The heat that summer seemed to be melting the crops in the village. It hadn’t rained for quite a few weeks already and the long trips to the valley lake took half a day’s time. Under the straw roof of their hut made from mud, Namjoo sat in the corner of her room at the handmade wooden table her father had built for her. The straw bed belonging to her sat in the left of her room covered with deer fur and a blanket of sheep wool. The beloved blanket her mother had woven together for her as a child was strung over the little wall dividing her privacy space and the opened doorway.

After having tended to that day’s chores Namjoo finally took a chance to write down her day’s enjoyment in the paper book Sungjae had helped her put together. Girls weren’t usually educated, but because she was the chief’s niece she’d begged him for some lessons.

For a few minutes Namjoo focused on scrawling the zig-zagged letters into the book with a piece of chalk before her ten year old brother ran in.

“Papa is calling for you.”

When Namjoo walked out into the sitting room the village chief, her uncle, was seated in the most comfortable chair of their house. Her mother sat down on the ground by her father’s legs. She walked toward him upon his wave.

“Yes?” she asked.

“The slow harvest has made it hard for you this year, hasn’t it?” her uncle started.

Namjoo smiled, “It’s not hard at all.”

“Everyone’s having a hard time. The heat is making it worse for the villagers,” the chief informed. “Five have already passed from the weather. If we can’t have a successful harvest, we might have to leave this village.”

“But where would we go? There’s so many children, the trip isn’t possible in this heat,” her father spoke.

“Yes, I understand that,” the chief nodded. “In a few days the sun will be at its highest. I’ve decided to do the ceremony on the first day of the solstice.”

“The first day?” her father repeated shocked.

The sacrificial ritual of their village always took place on the last day of the summer solstice. It had always been that way for many generations now. This was the first time Namjoo was hearing of this.

The chief nodded, “The village deity may be angry with us. We need to act as soon as possible so that the natural forces of this village will return. So I’ve come to you for help.”

“Yes,” her father nodded with hands on his knees. “Please speak.”

The chief nodded before turning to look at her, “I’ve thought this through and I’d like you to lead the ritual.”

Namjoo’s eyebrow slightly twitched surprised.

“No! Please don’t!” her mother finally spoke up and her father shot her a stern glare. In their village women weren’t to speak without being spoken to first in the presence of the chief. She could feel the conflict from both sides grow in the air.

Her father eyed the ground; his face frozen with no expression at all while her mother had desperation written all over it. The head chief eagerly waited for her answer.  

“Yes.” Namjoo answered.

After retreating to her room she could hear her mother crying loudly in the kitchen.

“No! Why does it have to be like this! My girl’s barely grown up! She just reached the age to get married. Why?! Tell your brother we can’t let our girl go!” her mother begged.

“Will you stop it!?” her father angrily raised his voice. “This should be an honor for us!”

“What honor!? That he chose my girl to die for the village!?”

“Be quiet! You’re embarrassing me!” her father scolded. “You already know it! That this could happen some day when you gave birth to a girl! Stop crying already!”

Her mother sobbed loudly and Namjoo felt her eyes drift toward the entry in the diary she’d written earlier. Being chosen for the sacrifice was indeed an honor. The villagers were supposed to praise her for that. Before the ceremony she was supposed to receive affection and gifts from the villagers. It had always been like that.

Namjoo had seen it before. A girl would be led up the stairs to the altar and laid down upon the rock bed. Silence would take over the crowd before she was stabbed in the heart. The people would watch her bleed to death and when confirmed dead, the village chief and his men were to bring her to the forest. She would be left there for the deity to take. Everyone would go home contempt in silence and her body would be gone the next day.

The village would flourish with health, good harvest, and newborns. The role of the deity was to keep the village alive. In return he would get a girl to devour until the summer solstice came around again and he would need the energy to relinquish his powers of the earth. This was the connection between the village and the deity; they were each other’s life and soul.

At least that was the tale Namjoo had been told by her father.

“Namjoo!” footsteps scurried into her room and she turned to see her friend Hayoung run in. “I heard! I heard from my father!”

