"What do you mean he's not dead?" I asked Henry with wide eyes. Henry lowered to the ground next to me, holding my tear-stained cheek.
"Mason can't die from a curse that's meant for a shadow person. He's human." Henry's eyes traveled to the still boy lying in the tall grass. "He's just at rest; stuck in his own mind. Someone has to lead him him out."
Relief took over my panicked heart. I slowly exhaled and turned back to Mason. My hand slid into his limp one and squeezed it tight while closing my eyes.
"Mason," I whispered. "Please, please wake up." I drew in a shaky breath before continuing. "Just follow my voice, Mason. Come back."
Mason's P.O.V
This can't be real, I thought. My eyes scanned the vast and dark surroundings. It seemed like I was stuck in a never-ending pitch black room. The last thing I remembered was jumping in front of Henry to block him from taking the hit. Then, I woke up in the abyss.
A soft breeze blew past me, ruffling my hair. "Mason," it whispered to me.
Who's there? I questioned, but received no response.
"Please, please wake up."
I turned my head to the direction the voice seemed to be coming from. One step at a time, I carefully started in that direction.
"Just follow my voice, Mason. Come back."
The voice was so familiar, and sweet. A small light began to grow in front of me. Then, I stepped out into a gloomy and rainy day. I was standing in the middle of Millie's driveway. The sound of splashing puddles came from behind me. When I spun around, I faced a young Millie running in her galoshes. She past me without any acknowledgment.
"Mason, are you there?" the voice asked, louder this time. I shook my head to pull myself away from the scene and continued to walk. The sky began to fade, but before it turned, I stopped and looked back. Millie was at the silo. That old damned structure. She peered inside as a younger me approached her.
A smile played on my lips as I recalled that day. It was just a simple game of hide-and-seek, but also the game that gave me an innocent and young crush on Millie. Finally, I pulled myself away from the memory and moved forward. There the scene switched.
I found myself standing in the center of the middle school hallway. Groups of people chatted near lockers, and some were rushing to classes to get there early. The thing that interested me the most was the sight of me, Millie, and Keegan traveling together. Millie flicked our foreheads, causing us to wince but laugh at the same time.
Keegan let his arm fall over Millie's shoulders in a friendly way, but I still remember the pinch of jealousy I felt with my feelings growing for Millie.
"Come on, Mason. I believe in you." The voice spoke again. It keeps growing louder and louder each time I moved forward.
I'm on my way.
The fluorescent lights of the middle school were replaced by a dimly lit room with the flickering from a fireplace. Millie and the rest of our friends were crowded around her as she blew out the candle on her cupcake. People talked, but I couldn't clearly hear anything that was said. Only the laughing and smiling faces were clear to me.
And me next to her, holding a warm blanket around the both of us. I remember the feeling of accomplishment and happiness being able to do that. I could hold her without letting her know that I was falling.
There was a soft brush on the side of my face followed by the voice once again. "Please... please."
It was loud enough for me to distinguish the source. It was Millie's voice.
I pushed after it, running this time. I ran back into a school, but this time it was in high school. I glanced over to see me awkwardly talking to Millie at her locker. This must've been the time I tried to ask her to the Spring Formal, but was declared just a friend. The feeling of hurt I received was hidden away.
I came back to Millie taking me to that old and beaten silo to meet Henry. I hated him because I feared him. I didn't believe her when she told us about the shadow person. I also felt jealousy because she seemed to care more about this monster than me.
I was selfish and blinded by love.
Then I saw Millie confessing her feelings to me. I was the happiest person alive that day, I swear. But now I realize that it never really was me.
And I have to accept that.
Scenes of Millie in my arms, us dancing and laughing played in front of my eyes. I watched it all happen. These memories brought me waves of emotions that conflicted with each other, but I continued on past every playing moment.
Even our first kiss. I couldn't bare sticking around to watch.
They played on and on, but as they progressed I noticed the spark in Millie's eyes die. There wasn't a bright and shining light in them when we were together. How could I have been this blind for so long?
My pacing slowed to a stop. In front of me was just an open white atmosphere.
"Wake up, Mason."
I stepped into the light.
