Twenty Six Seconds

Twenty Six Seconds

     The grass underneath me as I laid back thinking, felt softer than any bed I’ve been in before. It was the perfect spot for a night like this. The stars were so bright. There were so many, too many. They made me uncomfortable I felt too small to even exist. The warm breeze comforted me as much as it rustled my long hair. I curled up as best as I could and looked at who was laying calmly beside me. He slowly turned and smiled. This night was ultimately mesmerizing. The warm breeze brushed across him and brought the scent of his cologne into my nose, it was my favorite. I could only guess as to what he was thinking about. His smile was brighter than the billions of stars in the night sky. He just stared for a moment before looking back at the full moon.

     “I have a question.” He said with a sheepish smile, still looking at the speckled sky.

     My heart skipped for the faintest second. ‘Was this the night?’ I asked myself, ‘Was he truly ready? Was I?’ I was so frazzled I almost didn’t hear him ask.

     “What time is it?” He asked quickly.

     I looked at him trying to hide my disappointment, “Um, it’s almost eleven.” I looked back to the sky.

     He sat straight and looked at me, I tried to ignore his meaningful gaze. “You look disappointed,” Was I really that easy to read? “I asked about the time because I have a surprise.” He said.

     I didn’t care what surprise could make me forgive that? He laid back down and out of my peripherals I could see a grin appear on his face. I folded my arms across my chest like I do when I’m angry but that only made his grin grow larger. I opened my mouth to confront him when a star shot across the sky.

     I stopped, ‘Is this a sign?’ I asked myself.

     Another shot by, and another. The shower was a beautiful spectacle of raining light. I gasped. This was definitely a sign. I was almost distracted enough that I didn’t feel something slip on my finger. It sparkled like the shower in the sky though there was only one diamond, right in the middle. It was the most beautiful golden ring I’d ever seen.

     “Will you marry me?” He asked nervously.

     I gazed at him a huge smile gleaming on my cheeks. Everything started to get blurry. Was it just tears? I felt dizzy and suddenly everything went black. I awoke in a haze, words were jumbled and I could feel hands or were they hands something was touching me holding me down.

     “She’s waking up!” I heard someone yell.

     Silence. “Stay with us Laura.” Another voice whispering, yelling. “Clear!” I thought I heard.

     I opened my eyes. There were so many people. Some I knew, some I didn’t. What had happened to me? I remembered the ring. My eyes shot to my left hand. ‘Where is it?!’ I yelled to myself. ‘Okay think, if this is a hospital  would it  still be there? How would I know, I’ve never been in one. Why can’t I hear him? ‘I called out his name.

     “Kale.” I call out  over and over again with no response.  

     Finally, “Shhh it’s going to be ok.”

     “Kale?” I ask almost in tears.

     “I’m Dr. Moressio. You were passed out when; Kale was it, he brought you here. You lost your life for twenty six seconds.”

     “What?” His voice was fading. I imagined the stars. I imagined Kale. The white room and my mind went black again.

     I was back in the grass again and the ring was on my finger, and Kale. Kale! I grabbed him and held on tightly.

     “Is this a yes?” He asked.

     ‘What happened?’ I felt fine but I had definitely been in a hospital, but how or why?

     He kissed me. I pushed him and we collapsed on the fluffy grass. My smile was growing. Kale grabbed my hand and laid beside me. My mind was engulfed by the enormous sky. I felt him squeeze my hand tight before I fluttered my eyelids and woke up to a bright light and hospital staff cluttered around me.

     “Where is Kale, he... he proposed. Where is he?”

     “I’m so sorry.” The doctor replied. “When he brought you here his wounds were already too far along.”

“Wounds? What are you talking about? What’s going on? He proposed I remember. What's happening?” I burst into tears. “I need to get back to the field, to Kale, I need Kale.

“I’m sorry you can’t he’s dead.”

“But that can’t be. He just... what happened to him how did he die?” I pleaded to know in tears.

“There was a man he followed you to the field. He was drunk. He... stabbed you in the neck, you lost consciousness almost immediately. He wasn’t so lucky. I’m sorry Laura. Kale couldn’t be saved.”

I stared at him. ‘What. The. Fuck!’

The doctor; and everyone else, walks out after a period of silence and tears. I close my eyes Kale is gone. We’ll never get married. He’s gone,gone...gone. The door quietly opens, and someone walks in. Dark eyes walk in.  

     

Miasmic Asylum
     With the help of Vanessa