I don’t remember the first time it happened... The first time I saw someone other people couldn’t see. I must have been young because they have always been a part of my life. I learned when I was about six that all the women in my family can see the dead. I am the only one however who can not only see the dead, but can also walk between the worlds of life and death.
As I lay in bed trying to fall asleep, I hear her, but I turn over hoping that  she will leave.
“Ok, I know you are awake. I have been following you all day, so I know you can see me!” She said in a calm slightly annoyed voice. I had seen her following me, but figured maybe she would be unaware of who I was. I figured maybe she was just attached to me because I reek of death, one of the many wonderful parts of being a go-between. Its like a huge neon sign above my head...thank god only the dead can see it. But of course she heard through the grapevine of Abigail the seventeen year old girl who can see the dead. Its not that I don’t want to help her I just want to stop getting attached to people who I will ultimately have to send into the Realm of the dead.
“Fine,” I say as I turn over and sit up in bed looking at her is shocking. She is so beautiful. I guess I must not have noticed the first time I had seen her. She is sitting in my plush oversized chair by the window of my bedroom.
“You really don’t know who I am do you?” She asked and I could see a familiarity in her eyes. I had seen her eyes before, but I just couldn’t place them.
“No, but I think maybe I’ve seen you somewhere before. Why do we know each other?” I asked, hoping she would fill me in, but what's the point she is dead or she wouldn’t be here.
“I’m your other half.” the way she says this is like there is no doubt about it.
“Um...well. I don’t know what---” I stammered as she cut me off.
“I am the only other go-between in our generation. I have been seeing your face in my dreams since I can remember. We use to play together when we were little, but until this moment I thought you were just another lost soul.” She said standing up walking towards me looking into my eyes.
“Sophie?” I asked not needing an answer. I had known her since I was two, we played under my bed in a makeshift fort for years. I hadn’t seen her in about two years I just figured she finally crossed over.
“Abby! I have missed you so much! Holy crap I can’t believe your real.” she said as she put her hand on my cheek. I was shocked when I felt her hand touch my skin.
“What the-- How did you do that! Arn’t you dead?” I asked freaking out.
“No, I’m not dead. I’m projecting myself here, but you can feel me because, like I said we are two half's of a whole...as creepy as that sounds.” She giggled as she hugged me.

