1971

It had always been said that Anne was a restless soul.

So when everything bubbled down to nothing, and Anne hurtled presumably down the tunnel to Life, The Universe, and Everything, it was only natural that hazel eyes would glimpse for a moment another world- one with people, people, she saw them!- and Anne would briefly to admire the strange, dimmer dimension..

But what restless souls don't count on if a pair of lithe, girlish arms to ensnare your body and rip you away from that calling light.

"No-!"

But then it was too late, because Life, The Universe, and Everything disappeared, leaving Anne to blink once in a strange world before giving away to a gnawing fatigue.

30 Years Later

"...July. It was July," Summer confessed, tossing her head to brush dark locks away from a tanned face. "That's how I got my name."

Nick smiled pleasantly, although Summer caught a flash of irritation in those chocolate colored eyes.

"What does that have to do with your name?"

Summer groaned internally, rolling her eyes. For such a genius, this guy wasn't always the brightest glow in the vapor.

"All I remember is that I died in the summer. I remember, because I liked the heat. You can't feel it in Everlost."

Nick nodded his approval and glanced out the perpetually finger-printed window onto the skyline of New York City, taking in the muted colors of the 'living world'. It was such a shame, Nick reckoned, that this poor soul was stuck with a name to remind her permenately of her death.

Like Everlost wasn't reminder enough.

"Summer," he began casually, taking in her figure as she hopped from foot to foot, most likely habit so she wouldn't find herself in company of Mary Hightower. "How old are you?"

"13," She answered without a beat. She really wasn't sure of her age..but 13 seemed like a good one, so she'd stuck with it.

"In Everyears," He clarified.

Summer glanced down quickly to shield Nick from the downtrodden look in her eyes. She didn't know, she didn't know, she'd never know. It was task enough to remember her name, her features, and how to do algebra. Summer, in flesh, had an execptionally good memory- so that friends called her Encyopedia (affectionatly, of course.) So her memory had stayed strong in Everlost. She always remember exactly what she looked like, and if she could find crossed paper and pen, she tried her best to do algebra to keep her mind sharp. Although, once you spend years in solitude, things tend to slip from your mind that aren't needed anymore.

Like her actual name, or her age.

"I don't remember."

"Well, I'm sure you know of Everlost's coins, correct?" Nick could tell the girl hadn't died recently- a fresh soul never eyes someone so crictically before accepting an invitation for food. In fact, any other child probably would've shrieked in joy at the prospect of food to eat. But Summer- no she was weary- perhaps she'd been under McGill, perhaps Mary?..

Summer froze, body pushed into a straight, rigid posture that would make a soldier ashamed. "I don't have one," she answered through a memory of gritted teeth, grammar correct as per usual. To Nick, he thought perhaps it'd been stolen and she was defensive, thinking he would rob her blind too.

"That's fine, I've got a bucket-"

"I can't cross."

At this, Nick blinked in confusion. How could a soul not cross..? Ah, her coin must've been cold when she had it, that's it..

"How about you try one now?"

A small, exasperated sigh slipped between sealed lips, and Nick glanced up to see that Summer had removed part of the mask she sealed herself within ever since she had journeyed into these magnificent towers. The Twin Towers were before Summer's time- and, due to the restlessness of her soul, she was planning to move on anyway- why not stop here?

"I can't cross, period."

A beat.

"Well, maybe you just have a purpose-"

"Let's say The Universe and I don't get on all that well."

Another beat.

Out of all the Afterlights Nick had found and cared for- he'd never heard of this. Never found an Afterlight that was clearly seasoned, walking alone in a city, claiming to have no comrades- with the exception of Lief..but he didn't know their were others like him, while Summer was just strolling down an avenue, hands in jean pockets like the she wasn't being passed through by billions of fleshies.

"I..okay, how about you stay here, and-"

"I don't do crowds, Hershey. I'm getting out of here."

Nick stopped as it dawned on him what she just said. She called him Hershey- but he wasn't a trace of chocolate now! So she must've known him before..

"Summer, were you one of Mary's children?"

"Mary, Mary, quite contrary. I'm Jill's girl."

Nick sucked in breath from his nose. He'd seen them all- Mary's lost children, skinthirsty skinjackers, a girl who could rip things from the living right into Everlost..but never a girl that Jill brought here.

"You were reaped by Jackin' Jill?"

"Somethin' like that." A faraway look came into the brunette's eyes as she remembered how it was when she woke up, surrounded by all those Greensouls who hadn't a flipping clue as to why they were dead and, more importantly, why they were ghosts and not angels. She'd yelled out something about wanting some answers, and eventually she got them, from the great Jill herself.

"Then you should cross, Summer. You weren't supposed to be here at all," Nick said gently. holding a coin gingerly between two fingers. "Take it. Get where you're going."

"Can't" came the infuriatingly calm response.

"Do you remember how you died?" Nick questioned, slightly recoiling incase she decided to bite. With some Afterlights, they didn't care if you asked, it was commonplace for them to tell anyway- but with others, they'd jump back and hiss as if they'd been burned. And by the quality of her clothes, all neat and fresh, much unlike his clothes from death- it didn't look like TOO terrible of an accident.

"I killed myself. I wanted to know what death was like, and I got it."

Nick hesitated, hoping the silence would prompt her more.

"I stopped, cause in the tunnel, out of the corner of my eye- I saw people, walking and talking and being ALIVE. So i stopped to see for a second, and then these girlie arms insnared me and pulled me back from the light."

Summer tone was clipped and professional, making her death sound like yesterday's cafeteria lunch menu. "I didn't cross with a coin, either," she murmured, a bit of the South gracing her words. "I guess I can't cross."

Without warning, Nick sprang forward and slapped a coin into her wildly gestured hand before snapping long, tan fingers closed over a ticket to salvation.

A feeling of immense calm settled across the former Twin Towers, and Summer sucked in a breath, her hoodie rising and falling like a fleshie's.

"Anne. It was Anne," she whispered, smiling greatly. Then, she did something Nick had also never seen before- she stepped away from the light and back to Everlost.

"Anne? Wha-..?"

"Thanks for the gesture, Cadbury, but I don't think The Universe's got somewhere comfortable waiting for me behind the light. Everlost ain't so bad, compared to Hell or whatever."

Nick nodded slowly. He was wrong to try and force her to cross- it had to be every Afterlight's descision to cross or he was no better than Mary herself. "I understand," he said simply. "I really do."

"Thanks, Choco." A hand was outstreched to shake his, a gesture that spoke volumes in this gloomy Middle Realm. "I'll be back once I figure out somethin' to do. I've been here for several decades, I think, so I need to repay my debt to The Universe. I'll be back. Save a coin."

With Anne's speech, a door swung open and closed again, leaving Nick alone in his Tower room, alone with the silence and the smell of pride and curiosity.

He paced toward the window, resting his eyes on the hustle and bustle of the city- for a moment, he thought he saw a flurry of brown and tan walking alongside the fleshies like she belonged- but then, an Afterlight's imagination was terribly strong, especially for someone like Nick.

"I'll be waiting. Anne," he breathed, watching the living world's sun sink behind his favorite concrete jungle. "I always do."

And with that, Nick turned and waltzed away, a bucket of coins in hand, hell-bent on saving more souls like Anne, if its the last thing he did.

Hope you liked!