I wrapped my housewarming present as carefully as I could, smiling as I looked up at its sister now hanging on my wall. My angel had arrived a few days ago, it was a week late, but I didn't care. It was here now, to keep on my wall forever to remind me about my first few Jumps. I had only just managed to hang it up. DIY was not my strongest skill, but I had a thousand lifetimes to perfect it. I looked down at the now wrapped painting. I had returned to the coffee shop that morning, to see a new series of paintings hanging on their wall, all by Nathaniel, and more than pleased to see a scattering of little red dots underneath to show they had been sold.

The new paintings had been different to the last. Though they still had Nathaniel's moody charcoal medium, they were all scenes of life, hope and light. One of them caught my eye for Death. It was a large abstract painting, that I was sure to different people would look like a different thing. To me it looked like a dark passage leading around an unseen corner light snaking around lighting up the path. With an invitation to a housewarming party inviting me and a plus one, a housewarming present seemed like the perfect opportunity to get it for him.

The symbolism was clear. A dark past leading towards a new beginning. Light at the end of the tunnel. Hope around the corner.

Liv was excited to attend her first dinner party and I was excited to hang out with my friends like a normal person would. I had not been feeling so normal lately. Swept up in a dark fairy-tale I was glad that things were starting to feel more settled.

Death had extended the invitation to the other Death Dancers in the city, everyone had replied though Death had agreed on taking shifts. Even though he was doing better, it didn't mean that everyone else in the city was. There would always be someone who needed help and didn't know how to ask for it.

Liv sent me a text letting me know she was nearly there. It had taken a little convincing for her to go by herself, her anxiety was still playing games with her mind, but I knew that her destination would be safe and full of loving and accepting people. That and my gift had taken a little more time to wrap than I thought it would.

I called for a taxi, not having been to his new place yet, I didn't know what to think of in my mind to be able to jump. Not that I wold have done anyway. I had decided that from now on, the only jumping I would do would be when someone called out to me. Otherwise I would walk, ride a bike, take the subway or a taxi. I lost out on the experience of the world around me when I jumped, and that was not something which I wanted to become a normal experience.

The ride was peaceful, as I stared up at the tall buildings and bright lights. The hum of the taxi radio lulling me further into my seat. Leaning my head against the window I watched the people, I imagined their lives, their family and their loves and hates, dreams and wishes.

A lump formed in my throat as I watched a little girl, arms open wide as her mum and dad swung her between them, her eyes lighting up, cheeks stretched out in a laugh that would melt the heart of any parent.

I had been that little girl once.

It had nearly been a month since I had died. Mum and Dad had stopped using Facebook when I checked last night. Their accounts were gone. Photographs erased. I had saved them on my laptop, just in case, but it still stung. They were moving on with their lives without me. I was glad though, in a way, that they were. I knew they were surrounded by love and people who would always look out for them. It would have done them no good to sit and wallow, to waste the rest of their lives living in the past. I had thought about sending them a card for Christmas, anonymous of course, with tickets to a cruise around the Antarctic they had been dreaming of since I could remember. I couldn't be there with them, but I could at least help them make new happy memories.

My sisters page was still active, and I was thankful for that as it meant I could celebrate all her achievements with her. My heart burst with pride when I saw her post saying she had been offered a place at her dream university. I laughed out loud as I scrolled through the pictures of the celebration party she had thrown. Old friends were living their lives, the world moving along without me with them there. But I was OK with that. The world had another plan for me now.

The taxi pulled up outside a tall skyscraper, the doorman rushing forward to open my door and take my gift from my hands.

"Penthouse please." I said, stepping into the elevator. The doorman nodded, setting the picture down inside, backing away his eyes crinkling up as he smiled.

"Name please?" He looked down at a checklist on his desk.

"I am Ellie Natalia Cartwright."

"Looks like you're the last to arrive, I hope you enjoy your evening miss." He pressed a button on his desk and the doors slowly closed.

I smiled back, his gentle soul and loving heart breathing a warmth back into me as I raced to the top floor.

It was a feeling I had experienced throughout my life, but never truly knew about until I stopped to think. Truly think. Like the time when someone does something to help you just because, or they smile, and you feel like your day just got better. When someone offers you their umbrella in a downpour or changes their order from the last chocolate muffin in the shop when they see how disappointed you've become that its gone.

It was the feeling of a loving pet snuggling up as close to your face as they could possibly get or an excited little sibling racing to the door when you get home because they can't wait to tell you about all the fun they've had.

It was the feeling of your favourite freshly made food placed in front of you by mum, who sits next to you eating together, laughing about silly things and stopping to listen when you have something important to say. It's the lullaby your dad sings as you drift off to sleep and the cuddle of your favourite teddy bear.

Your friends seeing that you don't want to talk so talks for hours straight telling you the funniest stories until you crack a smile. The necklace hanging round your neck that belonged to your grandma, which you press to your chest to bring you comfort.

The smell of freshly baked bread and the kisses of someone who loves you as they take your hand and never let's go.

Its watching the world, hopes and dreams, the wonder. Realising that if you can make just one person's day better you have changed the world.

The elevator slowed to a stop, doors opening slowly revealing the scene in front of me.

Liv standing next to a large glass window, looking up and laughing with a young man pulling a funny face as he retells a story.

Dagon sat between three women, who were laughing their heads off as he sat staring at the wall in front of him pretending to be bored, but I could see his lips twitching.

Death stood in his open kitchen, a recipe book propped open on the counter barely visible from all the ingredients and food laid splayed about. He looked up at the ping of the doors opening, his eyes lighting up as he smiled and waved me in.

"Who's this lovely young lady then?" A man said, turning from his perch next to the counter as he saw Death greet me.

Smiling I walked forward.

I am Ellie Natalia Cartwright, born 1992, died 2017. I am a beloved daughter and the best of friends and I will always be there. 

There is always light at the end of the tunnel.

Thank you, dear readers, for going on this journey with me. This draft has now been edited! I am submitting it into the FINAL of the Open Novella contest... wish me luck!

Thank you for your love and support while writing this novella, your comments and votes were huge motivational boosts and so was seeing such a positive response to a story that deals with such dark and upsetting themes. 

I hope it has inspired you, or made you think about something a little differently, I know it has for me!