She needed a few days: to sleep, eat, replenish her energy reserves, and then meditate to gather enough strength so everything would go according to plan. During that time, she tried to get in touch with the Not-a-Doctor, but in the end, she wasn’t able to get his attention. Maybe he thought she had chosen to run away? Either way, she didn’t really need him anymore. After all, she’d done it before. She knew exactly how to go about it.

  It took her three days to get back on her feet. She spent another two building up as much strength as she could, just in case something went wrong. And then she dedicated one full day to Helena, Walery, and Gregory. Once she made her decision and carefully laid out every step, she realized this was last goodbye. The thought that she was taking on something so final made her laugh in a strange way. But to keep some sort of twisted balance, the realization that she would be completely alone afterward hit her like a brick. Sure, she was ready. Sure, this had been her life all along. But when it came down to actually doing it... the leap into the deep end was terrifying.

  “What’s going on, Alice?” they kept asking, worried. They sensed something important was coming, but she stayed silent until the very last moment.

  Her confession—or maybe more accurately, her explanation—came just one day before the big moment she had planned. Originally, she had intended to keep it to herself even longer, to wait until the final day had passed... but there was one problem she hadn’t accounted for: how do you celebrate something when you don’t know it’s happening? In the end, Alice had to confess her plans.

  “Are you sure?” Helena asked. She was the first to break free from the shock they all felt upon hearing Alice’s decision. “You’ll manage, sweetheart?”

  “I will, Helena. Don’t worry. I’ve done it before.”

  That wasn’t the reaction she had expected. She had imagined joy, gratitude, maybe a little nervousness. But not this. She had just told them she intended to fulfill their long-standing wish, to finally send them toward the light after all these years.

  “My dear, how can we leave you all alone like this? How will you cope? What about the house, and all the responsibilities?” Helena bombarded her with anxious questions, tears streaming down her cheeks.

  When her voice finally cracked, Walery squeezed her hand. Barely holding back his own emotion, he managed to whisper just one word: “Thank you.” And that was more than enough.

  Alice burst into tears right along with them. Overwhelmed, she no longer knew whether to mourn, laugh, or fear what was about to come. In the end, she didn’t hold anything back. She cried and fell into the arms of the friendly ghosts, while her heart pounded wildly in her chest, still asking if she could really do this.

  It was a special day. There were so many things left undone, so many conversations they had never gotten around to, but somehow none of it seemed to matter. This wasn’t a day for logistics or checklists. Even the weather joined their side: the sun shone brightly in a clear blue sky, and a warm breeze played with the hair of the four smiling figures enjoying an ordinary picnic. A large blanket was spread on the grass, with a basket in the center, plates laid out, food and drinks prepared. Birds sang, the forest whispered, and somewhere farther away, the faint hum of insects could be heard.

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  Alice soaked in every second. She absorbed each moment as deeply as she could. She smiled wide, chatted about nothing in particular, reminisced about the best memories. Jokes piled on jokes, anecdotes flowed endlessly. It was a perfect day.

  Each of them was in high spirits. The sun drifted lazily across the sky until finally it dipped toward the horizon. The angle of the light shifted, and the world turned warm shades of orange and pink. There was something melancholic in it, and yet strangely joyful. Like a childhood memory, or the thought of the happiest moments: warm, but bittersweet. They all felt that subtle mood. Every one of them let themselves be swept away by that mysterious magic.

  It was time to say goodbye. The perfect moment: no dragging it out, no tears, no added pain. No words, really. They didn’t need them. Just tear-filled eyes, gentle smiles, and soft nods. The day had passed too quickly. Far too quickly. They only truly understood that when they realized this was the last time they would ever see each other.

  Alice closed her eyes. Two tears rolled down her cheeks. She counted silently in her mind, conjured the image of the stairs, and called out to her subconscious. It appeared immediately and, without hesitation, got to work. The passage opened, a beam of heavenly light summoned, and the bonds of the oath that had tied them to the Not-a-Doctor were finally broken.

  For a moment, the three ghosts stared at the column of energy in disbelief. They had waited so long, they had stopped believing they would ever see it. And now that they finally could move on, leave behind a world filled with pain, they were afraid. What would be on the other side? Heaven? Eternal damnation? Or... nothing at all?

  Alice felt their growing fear. She could almost hear the flood of doubts rushing through them. She called her subconscious again and asked for help on that level too. Without a word, the girl divided the energy flowing through Alice’s body into two streams. The first kept the passage open, a difficult and draining task. The second enveloped the three souls, tuning their vibrations, helping them calm down and make this final decision with peace in their hearts.

  It took a moment. But no one was in a hurry now. The first to be ready was Gregory. He stepped quickly into the beautiful light, letting the wondrous energy wash over him and fill his heart with love. Walery was next, but he chose to be the last to go. He had to be sure Helena would be safe, that she wouldn’t back out or try anything foolish. She wanted to object, but when she saw the determined look on her husband’s face, she gave in immediately. She took a few deep breaths, then stepped forward. A wave of calmness washed over her, too. Walery followed, his steps quick and firm. Tears gathered in the corners of his eyes. Alice smiled. She knew his haste had nothing to do with finally finding peace. He just didn’t want her to see him cry.

  The tunnel vanished. The passage closed. And the sun was gone.

  She was alone. For the first time in years, truly alone. The thought felt strangely foreign. She didn’t know whether it scared her more, or brought her relief. What should she do now? With herself? With her life? What about the house? Suddenly she had so many questions and not a single answer. Her head buzzed as if she had drunk something strong. She felt exhausted. Completely drained.

  She looked up at the starry sky, lay back on the blanket, and let her thoughts drift freely. It had been a good day. She chuckled softly, thinking how carefully she’d had to watch herself to make sure she didn’t ruin it.

  She may have dozed off. If so, it didn’t last long. The sky hadn’t turned fully navy yet; on the horizon, there was still a trace of pink. She should get up and go to bed properly, but she had neither the energy nor the will. The house was empty now anyway. No one was watching over her, no one nagging, no one keeping her in check. She knew it was childish, but she could do exactly what she wanted. And only that.

  The price, though, had turned out to be painfully high.