I ride the elevator alone. Our suite floor is silent; I imagine everyone comfortably sleeping in their beds, or partaking in more pleasurable acts. As I walk closer to our suite, a shiver climbs up my spin. It’s as if someone is watching me. My skin grows cold, tight goose bumps form, and a knot develops in the pit of my stomach.
Without thinking twice, I spin to find that I’m alone on the suite floor. With haste, I locate my room key, then barge into a dark suite. I search for the nearest light switch, but decide to stay in the dark. I walk to the balcony doors, then slip outside. The salty ocean fragrance greets my senses. I settle into a balcony chair, then doze off to the intimate, unrecognizable chatter from the almost desolate pier restaurant.
My subconscious wanders as my dreamscape floats me from the balcony to the shore. The sky is split in half; one side is bright and sunny, with seagulls flying above. The other side is dark, with a sky full of stars.
Without effort, I descend as I float until I land on the cold ocean surface. I glance and notice that I’m wearing a white silk nightgown that reveals a white bikini. The strange sky above captures my attention as I marvel in silence.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it? Strange…but beautiful,” Clara says as she floats on my left side. She’s also wearing a nightgown and bathing suit. We float in silence as we gaze at the incredible sky above us, until we begin to float towards the night side.
“Look, there’s a boat floating our way,” she says. Without much discussion, we agree to swim toward the boat. My mother slowly climbs into the boat then helps me on. There are two towels in the boat; I hand her one then wrap myself in the other.
“I should have taken you out more,” she confesses as she stares off into the distance. I decided not to reply—instead I hold her hand. After a long silence my mother says, “This time I’ve spent with you…has given me so much peace. I can rest now, knowing you’ve developed into such a wonderful person.” Her eyes fill with tears.
“Our visits were granted so that I could find peace…and to apologize. Soon I’ll have to go, and the Kate dreams may start again. Are you ready for that, Scarlet?” Her eyes search my face for a response. In a calm tone, I reply, “Hopefully, Kate will be arrested soon.”
We embrace in a tight hug; I relish her closeness and let myself be held tightly by my mother. Her grip weakens. I attempt to hold her tighter, closer, but my efforts are in vain. As the moon and the sun trade places, my mother begins to fade. Just as the air around us absorbs her, she whispers, “I love you.”
Loud knocking wakes me. I’m groggy, and my body is stiff and achy from sleeping on the balcony chair. The sun is hot and blinding. I stand and wait for my eyes to adjust, and focus on the balcony railing. Now there’s someone pounding on the door. I stumble from the balcony to the penthouse door.
My makeup is clumped into the corners of my eyes; it’s causing an uncomfortable itch, and one of my eyes is glued shut. Tim peeks out of his room then says, “You got it?” I nod my head in acknowledgment as I continue to mosey towards the door. Without checking the peephole or asking who is on the other side, I open the suite door.
“Good…” Emily begins to say until she takes in my appearance. She’s ready, wearing running attire. Her face tightens. I can’t help but laugh out loud.
“I know…I look horrible,” I say as I gesture for her to come in. She walks in and follows me to my room.
“You slept in your makeup? And on the floor?” Emily probes with a puzzled expression on her face—we direct our gaze at my undisturbed bedding. I confess that I slept on a balcony chair. “Not very comfortable,” I say as I rub my neck. I gesture for Emily to get comfortable, then excuse myself to wash my face.
As I stare at my barely dressed, shocking appearance, it dawns on me—I didn’t pack any running attire. So, I peek out of the bathroom to tell Emily.
“I have extra shoes and clothes; we look about the same size,” she offers as she leaves the room. I wash my face again. This time I’m able to remove most of my mascara. I completely undress and wait for Emily to return until I hear someone knocking on the suite door. I cover myself, then rush to open the door. She’s grinning as she walks in.
“You’re lucky I always over-pack,” she declares as she hands me her extra clothing: a pair of socks, running sneakers, and a pair of gray spandex capris paired with a pink cotton shirt. I smile and thank her.