“Ah…” was all Namjoo managed before smiling.

“I don’t know what to say…”

Namjoo pressed her lips together, “It’s an honor to my family. They’ll be well looked after, so I’m not worried.”

“How can you say that?” Hayoung slapped her arm lightly.

Namjoo glanced around before saying, “Want to go to the river? I have to tell you something.”

The coolness of the river soaked up their feet after they climbed over the large boulders to sit down. The hugeness of the rocks would prevent them from being seen gifting them with a moment of privacy.

“I dreamed about him again,” Namjoo told waving her hand back and forth in the water, her eyes lost among the waves soaking her feet up.

“Really!?”

Namjoo nodded.

“Who do you think he is?”

“I don’t know.”

“What if he’s a spirit and he wants to take you away? You could be saved!”

Namjoo shot her a glance that told her she was getting out of context. “No.”

“Look at all the possibilities! There must be a reason why he’s coming to you! If not to take you, then what?”

“Maybe I’m making him up, Young-ah.”

“No, that can’t be it,” Hayoung shook her head.  

“He seems lonely,” Namjoo replied. “He’s always in the shady part of the woods.”

“What does he look like?”

Namjoo tilted her head up to look at the sky, “He’s really tall and handsome with short black hair. And he’s always wearing the same clothes. They always look new though like they’ve been made from new wool.”

“Boo!” Hayoung’s younger brother popped out from behind the boulder.

“Rascal! What are you doing out here!?” Hayoung shouted after jumping.

Her little brother laughed at them showing both rows of his teeth, “What are you doing? Talking about boys? I’m going to tell mom!”

“I’m warning you!” Hayoung shouted grabbing his shirt to keep a hold on him. Turning to Namjoo she said, “I’ll be back.”

Namjoo nodded and watched Hayoung drag her brother off; the two of them arguing as she dragged him back home. She turned back to gaze into the water before suddenly looking toward the forest on the other side of the river. There were a lot of thick trees growing together, but through the gaps she could see winding paths. No one seemed to be there though.

She swore she felt like someone had been watching her.

“Hello?” she called out.

Namjoo waited, but no one appeared or replied back. The rushing waves of the water were the only noise trickling through the quiet environment. She glanced around once more before suddenly getting up and started on the trail home.

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3

He was mesmerized by the way her eyes sat on the water dreamily. He was caught by her graceful movements and how she looked like a delicate flower waiting to be picked up. Watching that girl thrilled a part of him he always knew to be empty.

Turning to glance around he crossed over the river and felt his feet touch the soil of the way to the village. The softness of it melted under his feet soothingly as his eyes reached her back. Then slowly he put a foot out and followed her quietly.

Her steps crossed over each other as if wanting to make her strides look beautiful. Her thin arms swayed by her sides in long slow movements and the way she kept staring straight ahead made a smile linger over his lips. She moved femininely like a leopard calmly searching for a kill in the long fields of burning wheat.

After another few steps she slowly stopped. Kris froze in his spot and watched the wind snap across her face bringing a few strands of her short hair in front of her lips. Her eyes searched the empty trail behind her, his eyes following intensely.

However hard she tried to look she wouldn’t be able to see him. She would never be able to see him like he could see her every part of the day.

Namjoo turned away with her eyelids fluttering confused before she started walking again. Kris followed infatuated by her steps and stopped when a voice shouted her name from far ahead.

“Namjoo!” Hayoung waved her arm out before jogging toward her. “Your family is looking for you.”

“I know,” Namjoo replied. “I’m going.”

Kris watched Namjoo and her friend walk on side by side before vanishing from spot. He’d see her tonight. He knew he’d see her.

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Namjoo lay on her bed staring into darkness that night. The warm blanket of air made her feel hot and stuffy, but she didn’t feel like getting up to walk around. What ran through her mind was that in less than 7 days she probably wouldn’t be sleeping on the same bed anymore.

What did the deity do with those girls? How did he devour them? How was it to be killed? What was death like? Was there really an afterlife?

