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We arrived at my apartment complex not a moment too soon. We each share gazes again as we held each other's hands, “I love you,” he said to me in a soft tone. “And I, you,” I say to him, lost in his angelic gaze once more.

We break our hand union and he gets out the car, helping me out of it. “Thank you again for a wonderful date,” I say as we walked up the narrow pathway to my cousin's side of the apartment. “You're worth every minute, Avangellina.” I blush a candy apple red and turn back to him. “Your choice of words never cease to amaze me.” he just smiles, and turns to me after we're on her porch.

For some unknown reason, I felt a presence that I've never felt before. I was not for certain if it was good, or bad, it was just...strange. His body tensed up, for he felt it to. “Avy, there is something that I wish to tell you.” “What is it?” “Something is bound to happen once we go in there...” “Like what? Tell me.” “Well...”

Before he could get another word in, the door opens, and Reline steps out greeting us with a smile. “Hey, you two lovebirds,” she said 'oh, so lovingly'. “Uh, hi, Reline...how are you?” he asked with a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

“What's with him?” I thought. “He looks uneasy for sure...but I'm sure dinner and a classic movie will lighten his spirits.” She moves out of the way so that we can gain entrance to her living room. “Redecorated?” I ask as I looked around, holding his hand. “A little...it's kinda the same the last time you were here.” “Yeah, how could I forget...?”

I look up and see Howie's eyes shift from left to right. “Baby, what's the matter?” He's in a slight trance, but I tried to snap him out of it. “Howard....?” he broke out of it when the sound of my voice resonated in his mind. “Oh...I'm sorry, Love...shall we dine?”

I stepped away from him and look him over. “Are you sure you're alright, Dorou--” “I'm fine...I usually daze out when I don't eat. I'm famished.” I lightly nod, and walk out to the den. Reline stops me at my tracks. “No!” “What the hell?” “I mean...um...dinner isn't quite ready yet..I'll be right back.” She quickly moves the curtain open, and closes it before I got a chance to look through. Howie and I sat down, waiting for her to come back out. “Do you smell that?”

I look over at him, sniffing the air like a bloodhound. “What is going on, Dorough? You've been acting strange ever since we got here. And I don't smell anything...” “You don't smell that?” “Smell what?” he got up and looked around the living room for a scent of some kind. “Anointment incense...” I heard him say something. “What?” “Anointment incense. They're to keep bad spirits away,” he said while walking towards me, holding the sides of my arms. “I didn't understand it. Reline's a devout Catholic with strong beliefs. She lights those all the time. Why are you tripping out?”

“Because she's trying to get rid of me, Avangellina.” he told me in a sharp tone. “I don't believe you.” “You don't believe me?” “No...why would she try to do that, knowing that I care for you so much?” “I don't know, Avy, ok? Maybe it's because, she thinks I'm an evil spirit 'running your life'? That could be the cause...Think about it--”

“Enough.” I didn't want to believe anything he told me. Why would she even attempt to do such a thing? I mean, she's blood...well, not really, but she's family. She would never cause any harm to him. “Fine, Avangellina, Fine! You won't believe me...you won't listen to the fact that she's trying to get rid of me, and--” “STOP IT, alright?! Just...stop...talking. I'm done with it...” I sit down and cover my face groaning. He stayed where he was, not looking at me. “So, now what?” he said to me in a low tone full of solemnity. “Leave me alone...” I said not wanting to look at him still.

“Then...it shall be done...”

Howie walked to the door, and opened it. Before stepping out, he looked at me one last time. “Can't we just talk about this, Avangellina?” “What's there to talk about, Dorough? You think my cousin is holding some kind of spiritual recession in this house, and I refuse to believe it.

If you have nothing nice to say about my family, you are free to go.” “Avan--” “I mean it.” He hangs his head down, though I didn't see him do so, but I could tell. “Fine...” and with that, he turned around and left. I could hear the car start up, and drive away in the distance, and I let out a sigh of relief. “Good riddance...” I said. Wondering why Reline was taking so long, I get up, and walk towards the den. “Reline, Howie didn't feel too good, so he--”

In front of my bewildered eyes stood Reline, and a priest. I looked to my right, and I see crucifixes and coins and to the left; Holy water. I felt my skin crawling, my blood boiling, and worse of all: my heart breaking. “Reline....what is this? What IS this?” “Your wake up call, my dear cousin.” Confusion and shock settled into my mind and body. “What are you talking about?” “I guess I should tell you what I've been up to, huh, Avy?” “I 'd LIKE to know...” She walks over to the rosaries and crucifixes, and began her 'tall tale'.

“For the past 4 months, I've been doing research: trying to figure out HOW to get rid of the spirit of Dwaine Ciscough. I've surfed the Web, I've been in libraries, and none of them led me to my destination. So, when I thought I had no place left to turn, I went to my family's Catholic church for assistance. I spoke to a fellow priest there, telling him of your ordeal, and he agreed to help me. We both planned an exorcism, and he told me that he would send someone from Italy to perform it. But that's not all. You see, Father Calapeglia here took me under his wing, and taught me the different methods of purifying this house...as well as sending his soul back to Hell. So, you see, cousin? I did this all for you...so that you could gain your life back.”

