Secluded Beach

Editor's Forward: This was based on a prompt that can be found here. I've added italics to that portion.

You are in the middle of a massive forest, the trees seem to go on forever and are so dense you can barely see through them. The only things breaking the dense green carpet are some vines creeping along, a few bird nests in some tree branches, and a few animals scurry off in the bushes. You might be able to find some food for yourself in this area.

You look around a bit and find a small opening in the vines, you push your way through and walk for a while and notice the ground seems a little damper, as if there was a stream somewhere close by. Though it's hard to tell through all the vegetation, you continue walking a little more and notice a clear area in the distance with a bright light in the middle, it all makes sense now, the old lady had you go to a different time period every time. Still a bit worried about getting stuck in some loop you decide to keep walking towards the center of the light.

Once you get closer the light seems to get brighter until you are right in the middle of it, a warm orange glow engulfs you and you feel a small tingling sensation all over your body, you relax and let the light and glow wash over you. You start to feel dizzy as you hear a voice in the distance, it sounds like its talking about you to someone else.

The voice sounds very familiar, but you can't quite place it, a bit like when you hear a song you have heard before, though never paid much attention to before. You look around at all the different types of plants and animals in the area, you start to pick one type of animal randomly and decide to pay attention to it. You decide to focus on something with feathers.

Feet with feathers come to mind, you think to yourself as you start to drift into unconsciousness.

When you wake up you realize you are still in the same spot, well at least you didn't get whisked away to some other place or time. You look around for some sign of where you are and happen to see a small foot sticking out from one of the plants, it looks quite small and a little limp, though you notice that it is just a little bit longer than your own little foot, which is quite a bit more than just a little. You pull your foot out and see that it is a little duck, with its head laying on its chest, it seems to be asleep.

You pick up the duck like a housecat would pick up a mouse, and carry it with you for the rest of the day and into the evening. You decide to name it Darcy, after the old lady who sold you the book. Darcy seems to enjoy your company, you talk to it and it lets you stroke it and pick it up. The two of you seem to be quite chummy as you meander on through the forest. You come across a clearing which leads you to a small glade with a pond with moss covered rocks and bushes.

You hear a rustling in the bushes and see something crawling through. Your heart starts beating faster as you have a very bad feeling about what you are about to see. Then it happens, you see her, she is sitting on the edge of the pond, she looks quite ancient, her skin seems almost translucent and her hair is a mess of feathers, she looks quite sad.

You approach her slowly, she notices you and slowly gets up.

“What can I do for you?” You ask, she looks down at her feet.

“I need your help.”

You are taken aback a little, but you are a big boy now and you aren't afraid of any monster, you might even be able to kill one.

“What is it you need help with?”

She doesn't seem too sure about you, but then again she also doesn't seem to want to tell you.

“Can you at least tell me your name?” You ask.

She looks back at you, and suddenly she seems very afraid.

“Please, my name is Lucy.”

You are about to ask her why she was living in the pond, when she suddenly changes the subject.

“I have to leave this pond, I have no choice”

“Why is that?” You are confused.

“No one ever comes here, no one ever wants to talk to me”

“Why would that be?”

“You don't know the world yet.”

“Oh”

“This pond is a very strange place, there are strange things that happen here”

“Like what?”

“Do you really want to know?”

“Yeah.”

“This pond is actually a gateway to other places, and different creatures exist here, they are all sort of stuck in other people's bodies. Here is the first creature that came through.”

Lucy starts to crawl away from you, and she looks so very afraid.

“What's wrong?” You ask.

“It's not pretty, I'm not happy with it. I'm not proud of it either.”

“What are you talking about?”

As she is talking you reach your hand into the water and feel something, you grab it.

“What is it?” You ask, but she is too far away

“Just hold on to it, don't let go.”

“Okay”

The creature that you grasp feels like a lizard's tail, thin and long. You feel a little tickling in your palm, but nothing major. You feel slightly dizzy, it's very strange, but you are only in a daze for a moment. You notice the creature's tail start to disappear into the water, and all is darkness.

You awake to feel a hand on your shoulder, you turn your head and see a strange creature staring at you, she looks quite elderly, she is wearing a dress and her hair is done up in a style that you have never seen before. You see a woman looking at you.