There was so much to wonder about, but none of it could be answered. It could only be answered by experience and none had come back to tell of that experience.

Namjoo thought she could hear her mother sobbing rooms away. There was nothing she could do for her family before the ceremony. All she could do for them was abide by the chief’s words and walk up those stairs to that rock bed.

She’d heard of a girl who had tried to escape before, but they’d caught her and brought her back. They stripped her of her clothes and shamed her in front of everyone by whipping her. After the incident no one spoke to her; even her family was too embarrassed of her to properly talk to her in public.

Namjoo promised she wouldn’t do that. She wanted to give her family face and make sure they would survive in the long run. That could only be done if she walked to the altar and await that knife to be pierced through her heart.

With the many thoughts racing through her head she eventually fell asleep without realizing. Her eyes opened later in front of a beautiful lawn of green grass being swayed by the cool wind. She felt her skirt fly against her legs before she watched him walk out from behind those fat trees of overgrowing green leaves.

He walked toward her with no word said and grabbed her hand with his long fingers. Namjoo felt the warmth of him touch her skin before he smiled and pulled her into the air with a leap. The breeze tickled the soles of her feet as they flew higher and higher into the sky. She could see the tips of those tall trees and the grass become a crowd of green people waving at them.

gaped open in awe as she tilted her head up to look at the clouds passing by. Amazed she reached her hand out to feel them go through the nothingness of the clouds. Namjoo only turned when she felt ground underneath her feet again and saw a huge magnificent house of gold sparkle in front of her.

There were chairs of materials she’d never seen before and large, large rooms in front of her. Each room held various elements of richness and life to it. The walls molded from strong rock sparkled and reflected the light coming from the sun.

“What is this?” Namjoo asked.

“My secret base,” he replied.

“Secret base?” she replied, but he hushed her by putting a finger over his lips.

A smile lit his lips before he pulled her along. They walked through a long corridor with a soft red carpet before she heard the rushing of water in the next room. When they entered through the door she saw a waterfall coming down from the far left into a pool of blue brigaded by various stones.

There was luscious grass growing here with flowers and Namjoo felt a wind seduce her into calmness. Butterflies flew by and birds chirped.

How could there be nature here in a house? It was so beautiful Namjoo couldn’t turn her eyes away.

“Over here,” he said walking her toward a bench and sat down.

When she sat down she glanced at their hands then to him, “Your hand…”

“Does it bother you?”

Namjoo stared at him lost.

The man whose name she didn’t know locked his eyes with her, “Because I can only touch you when you’re dreaming.”

“Why?”

Namjoo almost drew back from his long gaze and shyly tilted her head down so that her chin nearly touched her collar bone. Her eyes traveled around the magnificent room of peace before hesitatingly returning them to him. This time she saw him slide forward slowly; his eyes half-closed.

Her heart raced with no clue of what was to come next. She’d never felt this nor had this happened to her before. Namjoo wiggled her fingers in his hand anxiously and felt the bridges of their noses touch.

Unable to close her eyes she wavered them down and felt his lips brush against hers. Then the next second she saw her brother shaking her arm. Namjoo blinked a few times to see that she was back in her room before sitting up.

“Why aren’t you awake yet? Mama is cooking already!”

When Namjoo walked into their kitchen packed with cooking bowls she saw her mother stirring up a large pan of boiled chicken along with some herbs. The fire underneath it was breathtakingly hot and would grow stronger if not controlled.

“Mama,” Namjoo called out. “What is there for me to make?”

“No, no. Go out. You needn’t stay here,” her mother replied busily fanning the fire and stirring with another hand.

“I’ll help you,” Namjoo offered trying to take the fan from her.

“No! I said go! Why aren’t you listening to me!?” her mother struggled with her.

They pushed and pulled until her mother slapped her hand away so hard and fast that her hand hit the burning pan. Namjoo let out a shout of pain and surprise then witnessed the devastation on her mother’s face. Her head lowered before she reached out to hug her.