“He was right... “ I muttered to myself. “He...he was right all along...you WERE against us all this time!” “That's right. And now, let's begin...” “I won't let you!” As I was about to reach for her, someone grabs my arms from behind. There was a man in a red and black cloth and dark sunglasses restraining me tightly. “LET ME GO! PLEASE, DON'T DO THIS!” “It is too late, my child...you will be saved by God's love. Tie her down. She will not interrupt this coronation.” He tied me down to a chair with rope, and pushes me against the wall.

My screams were muffled, as my mouth was duct taped shut. “LEAVE HIM ALONE!!!” I shout through the tape, but they would not listen to me. I hear them chant to the Heavens for “guidance of diminishing this vengeful demon”. Tears began streaming from my eyes as I looked on. I screamed stop, don't harm him, this is not right...but they ignore me. The old priest held up a grail of Holy Water, and started chanting in Latin. He walks over to me, his Holy chants beginning to resonate through my ears. “Please, break the hold that this demon has upon this child. In God's name, release her!”

“NO!!!!”

From out of nowhere, Howie barged through the back door, but instantly fell to the ground. He held onto his chest, and he was breathing hard; sweat was streaming down his face. “Don't you...touch her....” “Restrain him,” I heard her say. “If you do...not let her go....so help me....” the priest's assistant pushed him down against the floor, adding excruciating weight on him. “You may continue, Father...” “Please...st...stop...” he stuttered, and with each prayer the Father gave, the more pain Howie was in. “You're hurting him!!” I scream through the duct tape, but once again, I was ignored. He pulls my head back, the grail staring me in the face. “o Lord, save this child from the restraints of this demon. In Your Holy Name....Amen...”

“Avangellina...”

The Holy Water pours out, and splatters on my forehead, burning me. I cry out in pain, as did Howie, writhing underneath the apprentice. The struggles ceased, and it became starkly silent for a brief moment. “The deed is done,” Reline said as she walked over and untied me. I rip the tape off my mouth, and run over to him. “GET OFF OF HIM!” I say after roughly pushing him against the wall.

There he lies, unconscious, weak; lifeless. I kneel down before him, and place his head on my thigh, cradling him. “Please...please, wake up, my love...” Reline stood in front of us, proud of what she's done. “You should be thanking me, cousin. Now, you will have a normal life without Dwaine to ruin it for you.” I look up at her, my anger becomes me, and my teeth clench together. “PROUD? PROUD?! YOU KILLED HIM! DON'T YOU GET IT?!” she just stood there, smiling to herself.

“Why do you even care? He was running your life, and--” “He was NOT running my life! He was protecting me, and you destroyed the one thing I EVER loved...didn't you realize that Howard and Dwaine were one in the same?!””So?” “SO?! That meant if you exorcised Dwaine...Howie dies with him...but you didn't bother to study reincarnation, and sharing the same soul, did you?” She stood silent. “DID YOU?!” I saw her body weaken before me. “You...you didn't tell me...” “I DID...but you didn't listen to a word I said...” she walked closer to me, but I scream at her to step back. “Don't come near me...from this day forward, you are not my cousin...you're NOTHING TO ME!” I lashed out verbally at her, but I couldn't scream anymore. All I could do was cry onto my beloved's chest.

“Do not be upset, my love...”

I look down, and see Howie's eyes halfway open. “Do not cry for me, Avangellina...please...” I quickly grab his hands and look down at him with tear-filled eyes. “Why didn't you tell me...?” “Be...because even if I did, you would never believe me...you didn't want to believe that family tried to pull us apart, so I kept it to myself...” I hold back my tears and weakly smile. “Don't you worry...we're..we're going to call a doctor, and fix you up, and--” “Dear heart...it is finished. I...I cannot turn it back now...” “.....but, I need you.”

I say to him, choked up and weak. “I know you do...because I need you too...but it is too late. My soul is forever concealed in God's hands now. It cannot be changed...” I didn't want to listen to it anymore. I wanted everything back as it should be. I wanted to...shut off the world, and have us be together...just us as one. But it cannot be done. Nothing could be done.

“Promise me one thing, Avangellina.”

“Anything...”

He parts his hands away from mine, and places them on my chest.

“Promise me...that you will always have me in your heart. Please, promise me that...”

“I will...”

I hold onto his hands once again, and slowly lean in to kiss him.

“I will always love you, Dwaine...”

“........and I, you, Avigaille...”

We exchanged glances for the last time...until he started to slip away from me. His grip on my hand began to weaken, and break and his hand fell to the ground.

He lets out a light exhale while looking toward the ceiling.

And he was gone.

I collapse my head on his chest, and pour my heart out onto him. I was alone in the room, but I didn't give a damn if one hundred people were with me.

For a while, I stayed there in that very spot; motionless. There was nothing to live for now that my soulmate has gone. I stood at the balcony on my side of the conplex and look up at the sky. Though he has left this earth, I could still feel him around me. I close my eyes, and I let the cool, fall breeze go through me. I can hear him sing Greensleeves to me in perfect harmony as we sit by our safe haven bathed in moonlight. I know that he's mass form has perished, but he still kept his promise about the grove, that whatever happens, it will always be there...

But a grove is just a grove.

Moonlight is just moonlight.

And loneliness is now my new best friend.