Once I’m alone, I dress quickly; everything is a tad snug, but I don’t complain. As a warm-up, we decide to take the stairs down to the lobby. We stretch inside the stairwell platform then begin our journey down the three flights of stairs. At first we walk before we pick up the pace. By the last stretch of stairs, we’re running as fast as we can, but also cautious not to fall. We’re left panting at the bottom of the staircase.
“Eating, drinking in excess, plus lack of sleep, has left us out of shape,” Emily shares as we laugh. She holds her stomach as I do, revealing similar stomach cramps. We rest on the stairs until we catch our breath then agree to walk until we’re able to jog.
As we leave the hotel, I share the long story of why I’m out of shape. First, I share how quickly David and I fell for each other. She states that our relationship gives her hope with Fredrick. Then I talk about my tormentor. “She sounds like a psycho!” Emily exclaims as we continue our walk.
Recollecting my gunshot wound, the vandalism to my family’s business, then Kate’s highway attempt causes Emily to fume. She waves her hands in the air then yells, “What a psycho bitch! It’s not your fault David didn’t want her anymore.”
As a result of our chatting, we fail to notice a group of tourists approaching us, especially the one who continues to appear. By the time I realize one of the tourists is Kate, and that she has a metal bat, it’s too late.
She swings, then slams her bat against my leg. I fall to the ground, screaming in agony. Emily attempts to help, but Kate hits her. Poor Emily didn’t see it coming; she’s unconscious and lying next to me. I try to help her, but her head is bleeding profusely. My chest begins to tighten as tears stream down my face. Then my inner fury ignites.
Right as Kate attempts to strike me, I kick her with all my might. I’m not sure what I hit. But my kick causes Kate to topple over in pain.
“You fucking bitch! I will KILL YOU!” Kate screams as she crawls towards me. Our fight attracts a group of spectators. An old man steps forward, he gapes at Emily’s bleeding wounds.
“Sir, please call 911. Please don’t let my friend bleed to death,” I plead as I stare into his eyes. He nods with urgency as he retrieves his phone to call an ambulance.
In my peripheral vision, I notice Kate move. Before she’s able to escape, I kick her with my heel as hard as possible. My kick causes her to fall flat on her face.
“Someone! Anyone! Please don’t let her escape!” I yell for assistance. An excruciating pain blinds me as I catapult into darkness.
I’m floating, drifting into dark emptiness as I become consumed by a dark nothing. Am I dead? I’m shaking my hand vigorously in front of my face, but I see nothing. A light appears. At first I’m relieved, but then the speed of my drifting increases. The closer I drift towards this burning light, the tighter my chest gets.
“You are fine,” an unfamiliar voice says as I drift closer to the burning light. I readjust myself and float faster, until a dock appears. Once I’m close enough, my drifting shifts and I’m able to step down onto the dock.
“Hello?” I inquire, hoping that whoever’s consoling me is an apparition of my mind and not a guide into my afterlife.
“I am here,” the masculine voice announces.
“Where are you?” I inquire as I search for the origins of the voice, but become sidetracked by my surroundings.
The black hole that brought me to the dock is disappearing. The sky is dark and filled with stars, as well as a strangely massive moon. I’m mystified by my magical environment. I can see nothing but the dock and the sky. I peer over the doc
k to see nothing but fog. The ground is nowhere in sight. This place is eerie. I feel chills overcome my body.
“Where am I?” I search again for the strange masculine voice. No luck. Then, an orb appears; a male figure begins to form. A glowing man in his thirties, with brilliant raven hair, and piercing jade-colored eyes, forms before me. He’s dressed in a loose-fitting linen pant and shirt get-up. His outfit is a vibrant shade of blue.
“Hello,” the stranger says as he steps forward. I take a step back.
“Who are you? Where am I?” I inquire as I search our surroundings, I hug myself as goosebumps form on my skin.
“Don’t fret. You are safe. I am Hilder, guardian of your dock,” he reveals, giving me a moment to process.
“So…I’m dead? You’re my guardian into the afterlife?” I question as my voice quivers, my eyes brim with tears. He laughs at my expense. I’m embarrassed, and avert my gaze. I realize I’m no longer in Emily’s running getup.