“Why must it be you? Why!” her mother cried helplessly frustrated.  “You’re supposed to get married and have a family, grow old with me and watch my hair gray. You shouldn’t be here… This isn’t right. No…”

Namjoo felt her heart sink, but smiled and patted her mother’s back.

Her mother withdrew and shook her head. Cupping her face she whispered, “Run. Run, Namjoo and don’t look back. I’ll take responsibility. I’ll take care of everything, so leave now. Hurry before your father gets back!”

Her mother released her and grabbed a long towel, placed it on the uneven countertop, and stuffed a bunch of stored food into it. Namjoo watched her astounded by the actions she never thought her mother would act upon. She didn’t think her mom would be like this…

“Mama!” Namjoo hurried forward and reached out to put the food back in the storage. Her mother would get in trouble if her father fund out. She’d get beaten. “No, don’t do this.”

“I said run! Do you want to die? Do you really want to die!?” her mother raised her voice, her eyes wide and stern as their eyes met.

Death…Namjoo felt a dark emotion ravel throughout her, but quickly blocked it out.

“Do you know what dying is!?”

Namjoo stared back at her mom appalled by her words. Her heart broke into a million pieces before she impulsively wrapped her arms around her mother.

Leaning her head against her mother’s back she said, “Thank you. I’m not going anywhere, ma.”

Her mother stilled then quietly sobbed; her tears dropping onto the counter.

“What kind of god is this? What god takes our children from us? What is this nonsense?” her mother sobbed.

“Then run,” Hayoung said that next morning as they sat outside her house.

Namjoo stared at her friend shocked.

“Don’t die up there, Namjoo,” Hayoung told. “What if there’s no deity? What if it’s just a play of our mind; a belief an ancestor made up?”

“How could you say that?”

“It could be true,” Hayoung emphasized. She glanced around before leaning closer to Namjoo, “Did you see him in your dream again?”

Namjoo glanced at her friend then looked away, “Yea.”

“Is he here to take you away? Did you ask him?”

Before Namjoo replied someone shouted her name from afar. They turned to see Sungjae run toward them.

“Is it true? I just heard from my pa,” he was breathless and drenched in sweat from having worked long hours in the field.

“Where have you been all this time?” Hayoung questioned a little aggressively.

“You’re the chief’s niece! Ask him to look for someone else,” Sungjae said.

“I’m not running away,” Namjoo shook her head. “Why are you all being like this? I’m not going to shame my family.”

“It’s not like killing you will save us!” Sungjae slightly raised his voice. “We can just move to another part of the country.”

“We do this every year and you watch someone die up there. What’s the difference between me and the girls who’s laid on that bed rock?” Namjoo asked. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Later in the evening Namjoo sat down at her desk. Everyone being so distraught around her was worsening the mood she wanted. She didn’t think she wanted to see anyone until the day of the ceremony.

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Kris watched Namjoo lean forward onto her arm and reached out an arm to feel her. Someday, he hoped, he would be able to hold her in his arms.

As expected his hand went through her shoulder. Pulling his hand back disappointed he watched her wondering why she wasn’t falling asleep. He wanted to talk to her and let her see him. If she wasn’t asleep he’d be just like air to her. She’d never realize he was there.

He waited and waited till into the depths of the night. When Namjoo finally slept he appeared back at the woods where they always met. Namjoo was looking around dazed and lost before she saw him.

Smiling he walked toward her and reached out to take her hand, but she dodged. A second of silence went by before he glanced at her. Namjoo avoided his eyes clasping her hand.

“Who are you?” she asked.

“Someone, who’s been watching over you.”

Her brow slightly deepened, “Are you…a ghost?”

“No.”

“Then, why do I see you?”

“I want you to.”

She seemed indifferent to his honest reply. A long breeze made the grass sway to the left freezing them in that direction. He took the opportunity then to grab her chin tilted her head back and kissed her. The soft taste of her lips melted in his mouth before she suddenly vanished.

