The story first takes place in 1882 when Elizabeth was born with the help of three midwives, and later, she died at the age of four from scarlet fever. After Emilia's departure, Elizabeth's spirit remained in the vacant house, her ethereal presence a mystery even to herself. A new family, oblivious to her ghostly existence, moved in. Through them, she discovered the ability to read and write, a skill she had never acquired in her short, mortal life. But as fate would have it, they, too, were forced to leave. Another couple, the kind of neighbors one would avoid, moved into Elizabeth's house. They had two sons, Bobby and Vernon, who were nothing short of troublemakers. In the 1920s, they committed a daring crime, robbing an armored car, and paid the ultimate price in front of Elizabeth. The devil Alberee came to claim their souls, but Uncle Billy, or Moses, stood up to the devil and saved Elizabeth. She was left wondering why she was spared and left behind. After the death of her sons, the neighbor moved out. In the process, Elizabeth had to stand up to Alberee, the devil. Sometimes without Uncle Billy's approval. It was through him that even in death, her character was shaped. A new family moved in, and a little girl named Thelma and Elizabeth became best friends. However, for the most part, Thelma was unaware of Elizabeth until much later. One day, Thelma got scarlet fever and almost died. She had finally seen Elizabeth, and they talked at the window one rainy evening. Her father and mother noticed her and rushed her to the hospital, but even though she was burning up with a fever, she insisted that Elizabeth was real and not make-believe. The plot twists because once Thelma is taken to the hospital, the Angel of Death comes, but Elizabeth asks, "If she was to die, just like her?" The angel tells her that it is not her time yet, and she is sorry for allowing Elizabeth to live beyond birth because she was supposed to be stillborn. The Angel of Death granted her mercy rather than taking her to save her mother. She had made a mistake and was not so quickly taken back. Elizabeth was not allowed to go into heaven because she was not supposed to be here in the first place. When Thelma got home, she continued to talk and play with Elizabeth. Her talking with Elizabeth caused a fight between the couple. One day, Eloise (mother) asks Thelma to invite her to dinner. After a few days, Thelma walked in and asked her mother if Elizabeth could bring a friend, but Thelma didn't know it was Uncle Billy. They thought Elizabeth was an imaginary playfriend until dinner night. Surprisingly, Thelma's parents could finally see that Elizabeth was real. Her friend was Uncle Billy, an African American Civil War sergeant. Sat at the table, and they enjoyed dinner together. Later, Elizabeth became a part of the family. Towards the end, they decide to return to Eloise and Elizabeth, but the home is in disrepair, and Thelma has to replace many of the furnishings. It was their last Christmas because Eloise was now in her 80s using a walker. She was at the end of her life, but she never wanted to leave Elizabeth behind, especially at the hands of Alberee. Thelma and Dan Jr. didn't realize that their mother was on her last leg in life. Eloise tells Elizabeth to hold onto her soul tightly. While she is in the process of dying, the Angel of Death is trying to separate them, but both of them are unrelenting and stay together. The story starts heating up because, along the way, angels try to separate them. The archangel agreed they would take the Emerald Bridge and make a grand entrance. This is where her journey ends.