Coma (Paranormal Romance)

by Lilly Mance

“That means we should dig over here,” he made a cross on the ground with his foot, and went to get the tools.

  “What happens when we dig up the scrolls? Do we disappear immediately?” I asked, swallowing hard.

  “Nothing happens until we place them somewhere else,” he started digging, “At least that's how things went when we changed history.”

  “Where shall we put them?”

  “Jessica made a capsule with a time lock. It will probably disappear along with us and all post time travel events, but we hope that it won't.”

  “Knowing how much of our info is false, maybe it'll stick,” I shared my thoughts on the subject.

  “We’ll bury it further down the road where there won't be any digging.”

  “No digging all the way to originals' time?”

  “Yap. So when it’s discovered later in the future, it won’t open until its lock expires,” he smiled, and gave me a shovel. “Dig.”

  “Lock didn't keep the originals away,” I scowled.

  “It wasn't made by Jessica,” he winked as if that was supposed to mean something. Well, it didn't. To me, at least.

  Hours later, bathing in our sweat, we finally reached the scrolls. After admiring the ancient pieces of history, we placed them carefully in the capsule, and set the time lock. It was done. No-one would be able to hack it, break it, or otherwise open it before certain time if the lock stayed on. Hopefully, it will. Silently, we got in our car and drove off. Our next point was chosen semi-randomly. In the area we knew wouldn't be touched at least until 2222, Michael simply stopped the car when he felt like it, and we dug out another deep hole.

  Before he placed the scrolls inside the hole, Michael said, “Any last words?”

  I shook my head, saying “I love you, Zack” in my mind.

  “Well, Lyra,” he smiled, “It was a pleasure knowing you.”

  I opened my mouth to say you too, but he let go of the capsule.

  ~*~

  Chapter #27

  “Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye.”

  –– H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

  “Lyra, come on! We don’t have all day,” Helen snapped me back to reality. “Get that yearbook signed, and let’s get out of here!”

  I pressed my yearbook tighter against my chest, as if it was in danger of being stolen. Everyone I cared about had already signed it, the rest were not important anyway. I glanced around to see if I had skipped anyone... In that moment, as if an entire flock of ravens collided with my chest, all air was sucked out of my lungs, and pain ripped me to pieces. Zack. I whispered, and lost consciousness.

  ~*~

  Slowly, like an elephant was sitting on my eye lids, I opened my eyes. Bright light sent a stabbing pain through my pupils, and I closed them back. I heard someone close the curtains, then walk back toward me. A hand was pressed against my forehead, then brushed down my cheek. My eyes fluttered open.

  “Honey,” I heard Mom's worried voice, but couldn't make myself open the mouth to say something. “You're back,” she smiled. I glanced around recognizing my room. I tried to sit up, but she stopped me, “You're still too weak. Let me get you some soup.”

  She started getting up, but I managed to catch her hand, “Mom,” I muttered, “What happened?”

  “You fainted,” she said.

  “When?”

  “Two days ago,” she lowered her head, and kissed my cheek.

  “Two days?” I repeated in shock.

  “Yes,” she smoothed her hand over my head, “Doctor said you were fine. That you were in deep sleep,” she paused, as if she wanted to say more, but instead she said, “I'll get that soup now.” She sprang to her feet, and left my room. And then it all came back to me.

  Oh my God, no, no, no. Zack.! Oh, no. What have I done? I burst into tears. Unstoppable sobs gushed out of me. I screamed into my pillow, wishing I was dead. WHY? Oh way? This wasn't supposed to happen. I wasn't supposed to remember!

  ~*~

  TWO MONTHS LATER

  Early in the morning, I came to our bench, just like every day since I had returned to my time. I sat down where Zack and I used to sit, listening to a breeze shushing through the trees, and replaying memories of those days in my head. I hoped there would be a day when I'd see his face coming my way, making it all alright. At least, I hoped I'd go crazy enough to get lost in my own imagination.

  For past two months, I've been nothing more than a zombie. Rarely talking, almost not eating, and sleeping sometimes for days. My parents were worried sick. They didn't know what was going on, and I had no valid explanation. They said I had the summer free, and if I didn't get better, they would have to get me on meds. I couldn't care less. I wanted them to drug me insane. I didn't want to feel. I didn't care about life. I planned to make something up so they would lock me away forever.

  I took out my journal and started writing yet another apology to Zack. If I remembered, maybe he did, too. I planned to bury my journals at the end of summer just like I said I would that day in the park before we met Ethan. Maybe he would dig them up in his time, and have some closure.