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Namjoo sat up in her desk with a loud gasp desperately breathing for air. What just happened? She turned to look around her empty room before letting out a sigh and dug her face into her hands exasperated.

She turned when she heard little footsteps run in to see her younger brother; his face streaked with mud.

“Namjoo,” he said and placed a stone on her desk, “I found the crickets rock by the cave. At school they said the rock brings good luck. So…good luck means I’ll see you again after the ceremony, right? We can be together again, right?”

Her eyes fell on the ugly rock that looked like any other before smiling. Although she couldn’t be sure about anything he’d said, she felt her heart cry.

“Mm…” she nodded and placed a hand on his head.

As the ceremony drew closer, the villagers busied with preparations and decorations. While the other housewives worked together to gather enough food for the whole village, her mother stayed with her at home. Welcoming uninvited guests was her job and accepting the gifts they had for her and her family.

One night after dinner her father walked into her room, “You’re writing again.”

Namjoo turned to look at him having unexpected to see him. They were never close after all.

A moment of silence dawned in on them. She saw the unsettled expression on her father’s face for the first time in her life. Namjoo didn’t know he was capable of such thing.

“I’m sorry,” her father apologized, “that I can’t do anything for you.”

Namjoo felt tears perk up at the back of her eyes upon his words. Throughout her life she’d never heard him say he was sorry about anything. There was a sudden pain in her chest.

Often times in the evening when her father went out to help the village men her mother would hide in her bedroom and cry. Namjoo would sit in her room alone to listen to her. Sometimes she felt like she wasn’t alone in her room, but when she looked around she couldn’t see anyone.    

He didn’t come to her in her dreams the next few days, but while she slept she would hear the wind whistle in her ear and wake up. The night before the ceremony she found herself walking down a long narrow trail. Trees along the side of the road branched over her, but even so she felt the sun scorching her skin.

She walked along calmly, but stopped when she had that feeling again. Namjoo turned around to look back and slowly shifted when she saw him come into shape from out of nowhere. A smile beamed over his face as he neared her.

“Where have you been?” he started.

Namjoo stared at him confused, “I’ve always been here.”

The corner of his lips curved when he looked at the ground, “Is that so? You wouldn’t let me come.”

Her eyes sat on him. “I don’t want you in my dreams.”

The curve in his lips fell.

“I don’t know how or why I started seeing you, but I don’t like it. Go,” she said, “to wherever it is you came from.”

She watched him stare at her and turned to walk away. The further she walked the darker the tunnel and she woke up seconds later. It was bright early morning already and she could smell fresh food being cooked in her kitchen. Namjoo lay in bed staring up at the ceiling lost in thought for a long time.

After breakfast that morning her mother clothed her in a gown sown especially for the ritual. She sobbed as she tightened the clothes around her, but Namjoo found herself standing there almost emotionless to it all. Her mind blanked as she stared at the mud wall and awoke when she felt her mother’s hands on her face.

“I’m so sorry, baby,” her mother cried, “I can’t help you.”

Namjoo’s eyes searched her mother’s face and pulled on a smile. She hugged her mother for the very last time before walking out of her house. The loud drums began banging in rhythm when she stepped out with her family. Handmade streamers hung up on long wooden poles on either side of the pathway with the villagers standing underneath them.

Some of them watched quietly while others chattered, but no one was crying. It felt like she was being walked to her grave; it was a kind of desolate and fearful feeling all at once. When she passed Hayoung’s house she saw her friend standing with her family trying to hold back tears. Namjoo shot her a smile before passing.

The drums pulsed through her body and the longer she listened to them, the calmer she felt. They were like a loud melody guiding her to the duty she’d been born to perform. This was finally it, she thought, when she reached the stairs leading to the altar.

Namjoo paused in front of the steep stairs finally feeling that moment of doom. Behind her she could hear her mother sobbing loudly while her father restrained her. Gulping she lifted her feet and stepped up the stairs. As she headed up she could hear her family’s voices.

