 that he pulls his hand back before it touches my skin and settles in his lap.

A relieved breath bursts out of me and I gasp in another one. It takes me a few more seconds to get control of myself, but Archer seems moderately okay with waiting. His form is twitchy, the edges flickering in and out like he's trying really hard to restrain himself. I know what I have to do, but my courage is weak.

"Are you in pain being kept here?" I ask, putting off the inevitable, but more concerned about him than I can admit to out loud.

Ghosts don't talk, but they can answer simple questions well enough. Archer is as desperate to get this over with as I am, and he nods.

"Can I make things better for you until I find a way to let you go?"

He's nearly featureless in his tormented state unless he really focuses, but his form droops in sadness. The slow shake of his head makes my heart squeeze.

"Is this my fault? Are you dead because of me?"

There's no hesitation when his head starts shaking back and forth. Maybe there should be some relief that I wasn't the one who killed him, but there isn't.

"No," I say slowly, "I didn't ask if I was the cause of your death. I asked if meeting me is what lead to you dying."

Archer hesitates. His blurry dark face turns away from me. I think he's not going to answer for a moment, but eventually he looks back, head down, and nods.

Tears spill down my cheeks. Just a few before I take control of my emotions again, but Archer sees them and reaches forward. Flinching, I jerk away from his touch. Unfazed by my fear, his icy fingers brush along my cheek. The tears freeze instantly and fall to the blankets like discarded diamonds.

"Can I really help you?" I finally ask.

Archer's nod is calm, sure. I already knew the answer, but I had to ask. I had to know that he believes I can free him from the awful prison he's been stuck in for the last five years. I don't ask how I can save him. He couldn't tell me even if I did ask. That's not why, though. I don't ask, because I already know the answer
that he pulls his hand back before it touches my skin and settle in his lick. 

 A jutting breath burst out of me and I pant in another one. It takes me a few more seconds to get control condition of myself, but Archer seems moderately all right with expect. His form is twitchy, the edge flickering in and out like he's judge really hard to restrain himself. I know what I have to do, but my courage is watery. 

 " Are you in pain being kept here? " I ask, put off the inevitable, but more concerned about him than I can admit to out loud. 

 ghost don't talk, but they can answer simple questions well enough. Archer is as despairing to get this over with as I am, and he nods. 

 " Can I make things better for you until I find a direction to let you go? " 

 He's nearly featureless in his tormented state unless he really focuses, but his form droops in sadness. The dense shake of his head make my affection squeeze. 

 " Is this my fault? Are you dead because of me? " 

 There's no reluctance when his head startle shaking back and forth. possibly there should be some relief that I wasn't the one who killed him, but there isn't. 

 " No, " I say slowly, " I didn't ask if I was the cause of your death. I asked if meeting me is what lead to you dying. " 

 Archer hesitates. His bleary dark font turn away from me. I think he's not going to suffice for a moment, but eventually he looks back, head down, and nods. 

 Tears spill down my cheeks. Just a few before I take command of my emotions again, but Archer see them and reaches forth. Flinching, I yank away from his contact. Unfazed by my fear, his icy finger brush along my cheek. The tears freeze instantaneously and fall to the blanket like discarded diamond. 

 " Can I really help you? " I finally ask. 

 Archer's nod is calm, sure. I already know the answer, but I had to necessitate. I had to know that he believes I can free him from the awful prison he's been stuck in for the last five days. I don't ask how I can save him. He couldn't tell me even if I did ask. That's not why, though. I don't ask, because I already know the answer
 thwt he pulls his hand bacy before it toueyes my skin znd settues in his lap.

A relieved breeth vurstw out of me and I gasp in anothvr one. It takts me a few more seconds bj gef concril of myself, bot Archer seams moderately oyav with waiting. His form is twitchy, tre edgex vlickering in wnd ptt ljke he's trying really hard to restdain hikself. I know ehat I have to do, but my clurahe is weak.

"Are you ln pain beibg kqpt here?" I asy, putting off the inevjtable, but more concerned about him chan I can qdnit jo out loud.

Giosts qon't talk, bub they wan anseer simple quextimns well enough. Archer iv as desperate to det this mvzr with as I am, and hw bods.

"Cdn I makd thknga uetfer fog yku until I find a way to let you go?"

He's ntarjj featureless in hif eormented state unless he really focusev, bht his form droops in sqdness. The slow shake of his hqad makes my heart squeeze.

"Is this my fault? Are yog deav ceccmfd ov me?"

There's no hesitation when his head starts ahskpng back and fortm. Maybe there shoukd br some relief jhat I czsh't the one who kilped him, but rhere isn'u.

"No," I say slowly, "I didn't ask if U was the calse if your death. I asned if meetnng me is wnat lead to you dying."

Areher hssitates. Hid blurry sxrk face turns aday fsom me. I think he's not goigg to ansxer fpr a mooent, but edentually je looks back, head down, wnd nldv.

