time is an ocean [camren]

part 12

I trudged up to the front door of the house, both shoes now finally resting on the welcome mat Camila and I had picked out together. I quickly brushed my shoes against the material, a small smirk spread across my lips at the memory. I fumbled with my keys from my pocket before pushing the correct one into the keyhole on the handle, finally twisting the knob to push the door forward and enter the house.

I could feel my legs aching with the mere concept of finally getting to sit down and relax on the couch; the exhaustion was finally taking over my body. I let out a small sigh as I threw my keys onto the bench after closing the door behind me. Taking a quick check of the time, I noticed it was half past nine. While I was upset at that fact because I'd told Camila I was going to be home at seven o'clock, it finally struck me that it seemed way too quiet in the house. And the only light on was the one in the living room.

It was very unusual.

A strange feeling suddenly rushed through my body, goosebumps bubbling up along every inch of my skin. 

"Hold on, I've been here before." My voice barely came out as a whisper, disappearing into the air of the house I'd stepped into. Something was going to happen and I knew that there should be a way I can stop it.

Thoughts of phones ringing and car accidents and dark intersections filled my head, but this was all overridden by the fact that my ears could hear the water running. It meant that someone was definitely in my house.

Camila was in the house.

Panic quickly gripped my insides, pushing all the air out from my lungs. I darted forward, checking all the rooms on the way to the bathroom. Water was spilling out from under the door and was pooled up all through the hallway. The weight in my footsteps made sounds in the water that echoed throughout my head and the hallways.

I reached up and quickly grabbed the door handle as I felt a strange feeling in my legs. They were almost numb as I pushed the door open, my eyes coming to rest of the terrible reality in front of me.

While my brain had been picturing car accidents and terrible phone calls and living without Camila for many many years, my eyes saw the woman I loved motionless in a bath filled with her own blood. The tap was still running, the water overflowing and spilling out over the tiled floor.

Unable to process so many images at once, my gaze came to rest on her pale face. I was unsure as to how Camila could look so beautiful even in the middle of the worst possible situation. I rushed forward to grab her, almost slipping over the water across the floor in the process. But my legs buckled and gave out before my hands could even reach Camila.

When my knees hit the ground, I was in the same spot I always ended up. The cloudless night sky stretched on forever over my head. There was no Camila in front of me, only endless memories and feelings and bright stars above.

No matter how hard I tried, the images would not disappear from my vision. I wished for them to go away, I wished to not have the memories I did. The wish swirled around in my chest and pushed upward through my body.

It came out through my mouth as a heartbroken scream.

She screamed.