                                            ***
As I open my eyes, I see the dim light coming through the windows and figure it must be raining, a normal occurrence in Seattle. As I stare at the ceiling it hits me. Was it all real or was I just dreaming? I run over to my desk and pick up a pad of paper and a pin.
Sophie Marie Hallows, Seacoast of Maine, 17 years old.
I assess the information that I remember her mentioning in our conversation. I just hope that it is enough, I find out if she is real. I sit down at my computer and type in the information. 36,000 results come up on Google, and as I click on the first one I know she is real. It is an article in the York Daily Record, and there she is beside an article entitled; “Local Student Helps Find Missing Girl.” As I read the article I come to a part where they say she has a babysitting website. I click on the link and it takes me to her webpage. I scroll down to the contact information.
For information on Sophie’s babysitting services, please call: (603)-716-6357
I grab my iPhone off the charger and dial the number. After the second ring I hear her voice,
“Hello?” She says in her happy charming voice.
“Ok, so am I crazy or did last night really happen?” I say hoping she remembers and does not think I’m nuts.
“Well we see the dead, so I think we are a little past nuts.” She said laughing and letting out a breath of relief.
“So was that a dream or was it real?” I asked, curious as to how she did it.
“It was a dream. Well it was a vision that I gave you. It is really complicated, but I’m surprised you don’t know more of what we can do.” She said more serious this time.
“What do you mean more we can do?” I asked, hoping she wasn’t going to tell me I could turn into a wolf or drink peoples blood or some junk like that. That is all I need.
“I think it would be better if we meet in person. Tell your parents what's going on...I assume they know about the spirit world. Ask if you can come stay with me. My mom is a professor of Anthropology of the a-cult. She can help explain. She is the one that told me you were not a ghost, that you were the other half of the circle. Sorry getting too detailed. I’m going to email you a plane ticket so you can show your parents. I’ll have my mom call.” She said her words going 90 to nothing...she reminded me of me.  We finished talking about the details and I hung up. I waited for the house phone to ring... It was Sophie's mother calling, my parents agreed to let me stay after they heard the story. For some reason when they found out there was another line of go-between they were just as curious as me. I arrived in Portland, Maine three days later, it was great not having to think about school. I only have to go into a actual school to take mid-terms other than that I do online classes. My parents thought it would be better for my emotional well being after the kids at school saw me talking to air. The moment I saw Sophie I felt like I was seeing my best friend that I had never met. We ran and hugged in the middle of the airport as people stared at us. We got into Sophie’s car and headed to her house. When we got there her mother greeted us. There house is a beautiful two story white Victorian house with ivy climbing up the east wall, and lavender growing just below the porch.
“Well Hello there!” Ms. Hallows said as she greeted us at the door.
“Hi! It’s so nice to meet you Ms.Hallows.” I said with a smile. She looked like a slightly older version of Sophie.
“Oh no call me Lena. Come on in...I figure you will want to know everything. Lets go up to the Attic, its where all the stuff is.” She said leading us inside and up the stairs.
“Stuff?” I asked as we got to the attic door.
“Oh ya, I’ve been researching for years.” She said as we started walking up the steep attic stairs and into a brightly lit room full of stuff. Papers lined the walls and in the middle was a circle in calk and around it sat six candles looking as if they had been lit before.
“Ok, so first I think the easiest way to explain is for you two to start the ritual.” she said walking over to the chalk circle. I was completely lost by this point.
“What ritual?” I asked, feeling really dumb.
“Well, so the first step to figuring out what kind of bond we have is to do a ritual that will tell us who and what we are to each other.” Sophie said as she sat on the top of a nearby table.
“Ok, so what do we have to do?” I asked looking at both of them.
“Well you both need to stand in the circle and join hands. I need to light the candles, but we have to wait till the sun sets completely to start.” Lena said looking out the window at the setting sun. It wouldn’t be too long till it was completely dark. She started to light the candles and put things from unlabeled bottles into a bowl at the center of the circle.
“Whats in the bowl?” I asked smelling the wonderful smell of whatever it is.
“Its a herbal mixture that both of you must put on the others foreheads. It is a binding agent to bind you with the circle.” She said just as the sun was gone from the sky.
“Ok, lets do this.” Sophie said as she pulled me into the circle. The candles are the only light in the room other than the reflection of the moon on the floor.
“Now, both of you must put a circle of the binding agent on the others forehead.” Lena said as she stood just outside of the circle. Sophie went first applying the amazing smelling oil to my head, then I did the same. When we did this we both looked to Lena for what to do next.
“Ok now join hands and read this,” she said as we did as she said.
“We the seekers of the night ask for the spirits whom seek the light. To join these soul in the circle. We ask to know what bond unites these two seekers of the night. With permission of the divine. Verum quaerimus.” we both say in unison. And just like that it's as if we are engulfed into a warm light full of enough emotions to knock you down. Then like an old movie we see sets of two for every generation going back as far as the human race. We see them meet and stop some evil or help some unknown group of lost souls and after they have prevailed each set of go-betweens join together to form a sacred bond as they become one soul in two bodies. As we watch we feel a rope intertwine around our holding hands that starts to warm, then as we are released from the otherworldly light we hit the floor of the attic with a painful thud.
“Are you guy alright, what just happened you just disappeared and then boom came right back, did it not work?” Lena asked the look of motherly concern spreading across her face.
“No, um…it worked.” Sophie says avoiding my eyes as I hers.
“Ya, it worked alright.” I say, sounding utterly confused and freaked out.
“Well what happened?” Lena asks interested.
“Well…I’m not really sure what it was trying to tell us. I mean I think I do but…uh.” I say, rubbing my wrist.
“Oh what happened to your wrists? You have it too Sophie.” Lena asks, looking at the rope burns that are burned into both of our wrists.
“I um… think that we might be like soul mates.” Sophie says as she looks at me and we both see the realization in the others eyes and let out a sign of relief.
“Oh, well I will leave so as to not make this anymore awkward.” Lena says as she makes her way down the attic stairs. As I turn my head back to Sophie we just look at each other for what seems like a very long time and then like magic I hear her voice, but her lip remain unmoved. Then just like that our minds merge and we in one moment understand. Our past, present and futures suddenly become one and we understand what the circle was telling us. We are the missing link to each other, and together we understand, everything. How the world came to be and how it will die. All the knowledge in the world is, just like that in out heads. And instead of feeling overwhelmed, we both feel whole for the first time, and we understand that we are meant for so much more than we ever could have been apart. As we look at each other there is no need for questions or even talking, because we know what the other wants to say before they want to say it. Then, as our hands touch, we see something as if a spark is ignited, a thousand lost souls that are asking for our help. Then, as we realize how much time has past just as the sun rises we walk down the stairs and out towards the beach were a little girl is sitting on a bench waiting for us. As she turns her head she smiles and says,
“You came, I was afraid I was never going to find you.” Then we both smile and we each hold out one of our hands and as she takes them we walk her into the sunset and back into the warm inviting light.

                                            ***
                                   Many Years Later…
A small girl giggles at a small boy’s joke as they join hands under the cover of their sheet fort. Then as he turns his head, he points to the other side of the fort where a older boy sits crying and confused.
“Its ok I can help you get to where you need to be.” The little girl says putting out her hand  followed by the boy. Then as their hands touch they lead the boy into the light. As they return to their fort the morning light has turned to dusk and the little girl hears her mother calling for dinner in the distance.
“Sorry Danny thats my mom, I have to go eat, you want to play again tomorrow?” She asks with a big smile.
“Sure Callie, can we play at my house I like my books.” Danny says, smiling right back.
“Ok, but I still think its funny how all of your family talks so funny.” Callie says as she rises out of her fort.
“I told you, your the one who sounds funny all British people talk like I do.” Danny says climbing out of the fort.
“Ya, well all American people talk like me so you're the weird one.” Callie giggles as she walks to the door. They had been having this little argument, since they were old enough to talk. She turns before leaving her large bedroom with a view of the Golden Gate bridge from the large window.
“See you tomorrow Callie,” Danny says as he waves and disappears.
“Bye,” Says Callie knows he can still hear her. And he can, even from his own room with a view of downtown London out the window.

Its strange when the universe gives you a destiny, you would think it feels forced, but in reality it feels like suddenly you’ve found your place. And as time passes there will always be those that are meant for more together than they are apart.