Whispers Through the Veil by Olivia Salter / Drabble / Supernatural

 

Whispers Through the Veil

By Olivia Salter

Word Count: 387

The first time I dreamed of Kenny, it was raining. I stood in the middle of a street that looked like our old neighborhood, except the houses were faded, like a painting left too long in the sun. The air smelled of wet asphalt and magnolias—his favorite scent.

Then, I saw him.

Kenny stood a few feet away, dressed in the same hunter green hoodie he wore the last time I saw him alive. His dark skin glowed under the flickering streetlamp, and his eyes—those deep, knowing eyes—held something unreadable.

"Kenny?" My voice was small, uncertain.

He smiled, the same slow grin that used to make my heart skip. "You remember me, baby?"

A shudder ran through me. Of course, I remembered. I had spent years trying to forget the way he left this world. The way the news of his death had shattered me. But here he was, standing in front of me as if time had folded in on itself.

"I miss you," I whispered.

He stepped closer, his movements fluid but otherworldly, like he was walking on air. "I came back for you," he said, his voice rich with something heavier than longing. "I had to tell you—I never stopped loving you."

My breath caught. "But you're..." I couldn't say it.

"I know." His hand lifted as if to touch my face, but he hesitated. "I should have told you before. Should have fought harder for us."

The dream shifted. The street blurred, melting into a memory—a night years ago, Kenny standing outside my window, begging me to believe in us. I had turned away, scared of the future, scared of how much I loved him.

Tears burned my eyes. "I loved you, too. I still do."

His smile turned sad. "Then let me go."

A cold wind swept through me, and I realized what this was. Not just a dream. A goodbye.

"But—" My voice cracked.

He shook his head, the streetlamp flickering wildly behind him. "It's time, baby. You have to wake up."

I reached for him, but my hands met only air.

Then, I woke up.

The room was silent except for the distant hum of the city. My cheeks were damp. My hands trembled.

But for the first time in years, my heart felt light.