Luna Hana

Chapter 28 - Black and White

My world was black for quite some time, and it was rather unnerving. I couldn't see, I couldn't hear, I couldn't feel. Was I dead?

Surely not. I'd like to imagine that death was more than just lying in never ending darkness.

It was so black. Everything was black.

And then suddenly, there was white.

It was a surreal sort of white, but blinding nonetheless. My eyes had fluttered open, or at least I assumed that was what happened, and instead of being surrounded by darkness, I was now looking into a white abyss.

I stared down at my hands, assuring myself that I did have my vision back. Other than myself, there was nothing but pure white for as far as I could see.

Then, I heard a voice.

"Hana, honey," the voice called, sounding soft and feminine. It was sweet, and something about it seemed comforting and familiar.

"Look at me honey," the voice chimed again. All it took was that second time for me to realize why the voice was familiar.

No, it couldn't be.

I looked around frantically, desperately searching out the source of the voice, but I saw nothing. Nothing except this irritating, bright white. I whipped my head back towards my right, and that was when I finally saw her.

My mother.

"Mom!" I cried out in both despair and disbelief. So many emotions flooded my mind. I was confused and upset, but ecstatic to see my mother.

Did this mean I was dead?

My mother knelt down next to me, taking my face in her warm hands as she often did when I was a child She simply smiled at me, her eyes seeming brighter blue than I ever remembered them being. How was she so warm? How did she look and feel so real? She looked the same as she had before her death, perhaps even younger, and she was dressed in a long, white gown. An aura of gold seemed to outline her figure, but it was faint – one of those things you only notice if you're not staring directly at it.

"Yes Hana, honey, it's me," she spoke before pulling me into a light embrace.

"As happy as I am to see you, you need to go back."

I pulled away and looked at my mother with furrowed eyebrows, "Go back? But where am I? I don't even know where I am!"

My mother smiled weakly and smoothed down my hair, "You're in between life and death, honey. You're right on the edge of death, but it's not your time."

"How do you know?" I quickly questioned, not even allowing the information to fully absorb.

"I just do," she replied, forcing another smile.

"You have a mate to get back to, Hana. He's worried sick about you – he needs you. Your journey with him has only just begun."

I gasped. Rhett was alive! He was okay! I knew my mother was right, I had to get back to him. We had barely gotten to start our relationship as full-mates. Rhett had fought so hard for me; there was no way I could leave him. My mother was right – it wasn't my time yet. My life had only just started.

"I don't know how to go back though. I don't know what to do," I told my mother anxiously.

"Don't worry honey, I'll be here to help you. Just close your eyes and relax. Focus on your mate. Put all of your heart, mind, and soul into coming back to him. Once you're focused enough, his voice should guide you.