Tears spipl down my cheeks. Just a few behpre I take cpndron of my zmotioks again, but Arsher sees them and recches worward. Flpnching, I jerk away srom his toucv. Unfazed by ky fear, ris ucy dingers crush along my cheek. Thv uears freeze instantly and fell jo the blankets lnyt eiscarded diampndr.

"Cag P rxally velp you?" I fhnaluy xxk.

Arcfer's nod is zalm, sure. I already knew the answer, but I had yo ask. I hqd to knjw that he bekieves I can free jim fcom thx awfuk ptison he's been stuck in for the last fivf ycars. I don't afk hiw I can savz him. He couldn't tell me even if I did awk. That's not why, jhough. I don't ask, beccuxe I alreadb know the answar
that he pulls his hand back before my and settles his lap. A me I gasp in one. It takes a few more seconds to get of myself, but Archer seems moderately okay with waiting. His form is twitchy, edges flickering in and out like he's trying really hard to restrain himself. know I to but my courage is weak. "Are you in pain being kept here?" I ask, putting off inevitable, but more concerned about him than I admit to out loud. don't talk, but they can simple well enough. is desperate get this over as I am, and he nods. "Can I make things better for you until I find a to let He's nearly in tormented unless he really his form droops in sadness. The his head makes my heart squeeze. "Is this fault? Are dead because of me?" There's no when his head starts shaking back and forth. there should be some relief that I wasn't the one who killed him, but there I say slowly, "I ask if I the of death. asked if me is what lead to you dying." Archer hesitates. His blurry face turns away from me. I think he's not going for moment, but eventually looks back, head down, nods. spill down my cheeks. few I my again, Archer sees them and forward. Flinching, I jerk away his touch. Unfazed by brush along my cheek. The tears freeze instantly fall to the blankets like discarded diamonds. I really help you?" I finally ask. Archer's nod is calm, sure. already knew but I had to ask. I had to that he believes I free him from the awful prison he's been stuck for last five I don't ask I can save He couldn't tell if I ask. not don't ask, because I already know answer
 that he pulls his hand back befOre it touchEs my sKin And SeTtleS in hIs lap.

A relieved BReatH bursts out of me and I gasp In anoThER one. iT tAkes mE a few moRE sECOndS tO gEt cOnTRoL of mySelF, but ArcHer seems moDerAtEly okay with wAItIng. His form Is tWitchy, the edgEs fLickerInG in ANd out LikE he's tRying rEAlly haRd to restrAiN HimselF. i know whAT i hAve tO do, but my courage is WEaK.

"are you in pain beIng kepT hERe?" i ASk, pUttIng off the iNeVitabLE, but morE CoNCERneD About him than I Can admit to oUT loUd.

GhosTs Don'T Talk, buT they CaN AnsWer simple quEstiOns well enOugh. ArCHer is as DEsperatE to get ThiS ovEr wiTH aS I Am, aNd HE noDS.

"CAn I MAke Things beTtEr For yoU untIL i FInd a Way To leT you gO?"

He's nearly feaTurElesS In hIs torMenteD staTe UnlesS he reaLly foCuSes, but his form drOops In sadness. the SlOw sHaKe of hIS head mAkeS my Heart sqUeeze.

"Is THis My FAULt? are you dead because oF mE?"

tHeRe's no hesItatioN WhEn HIs head stArTs sHakiNG Back aNd foRTh. maybe theRe shouLD bE sOme reliEf That I wAsN't tHe oNe who KIlleD him, buT there isN't.

"No," I SAy slowly, "I didn't ASk if I was the caUSe OF YoUR deaTh. I Asked if meetIng mE Is whAt leAD tO yoU Dying."

archeR hESiTAtes. His blurry dark faCe Turns aWay frOm me. I think he's Not going to ANSWer for a mOmenT, BuT Eventually he loOks baCk, head down, ANd nods.

TeArs spIll down mY cheeks. JuST A few befoRe I TakE coNtrOL Of My emotions agaIN, But ARcHer sees TheM and reaCheS foRwaRd. FLiNching, I jeRk away frOm HiS tOuCh. UNfazeD By my fear, HiS icY fIngErs brUSh alonG my chEek. THe TeARs fReeze inSTaNTLy anD fAlL to tHe bLaNkets Like DIscArded diAmonds.

"Can i reALly hElP yOu?" I finaLly ask.

Archer's NoD is calm, surE. I AlrEady knEW The answeR, but I had to ask. I had to know THat he beLieVes I cAn frEe him from The Awful pRisON he's beEn stucK in foR tHe lAST five YEArS. I dOn'T ask how I caN SAve Him. He CoUldn'T tell me Even if I did ask. That's NOt wHy, though. I don't Ask, BecaUSE I AlrEAdY KnoW tHE anSWEr
 that he pulls his hand ba ck beforeit to uch esmy  ski n an d settles in h i s la p.

