i walk through the valley of the shadow of death. piper.

[[ retro gm ] angel lí ✨]

part i. part ii.

And so the in-between was created, but Time knew it was not enough. She held her spark in her hands and she waited, and watched, and listened. It was longer this time before she heard something, but to Time there was no waiting at all. She simply knew, somewhere in her being, that it was time to take something else. Something that was needed. Something that allowed it to continue on, forever, for as long as it needed to.

She found another girl in the sand, her eyes wet with tears and face smeared with her own blood, and she barely stirred as her breaths grew slower and slower until there was barely any life left in her at all.

Time bent down gently, pressed her fingertips to the girls lips, and took her last whisper.

Free.

Piper walked straight through the in-between, sighed, and closed the door as she left.

And so the in-between was created, and then its many doors, and Time knew that Piper had given her something far greater than her own freedom.

She'd given it to the rest of them, whenever they would be.





Later, a little girl begged for more time. And when her time was up she walked through the door, and pulled many through others, and watched as some came and went without any help at all. Some didn't belong, but they found their way there for a while. Piper had shut the door, but she'd left it unlocked - like she knew that they'd all need a choice. That they would find their way there no matter, but it was their choice to stay. Their choice to leave. Because of her, they had a choice.

Because of her, they were all free. 

They stayed regardless.