章 14: A Journey To The Bridged Worlds

Grace

I don't remember waking up or how I got here in the forest, at least I think I'm in the forest. Something feels off. Strange. This can't be the forest. There was a thick aerie fog only allowing me to see maybe 10 feet around me. The trees were simply black silhouettes void of any life in them. This isn't my home. The last thing I remember was…. I blush grinning… yep I was making love to the woman of my dreams.

'oh honey you really think you can forget me so easily?'

I jump looking around to find the owner of that voice.

"That voice…" I search frantically.

' No way. It couldn't be. It's not-'

'Possible?' I jerk around facing the man taunting me with that seductive voice of his. So tall and handsome, that strong jaw and muscled arms that always held me so tight. His face was gentle with eyes that could still see through me. I smiled sweetly, no longer afraid of anything.

'Same ole Grace. Always so careful.'

Tears swelled in my eyes. His lips curled into a smile as he opened his strong chiseled arms to me. I didn't hesitate, I ran and threw myself into his arms. He wrapped his arms around my body and swung me around kissing my neck.

'My love. I have missed you so much.' he nuzzled into the curve of my neck. I grinned, gripping his shoulders.

"I Love you so much King." King chuckled and pulled away, keeping me at arms length. He stared at me with his soft green eyes.

'I know. I love you too.' he smiled showing his perfect teeth and those sexy K-9s. He took a deep breath, never taking his eyes from mine.

'Grace.' He cupped my cheek and carrest it softly.

'Please Honey, don't live in the past any longer. I'm so proud that you found happiness and decided to make the most of it.'

I stared at him, for a moment I had almost forgotten that this wasn't real, that there were people I deeply loved somewhere far from where I am now. I looked around me. A chill crawled up my spine.

"King? Where am I?" I looked at him curiously. He looked around sighing.

'we're in your bridged world' my face twiched.

"What?!" He laughed loudly causing my heart to bleed warmth. It's been so long since I've heard his laugh.

"Why are you laughing!! I'm serious! What do you mean by that? I mean don't stop laughing but I'm still confused." He laughed even harder, holding on to me for support. It was then that I realized that I wasn't skinny anymore. I actually had meat on my bones and I was wearing my old band clothes, blue jeans with a picture of Sid Vicious on one leg and the British flag on the other and a signed Sex Pistols Merch T-shirt. I stared down at myself in awe.

'You see? This is your world.' I looked at him then at our surroundings.

"I imagined my world being a little more sunshine and rainbows and a little less… Scary." I tilted my head and walked over to a tree placing my hand on it's trunk.

'It used to be full of life, with the perfect balance in-between. But as the years past it became more and more clouded and lifeless.' I stared at the dead twisted tree, my heart breaking.

"But King, that still doesn't answer my question as to where we are. I mean is this a dream? Am I dead? Or is this just all in my head." I looked over at him as he took a deep breath.

'Technically yes to all of that.'

My face twitched again.

"King." He laughs and holds his hand out.

'You are in your bridge between life and death. It's like a dream except you are in a near death state. I guess you could say this is your paradise in your head only you can create what is around you, and only you can communicate with those who are no longer living or others like yourself that can connect with the dead.'

I stare at him in awe.

"So this isn't a dream… This is real…"

King nods stepping closer to me.

'yes my love this is real. I knew it from the first moment I saw you.' he paused letting me have time to process it all before continuing.

'Remember that story you told me about when you were young and you thought you had an out of body experience?'

I thought back to that night, how could I ever forget it. It was the most amazing satisfying thing that I have ever dreamt about.

***

When I was a child I lived with my grandparents, Mamaw and Papaw. My mother wasn't really around much until my sister was born, Bella Floransia, but it wasn't long before she left again leaving Bella with us to care for. I was never really angry with my Mama for leaving us. I was just very sad when she did but I lived on and Bell was like my own daughter in a way, so I was grateful everyday for my baby, even when she bit me and yanked on my hair. If anything I regret about having to leave home is leaving the people I loved behind, especially Bella.

One particular night when I was little, I had woken up and noticed that my grandmother wasn't in the bed with me. Normally that wouldn't bother me but for some reason it did and I was scared even though everything around me was lit up by the full moon outside.

