It was the last night of October.

I don’t remember how found myself here in cold. The forest all around me like a black sharp-clawed creature. It’s not good. My name is Kevin Strange. I am 22 and tomorrow I have some lectures in university. I am just a guy, what I am doing here?

I can’t remember anything. Only whisper stuck in my ears, and the mysterious icy as the air around.

‘Ghosts never lie’.

I remember only these words. It’s important somehow. Should be a reason to remember it. I am going forward, gazing into the darkness. Small branch crackling underfoot. The skin is covered with small ants under a thin jacket. And as soon as I had time to put on a jacket? What happened with me? Where I am?

Finally I see the light in the distance. I quickened my pace to get close to it, but the light is closer to me too. I see someone in front of me. Heart freezes and shrinks.

Rose. I miss her the most. All this 224 days without her are my nightmare. I wasn’t with her when she died. I couldn’t do something to save her.

Here we are. She’s with me. Pearly white and smiling. Rose disappears as soon as I extend my hand. I can’t call her. My voice seemed lost, like I never can speak again.

‘Are you ready?’ asked me whisper again. ‘Do you really want it?’

I look around. Next to me is the ghost of an old man. I nod. We continue to go. The forest thins out a little, but there is another forest, much more terrible. The forest of tombstones.
And then I remember what happened. I fell asleep and dreamed of this man. He offered me to get Rose back, but if I give him the most precious thing I have.

‘But I have lost the most precious thing I had. I’ve lost her already.’

Then the ghost reminded me of other important things. That’s life. My life. And it’s the most precious thing that I still have left. I said it was a joke, it’s impossible. What is he cheating on me?

But the old man said: ‘Ghosts never lie’

We got to her grave. There are a lot of flowers. Many of them I brought to her.

The last time I was cold chills.

‘Her death is unfair. And I want her to live.’

The last time I take a breath.

The last time I feel the wind.

I’ll never wake up.

I am ready to change places with her.

And I do not regret it.

‘What’s happening? What am I doing here?’

She is afraid, being in the middle of the cemetery at night. I was frightened too. But I guess I do not feel anything. I can’t be afraid. My hands are pearly white. And I don’t have a body anymore. But Rose is next to the living. Her grave is gone, and tomorrow is going to be my grave here.

‘I’ll take you home … – I whisper, and for some reason she can hear me. – Now you’ll be fine’.
Rose looks at me but does not seem to know who I am.

You can’t deceive me? She asked timidly.

I’m smiling. My whisper merges with the wind.

– Ghosts never lie …

– Katherine-Ariel