A Dying Love Hushed whispers of rumor and intrigue drifted up from the restless crowd. “Do you think she will die too?” “If she has any conscience she should not emerge from her home alive.” “I heard she could already feel him slipping away.” “It’s all an abomination if you ask me!” The object of the attention of the onlookers was a small, unassuming hut whose walls shielded the two lovers from view. Only it was not the intimate act of love-making that drew the crowd, rather the intimate act of watching a loved one die - only in this town, that had never happened before. Before tonight, every pair of lovers had died - just as they had lived - in unity. What made the different this time was the species involved in the romance: A Human male and an Elfish female. The planet Tenebrus housed many marvelous creatures ranging from Elves, Unicorns, Dragons, Fairies, Ogres and many others. Humans had never been heard of or even imagined before the faithful day when the fireball of a spaceship entered the sky and changed the planet and its inhabitants forever. Humans and technology were introduced that day, as were the Human and Elf who were about to make history by simply dying. Rather, to be true, what was making history was that the Human was dying of old age, while the Elf was still in the prime of her youth by Elfish standards. She was 141 years old. The faint whispers of disapproval and curiosity snuck into the dimly lit back room of the infamous hut. A soothing, melodic humming attempted to fight back the intruding noises and reclaim the private moment for the two lovers. A faint glowing orb lit the small room and cast the two figures into silhouettes. The fine curves of the young Elfish woman arched over the bed which held the body of a hard-edged, aged old Human. Their hands touched – smooth on wrinkles. Their eyes met – watery, glowing black on dull, weakening blue. Their souls locked together – strong, alive on frail, fading. Words were not needed, their souls communicated all. His telling hers to live on, not to give into her kind’s need to keep the balance, not to do anything to harm herself if she was to survive the uncertain results of this night; Hers telling his to stay strong, to fight the bonds that might hold him back, to enter to the next world, and to wait for her when he got there; Both telling each other their love for the other and how their souls were complete. The moment finally came and all the Elves could feel it. A surge in the sensation of their souls as the balanced spiritual world they knew suddenly became unequal. The Human had left his body, yet his soul remained trapped between worlds; Trapped, but not alone as the bond between him and his beloved spanned the gap between existences. “My love, I still feel you.” “As do I.” “Does it hurt?” “No, my sweet, I feel no pain.” “Still, I am sorry.” “No, don’t be. To remain with you, even as a spirit, is more than I could have ever wished for. I can wait to pass over fully. I can wait for you my love, I can wait.” “I love you Connor.” “And I love you my sweet M’ora”