“Why must it be you? Why!” her mother cried helplessly frustrated.  “You’re supposed to get married and have a family, grow old with me and watch my hair gray. You shouldn’t be here… This isn’t right. No…”

“Namjoo,” he said and placed a stone on her desk, “I found the crickets rock by the cave. At school they said the rock brings good luck. So…good luck means I’ll see you again after the ceremony, right? We can be together again, right?”

“I’m sorry,” her father apologized, “that I can’t do anything for you.”

After another two steps she paused. Suddenly she regretted putting on that hard face and not bidding farewell to anybody. Namjoo wanted to turn around and run into her family’s arms, but if she went back down it would be the end for her family.

“I said run! Do you want to die? Do you really want to die!?” her mother raised her voice, her eyes wide and stern as their eyes met.

“It’s not like killing you will save us!” Sungjae slightly raised his voice. “We can just move to another part of the country.”

“Don’t die up there, Namjoo,” Hayoung told. “What if there’s no deity? What if it’s just a play of our mind; a belief an ancestor made up?”

Namjoo felt her lips tremble.

She was scared.

She didn’t want to die…

No, she had to be brave. She had to go through with this to save her family and her friends. Like how others had died for her and the village before, this time it was her turn to return the favor.

Biting her bottom lip in hopes that it would stop the trembling of them she slowly walked up the rest of the stairs. The drumming stopped when she reached the top where the head chief was standing with the priest in charge.

The bed rock looked awfully uncomfortable compared to her bed and she felt ill at the sight of the stained blood on it. There was no turning back now.

Her uncle smiled at her and nodded before the priest held his hand out. When Namjoo placed her hand into it he started chanting. The whole village went silent, but Namjoo could still hear her mother sobbing at the bottom of the stairs.

A roar of wind stopped her from turning to look down and the priest helped her lie down on the rock bed. Namjoo gulped as she stared up at the darkening sky trying to withhold the overpowering emotions inside her telling her to run.

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Kris felt hurt for having been told off. He could still remember roaming around mindlessly through the forest before discovering her sleeping on the grass. Curious, he’d walked over to crouch down to peer at her. Placing his arms on either side of her he leaned closer to her face. There was peace written all over her childish expression and he reached a hand out to touch her only to find out that he couldn’t.

He watched her regretfully as he placed his hand back on the ground. Electric bolts shot through him when she opened her eyes to stare straight up at him. There were lights in her eyes that cut his breath off. She lay like that for a long time and teased with a smile before sitting up. With a yawn and a stretch she pulled herself up before walking away. And since then he’d been following her.

He stood there on the same path she’d walked away from him before he felt his body fly forward. Kris felt himself falling through the air a second later and spotted the crowd below him. He was almost confused about what was going on before he suddenly remembered what he’d forgotten.

A sacrifice would be offered to him in the middle of the year. It was already that time.

Floating above the altar he glanced down only to feel his insides churn.

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3

A loud gasp came from the crowd when the knife landed on the ground. Whispers became loud as the villagers neared the altar in order to find out what was going on. Namjoo opened her eyes upon the commotion and turned to see shock absorbing the priest’s face.

“Try again,” the chief urged.

The priest nodded and picked the knife up. Namjoo watched him raise the knife above her before clenching her eyes shut. She opened them a second later when she heard it clatter against the ground.

“What’s going on?” the chief questioned. “Did the chanting go wrong?”

“No,” the priest quickly shook his head, “I memorized the script.”

A heavy frown crossed her uncle’s face and she was ordered up. Namjoo looked around confused before getting up to her feet. What was happening?

The kind of wind she usually felt in her dreams breezed by and she turned to look into the sky.

“Lets go, lets go,” the chief grabbed her arm and led her down the stairs.

“This is impossible, this has never happened before,” her father spoke in their home a few minutes later.

The doors had been locked to assure that no one who wasn’t immediate family overheard. Namjoo stood beside her father with her hands clasped; her mother’s hands on her arms as she listened to them talk. Her uncle looked at her as if she was at fault for ruining the ceremony and she found it hard to look him in the eye.