“Breathe, use the breath,” she says, but her voice sounds so very familiar. She starts sucking your breath in, but she is doing it very gently, and you are not really in any pain. You breathe in, and as you exhale you feel a tingling sensation on your chest. When you touch it, it feels like a brand new heartbeat. You relax and take in a breath, then you slowly release it, and feel the familiar tickle on your chest, and you feel much better.

You notice that the woman is looking at something else, you turn and see that there is a doorway, it looks quite modern.

“How did you...?” you ask, but you realize that you no longer have a breathable body, you realize that you are a reptile now.

“A doorway is all it takes,” the woman says, and the two of you pass through the doorway.

The doorway is a little wider than your body, but not so wide that you can't squeeze through it. You step through and feel the door slam shut behind you, and you are in a room that looks very much like the room in which you started. There is a table in the middle of the room, and a creature that looks exactly like the woman from the doorway is sitting at the table.

“Welcome to my world, I am known as May.”

“You have a name?” You ask, but the woman only gives you a small smile.

“You'll find out soon enough.”

You start to ask her another question, but you realize that you can't. Your mouth is still reptilian, you can still only breath through your nose, and you are still trapped in a reptilian body. You realize that you can't move a single part of your body. You are helpless.

You look around the room, and you start noticing differences from your own world. The furniture is different, the decorations are different, and there are creatures that look quite different from humans. You realize that you are in a different time period, probably in a different country.

You hear May speak again.

“What is your name?”

“Henry.”

“Henry, I want you to go back into your body, I want you to try to go back to the way you were before you came here.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Because if you can't control your body, you will die. Now stand up, and try to use your mind to make your body stand.”

You are still trapped in this creature's body, but you decide to follow her instructions. You take a deep breath through your nose, and you concentrate on trying to make your body move. With a little more effort than you thought you had, you feel your body start to move, you feel your legs push up from the ground, and your body slowly turns around to face the exit of the room. You take a breath and your body relaxes. You notice the creature sitting at the table staring at you, her eyes locked on yours. You take a deep breath through your nose, and you notice the air passing through your nostrils feel a little different. Air is passing through your nose, and out the top of your mouth. You realize that now you can breathe through your mouth. You open it and take in another breath. You can do this!

You slowly start to wiggle your fingers, and you feel your fingers start to move, you try to bend them and you feel them flex, you keep trying and you feel your fingers move, and you flex them. To your astonishment you can now see! You have regained the use of your eyes, you can see the creature staring at you, and you can see the room around you. You realize, with great joy, that you are back!

“Thank you,” you tell the creature, as you start to look around the room. You can see that you are in a different house, similar to the house in which you were before you were brought to this place, however, this house looks very modern. It might be a house from the year 3000. A quick search through the house reveals that you appear to be in the living room of the house, however, you can see that the house has several different rooms, hallways, and doors. You quickly realize that you are not quite in the same place you were before.

The creature that brought you here stays put in her chair, she is still staring at you with great intensity. You decide it is best to stay put, and try to find your way out of this house. You can see through the house, but you are still seeing the walls and the doors as if through a sheet of paper. You can see the creature, but she still appears as a ghostly figure. You feel that if you move through your body, that you can find your way out of this house!

You start thinking about your memories of the house, which memories come to mind, and which memories fade away. You decide that the easiest way to start is to get back to the room in which you first woke up. So you concentrate, and you start to bring up the image of that room. As you visualize the room, your eyelids start to flutter, and then your eyes open, you are back there, standing in the same room! You look around you, and the creature is still staring at you. Then you realize that something is very different about this place, this place is dark, and very cold. You also realize that you can see the creature, and that she is not a ghost, but solid, like you.

She is sitting in her chair, looking at you. You decide to say “Hello” to the creature, thinking she might understand you.

“Hello.”

Nothing, the creature does not respond. You decide to speak louder.

“HELLO!”

Still nothing, no reaction. You decide to try a little experiment.

“ARE YOU ALIVE?”

You barely get out the words, when the creature snaps out of her trance, and she looks at you with a strange expression on her face.

“You speak my tongue!” she says, as if she understood every word.

“I can?”

“Yes, I thought you did.”

“How?”

“It is this place, it is very different from my world. I can feel it, as if it is a different reality. Your voice, it echoed, and it brought me out of the trance. I can feel your life force, it is very strong, very pure. I can feel your pain, you are very alone, but you will find your way out of that.”

“How do you know these things? You are a ghost, I thought you couldn't interact with the physical world.”

