I floated around for a while, watching Henry cry. His pain was unbearable. He kissed me urgently on the lips and told me to wake up. I would never wake. It was only then I realised that I was dead, that I was watching Henry weep over my dead body. I would never feel his touch again. That was the part that hurt the most. I floated above him and heard as he moved silently toward me face and stroked my pale cheek. I hadn’t moved on, I hadn’t left this realm, that was what was supposed to happen, that was what Rv. Jones had told us. That God would welcome us like lost lambs into his Kingdom where we would live out eternity in Peace and Harmony. There must have been a mix up.
Henry cried and cried the tears never ceasing, he walked around my room until he spotted a letter I had written a week before addressed to him lying on my dresser. He tucked it into his jacket before crying out my name, with that Mama, Father, John, George and Beth burst into the room. The saw me lying, my arms outstretched on the bed and Henry Head in hands weeping beside me, they knew. Mama ran to me and shook me telling me to wake up, while father and the rest stood in utter horror at the scene. Mama was hysterical now, screaming and yelling, Henry was a picture of desolate despair. Father went over and restrained Mama. Henry left, without saying anything, just walked down the stairs and straight out of our house, past out farm buildings, up the trodden path and over to our hill, he was running by the end of it. The heavens had opened and the rain was coming in buckets now, he sat under some trees, where he could read his letter and where he could view the spot he had first met me. I hadn’t noticed at the time but I had floated beside him, leaving my grieving family with my body, leaving them to be with Henry, I smiled at how our love had transcended Death. He wept my name over and over. Rose, Rose, Rose, Why Rose?? He yelled at the heavens.

He tore open his letter and read what I had written a week before hand.
My Dearest Henry,
If you are reading this letter, I have passed on. I never had the heart to tell you I was dying. You looked so happy, so at peace, so I decided to tell you in this letter. Henry, If things were different I would have given myself to you in Marriage, I would have bore your children and taken care of you. I love you so very much, more than my own life, I would have gladly given up my life if I could save yours. The first time I laid eyes on you, I was overcome by your beauty. I grew to love you in ways I never knew possible. I want you to be happy, find someone to make you smile and laugh again and when the time is right, when you pass on, I will be waiting for you in Heaven. I will always wait for you, my only Love.
Rose

The tears of grief and loss ran freely down his cheeks, He could never find another like Rose. He would never find another to love. I followed him as he ventured down, into the town and tavern. I watched as he passed on the dreadful news and as he watched his sorrows drown at the bottom of a tankard. I watched as he spied on a tavern girl and as he charmed her, told her to drink with him before leading her to a room. Henry, my Henry had never drunk, had never been with a woman. He had done both in one night. I watched as he crushed my spirit, watched as he slept with the village bike. Everyone gets a ride and it’s free. I watched as he fell asleep and woke only to be filled with regret at what he had done.
He never smiled a smile that touched his eyes, never laughed a genuine laugh. I floated around the town seeing my funeral procession, mama and father dressed in black. Henry was not to be seen, I searched for him among the sea of grave faces, and I found him signing up to join the army. To fight against the Americans.

I leave with him, leaving behind my rural life. I float beside him as he goes to London. It killed my soul that I could not alarm him to my presence. I could not touch nor hold anything, as I am just a whisper in the wind, a ghost. I never sleep and never tire. Henry talks in his sleep, he talks about me, his English Rose, How much he loves me, how he doesn’t want to live without me. I drift around him saying his name Henry, Henry. I figure out as I drift that I could enter his dreams. So I do, I enter his dreams and I tell him to be happy, I can never pass on unless he is happy again.
I travel with Henry for weeks; He never smiles, never laughs, just sits and stares at my last letter. He travels to America with the Army. He has stopped reading my letter. It has been months since I died. Girls fawn over his good looks and quiet strength, they sit and make themselves look pretty, he hates that. I drift with him as he parades the streets of New York. I never imagined in my wildest dreams that I would see America. I thought I would grow old with Henry. As I think of this the Battle Horn sounds and Henry draws his Gun and Sword. He runs against the wind towards the barracks. He passed slaves and masters alike all running to safety, He reached the barracks in time to see a wave of traitors, run towards them. I watched terrified as Henry engages the battle, firing shots and yelling with his angel voice. I watch as he watches as His comrade’s fall to the ground, that moment was all it took for Henry to be shot. My Henry, my brave Henry. I scream in anguish and fly with the wind towards the man who shot my Henry. I launch myself through the man in grief and watch as the force of my grief leaves him dying on the ground. I rush back to Henry, I watch his dying moments, and my grief is intolerable, he was supposed to live, to be happy again. I listen close as his eyes close and he whispers my name, Rose.
I weep as everything around me fades and as I am transported back to our spot, our hill. My spirit, torn and split weeps for my Henry. Then I feel His presence. I turn with the air and watch amazed as he walks towards me. Not in actual form, spirit form, I watch amazed as I start to take form. A Laugh escapes my newly formed spirit lips and we rush forward and embrace. I can feel again, a tear of utter amazement in God escapes and we kiss passionately. He kisses my neck; I listen as he tells me that he loves me and that he never planned on living without me. I am his English rose, I can’t understand it, he loves me even now. His kisses become deeper and I feel his desire rising. He makes me a woman right there; he makes me his right there in our spot. Even in death he is beautiful. As he kissed me again we slowly drift towards Heaven, To spend the rest of our eternity together.