Painting Flowers / m.clifford

chapter one

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- Riley -

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Short snippets of me being pushed through a hallway was all I got, not even by my parents.. By random nurses and doctors.

I look at the ceiling, the bright lights stunning me. Trying to breathe, I felt my lungs slowly giving up every second I tried, the only help being from this oxygen mask I had on.

"Stay with us." The nurse's voice was soft as my eyes fluttered closed.

Stay with us. Stay with us. Stay with us. Stay with us. Stay with us. Stay with us.

Her voice rung in my head repeatedly before I fell into the same darkness.

And there I was, holding on a string that would soon cut right off.

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- Michael -

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She's beautiful, holy shit.

Even asleep she looks like the angel she was, she looked like something out of a video game, god she was stunning. Her hair was long and a warm reddish brown color, her lips slightly heart shaped and pale pink.. Wow.

Michael, don't look at her boobs. What would happen if I touched it?

She's about to die, Michael can't you think straight? No, obviously not.

I sighed, just staring at her as she lied on the green grass, the sun shining down on her. Down on earth, she probably looked beat up and worn out because of the crash but here? She had nothing on her at all, hopefully she didn't feel the same pain.

And you know what, here I am..

I'm just a figure of her imagination.

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- Riley -

I feel warmth radiating on me, all the pain in my body completely gone as I slowly open my eyes. My body felt warm.. I actually felt the blood running through my veins.

Sitting up quickly, I look around.

"What the.." I couldn't even finish my sentence before a boy with black hair smiled and sat in front of me. "Am I in.. Am I dead?" I whispered, looking at my arms and then feeling my face. "I'm dead, aren't I? Who are you?''

He seemed.. Attractive. His smile, his hair, and his slight punk attire. His legs were sprawled as he stared down at his black converse.

The last thing I needed to worry about was the boy sat in front of me, where was I? Why did this feel so real?

I feel the grass, it felt like any normal grass out there, I take a breath, in smelled like nature.

Everything felt like I was alive, but I couldn't even remember what happened to me. It was small parts in my head but it didn't make any sense to me at all.

"I'm Michael.'' He just introduced as I just frowned.

"Where am I? What happened?" I continued to ask but he just groaned.

"Alright, well I'll be completely subtle. But you were in a car crash, fighting with your mum. And it was pretty bad so--"

"I'm dead?!" I panicked. "Oh no no.. I didn't want that to happen, no matter how shitty my life was I.. I was so young! I had to do things and--"

"Would you stop talking like you're already dead, you aren't.'' He chuckled. ''Relax, Riley.''

"How do you know my name?" My eyes widened, completely panicking.

"Listen, calm down for me alright?" He comfortingly spoke, his accent catching my full attention now.

I inhale, closing my eyes as I release it.

"What is this?" I asked after a brief silence and I was stable enough to actually understand what he was trying to tell me, whoever this attractive, Australian boy was.

"Well, this is better than heaven. You're dreaming, babe.'' He smiled, leaning back on the grass, his arms propped behind his head as he stared at the sky.

"I'm.. Dreaming?" I spoke to myself, looking around as butterflies had passed me. I gasped, smiling in so much relief. I inmediately relaxed at his saying, and it was all slowly beginning to make sense.

"Yep, your paradise. Your inner most deepest thoughts.. All in one.'' He grinned. "Glad to be a part of it."

"What are you, my conscience?" I tilted my head, suddenly feeling the freedom to say anything I wanted. This was a dream. I could do anything. "You're pretty cute for my conscience.''

He laughed, closing his eyes. ''Well, I don't know what's up in your head. You created me in that pretty little head of yours."

I frowned, confused. "I.. I don't know."

"Well, life's just a big unexplainable mess. Let's just leave it at that.'' He shrugged.

I nodded. ''It really is, I.. What happens if I want to wake up?" I shake my head, just changing the subject.

"Well, it isn't that easy. You're kind of in a coma right now, because you're dreaming."

"Oh." I managed to say. "Well, Michael. I'm sorry you had to be stuck with me. All the people in the world, it had to be me. You could've gotten stuck with anyone else, at least they'd be more interesting."

"A beautiful girl like you? I'd be stuck with you anyday." He smiled comfortingly, making me chuckle light-heartedly.

I stare at the blue sky for awhile before I broke out after the silence.

"Why does this feel so real?" I decided to ask, suddenly loosening up at the thought knowing I was dreaming.. I wanted to see where this took me.

"It's all you, Riley. You get to choose what to feel, see, hear.. Anything. This is your head, babe."

"Would you stop calling me that?"

"What, babe?"

I rolled my eyes, slightly giggling.

"Not my fault you're such a babe." He laughed, scooting over next to me.

"If you're trying to flirt with me, then just say so, imaginary boy."

"Well, what if I said I was, would that change anything?" He smirked, and I just rolled my eyes, looking away.

Geez, a cute boy? Nature? Nothing to worry about?

I think I'll check in for a bit.

I know this was unexplainable.. Because if this was actually a dream, then why in the world did it feel so real?