Sara's Soul by Deanna Kahler Page A

across the bedroom floor and struggled to stand to grab the phone. She needed him more than ever now. Her hand trembling, she picked up the phone and dialed Chip. He answered right away and sounded groggy, like he had been sleeping.
    “Chip?” she said, her voice a faint squeak.
    “Sara? What’s wrong, sweetheart? Are you okay?”
    Sara burst into tears, sucking in each breath frantically as she attempted to tell Chip what happened. “He… he… died. He died, Chip. They sliced his throat.”
    “Oh my God. Who died, Sara? Tell me what happened.”
    “Merek. They killed him right in front of her. In front of Margaret. She’s in a bad place right now. I don’t know if she’ll ever recover. It hurts so bad. I can’t take this anymore. These visions are just too much for me, Chip.”
    “I’m on my way, Sara,” Chip cried. “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
    ***
     
    Chip quickly threw on a pair of jeans and raced to Sara’s house. When he got to her bedroom, he found her curled up in a ball on her bed, shaking. Her hair was soaked, and her face was still wet with tears. He stroked her hair.
    “It’s okay, Sara,” he said softly. “I’m here. Everything is going to be okay.”
    Chip grabbed a washcloth from the closet and ran cold water over it. He gently wiped her face, her neck, and her chest with the wet cloth. He then made her a cup of chamomile tea and silently held her until the trembling stopped.
    She finally looked up at him. “Merek,” she said. “You’re still alive. I thought I’d lost you, my darling. It’s a miracle.”
    Sara pulled him in close and began kissing him with a fierceness that she had never displayed with him. Her passion was inescapable, and Chip quickly succumbed to the moment, returning her kiss with equal fervor. He removed his shirt and then took hers off as well. Then he realized what was happening. Sara thought she was Margaret. He couldn’t let this happen. Not this way. It wasn’t right.
    “Sara,” he interrupted, pulling her off of him.
    “What?” she asked.
    “I’m not Merek. And you’re not Margaret.”
    “I know that, silly. You’re Chip, the man I love. We met at Starbucks. And even though I’m a wreck and see visions of other people’s deaths, you still love me, deeply and completely. Now are you going to make love to me or what?”
    “Are you sure you’re okay?”
    “Of course I’m okay,” she said. “I have you.”
    He kissed her neck and began planting a trail of kisses down her body. He then slowly removed the rest of her clothes and slipped inside of her. She moaned with delight as their bodies melded together in perfect harmony. They were one once again, and it seemed that nothing could keep them apart.
     
    ***
     
    Sara awoke the next morning with Chip by her side. She was so relieved to see him still there. She always felt safer when he was around. When they were together, she sometimes allowed herself to believe that death couldn’t reach her, that Chip would keep it from her.
    Chip was still sleeping, so she decided to surprise him by cooking breakfast. She quietly slipped out of bed and grabbed some eggs, cheese, and green pepper. She chopped the green pepper and whisked the eggs.
    Sunlight filtered in through the window, and as Sara gazed outside, she could see another beautiful summer day take shape. Fluffy white clouds drifted across the sky, and many varieties of birds sang their signature songs.
    She poured the egg mixture into a frying pan and allowed it to cook. Next she placed strips of cheddar cheese on top and watched them melt. She thought about how she melted into Chip’s arms. She never expected to love someone so much. He mellowed out her moods, and she found herself lost in rapture with him.
    She folded over the eggs and waited a few more minutes for them to finish. Then she scooped out the omelet and carefully placed it on a plate. She poured two glasses of orange juice and put everything on the table. Just as she