I pulled the covers off and stood up, my silk pale blue nightgown flowed around my legs as I began to search the house, calling out for Mamaw softly. The next thing I knew I was hovering above the house and trees like I was flying. I wasn't amazed or scared, I was simply just looking for Mamaw when I noticed down one of the driveways there was a girl slowly walking down in a blue gown with hair so blonde it looked white in the moonlight. I flew down in front of her and stared at her. Her eyes were dull and wide but she still looked around from side to side softly calling out for someone. I never even realized that she was me until I followed her back inside the house and we became one. That was the moment I thought I was dreaming so I knew that if it was a dream then I could change it I thought of mamaw in the company bathroom, that if I opened the door she would be there. So there I was standing in front of the company bathroom just around the corner from the door I had just entered. I reached up for the door knob and opened the door. Mamaw looked up at me, she was wearing her tan jacket and khaki shorts instead of her purple nightgown she smiled at me and said 'Pee-pie' then she asked me why I was up and I told her I was looking for her and about going outside to look for her, I left out that I was flying bit, and she glared at me and scolded me for going outside at night without anyone knowing. She finished in the bathroom and tucked me back in bed and sang until I had fallen asleep.

But it was the morning I woke up after that night that had me rattled. I still remembered that dream very vividly. When I woke up Mamaw wasn't in bed so I got up to get dressed when I felt sand in the bed and my feet were dirty. I thought it was strange but I shrugged it off and got dressed and went in search for Mamaw. I walked down the hall and past the living room l, dining room, and kitchen to the den where Mamaw was sleeping peacefully, using her tan jacket as a blanket, and she had on her Khaki shorts and a pink shirt instead of her purple gown. That's when I thought how strange it was to have a dream about how mamaw was dressed. It was only when Mamaw was awake did I find out that my dream wasn't really much of a dream.

I was sitting on the tall bar stool to draw on the island that separates the kitchen from the den as mamaw was cooking breakfast. She turned to me. "What were you doing up so late last night?"

I looked at her confused.

"What do you mean? I went to sleep after you sang to me."

She shook her head.

"Not then don't you remember? You came into the bathroom with me. Don't ever go outside at night again without telling anybody, you hear me Gracie?" Her eyes were kind as was her voice as she scolded me, but I couldn't focus on anything but what had happened last night. Was it really a dream? Or did it really happen.

***

I looked over at King nodding.

"Of course I do. Why?"

He chuckled and held out his hand to me. I took his hand and a shiver ran up my spine.

' My Love, that was one of your journeys to this world, and you have had many since then. Some you remember, some you don't simply because you thought it was only a dream.' I thought of all the 'dreams' that I've had similar to what I had that night. As I did, memories flooded through my mind of flying and talking to people. Some I knew were dead and many others as well.

"You're right. But how? What's so special about me?"

King shrugged, smiling at me.

'you just have this gift.' I grin feeling the weight on my chest slowly lifting and falling away.

"So what now?" I stare around at the thick fog and twisted black trees.

'Now you let go of your pain, move forward, grow flowers instead of weeds.'

I turned to King, his eyes were kind and gentle and true, not angry or sad. My heart warmed and I felt happy, like I was flying. Soon a ray of light cut through the thick fog landing straight on King and me. I never took my eyes off of him as grass and beautiful flowers began to grow all around us and the fog started to fade away.

King smiled and held me close. 'Oh and before I forget, there is someone here that has been very anxious to see you.'

"To see me?" I stared at King confused as he pulled away and stared out toward a short path lit brightly by a golden field on the other side. I followed his gaze squinting and holding my hand up to shield my eyes from the bright light. I saw nothing, which made me even more confused. I stole a few glances at King but his eyes never wavered from that spot, quietly waiting.

I stared out trying to see what he saw to no avail but then I saw it. A dark figure walking towards us from the middle of the field. As the figure got closer I could see he was a man. Tall and lean with glasses.

"No. It can't be.." I looked at King for reassurance but he only smiled. I turned back to the character. He was much closer now, and very handsome, but I knew him, that narrow nose we both share, the blue eyes, thick peppered hair, and his shuffled walk, It was him, no doubt about it.

"Papaw?!"