Sudden death, life extinguished as a candle flame caught in an unexpected draught. The body lifeless on the carpet. Then the emptiness and the questioning, why should this happen to me?

The funeral, a dull day with old family standing by the open grave. They all looked sombre now but some had been laughing minutes before and would be laughing again in a few minutes time. She knew, she'd seen them. How could they be so callous, she couldn't laugh, she didn't think she'd ever laugh again. She'd lost him.

The coffin hit the rough floor and the first handful of stones and dirt fell against the top, echoing and dislodging some of the flowers. "Please be more careful, don't knock them off, for his sake."

She looked around her, it was surprising how many had come, so many friends and relations that she hadn't seen for years. She somehow felt less lonely. It was then that she saw again that old school friend of so long ago, leaning against a memorial slab only yards away from the open grave. What was her name. Something fanciful, she was sure of that. The woman gave a wide, open smile, a smile that showed both love and tenderness, nobody else had seemed to notice. The mourners were now leaving and she turned to go with them, an old aunt comforting, an arm around her shoulder.

"You're with friends now Rose," the old lady said. "I know just how you feel, It always comes hard."

Rose looked back for her old friend, Annabelle, that was her name. She'd gone, the slab where she'd been standing was deserted. "Damn," she thought. "She really seemed sympathetic, not like all of these." She looked at the faces around her, ghouls every one. No one really cared. She bit hard to stop it but the tears had to come. For the first time since that day she sobbed.

Her aunt pulled her over to her body, sideways, uncomfortable. "Now, now dear. It'll be alright. just you see."

It must have been six months later, a sunny summer day, she was sitting on the grass by the grave. It was now trim with a neat border of small plants, regimented in rows, the way she remembered Bill had always liked to see them. Not like her, jumbled up, a mass of differing colour. A sudden movement caught her eye, a figure walking past.

"Annabelle!"

The woman looked over, that smile as ready as before. "Rose, at last. I've tried so hard to find you, but it's so difficult to get about now, I had a car accident you know."

"Yes I heard, I'm sorry." It somehow sounded empty. "Thank you for coming to the funeral. It was very kind."

"Darling, I wanted to." She kissed her briefly on the cheek.

Rose had forgotten how Annabelle had always called her darling. "I wanted to thank you that day but you'd disappeared."

"I thought you'd rather be with your family, darling. After all it's twenty years since I left."

"But we always got on so well together and you looked so understanding."

"Well I'm here now and we've a lot to talk about haven't we. Are you getting used to it yet?"

"I thought so, but I do miss him."

"I know just how you feel, I still miss my Tom even after all these years. I even tried to get in touch. You know," she looked a little embarrassed. "With a medium."

"Did it work." Rose blurted out the words quickly, almost impatiently.

"I, I'm not sure darling. I think so."

"What do you mean?"

"There was somebody else by this time and it might've made things difficult. At least that's what Mrs. Dunnelli said."

"Mrs. Dunnelli, who's she?"

"She was the medium darling, at least that's what she said." She thought for a few moments then, "I say, do you remember Doreen Masgood, that was. She said Mrs. Dunnelli helped her find her hubby. She said she felt a lot better about things after."

"Would she help me?" Rose said it hurriedly as if frightened she might change her mind.

"I expect so darling, providing you don't expect too much. After all it's a long way between here and the other side."

"Will you ask her for me?"

"I'll try, I'll be going her way later. I'll see if she's in."

"But how shall I know?"

"Don't worry darling, I'll do my best. Just be here tomorrow about this time and we'll see."

It was an old lady that came down the path towards her, her long black dress and white bonnet reminded Rose so much of a character from a Charles Dickens novel that she found it difficult to keep a straight face.

"Are you Rose, m'dear?"

Oh gosh she was speaking to her. "Yes," a thought. "Are you Mrs...."

"Dunnelli." The old woman finished for her. "Yes m'dear." She leant forward, resting her weight on the gnarled stick in her hand. "Annabelle said you wanted my help." She looked about her almost furtively, as though frightened she might be overheard. "Now my dear, what me to do for you?"

"I want to talk to Bill, I had so much to tell him... It was so sudden."

"I presume Bill was your husband?"

Rose nodded, "It happened six months ago, there was no warning, nothing. We didn't even have chance to say goodbye."

"I'm sure I can help but there are certain things that must be done first and it may take a little time, spirit guides need a few favours you know, they're not always as helpful as they might be. They can even turn nasty at times."

"I'll do anything.."

"I expect you will but that's not the way. I'll contact you when everything is ready."

"How?" Rose started.

"You'll see m'dear, you'll see." The old lady turned away and hobbled back along the path.

"Wait. Oh please wait, you haven't told me when." Rose cried after her.

There was no reply, just the stick lifted skywards and shaken slightly.

For the next week, Rose regularly attended the grave side, waiting, praying for the old lady to return. There was no sign. Annabelle told her to be patient, that it could be months before everything was arranged but how could she possibly wait that long.

The signs of autumn had appeared, birds were congregating in readiness for their long migration. She remembered how she and Bill had always watched them as they gathered around their little cottage. Filling the trees and spilling over onto the telegraph wires until with some secret signal, they took to the sky in one enormous cloud, disappearing southward.

Then it happened. It was evening, the first frost of winter had formed across the grass and crunched underfoot as Rose visited the grave side. She didn't even know what had made her come up here tonight. She would normally have stayed in, another quiet evening. Something clamped hard on her shoulder. A hand, forcing her forward.

"Who is it!" Then she screamed a tight strangled sound.

There was no answer, just a directing pressure.

"Help me!" Her voice was so distorted with fear she couldn't recognise it.

"Quiet," the sound rasped, almost inhuman, "Mrs. Dunnelli wants you."

Clammy things brushed her face, an icy cold blast of wind chilled right through her, a tremendous force pushed her forward. She tried to fight it but it was too strong and she felt her whole body go limp. A low glimmer of light, then..

"You came then m'dear."

"Thank God, it is you. Where am I?"

"You wanted to speak to your husband. He's here m'dear."

"Where? I can't see him."

"You will, just wait till your eyes get used to the gloom."