Waiting

The area smells of rain. That is what hit me first. The overwhelming aroma and next the lack of all feeling save emotion. I felt rather... relieved. I no longer felt the pain of the world, no longer needed to breathe the polluted air of the living.

Though, it didn't take long for it to hit me. I was gone. I no longer breathed the pollution I'd grown accustomed to in my short twenty-seven years. I could no longer see my family, my friends. Most of all, I could no longer be with him.

That is what hurts the most. I am not with my beloved. I cannot go back to him now that I have passed on. I can still remember the last time I heard his voice, inhaled his scent.

I could not wake up for my husband, but he stayed with me day and night. I could hear him pacing, smell his skin when he was close, hear his comforting voice, and feel his lips on my forehead.

The dying feeling was uncomfortable. There was shouting, but the only voice I cared to hear was his. It stood out among the rest, his tone that of worry. I wanted to tell him not to be alarmed, that I was simply sick of the pain I was feeling, but I could not.

My wounds ached for one last time, and I exhaled once more, discarding the unneeded oxygen. My heart raced for a few simple seconds and then ceased to move.

His sobs reached my ears with a shaky “I love you always. I'll miss you.”

Then I drifted away from the hospital bed, to another reality.

Upon opening my eyes, I noticed him. He was tall with dark hair down almost to his broad shoulders. He looked up at me and smiled.

“Well? What do you want to do now?” he leaned his elbows on the counter before him, lacing his fingers and resting his chin on his hands. His eyes gleamed with a sort of childish excitement.

“What?” I asked, clueless.

He chuckled and pressed his palms on the counter, leaning closer to me.

“Well, you've got two choices. Either go on, or wait.” he smirked around his words.

I cocked my head to the side, still confused. Now he sighed and lifted himself onto the counter to sit facing me.

“You got someone among the living? Someone you care for deeply?” he questioned.

“Yes.” I said, growing rather uncomfortable.

“Well, what's his name?” he pressed on with his questions.

“Mail...” I now sounded overly cautious, hugging my arms.

“Well, If you'd like, you are permitted to wait for him. Once he gets here, you will go on together.” he paused to evaluate my expression. “Or you can just go on without him.”

I'm sure my face lit up, and I know that I smiled as big as I possibly could because he threw his head back and laughed for a long minute.

“So what's it going to be? Wait or go on?” he squinted his eyes at me.

“I believe my only logical choice would be to wait.” I explained to the man before me.

He grinned and threw himself back to his side of the counter.

“Hope your wait isn't too long.” were the last words I heard from the man at the counter.

As he spoke those words, I felt the drifting feeling once more. Where I went now, simply a dream.