Depths by C.S. Burkhart Page A

got
here?
    Almost being killed by a vortex that just appeared
inside my house?
    No... Before then.
    Sleeping?
    Before that... Come on! Think harder!
    As he said it, bits and pieces started coming back
to me.
    You were sitting on your couch... Falling asleep...
And you dreamed about her...
    I was sitting on my couch. I felt exhausted. When
was the last time I had slept? I let my head fall back on the
cushion, kicked my feet up on the table and got comfortable.
    I opened my eyes to the sun
shining, blue skies overhead while a cool breeze rustled my hair. I
tried to sit up but there was a weight on my chest. I peered down
past my nose to see her head resting on me. Her wavy black hair tickled
my nose and faint scents of vanilla drifted into my nostrils. It
made me feel warm. The grass was making my arms and head itch so I
shifted a little. She stirred in her sleep and slowly lifted her
head up. Her deep brown eyes blinked from the sun, finally focusing
their gaze straight into my own eyes. She smiled and I smiled
back.
    “ Come on! ”
    She rolled off of me and stood up all in one motion
while at the same time, grabbing my arm and attempting to pull
me.
    “ Oh come on, just a few more
minutes. I like laying down better! ”
    I playfully resisted her. She bent forward, planted
her heels and yanked my arm.
    “ Get up! ” She cried.
    I have to admit she had a pretty strong grip, it
felt like my arm was being pulled from its socket. I pulled back
just a little more to continue the play fight a few seconds longer.
I liked seeing her butt perked out while she put her back into her
efforts. I finally gave in and stood up quickly, causing her to
fall over.
    “ That was rude! ” She exclaimed, the hint of a smile on the corners
of her mouth.
    “ So was ripping my arm
off, ” I said as I rubbed my shoulder. It
actually did hurt a little. I walked to her and held my hand to
pull her up. She let out a playful squeal and took off
running.
    “ Come on! ” she shouted, already way ahead of me. I chased after her, the
sun glaring in my eyes, cushy grass beneath my feet. She finally
stopped at the edge of a steep drop off. It had to be hundreds of
feet high.
    She stood there, staring out into
the distance and I followed her gaze. It was beautif —
    “ It's beautiful, ” she whispered. Both of us were completely
awestruck by the view. The sun was setting over the mountains in
the distance, the sky illuminated by oranges, reds, violets and
yellows. A golden glow shined from the tips of the mountaintops as
the sun's rays settled down upon them.
    “ They're all my favorite
colors, ” she continued staring out as if
hypnotized, “and I'll never be able to see
them anymore thanks to you. ”
    “ What? What are you talking
about? ”
    She turned to me and with a sudden
movement, shoved me. I tried to catch my balance but I fell over
the edge. Her face quickly grew smaller and smaller and the wind
whistled in my ears so loud that it hurt. I plummeted and twisted
and turned as I fell. The ground was rushing up at me and the last
thought I had in my head was —

Chapter
6
    I opened my eyes, it was dark and the room was
stuffy. I tried to sit up but there was a weight on my chest. I
peered down past my nose to see her head resting on me. Her wavy
black hair tickled my nose and faint scents of vanilla drifted into
my nostrils. It made me feel warm. She stirred in her sleep and
slowly lifted her head up. Her eyes blinked, still heavy from
sleep, finally focusing their gaze straight into my own eyes. She
smiled and I smiled back.

Chapter
7
    No. None of that happened that way.
    I opened my eyes and immediately shut them again,
blinded once more by the glaringly white walls.
    It wasn't? How do you know?
    Because it just wasn't. If I died, then how am I
here?
    That could be the exact reason why you're here.
    Good point.
    That was one of my favorite
memories of her. Only I knew that obviously wasn't how the memory
went. Not exactly at least, I