  I wrote him about everything as if I were talking to him, not writing. I told him how my parents planned to take me to the same hospital where poor Sophie was. This time around, I couldn't help her, but I secretly hoped she had her memories, too. If she did, I could tell her I was sorry, and why I did it. Not that it would matter. She'd be pissed anyway. If she didn't remember, than it must have been our memory omission that caused my brain to malfunction like this.

  Each journal entry, I'd end with how much I loved him, and then headed home to get lost in my dreams. At least it didn't hurt so much when I slept.

  ~*~

  The end of summer came without any progress in my state of mind. I knew there wouldn't be any change, but my poor parents had their hopes up. When they saw there was no end to it, they had no choice but to take me to see the psychiatrist. The irony was, they took me to see Sophie's doctor, Alexandra Moore. It was weird sitting there, looking at her, knowing what had happened before, and now she had no F-ing clue. There was a moment when I wanted to tell her about the Bible in her home, but I decided against it. What good could have come out of it? None of it mattered now. I told her the truth, and that sealed my faith. I was officially delusional, crazy, schizo, and needed medical help. Fine! Throw away the key!

  They placed me in a room near Sophie's. It was the same kind of grim space with bars on the window, and a bed. I climbed into my new bed, and burrowed my head in a pillow. It felt okay. Safe. I remembered how Sophie had said the same thing about this place when she first arrived. I felt slightly excited about seeing her again. Even if she didn't remember me. Maybe excited was too strong of a word to describe what I felt. Glad was more appropriate. Excitement wasn't in my dictionary anymore.

  With sullen faces, my parents came to say goodbye. I could see how much it hurt them seeing me there, but I couldn't make myself live my life for their sake. I sacrificed the one thing that mattered to me, and now there was no will power left. In a morbid kind of way, I felt happy for being here. I could be miserable without Mom and Dad hovering every five minutes, asking me how I was, hoping I would get better.

  ~*~

  In this place, a person easily loses track of time. I had no idea of how long I've been there. Sophie had no memories of our time travels, or me, but we became great friends regardless. Eventually, I told her all about it. She didn't believe me, but there was a hint of something that told me that she didn't quite dismiss it either. I wasn't happy, but I felt content.

  After lights out, the nurse brought me my share of pills, and darkness engulfed the ward. When she locked the door behind her, I tiptoed to the window in my room, grabbed the bars, and enjoyed the silence of the night. The coolness of iron bars under my fingers felt soothing. Sporadic cars that drove down the road, briefly shining light on surroundings, reminded me of black and white movies. There was no color in the dark. Just like in my
life.

  “Ly,” Zack said softly behind my back.

  I swung around, and jumped into his embrace with a shriek. So much pain and love combined into one moment rushed through my body that I felt as if I was about to explode. We kissed, and hugged, and kissed again, afraid to let go of one another. I had imagined that moment so many times before, but nothing could prepare me for how it truly felt. I grabbed onto him as if he were a dream I wasn't ready to wake up from.

  After quite a while, Zack threaded his fingers through mine, and pulled me along to sit with him on my bed. Staring into each other’s eyes, we smiled, and exchanged soft, gentle touches. That deep green eyes I loved so much were here. I reached for his face and smoothed my palm down his cheek. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.

  “You're really here,” I breathed, transfixed by the feel of his skin under my palm.

  “I told you I would find a way,” he smiled, leaning his head against my palm.

  “How?” I muttered.

  “Jessica's capsule worked. It stayed in place. She put the memory chip in there, so when they opened it in the distant future, they saw what really happened, and what you and Michael did.”

  “Oh, my God,” I clasped my mouth shut, but I was sure my eyes smiled.

  “They decided to reward your sacrifice. They found Michael and me, and gave us time travel abilities to find our soul mates. I'm here to stay with you forever.”

  “Forever?” I felt ecstatic. My heart was bigger than the freaking psych ward.

  “Forever,” he repeated, kissing my knuckles. Gently, he lowered us on my pillow. “So. This is our new home?”

  “Yeah,” I chuckled.

  He grimaced glancing around the room, “Well, it's not so bad,” his eyes moved back to mine, “Nothing is bad when I have you in my arms.”

  He kissed me softly, and we drifted off to sleep, snuggled up as always.

  Before dreams took over, a weird thought swished through my mind. Maybe I was really crazy. Maybe I imagined it all. Maybe everything that happened was only in my head, and I was insane. I didn't care. I got my happy ever after. I could keep my Zack forever. And that's all that matter. Reality is a state of mind, anyway. And my Zack was real to me. Slightly hovering, but real. And I loved him more than life itself.

  THE END

  _______________________

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  Coma (Paranormal Romance)

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