“Emily? How is she? What is this place?” I question as I stare into his piercing eyes.
“Scarlet, you are in a place where people go before they pass…” he says as he takes a step forward.
“So…I’m dead?” I whisper as I lower myself to sit and rest. I hug my legs tight as tears stream down my face; a harsh pang forms in my chest. Hilder sits next to me. He clears his throat to say, “When you were calling for help, Kate saw an opportunity to strike…she hit your head with such force, she bent the metal bat.”
Hilder makes a waving motion that causes an image to appear. I watch as Kate delivers the fatal blow that causes me to collapse next to Emily’s motionless body. Kate attempts to escape, but an officer appears and quickly restrains her.
As the image begins to fade, I observe as Emily and I are loaded into an ambulance and Kate is restrained then shoved into the back of a police car. I’m relieved that she’s finally arrested. At last, this horrible nightmare has come to an end. But then my surroundings slap me hard with the awareness that I could be trapped in this place forever.
Hilder stands, then extends his hand to assist me. I thank him and accept his assistance. For a moment, we’re silent. I want to lie down and cry, but that would be pointless.
“Follow me,” Hilder instructs. I realize that he’s no longer next to me.
“What will become of me?” I question before reflecting on the short life I’ve lived. Until the Belka family adopted me, I hadn’t known what it felt to truly live. My existence was one of neglect, but now I understood why...Would I ever see Clara again?
“Do not cry, Scarlet. Your fate is not definite. You could wake up,” Hilder consoles me as he takes my hand and holds it tight. Without saying a word, Hilder pulls me by the hand to walk with him. We stroll, hand-in-hand, as we make our journey.
The darkness remains as the stars and moon shine bright. It feels as if hours have passed and we have yet to see the end of the dock. I feel nothing, nothing worries me—nothing causes me to feel despair. I feel empty, and the feeling perplexes me.
“Why do I feel such apathy?” I ask as we continue our journey.
“You were hit forcibly by a bat to the head. You have suffered a traumatic brain injury.” Hilder produces another screen to reveal my body’s present state. I watch as a medical team operates on me. My body lays motionless in a hospital bed, surrounded by medical staff and equipment.
“Where is Emily?” I question just as the screen blinks to reveal her in a hospital bed, but she has a much larger medical staff working on her. Someone is commanding the medical staff to move swiftly. I can’t hear a word; I can only see their faces as they yell orders.
“What’s going on? Is she going to survive? Why isn’t she here with me now?” I urge as I search Hilder’s eyes for answers.
“Everyone has an individual dock and dock guardian. I am your dock guardian,” he discloses with a stern, masculine, emotionless expression.
“How long is this dock?” I inquire as the end begins to appear. What does this mean? Will I ever see my family again? David? Oh, David…I didn’t even get to hear from him today.
“NO!” I bellow, and I stop and yank my hand free from Hilder. Without protest, Hilder says, “Scarlet, we must continue.”
“But I don’t want to go; I have too much life left to live. This cannot be my end. Kate cannot win! I want to live! I NEED to live! I deserve my happy ending with David and my family,” I plead as the urge to fight, to run, overcomes me. However, I know: I have no choice but to continue on this journey.
“Right now you are in an induced coma. You are here to keep your mind at rest. Most individuals produce their dock as they await their fate. It is the mind’s coping mechanism,” he reveals, then gently tugs my hand to follow him. I avoid protesting. What’s the point? I want to survive, to live to see my family, David, my friends. But how? How would I overcome this?
As we approach the end of my dock, a long staircase appears. Hilder takes the lead, and one step at a time, we descend. It feels like hours pass before we finally reach the end. The fog has cleared just enough to walk through. A desert surrounds us. The fog takes life as it drifts over the desert, collecting and becoming dense in some areas. A white stallion gallops towards us.
“He will be our relief, and guide us to our next destination,” Hilder tells me as his brows wrinkle.
“What is it?” I snap. He pauses to collect his words while the nameless stallion whisks us away into the night.
Strangely enough, the stallion gallops in silence, so I’m able to hear Hilder clearly as he reveals, “In past cases…” He pauses. I shift in discomfort.
