The Other Side Of Life

Louise

Louise

I opened my eyes to see nothing but green, after blinking a few times the world drifted into focus and I realised that I was lying face down on some damp grass.

Sitting up slowly I grasped that I was in a familiar field; the park only a few streets from my house. I had been here countless times throughout my childhood. Raindrops fell from the grey sky, drifting sideways in the slight breeze. I noticed absently that I wasn’t cold anymore, in fact… I felt fine, I didn’t even ache from lying on the ground.

But wait… why shouldn’t I feel fine? I had an idea that I was cold… so so cold… but when was that? And what was I doing in the park? Maybe I drank more last night than I thought… but where was I last night? What did I do?

I jumped as I heard the distant voice of a woman in the street nearby: “Jessica! Come on! You are going to be late for school,”

The voice of a young child followed a second later, “coming mummy!” but the only thing that really registered was the name… Jessica…Jess… I had a friend called Jess! That must have been where I was last night, with her! Dimly I remembered the pounding music of the club, the hundreds of bodies packed closely together dancing along…

I got to my feet quickly. I was going to be in so much trouble! Unless… I could get home before anybody woke up? It must be fairly early if the girl had been on her way to school, so hopefully…

Less than five minutes later I turned onto my street. Uh oh… I thought as I spotted my dad in the driveway, putting out the rubbish. That meant I was in deep trouble. He didn’t even look at me as I approached turning and walking back towards the house silently.

 Ok I get it; he’s going to be doing the whole “we are so disappointed in you” thing. Ok, I can deal with that, although somehow I was hoping they would just shout at me and get it over with. Silently I followed him into the house before the door swung shut in my face, walking behind him as he made his way into the kitchen where he went to sit next to my mother placing his hand over hers.

With a start I realised she was crying. Silent tears poured from her eyes, which looked much more tired and stressed than usual. I began to get worried; sure I had done some irresponsible things before, although nothing if this proportion, but it had never gotten this reaction from them.

“Mum? Are you ok?” my voice came out timidly, I braced myself for the lecture that was bound to come… and there was no response. I repeated the question louder, in case she didn’t hear me. Neither of them even glanced at me. Finally my Dad spoke;

“Has there been any news?”

I frowned in confusion, “what?” he ignored me and continued staring at my mum, she shook her head, and I realised she had moved the phone onto the table next to her. “What’s going on?”

My mum looked up at my Dad sadly, tears gathering in her eyes. “Oh Karl, what are we going to do?”

He put his arm around her, “don’t worry, she will be fine. I can feel it.”

“But they said after a certain amount of time has passed… it may be hopeless.” She made a strange choking sob.

“No don’t think like that… it has only been a week, there is still hope. We have to remain positive!” she smiled weakly at him, although it didn’t reach her eyes;

“Yes… we will have to try.”

I finally began to get angry, I mean, sure I was out all night and I was reckless and stupid! But that is no reason to pretend like I don’t exist! I marched right up to the table;

“Hey! HEY! HELLO! Can you hear me? Hellooo earth to parents! Daughter standing right here!” I waved in their blank faces, “Hey! This isn’t even funny anymore… you’re starting to scare me.” My voice trailed off in the end and silence stretched through the air. “Ok fine, I’m sorry ok? I was stupid and reckless and I shouldn’t have done it. Happy?” not that I was even sure what I actually did… but they weren’t to know that right?

They still continued to ignore me, so abruptly my temper exploded. Fine! If they could disregard my existence, I could return the favour! Turning on my heel I strode towards the kitchen door with my nose in the air, reaching for the handle so that I could slam it on my way out.

Somehow I managed to miss it in my haste to leave. For a second I hesitated, debating whether to simply storm off, or to turn around and slam the door just to make my point. Eventually the second option one out so I turned around angrily and reached for the handle again… and my hand went straight through it.

I shrieked in surprise before laughing at myself; of course it wasn’t possible to put my hand though solid metal, it must be a trick of the light! I willed my heart to calm down as I breathed in and out deliberately. Now, I thought, I am just going to place my hand on the door… just to prove how stupid I’m being… yes that’s right, I am being completely ridiculous, my parents are probably behind me wondering if I’ve gone crazy!

I glanced back to see them staring blankly at the kitchen wall… ok then, maybe they are just exceptionally good actors… Gathering my wits I stared intently at the door in front of me. The dark grain was worn and marked after years of use but nonetheless it looked very very solid.

Stretching my long slim fingers out in front of me, a small automatic part of my brain noted that my manicure still looked good, perfect even. Not one single chip in the smooth surface of the varnish… which was strange, usually my nails lasted less than a day before looking like I had been hiking through the wilderness or something.

Closing my eyes and stepping forward I prepared to feel the firm surface of the wood under my fingertips, but instead I felt nothing…

My eyes opened in a flash, at first my brain couldn’t make sense of the image in front of me. My arm extended out in front of me… and stopped. I blinked, the image focusing; my arm continued straight into the wood! It was as if it had just sunk straight in meeting no resistance!

I squeezed my eyes shut, praying that this was all some crazy dream I was having. A scream of terror escaped my lips.

Then I opened my eyes… and I was in the park.