The Drowning Year
December
The first thing I learned after my death was that a month in earth time was only a day here, where ever I was. I remember how I woke up. I was floating in the lake, although it wasn’t my lake, this lake was somewhere completely new. I pushed my feet beneath me, feeling the soft sandy bottom. I dug my toes into the earth, something you couldn’t do back home because of all the rotted wood and algae.
I slowly walked to the island in the middle of the lake, similar to the one from my life. Once on the island I glanced around this new world I lived in. The trees reached for miles, completely blocking all sun from the area, however, the vegetation was still a vibrant green, tiny phosphorescent veins glowing in all the plants.
I continued along a path through the forest on the island, which never seemed to end. I walked for what felt like hours, never tiring, never feeling closer to anything. Night and Day no longer existed, not with the tree like cave this new world was in. No animals appeared, and there was no sense of change in the plants around me.
“My lady of the lake,” I whipped around upon hearing his voice.
“Who’s out there?” I had forgotten what my own voice sounded like, it was sort of hoarse, but sounded different then I remembered; like it was more elegant and girlish, like it had a bell undertone to it. Rustling in the bushes woke me from my thoughts, and through parted branches stepped the man from the Halloween Bash.
“You’ve been wandering for quite a while my dear. What brings you here to Ta’lai’a?” He whispered, closing the space between us.
“I died.” His eyes remained unchanging; though they shone brightly in the glow from the plants.
“I see as quiet as ever. Even in death you only speak to fill the silence.” His lips curled into a tiny smirk, before his eyes flickered over into the forest. “You must go, she is coming.” He pushed me into the bushes before running into the forest. I don’t know how long I sat there, wondering if he would come back. It had to have been days, possibly a week; time was lost here in Ta’lai’a.
For the first time since my wakening I closed my eyes. It wasn’t like dreaming, no, it was seeing, seeing anything I wanted to. I thought of earth, and of home. I saw my mom sitting in her chair, her eyes completely empty of life and thoughts. I saw my father walk in and sit down next to my mother, gently grasping her hand. ‘It’ll be alright dear, they’ll find her and she will be alive and wanting to hug her mother.’ He talked calmly and lovingly for the first time since the accidents.
‘She left us like her sister. What did we do to deserve this? I just wanted my babies to be happy.’ She stated hauntingly before burying her face into my father’s shoulder. I quickly thought of someone else to try and be rid myself of the pain I felt settling into my chest.
I saw Alex sitting alone out on the island, his feet inches from the water, his eyes panicking from the slow moving waves. He was still terrified of the lake. He deserved to be, after killing me.
“Lady!” My eyes flew open. I glanced around trying to find the source of the voice. “I told you to leave! It isn’t safe here!” He was kneeling in front of me, his eyes shimmering with anger.
“You came back.” I whispered before feeling my body grow heavy. Even though I was dead it felt as if I was tired, as if I was unable to move again.
“You haven’t eaten anything have you.” I heard him curse under his breath, before scooping me into his arms, his fingers leaving sparks in their path.
I slowly walked to the island in the middle of the lake, similar to the one from my life. Once on the island I glanced around this new world I lived in. The trees reached for miles, completely blocking all sun from the area, however, the vegetation was still a vibrant green, tiny phosphorescent veins glowing in all the plants.
I continued along a path through the forest on the island, which never seemed to end. I walked for what felt like hours, never tiring, never feeling closer to anything. Night and Day no longer existed, not with the tree like cave this new world was in. No animals appeared, and there was no sense of change in the plants around me.
“My lady of the lake,” I whipped around upon hearing his voice.
“Who’s out there?” I had forgotten what my own voice sounded like, it was sort of hoarse, but sounded different then I remembered; like it was more elegant and girlish, like it had a bell undertone to it. Rustling in the bushes woke me from my thoughts, and through parted branches stepped the man from the Halloween Bash.
“You’ve been wandering for quite a while my dear. What brings you here to Ta’lai’a?” He whispered, closing the space between us.
“I died.” His eyes remained unchanging; though they shone brightly in the glow from the plants.
“I see as quiet as ever. Even in death you only speak to fill the silence.” His lips curled into a tiny smirk, before his eyes flickered over into the forest. “You must go, she is coming.” He pushed me into the bushes before running into the forest. I don’t know how long I sat there, wondering if he would come back. It had to have been days, possibly a week; time was lost here in Ta’lai’a.
For the first time since my wakening I closed my eyes. It wasn’t like dreaming, no, it was seeing, seeing anything I wanted to. I thought of earth, and of home. I saw my mom sitting in her chair, her eyes completely empty of life and thoughts. I saw my father walk in and sit down next to my mother, gently grasping her hand. ‘It’ll be alright dear, they’ll find her and she will be alive and wanting to hug her mother.’ He talked calmly and lovingly for the first time since the accidents.
‘She left us like her sister. What did we do to deserve this? I just wanted my babies to be happy.’ She stated hauntingly before burying her face into my father’s shoulder. I quickly thought of someone else to try and be rid myself of the pain I felt settling into my chest.
I saw Alex sitting alone out on the island, his feet inches from the water, his eyes panicking from the slow moving waves. He was still terrified of the lake. He deserved to be, after killing me.
“Lady!” My eyes flew open. I glanced around trying to find the source of the voice. “I told you to leave! It isn’t safe here!” He was kneeling in front of me, his eyes shimmering with anger.
“You came back.” I whispered before feeling my body grow heavy. Even though I was dead it felt as if I was tired, as if I was unable to move again.
“You haven’t eaten anything have you.” I heard him curse under his breath, before scooping me into his arms, his fingers leaving sparks in their path.