“Then we’ll try again tomorrow. The weight of the sun won’t lighten until tomorrow night. It won’t be too late to try again,” the chief decided before leaving.

“Oh thank goodness, this only means the gods didn’t want it to happen. Namjoo’s not meant for this.” Her mother went on.

“Be quiet!” her father raised his voice and side-eyed them. “I will not tolerate any failure. Namjoo, get to bed.”

Namjoo watched her father walk away and felt a relief surge through her. She’d been so scared up there waiting for death alone. Imagining that knife plunging through her chest made her body numb. For a long time she stood there in her mother’s hold.

When she got into her warm bed that night she curled up under the wool blanket her mother had made for her. Even if the heat wave had no mercy on them she still wanted to be in the warmth of her home before she’d never get the chance again. As she lie there in the dark she pondered over what had happened and why. Very slowly she drifted off into sleep.  

For the first time, instead of the forest or some kind of path she was standing on some kind of high hill overlooking the nature below. It was windy, but not strong enough to push her forward or backward. The clear blue sky surrounded her overhead, but not one cloud was to be seen.

Namjoo turned when she felt a hand on her arm and saw him standing beside her.

“Do you…want to come with me?” he asked.

She stared up at him.

“I…can protect you and we’d never be apart.” His voice held emotions of promise and desperation. Turning to her he let their eyes meet he said again, “Come with me.”

Namjoo’s eyes sullenly drifted to the ground. Her family would be harshly punished by her father and the chief if she was dead before the ceremony. She loved her mother too much to leave her to clean up after her and she wasn’t willing to let her brother carry a burden the rest of his life. She wanted him to marry a good wife and be well known. Now wasn’t the time for selfish acts when she could’ve done so earlier.

“No,” Namjoo spoke. She felt his eyes on her and finally looked up at him, “I don’t want to.”

They stared at each other for a long time and she finally felt his hand slip from her arm. When Namjoo awoke it was morning.

Today would be her last day alive before evening.

As her mother helped her into the dress for the ritual she watched her with a tender smile. This was a sight Namjoo would never forget even in death. For a moment she could see her mother helping her into a wedding ceremonial dress; the kind of thing her mother always wanted to do.

“Ma,” Namjoo called. “I love you.”

Her mother turned to look at her and Namjoo bear hugged her. The warmth of her mother’s body spiraled into her and Namjoo silently cried inside.

The drums started pounding again as her family led her down the road to the altar late afternoon. The sun was starting to set putting a warm glow over the village and the mountains beyond sight.  This was the first time in the village’s history that the ritual had to be re-done. Whatever had happened yesterday wasn’t happening again, her father swore to his brother. He knew she’d let her overhear so that she’d keep her end of the bargain.

This time Namjoo walked up those steep stairs to the altar with more confidence than yesterday. The weight of regret sunk her heart. There was no escape this time. Luck was no longer with her. This…was goodbye.

Tonight two tall torches were lit on either side of the altar. Fire would burn away the bad spirits, the chief had said. The priest’s chanting burnt her ears and Namjoo felt a slow calm settle in her. If she could sustain her family’s life she would do this for the greater good. Everybody was doomed to die someday…it was just she’d been chosen for this special event.

The roughness of the rock met with her back when she lay down and closed her eyes. The moment the priest lifted the knife up into the air a blast of wind blew out the torches leaving them in almost darkness. There were unsettled whispers again coming from the villagers down below.

The priest and the chief’s eyes met. She heard the chief order, “Do it now!”

Just as the knife plunged down the priest’s hand twisted to the side and the knife flew to the ground. That was when Namjoo’s eyes opened and she saw the priest falling to the ground clutching onto his twisted wrist . Her uncle was currently dashing toward the knife, but was suddenly pushed toward the stairs and tumbled down.

Alarmed, Namjoo sat up and looked around the blue darkness. The sun was currently behind the tips of the trees and the moon slowly coming to be. She couldn’t see anything. The wind suddenly stopped blowing and she got to her feet. Her heart quietly trembled inside her chest.