“Continue,” I urge him.
“In the past, we never made it this far if the person…” Hilder pauses as I begin to scream.
“Ahhhh!” I’m wailing uncontrollably as a severe pain radiates through my brain. Now I feel the impact of Kate’s assault. I lose my grip and float backwards off of the galloping stallion. I drift, until I land on the desert sand. All I feel is the excruciating pain within my skull. My eyesight begins to fade as the pain incapacitates me. Then I begin to vomit.
Hilder appears at my side. “Help me!” I plead with him then vomit again. The excruciating pain causes the rest of my body to revolt as I shake uncontrollably.
“She’s seizing! Clear the room, now!” yells an unfamiliar voice. Hilder whispers softly in my ear, “It was a pleasure. I hope to see you when you’re older.”
I reach for him, to show my gratitude, but my pain increases and causes me to shake violently. My eyesight weakens to a blur. I lay motionless on the cold desert sand; I surrender to the pain.
Suddenly, I’m pulled swiftly as I begin to zoom away from Hilder. I float up the stairs and over the dock. My head pain is steady, but the seizures have stopped. Calmness overcomes my body as I feel the cranial pain weaken.
The dock fades away as I continue to drift. I attempt to see what direction I’m flying in, but the moment I turn I’m confronted with the darkness. I embrace it as it engulfs me and leaves me blind. My speed increases as the darkness guides me to my destination.
The silence fades, and I’m greeted with the familiar buzzing of fluorescent lights that temporarily blind me. A jolt moves through me as my soul, or spirit, unites with my body. I take a deep gasp for air, but a tube is down my throat, restricting my ability to inhale. My eyes flutter in shock, and I try to move, but I’m confined to the bed.
“She’s awake!” a voice yells.
“How?” another questions.
“Hurry! Get the doctors!” a demanding person instructs as several unrecognizable voices boom in the background.
“Scarlet? Love, are you all right?” David inquires as he squeezes my hand. I reach for him, but something is restraining my head, so I fall back in defeat.
“Hi, there, sleepyhead; my name is Kassidy. I’m the nurse on shift. Can you be patient for me, just for a moment; so that I can make you comfortable? Nod so you don’t hurt yourself,” she instructs
as she rubs my arm. I do as she requests by nodding my head then wait patiently as a breathing tube is slowly withdrawn from my throat.
An oxygen apparatus is inserted into my nostrils, next Kassidy adjusts my bed so I can have a better view. Several medical professionals walk in and out of my private hospital room. I’m able to see that Kassidy is a lovely older lady.
“All better?” she inquires with an infectious smile. I nod then ask, “Emily?” My voice is weak, and my throat is dry and achy. Lord, please let Emily be all right.
“Let’s focus on you…then we’ll find out about your friend, all right?” she instructs then says, “Dr. Max will be in to explain everything that has happened.” I nod to show my comprehension.
“May I sit up?” I ask, attempting to make myself comfortable.
“You sure can, sugar,” she offers as she pats my leg then says, “I’ll give you guys a moment.” David thanks Kassidy for everything; he’s silent until we’re alone.
“How did you get here? When?” I question as I search his wide, blood-shot eyes.
“Shh… Rest. I’ll tell you everything soon,” he whispers as he gently kisses my lips. His affection puts my mind at ease. He takes his time to inform me that Tim contacted him the moment Kelly told Tim that Emily and I were attacked and taken to Lower Keys Medical Center.
“I was distraught…but I immediately called Violet. Within an hour, I was speeding as fast as I could to get to you. I even got a ticket, 90 in a 65,” David reveals with the most adorable guilty pout. His cuteness causes me to laugh, but my wounds quickly remind me that I shouldn’t.
“Sorry,” he says as our lips meet and linger.
“I’ve missed you so much…” he confesses then returns to my lips.
He sits back to continue the tale of how he drove five hours straight before finally arriving at Lower Keys Medical Center.
“I sat…for a while. I was so unsure what to expect,” he says as he kisses me again. He recollects that once he finally entered the hospital they informed him I was in surgery.
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