“I can, very subtly, I can touch things, and I can hear things. I can communicate with those who are dead. I can feel their pain. I know these things because I am a part of this place, I have been here for many years. I have learned all there is to know about this place, and about the dead and dying things that live here.”

“Why have you not left this place? It is a dangerous place, full of danger.”

“I told you before, I am a part of this place, I have no need to leave, I can move through walls and make myself invisible. I can hear the thoughts of humans and ghosts alike. I know the secrets of this house, better than any living being does. I have no need to leave, this is my home.”

“Do you know who brought me here?”

“The woman who brought you here, the one who is sleeping in the chair, do you know her?”

You look over to see a much younger woman in the room. “I have no idea who that is.”

“It is the woman who brought you here, she is called Rose.”

“You know her? “I don't.”

“You lie.”

“I do not. I've never seen her before.”

Rose snorts, a sound that you could hear even if you were miles away.

“You are no help, spirit. Perhaps I will have better luck with you.” You look the younger woman over. You wouldn't mind getting to know her.  You wonder if she is crazy, or a lesbian, and if she thinks all men are pigs, scum, and the only thing that matters is a woman's vagina. You briefly wonder what the hell you got yourself into, but then you get your mind off it with the thought of getting out of this death trap.

“What do you propose to do now?”

“If you so wish, we can go and search the house for clues as to how I might get out of this place. However, I am weary of your lies.”

“My lies? I have told you everything that I know to be true, I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“I don't believe you. We ghosts are very good at detecting lies, especially when they are told by a ghost. I think you know more than you are letting on. I'm going to torture the truth out of you, spirit. And if I find out you are lying, I will feed your soul to my dog, and watch it grow anew from its ashes.”

Rose sighs, and looks down at her hands, which are resting in her lap, and are quite pale and thin. She looks up at you, and says, “Very well, let us go and search this house, and see if there are any clues as to how I might escape.”

Once you and Rose are safely out into the hallway and away from the wretched creature, you have a chance to talk to her.  She is not as crazy as she seems. Ghosts do not come off as they first appear. Be wary of her, though, she has a nasty temper, and is quick to resort to violence.

“So, Rose. How do I stay on your good side?”

Rose stops. “What do you think you are doing?!” She screams, and looks you dead in the eye. “What do you think we are?! We are not friends! We are not allies! We are not lovers! We are demons!

“I'm not a demon. I don't think so anyway.”

Rose looks as if she might strike you. “What? You think I speak true? You think I am just a crazy woman?”

“No, I think you are quite lovely.”

Rose's face goes red, and she spits at your feet. “I may be dead, but I will have you know I am very special, and you would do well to remember that.”

“I do, which is why I asked.”

Rose's anger seems to subside for the moment. You breathe a sigh of relief.  “Very well. Continue.”

“Thank you. As I was saying, I don't think you're a demon. I wouldn't know one, anyway. Demons are very real to me, they're the ones who made this world. They're the ones who keep it from being as wonderful as it could be. They're the ones who keep it from being perfect. I hate demons. I could kill them all if I had the will to do so. Perhaps one day I will. You're the first demon I've encountered, and I've had a lot of experience with them. They tend to be rather unsavory individuals. I'm not sure if I hate them, or fear them, or what. I just don't like them. Now, let's continue. “

“Very well. So, you hate demons. What do you propose to do now?”

“Now, we search this house for clues as to how to escape.”

“Clues? I thought we were escaping?”

“We are. Clues. Have you ever heard of a ghost running in circles?”

“No. Of course not. All ghosts run in straight lines.”

“Do they? How odd. Well, I suppose I should not be surprised. Perhaps it is a metaphor. A ghost running in circles, perhaps a metaphor for something. What? Well, I can't say. It's an interesting idea though. I must remember it. I must write it down. I must make it into a story. Yes, that's it. A story. I will call it 'Ghosts Running in Circles'.

Rose sighs.

“What is it, spirit? Why do you sigh?”

“Just thinking. It's a very pleasant sound. Do you know, I cannot remember the last time I sighed? I do it so rarely, it's not something I often do. I must try again. It is such a soft, pleasant sound.”

“You sure do talk a lot,” you say.

“You know, I think this 'Ghosts Running in Circles' idea is interesting. I must try it out. It's a very different, but interesting idea. I have always been very versatile in my writing. Perhaps I will write a trilogy, Ghosts, Spirits, and Demons. That could be quite good. I will try not to get too abstract, so as not to insult the reader. However, I will make it clear that they are all connected. Do you like it?”

