“Great, that’s three against two.” Silas said.
“Four,” said Jane quietly and Silas laughed.
“Help me,” he said to the nurse, and when the doctor nodded she unclipped the lines quickly and efficiently.
Silas manoeuvred himself to pick Jane up, one arm around the back of her shoulders, the other under her knees. He braced himself, but found her ridiculously light. Felicity rushed to tuck her mother’s night shirt around her wasted body to cover her modesty.
“Pass me the blanket too, will you darling?” Silas asked, and Felicity plucked the blanket from the bed and draped it over mother.
“Okay, let’s go.” Silas walked to the door and led everyone out, down the corridor, past the reception and to the main doors, locked at this time of night. The doctor swiped his card and they all slipped out, under cover of a huge overhang, blinking in the sudden glare of sodium lighting.
“Just give us a few minutes,” Silas said to the doctor and then he and Felicity walked out into the rain, Terri following a little way behind. They ventured around the side of the building to where Jane’s room was located. Her trees were here.
“Can you see them?” Silas asked and Jane attempted to focus.
“Oh yes,” she said, “yes. I can. They’re beautiful. They smell so fresh.”
Silas cast a glance at Felicity and she nodded at him, her eyes shining bright in the subdued lighting around this side of the building. She stepped away, back to where Terri was standing. Terri wrapped an arm around Felicity and held her tight.
Silas stepped out from under the cover of the trees. Jane lifted her face to the rain, opened her mouth to catch the drops, licked the moisture from her lips. “I remember … that first night after the gig … dancing in the rain.”
“I do too, like it was yesterday.”
“Dance with me now. One last time.”
Silas kissed her gently before clearing his throat. He hummed a few bars and then sweetly and softy sang:
Fill me with a joy so clean
Take me back to where we’ve been
We’re dancing in the rain
Again
We’re keepers of the flame.
He swayed with her in his arms, and together they remembered the coloured lights of the alley, down the side street in a city he didn’t know, and heard the musicians picking out their Spanish harmonies. Jane was young once more, they both were, shining with vitality, their lives ahead of them.
He choked on the memory and held her tighter. “Promise me you won’t leave me,” he said.
“I promise,” her voice had faded, her eyes had closed. She was lost in time
“Swear it,” whispered Silas.
And this time, when she didn’t answer, couldn’t answer, he lifted his head to the rain and howled.
The End
Jeannie Wycherley
7th May 2018
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Acknowledgements
This novella only came about because of a dream I had. The dream was coherent and compelling, and the next day I badly wanted to write it up, but given that I don’t ‘do’ romance or love stories, I wasn’t sure how to manage it.
Huge thanks therefore must go to my friend Julie Archer, herself a rock lit writer (go and check out her Blood Stone Riot series including Cocktails, Rock Tales and Betrayals – it’s brilliant!) and her brand new novella, Rivers of Ink. Phew! Julie generously encouraged me every step of the way, and kindly suggested improvements.
Also my eternal gratitude to my two fabulous beta readers – Debbie Rodriguez and Heaven Riendeau. Their enthusiasm is infectious and helped me believe in the story.
Thanks also to my husband John Wycherley, who assists greatly when I need to squeeze more time into the week to write.
And finally … I’m really pleased I finally wrote a story that my Mum is happy to read! Love you Mum xxx
Genre hopping is a challenge in more ways than one. Will my old dark fantasy/horror readers follow me? Will those who have picked up Keepers quickly abandon me when they see my past catalogue? I’m hoping everyone hangs around to see what I do next.
In the words of Aerosmith, walk this way …
Coming June 2018
Beyond the Veil by Jeannie Wycherley
Some doors are best left closed …
Detective Sergeant Adam Chapple had always assumed that death was final. However, when his ex-wife is murdered, his main suspect claims she’s actually his chief witness and insists she met the murderer once before.
When she died.
Cassia Veysie claims to be able to communicate with the dead. As a self-proclaimed witch she considers herself the perfect person to help with Adam’s case. But when she and Adam join forces, a gateway to the world beyond the veil is opened and their reality begins to crumble.
As unquiet spirits are unleashed into the world, can Cassia and Adam shore up the breach in the veil and make amends? Because with time running out and a murderer on the loose the nightmare is just beginning …
Other Books by Jeannie Wycherley
Fiction
Crone (2017) Available http://mybook.to/CroneJW
A Concerto for the Dead and Dying (short story, 2018) http://mybook.to/ConcertoDead
Deadly Encounters: A collection of short stories (2017) http://mybook.to/DeadlyEncounters
Short and Saucy
by Jeannie Wycherley writing as Betty Gabriel
The Fly Man (2017) https://www.amazon.com/Fly-Man-Short-Saucy-ebook/dp/B01N4VRRGG/
Autoerotic (2015) https://www.amazon.com/Autoerotic-Betty-Gabriel-ebook/dp/B019YNUSAK/
Non Fiction
Losing my best Friend: Thoughtful support for those affected by dog bereavement or pet loss (2017) http://mybook.to/LosingMyBestFriend
About The Author
.
Jeannie Wycherley is the author of the award winning novel Crone (2017) – an Indie B.R.A.G honoree, and recipient of a Chill with a Book Award – as well as a collection of short stories, Deadly Encounters (2017)., and the forthcoming novels, Beyond the Veil (June 2018) and The Municipality of Lost Souls (Autumn 2018). She is a contributor of many short stories and articles in publications across the globe.
Jeannie lives somewhere between the forest and the sea in East Devon, UK, is a huge Metallica fan, and cooks her evening meals in a cauldron. She lives with her husband and three dogs in a small house that is bursting at the seams with books. She favours the strange.
Follow Jeannie Wycherley
Find out more about what Jeannie up to:
Website https://www.jeanniewycherley.co.uk/
You can tweet Jeannie @thecushionlady
Or visit her on Facebook for her fiction https://www.facebook.com/jeanniewycherley/
Sign up for Jeannie’s newsletter http://eepurl.com/cN3Q6L
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Keepers of the Flame: A love story Page 11