth, almost melodic, as if it belonged to someone from another time.

After class, they talked, and Lena found herself completely captivated. Adrian was kind, thoughtful, and seemed to understand her in a way few people did. But something about him felt… off. There was a mystery to him, something just out of reach. He never spoke about his past, only giving vague answers when she asked about his family or where he lived. The closer they became, the more questions she had.

Then, one evening, as they walked home together, a terrible realization struck her. Adrian's footsteps didn't make a sound. The streetlights flickered as he passed beneath them. And when she reached out to touch his hand, her fingers slipped through empty air.

Adrian was a ghost.

The discovery shocked them both. Adrian had no memory of how he died—only a sense that something was missing, something important. He was stuck, trapped between the living and the dead. Lena, unable to turn away, decided to help him uncover the truth.

They searched for answers in old school records, news reports, and whispered rumors. Adrian had disappeared exactly one year ago. His body was never found—only his broken phone near the forest behind the school. The more they investigated, the more it felt like something was watching them. Strange occurrences followed—doors slamming shut when no one was there, whispers in empty hallways, shadows moving in the corner of their vision.

Then, the nightmares began.

Lena woke up breathless, Adrian's name on her lips, haunted by images of dark hands dragging him away. Adrian, too, felt a force pressing against him, trying to keep the truth buried. Sometimes, he would vanish without warning, only to reappear hours later, shaken and disoriented.

One night, Lena found herself drawn to the forest behind the school. She stood at the edge, the trees swaying in a wind she couldn't feel. The air was thick with something unseen, something waiting. It took all her willpower to step away, but as she turned, she saw a flicker of movement—a shadow shifting unnaturally in the distance.

And then, they found it.

A hidden diary. A name they hadn't expected—Nathan, Adrian's best friend. The last person to see him alive.

Confronting Nathan was a mistake. His face turned pale, his hands trembled. "I never meant for it to happen," he said, voice barely above a whisper. "I swear, I never—"

A violent force struck the room, knocking Lena back. Adrian cried out as something unseen grabbed him, pulling him into the darkness. The air filled with an ancient, menacing presence. Lena could barely breathe. The walls seemed to close in, shadows stretching unnaturally across the floor.

Then, Adrian remembered.

The night he died, he and Nathan had gone into the forest—but they weren't alone. Something else had been there. Something hungry. They had been lured by a voice, a whisper on the wind that had led them deeper and deeper. And then the shadows had come to life. Adrian had felt the cold grasp of hands pulling him away, his screams swallowed by the dark. Nathan had run. He had left Adrian behind.

And now, it wanted Adrian back.

Lena refused to let go. She reached for him, their hands finally touching. A warmth surged between them, a light so powerful that the darkness shrieked and recoiled. But it wasn't enough. The shadows clawed at Adrian, pulling him toward the veil. Desperation filled his eyes. "Lena—"

She did the only thing she could think of. She called his name, over and over, forcing him to focus on her. And then she whispered the truth—the words she had been afraid to say.

"I love you."

The darkness shattered. Adrian gasped as his form solidified, the weight of his existence shifting. The shadows recoiled, shrieking as light flooded the space. With one last desperate pull, she dragged Adrian from the veil.

And then, he was gone.

Lena woke up in the hospital. Her mother was crying, the doctors said she had collapsed from exhaustion. No one believed her. No one remembered Adrian. His desk at school was empty. His name was erased from every record, as if he had never existed.

Weeks later, as she walked past the school courtyard, a cold breeze brushed against her skin. She felt a familiar warmth beside her. A soft voice whispered in her ear.

"Thank you, Lena."

She turned and, for just a moment, saw him—smiling, finally free. His eyes were full of gratitude, of something deep and unspoken. And then, like a breath of wind, he disappeared.

But this time, Lena didn't feel alone. She knew he was at peace. And she knew, somehow, that he would always be watching over her.