Bailey

FOUR DECADES AGO ON EARTH.

Samuel slams his eyes shut and grips his chest to contain the unimaginable pain he feels. His heart raced with unutterable sorrow as he held tightly onto his chest.

Everything happened within seconds. One second she was right in front of him, and the next she was gone.

Samuel couldn't describe the pain he felt as he saw her collapse on the floor like a log of wood. Samuel acted quickly on impulse after it happened and took her to the hospital.

"I'm very sorry, but Bailey Potter is dead." Samuel's heart pounded violently against his ribcage. He felt like he couldn't breathe.

"Bailey? My Bailey? No, doctor, you don't know what you're talking about. I promise you, she looked fine a minute ago." Samuel's voice cracked as he spoke.

"My apologies, son; I know it's very difficult to understand. But even before you brought her here, she was dead. And the main reason it all turned out to be like this is because she kept delaying her treatment, and as a result, her condition deteriorated."

"What sickness?"

"You don't know? She had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy." With a cold pat on his shoulder, the doctor left Samuel alone in misery. Stunned and overwhelmed, Samuel wondered aloud how he had not noticed the signs of the serious heart condition his lover had been struggling with.

Samuel's entire world implodes. His lover is dead. It was at this point that he realised how much the rest of the world despised him.

All through his life, he has never committed a crime that would warrant such a severe penalty. How did everything turn out like this? Samuel mused, distraught.

His pounding heartbeat drowned out the shrill sirens and Bailey's family's cries. What should he do? He lost Bailey.

"Sam...."

All he had was Bailey.

"Sam...."

Without his lover by his side, he wouldn't last a single day.

"Samuel!" His train of thought was cut short as his name was called. Bailey's older brother, Lucas, caught his eye immediately. "Do I have your attention?" Lucas inquired subtly. The young lad shocked Samuel because he wasn't supposed to be there.

Because Lucas, it turned out, passed away long ago. "How are y-" Lucas shushed him before he could say anything else. "Look, everything will be explained later, but right now I need you to do me a favour." He said it calmly.

"I don't understand how... How are you even here? Have I finally lost it?" Samuel shook his head.

"No, Samuel, I promise you haven't. The reason you can see me is because of a friend's magic. There's this world that no one knows exists, but I've been there, and that's where I met this friend. Their world is called Mujaro, and... Shit, you know what? Forget that; that's not why I came here." Samuel blinks.

"I know about the book," Lucas continued.

"What book? I don't understand you. Can you speak more clearly?" Samuel frowned, as he wasn't understanding anything Lucas was saying to him. He jumped from one word to another.

"The book you found on a camping trip when you were a small kid. I know you still have it." Lucas reveals this, shocking Samuel. "You mean the spell book? How do you know this? I didn't even know you back then," Samuel replied.

"That's not relevant. Look, I don't have enough time, so I'll get to the main reason why I've come to see you." Samuel pauses as he listens. While he thought what was happening was all an illusion, he nevertheless played along with it.

"Look, Samuel, I need you to cast a spell for me."

"Spell?" Samuel asked for clarification.

"Yes, in the book, on its last page, there is a resurrection spell written on it with a headline that says, Whoever speaks this spell, he must be determined, strong, and pure in heart. You remember it, right? Please, I need you to cast it. Only you can change this fate, so please cast the spell." Samuel was taken aback by what he heard. But in seconds, his face morphed into an angry bull. Why had Lucas waited so long to spill such nonsense? He thought to himself, infuriated by Lucas' nonchalant manner. "Lucas, your sister's dead, and you are here telling me to cast a dumb spell that doesn't even work!" Samuel raged. "Are you kidding me right now? As you see, I don't have time to play your childish games." Samuel took a step back, breathing deeply to calm his temper. Lucas looked at him pitifully. "Please believe in me, Samuel; do this before it's too late. Please just do it; I'm not going to last long in this form," Lucas said, looking down at his lower body. Samuel followed his eyes and became perplexed by what he saw. Lucas' lower body was fading in an unbelievable way.

"This is completely fictitious," Samuel said after some minutes of silence between the two. He was still digesting the fact that he was indeed having a real conversation with a dead boy.

"Samuel, please, you need to cast the spell." Lucas pleaded quietly.

After some time passed, Samuel cooled down. He knew he had nothing to lose, so he slowly nodded. He closed his eyes, concentrating deeply. When his mind became calm and clear, he breathed in and out before letting the words flow out of his mouth: "Novus orbis, vita nova, amoris nostri renascent."

Samuel couldn't deny the tingling sensation he felt.

He waited for a moment before opening his eyes, and as he looked in front of him, he noticed that Lucas was nowhere in sight. Had he imagined things? Samuel shakes his head. He then looks around and realises that the hall was deserted, everyone had disappeared, and the atmosphere was eerily quiet. This was except for the beeping noise coming from Bailey's ward.

He slowly walked towards the door, hesitating for a second before opening it. Taking a look around the room, Samuel paused. There she was, lying lifeless on the bed. And then it hit him-she was really dead. The love of his life was dead. He felt his heart (lub-dub) slowly rise as he consciously walked towards her. He sat down on a seat beside Bailey's bed. As he stared at Bailey, he noticed that she looked pale as a ghost.

After some minutes of silence, Samuel stated, "It was a shock when the doctor revealed to me you had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy." "Why didn't you tell me about it, Bailey? That is the problem with you, Bailey; you never tell me anything; you always handle everything alone." Tears blur his eyes as every word escapes his lips.

"I'm sorry; I'm so sorry for not being able to save you, Bailey; you... you promised to always be by my side forever." He began to cry, saying, "And now I'll never have the chance to hear your sweet voice or buy that puppy that you loved so much." He chuckled, tears dropping down his face as he reminisced.

"You know, that puppy-I planned to give it to you as a surprise on your birthday." He said it softly.

"And tomorrow... Tomorrow is your birthday, Bailey. And that was the day I wanted to propose to you. But now, it will never happen because you're..."

He bit his lips, trembling.

"Why? Why did you leave me alone, Bailey? Please return to me. Please, I will do anything." He raves incoherently as tears cascade down his face. He inches closer, locking his hand with hers, and for a short while, he feels warmth.

Samuel didn't expect what would happen next. Samuel thought whatever was happening around him was a dream. He thought the spell he cast wouldn't work, but it did.

AT the same time, in another world called Mujaro, a hooded woman chants a spell.

"Initium novum quaeris et dabo tibi vitam novam. Come, Samuel, come to me." The hooded woman clapped, and all the lit black candles surrounding her were snuffed out, leaving her in complete darkness.

BACK in Samuel's world

Instantly, the air in the hospital turned very cold, making Samuel shiver in response. He looked behind him as he felt a presence in the room, but to his surprise, no one was there. As he turns back to face Bailey, he jumps, seeing that her eyes are open and she is staring straight at him. "Bai... Ba... Bailey?" he stutters. He hesitantly extended his hands to touch her face. However, before he can, Bailey shrieks so loudly that the earth trembles. The whole building shakes like it's about to cave in.

Samuel looked up at the ceiling. His brows furrowed in alarm as his eyes widened like saucers. He couldn't comprehend what was happening. He jumps as a cold hand holds him, and as he looks down, he finds Bailey with tears in her eyes.

"Vocati estis a maga Melissa."

(Thud), Samuel collapsed...