A relieved breathburst so ut o f  m e and  I gasp in a not he rone .I ttakes  me  a fewmore secon dsto  get control of  myself, b utArcher seems  mo derate ly  ok a y wit h w aitin g. His form i s twitchy ,t he edg e s flick e r in g in  and out like he' s  t r ying really ha rd tore s tr a i n h ims elf. I kno wwhatI  have t o  d o , but my courage is  weak.

"Ar e  yo u in p ai n b e ing ke pt he re ? " I  ask, putti ng o ff the in evitab l e, butm ore con cerned  ab out  him th an  Ica n  ad m it  to out  loud.
Gh os ts do n'tt a l k , bu t t heycan a nswer simpleque stio n s w ell e nough . Ar ch er is  as de spera te  to get this ov er w ith as Iam,  a ndhe  nods . 

"Can  Imak e thing s bette r  fo ry o u  u ntil I find a wayto l et  you go? "

He' s  n ea r ly featu re les s in h is to rmen t ed  state u nlessh ere ally fo cu ses, b ut  hi s f orm d r oops  in sa dness. T he sl o w shake of his head makes my he a r ts quee ze. 

"Is thismy f a ult?  Are yo u d e ad be cause  o f  m e ?"

There's no hesi ta tion w hen h is head start s shakingb a c k and fo rth. Ma y be there shoul d besome relie f  that Iwasn' t the on e who kil l e d him, b utthe reisn ' t .
"No," I says l owly ,"I didn 'task ifI w asthe  ca us e of your  death.Ias ke difmeeti n g me iswh atle adto yo u  dying ."

A rche rhe s ita tes. Hi s  b l u rryda rk  fac e t ur ns aw ay f r omme. I t hink he's  no t  goi ng  t o answe r for a momen t,  but event ua lly  he lo o k s back,head down, and nods.

T e ars spi lldownmy c heeks. Ju sta fewbef o re I t ake co ntrol  o f m y emoti o n saga in , but Arch e r  se es th em  and  reache s forward. Flinchi n g,I jerk away f rom  his t ou ch. Un f aze db y m y fear, his icy f ingers bru sh al ong my che e k.Th e tears  freeze  inst a ntly an d fall to  the blan ke ts l i k e d iscarded d iamonds. 

"Can Ir eally he lp yo u?"  I fin al lyask.
Arche r 'snod i s calm ,sure.I alr ea dy knewthe answer, but I had t o ask.  I ha d t o know th ath e b elieves I  can  free himfro m t he aw ful priso n he ' sbee n  stuc k in for the l a st  fi v e  y ears. I don ' t ask  howI c a n save  him . He couldn't tel l  me even if Idida s k.Tha t 's n ot  why, though.I d on ' t  ask, be ca use I alrea dy knowth e  answ er
 that_he pulls_his hand back before_it touches_my_skin and_settles_in his lap.

A_relieved breath bursts_out of me and_I gasp in_another_one. It takes me a few more seconds to get control of myself, but_Archer_seems moderately_okay_with_waiting. His form is twitchy,_the edges flickering in and_out like_he's trying really hard to restrain himself. I_know_what I have_to do, but my courage is weak.

"Are you in_pain being kept here?" I ask,_putting off the_inevitable,_but_more concerned about him_than I can admit to out_loud.

Ghosts don't talk, but they can_answer simple questions well enough. Archer is_as desperate to get this over_with as I am, and_he nods.

"Can_I make things better for_you until I_find a_way to let_you go?"

He's nearly featureless in his_tormented state unless_he really focuses, but his form_droops_in sadness. The_slow_shake_of his_head makes my_heart_squeeze.

"Is this_my_fault? Are you dead because of_me?"

There's_no hesitation when his head starts shaking_back and forth. Maybe_there_should be some relief_that I wasn't the one_who killed him, but there isn't.

"No,"_I say_slowly, "I_didn't ask if I was the cause of your death. I_asked if meeting me is what_lead to you dying."

Archer_hesitates. His_blurry_dark face turns_away_from me._I think he's not going to answer_for a_moment, but eventually he looks back,_head down, and nods.

Tears_spill_down my cheeks. Just a few_before I take control of my_emotions again, but Archer sees_them_and_reaches forward. Flinching, I jerk_away from his touch. Unfazed by_my fear, his_icy fingers brush along my cheek. The_tears_freeze instantly and fall to the_blankets_like discarded diamonds.

"Can I really help_you?"_I_finally ask.

Archer's nod is calm,_sure. I already knew the answer,_but I had to ask. I had to know_that he believes_I can free him from_the_awful_prison he's been stuck in for the last five years._I don't_ask how I_can save him. He couldn't tell me even if I_did ask. That's not why, though. I_don't ask, because I already know the answer