Darkest Knight Next...

Upon waking Candy looked around the room, it was dark a fire glowed warmly in the fireplace, flickering long shadows upon the log walls of the cabin. She was warm, covered with the velvet bedspread, her hand released from bondage, Candy examined it carefully, there wasn’t a trace of chaffing from the leather strap that tied her. There was a perfumed scent, evergreen pine, it was refreshingly soothing, like Christmas. Candy searched the room for Graham he appeared to have vanished again. Candy sat up climbing off the bed she moved to the fire, stretching before it, the crackle of the burning wood, and glow of the orange flame calmed her.
A moment later Candy felt Graham’s hand on her shoulder, she jumped slightly, then realizing it was Graham, relaxed sighing slightly. “Didn’t mean to scare you, sorry. Are you warm enough it’s chilly outside tonight. I don’t feel the cold anymore.”
“I’m fine, Graham, how is this possible? What did you mean by you took me?” Candy had questions, and she hoped Graham had satisfying answers.
“Okay… it’s complicated, but since I never ascended, you know went beyond….well I was allowed to inhabit my natural body, but I can only use it a short period of time. There are strict limitations, and once the time’s up I have no choice but to ascend.” Graham tried to simplify the situation so Candy could understand.
“Okay by ascend you mean enter Heaven? And since you haven’t, are you like a ghost, haunting me?” Candy thought she understood. Graham smiled, she was partly right, “Well yes and no Candy. Yes ascend takes you beyond the eternal gates, but haunting you no. I’m not really a ghost, a ghost is an entity trapped between the gates of eternal happiness, and death. I have chosen to remain, I couldn’t bare leaving Elisabeth. When she quit coming, I began drifting, not really belonging anywhere, until one day I saw you.” Candy blushed and looked away, this is so unbelievable, yet I do believe him.
“Graham….what do you expect, since making yourself visible to me?” Candy wasn’t sure what Graham’s intentions toward her actually were.
“I don’t know….I was so in love with Elisabeth, and you are so similar to her. I guess I just wanted….to touch you, to hold you like I used to hold her. We were never married, I had proposed, but….” Graham’s voice trailed off, and he shook his head dejected.
“You love Elisabeth so much, why didn’t you seek her out Graham?” Candy didn’t understand why Graham did not find Elisabeth. Graham’s eyes glassed, sorrow blazed burning deep into her heart. “She found another, and married, she’s happy, she’s forgotten me Candy.” Candy witnessed a tear slowly trickle down Graham’s cheek.
There was an uncomfortable silence, as Candy considered what Graham had said. She suddenly had a puzzling thought, and needed to ask, “How old are you Graham?”
“I don’t know….the year I died I was 20 years old, and the date was October 9th 1939,” Graham replied softly, watching Candy’s reaction carefully. Candy shook her head, rubbing her hand over her forehead thoughtfully, nearly seventy years had passed. Logically this could not be happening, but nothing pertaining to this was logical. “What?” Graham asked, as Candy seemed to be silent for a long while. “Graham, it’s the year 2008, are you able to see and understand the changes in our lives?” Graham nodded smiling, “Yes, well some of them….what you call computer machines, and the tiny ear pieces you speak into, I don’t understand at all. I like the cars though, they go quite fast now.” Graham flashed an electric smile, and his deep brown eyes blazed, disarming Candy as he moved closer. Hypnotized by his presence, Graham edged still closer, until his moist lips pressed against hers, initiating their first kiss.