Something was out there…

The sun suddenly seemed to fall faster than she’d ever witnessed it to and there were nothing, but dark shadows surrounding her. From below the villagers were making noises as they pulled the chief to his feet. That was when she saw a figure almost transparent at first walk through those shadows and slowly solidified.

Namjoo froze and felt her eyes run over him. His shoulders were broad as she remembered and his sharp features were as visible to her as if the lights were still on. He took a step toward her; his figure looming over her short figure. Their eyes hooked onto each other’s and neither said a word.

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Was she too shocked? Or was she simply surprised? Why wasn’t she saying anything? Kris wanted her to ask him questions, be curious with him, but she didn’t move.

“Namjoo! Come back!” her mother screamed.

“What about my family? Are we going to die?”

“We have to go through with this!”

“Don’t you dare come back down!”

“Namjoo! Namjoo! Run!”

Her eyes wavered toward the crowd with an eerie silence falling over her like a blanket. Namjoo suddenly moved for the knife on the ground, but he rushed at her to keep her in place. Again, he couldn’t touch her but his powers could do the trick. The wind slammed against her and stood like a wall in front of her.

There was a slight gasp as she tried to step to the side and he quickly followed to block her. She stepped again to the opposite side and he followed.

“What are you doing!?” she shouted exasperated.

“You can’t die.” Kris told.

“What’s going on up there!?” someone shouted.

“Namjoo, who are you talking to?!” 

He watched her lips move, but no word was said. Namjoo stared at him with no expression on her face and he wished he knew her better so he could calculate her out.

“You…” she started, “need me, don’t you?”

His eyes zoomed in on her and he really wished it wasn’t like this. He knew he couldn’t have her, but he couldn’t forget the lights he’d seen in her eyes for a single day. Even if he couldn’t have her, he still wanted her to live so he could watch her. And when she slept he’d be able to meet her.

Trying to recall those lights he’d seen in her eyes he sunk into his thoughts until he felt her brush by. When he turned he saw her pick the knife up from the ground and in the blink of an eye struggled with her for it. She was much stronger than he’d anticipated. As they struggled and circled the altar, the villagers below whispered and called out to Namjoo repeatedly.

Kris pulled the knife from her a second later and screamed, “How am I supposed to touch you if you die!?”

An expression of loss and hurt overshadowed the frown on her face when she looked at him. But Namjoo knew that if she didn’t die, he would die in her stead and bring the whole village with him. Everything would be meaningless.

“I,” she began quietly; her tone of voice drenched with strength and determination, “told you not to come to me.”

Kris felt his heart sting again before she walked toward him, grabbed his face, and pulled him down for a kiss. Shock penetrated his entire whole.

She…touched him…

Their lips melted together and those electric bolts warped through him again. He felt her hand smooth down his chest before he heard a gushing noise as the knife plunge into her chest. Namjoo’s lips released his as she tilted back to gasp for air. Her eyes went wide from the pain and opened up to cry out. His fingers moved over the handle of the knife, but the warmth of her hand over his wouldn’t move to let him pull it out.

Kris heard her make inaudible noises before her knees doubled and cried when he bent down to catch her in his arms as she fell. He hadn’t envisioned it like this. He’d wanted to hold her, but not like this.

Namjoo was no longer able stand as the blood poured out like a river from her chest, but he held her up in his arms refusing to let her to the ground. If she died how would he be able to find her again?

“No, no,” he desperately reached for the back of her head to keep her face against his shoulder as she slowly drooped back.

Her hand tightened on his arm as a loud sob cracked out of him and thick dark clouds erupted overhead. Namjoo’s arms dangled by her sides as he dug his face into her hair and when the rain started falling she slipped through him before hitting the floor of the altar.

Kris stood there in devastation staring into nothingness; unable to move for the longest portion of that minute. Dropping to his knees he tossed his head back to let out a deafening scream. Continuous thunder roared overhead and lightning struck trees in the forest.  Animals escaped into the distance and the villagers rushed for their houses madly.  

For the first time in the village’s history, a flood ensued.