There were stories of guides. Those who would find the lost souls and guide them back to wherever they needed to be. Most of the guides were lost souls who never found what they wanted in life so they helped the ones who were still there find it.

Some guides fell apart after seeing the lost children scared and lonely. Some guides dissipated into a soft mist that calmed a lost souls mind. Many lost souls never saw the same soul twice. There were billions of them per day. Many came while they slept.

There was one guide who saw a man every night. He would watch silently as the man wandered around what he called home. Every night he would disappear. It was strange to the guide. He had never seen anything quite like that. No matter how far the man would travel from his place he would still disappear in the morning.

The guide knew that if he talked to a soul that was not lost he would be in trouble. Yet he knew him from somewhere. When the day finally came and he talked to him the man immediately told him that he was his lover. He had died in a car crash.

The guide looked shocked but knew it was true. He and the man had conversations very night. "You must move on." The guide urged and the man shook his head. "I can't. I might forget you." He said and the guide smiled sadly. "Memories cannot be erased." The man vanished without a trace after hearing those words.

The guide knew what he had to do the next night when the man came. He took the ring off his finger and gave it to the man. "Keep this with you in case we meet again." The guide said and the man cried into his arms until sunrise came.

Years passed and the guide saw billions more. He knew the chances of meeting his lover would never come again, even if the fates aligned. He smiled every year when lovers went to the beyond together and their families remembered them.

The man came one day. He was old and wrinkly like you do when you age but when he stepped into the mist his youth returned to him like it did for everyone. The guide stopped in shock when the man came over to him.

"Are you a new guide?" The guide asked and the mans face fell. "I- was wondering if this would make you remember me."He said quietly holding out the ring. The guide stopped and leaned on his staff. He smiled softly. "Yes.." He whispered and took it.

The man smiled as the guide guided him to the beyond. "Farewell." The guide said and the man kissed his softly. "Farewell my love." He said and walked into the grey mist disappearing forever.