A Whole New World

chapter 31

Darkness, the utter darkness. That's the only thing I can see. My body is numb, my mind is numb, everything is silent around me. First time in my life I am scared of silence. I am scared out of my wits.. is this how life after death is? So empty and dark?

I was praying to God to let me feel something or just give me some light so I can breath but no there wasn't anything. I felt myself staring into emptiness and it felt like months have passed with me being stuck in this condition and I am feeling suffocated now. I am going in and out of consciousness, I am at that point where I don't know if I am awake or not.

Just them after days of being stuck in that condition, I saw a small light at a distance. I walk towards it but it was walking away from me. I kept walking towards the light nor wanting to lose it. I don't want to face that darkness again.

I kept running and running until I was so close to light that I could even touch it. I pushed my hand put towards the light slowly. As my hand came in contact with the light I was sucked in and felt like my body is in air and I am being fell down from height. I shrieked in fear flailing my arms out to save myself from the fall but nothing happen. I was in the air falling down until I felt the impact of something hard with my body.

It took few moments for me to gain my focus and when I looked around my surrounding I gasped. The same place, the same trees around me. I looked up at the sky and the next moment I heard a voice. A familiar voice but I couldn't place the face to that voice.

I start walking through the thick forest, my feet were bare when I looked down. The ground was hard beneath them, occasionally I would feel a sting in my feet from the thorns or dried twigs but my mind was elsewhere. It was on the voice that was calling me it was a very soothing voice which was a whisper and it was calling my name.

'Celeste' it called again.

'Come here Celeste! We need you. I ... need you' it said again.

I tread fastly as I felt the voice was fading away until I couldn't hear it anymore. Now there was no one to guide me, only the sound of that voice kept me going. I gasped when I realized whom that voice belong to.

"Atticus" I breathed out, it was him and when I looked around carefully at my surrounding I realized where I am, the same dream I had since ages.

The trees were so huge, their leaves were dry and colorless. There was orange tinge to them but rectangular shapes leaves. As I was looking around me trying to understand what's happening to me and why I am reliving that same dream but this time if felt so real. I could feel the fresh air on my skin, the sound of birds. All the little details messing with my mind.

But then I heard Atticus again and this time I could feel his emotions too. He was sad, his voice was shaking as he called my name as if he is crying.

I start running and chanted lightly.

'I am coming' I chanted again and again wishing that he could listen to me, I don't want him to me sad.

'Celeste please come.... please" the voice nearly begged me. 

'Celeste, don't go'  he pleaded.

"I am coming, i am not going anywhere" I reassured but seems like he couldn't hear me. It was him all this time, I had heard him even before I have met him. These dream I was having were way before we met.

"Don't go" it said again. I feel like I am running around the circle, after every few moments when I feel like I am closed to the voice it fades away in to distance until it completely stops.

"No no please say something, please call me again. Please" I begged but there was silence around me, a painful silence. A feeling of deja vu hit me hard and I stopped in my tracks.

I sat on the ground and put my head on my knees as I wept like a child. I felt so alone and scared at that moment. But then I heard a twig snapped behind me, I raise my head instantly and as I was about to turn I was met with a bright light, it was so bright that for a moment I couldn't open my eyes and when I opened them back ...I gasped in shock.

Because the place where my dreams would always end and I was wishing it would happen again but it didn't stop. I didn't wake up instead I was faced with grandma. She was looking at me with sadness and sighed sadly.

"My child!" She cooed and then walked towards me. I tried to step away from her surprised to see her but then she touched my shoulders and helped me get up. I stood up and gazed at her. She smiled softly and touched my cheek.

"You shouldn't be here!" She said and then I remembered how once I saw her in that dream too once.

"When will this dream ends?" I asked out loudly. She sighed sadly.

"I am sorry, sweetie but its not a dream. Its all real" she said and I took a step away from her.

"What is this place?" I asked her.

"It's the world of Dead" she told me and I inhaled sharply.

"So??... am I..." I stuttered

"Am I dead?" I asked her in fear. She closed her eyes for a moment and I breathed out in dismay.