The Other Side of Me

Chapter Twelve: The Other Side of Me

A cold breeze passes my cheek. My hair swirls lightly around me. I move my fingers, feeling what I think is grass under my palms. I bend my arm, feeling a resistance, making me moan quietly in distress. I life my hand to my eyes, blocking the red light trying to stream into the darkness of my head.

I open my eyes. What greets me is a sight that I have never seen but in a dream. Sunlight. I see it coming through the cracks of my fingers. I squint my eyes as I let my fingers dance in the unfamiliar sight. I use my other arm to try to get me off of the ground. The second I bring my back off the ground, I double over in pain. White spheres cover what little vision I have and I plant my hands on the ground. After what I thought was hours, I open my eyes again and breath slowly. I get on my knees, although my body rejected the majority of my movements. I look at the ground and see that I am on green and brown grass. I sit on my knees and look at my myself. My clothes were damp, but not soaked, showing that I have been out of the water for quite some time. I look next to me and see my backpack and I sigh of relief. I get back on all fours and try to stand up, but the pain returned, ringing washing out my hearing. I stay on my knees and look out at my surroundings.

Before me was a lake, it was greener and smaller than the one on Darkani. I see strange figures on the water, making the wierdest noise I have ever heard. Quack. Quack. The water rustles with the chilled wind and the animals opened up their bodies, no, wings, and they start to move them back and forth. They lifted in the air and they fly away, continuing to make the strange noise. I look directly and I cannot believe my eyes. Little houses line what I believe are grey roads. They range in colors, from a cream white to a rusty red. I glance up at the light source and I manage a smile. I see blue. Beautiful blue skies with puffy clouds following the wind.

I'm not on Darkani. I'm...not...on...Darkani.

I'm on Earth.

"Hey, are you okay?"

I incline my head to the voice. The voice comes from a woman. She is wearing a grey top and black tight pants. She's breathing heavily, taking weird strings attached to circular objects out of her ears. Her ponytail is loose and she holds on to the white fence that surrounds the lake.

"Hey kid, are you okay?" She asks again. "Where are your parents?" She starts climbing the fence. "I'm coming to you, okay?" She hops off the fence and starts walking towards me. As she gets closer, I almost cry with joy. It's Ms. Tanya. It has to be. I lie back down on the grass.

She kneels by my side. "What's wrong? Are you injured?" Through my squinted eyes, I see Ms. Tanya hovering above me, blocking the sun.

"How did you get here?" I croak.

"I should ask you the same thing. I'm gonna call an ambulance, okay? You stay still." Ms. Tanya goes through a small bag around her waist and takes out a rectangular box. I hold my hand out to her.

I croak again, barely hearing myself. "Ms. Tanya."

She stops touching the rectangular box and stares at me. "Tanya? How do you-" She drops the box and brushes my hair out of my face. "Where did you hear that name?"

I open my eyes wider and realize that my vision began to clear. Her hair becomes much lighter, her face becomes more angular, and small wrinkles define her eyes and lips. I hold my hand out again as she transforms in front of my eyes. "You're not Ms. Tanya."

She grabs my hand. "No, no my name is Emily. How do you know Tanya?"

I look at her face again. "Emily. Emily Charisman."

She nods. "Yes, yes. Who are you?"

I try to answer, but it was hard to see Emily. "Your sister...she..."

Her voice starts to fade. "No, no, talk to me. Stay with me. You're gonna be fine."

I close my eyes. "Take care...of me..."