“It's fine. Now can we get back to our search? I was sort of hoping that the magic book would let me stay on the island a bit longer than it did.”

“There's no reason we can't keep on searching, is there? You've got nothing better to do. You can go be a tourist, go swimming. Enjoy yourself, while I do what I do.”

“I'd like that a lot, and perhaps you could join me, but we still need to find a way out first.”

“I suppose. Well, let's get to it then.”

The two of you head upstairs. There are five doors, leading to five different guest rooms. You knock on the first door, which opens slightly.

“Hello?” a voice says. “I can't let you in yet. Wait a little longer!”

You knock on the next door.

“Hello?”

No response. You knock once more. This time, the door swings open.

“Hello?”

“HELLO!” you scream.

A man stands before you, gaping. He wears a long, flowing white gown. His face is blank, emotionless.

“Maybe we should keep on moving?” As you move towards the door, Rose gives you a nudge.

“Ghosts running in circles,” she whispers. “Remember the ghost running in circles?”

“I do,” you say. “But maybe a straight line is better right now?”

A woman walks through the door, her hand outstretched. Her long, flowing hair is white—white as snow. When she speaks, her voice is as sweet as honey. “Hello, my little child.”

“Creepy.”

“Yes, she is,” Rose says.

The woman continues to smile, and says sweetly, as you pass into the room.

“I must talk to you. Please, sit.”

You take a seat.

“I have so much to tell you,” she continues. “I have so much to give you. I've been searching for you for so long...”

“You're a ghost,” you say. “I get it.”

“No, child. I am not a ghost. I am a shade. A shade is...” She frowns. “I suppose I must show you a picture of a shade, so that you will understand. Please, take notes.”

She walks over to a bookshelf, and pulls out a very old, leather bound book. The book appears to be very old, going by the bumps on its cover. You can't make out the writing on it, but you can tell by the cover that it is very old.

“Now, pay attention. This is a very rare shade textbook. There are only twenty copies in existence. That is all that exist in the world. One copy is at the Great Library of Alexandria, in Egypt.”

“I'm pretty sure that burned down. “

The ghost of the woman laughs. “No, child, it did not. The flames did not reach that far. It survived, and it is in the possession of another powerful mage. He keeps it in a very safe place, where no one can find it.”

“Another powerful mage? Who?”

“I cannot tell you that.” She says.

You daydream as she talks, instead thinking about the secluded beach. You'd rather be swimming. It would be nice if Rose would be there too. Can ghosts wear bikinis?  Probably, you suppose.

“Can I go swim now?” you ask.

“Soon, soon. I know what I must do.”

The woman walks back to her book shelf, and grabs another book. You groan. This is taking forever.

“I must go now, child. I must leave you. I would do anything to stay with you, but I cannot. Only when this quest is over will I be able to stay with you. Anything I tell you now, you will forget when you wake up. Swear that you will remember nothing.”

“I swear,” you say.

“Very well.” The woman leaves and you turn to Rose. “Finally. She talks almost as much as you.”

“Rose,” you say, “remember, we need to find a way out of here.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know. Let me see the book.”

You give Rose the book, and she reads the description of a shade that is a “spirit that is stuck in the loop of reincarnation.”

“I know what a shade is,” Rose says.

“I don't think you do. Just because some spirit in India two hundred years ago wrote a book about it, that doesn't make it so.”

Rose flips through the pages of the book. “Here it is,” she says. “Shades are spirits that cannot leave their bodies. They are trapped inside the infinite cycle of death and rebirth.”

She turns to the page that describes the shade of a woman who committed suicide by jumping off a building. Rose reads out loud, “It is believed that she was reborn as a cat, then a dog, and then a baby, before finally being reborn as a woman.”

You stare at Rose and whatever she's droning on about. Images of sunbathing, swimming, and the like fill your mind.  None of those seem particularly bad. You feel completely stuck.

“I still don't get it,” you say. “What does any of this have to do with me?”

Rose closes the book.

“You've been reborn as a shade, Henry,” Rose says.

“Dammit. Can shades enjoy some time at the beach? “

“Shades cannot enjoy the material world,” Rose says. “We only get to relive the memories of the past, over and over.”

“There has to be a way out,” you say.

“There is, but it is hidden from us. We must complete a quest, before we can find it.”

“What quest?” you ask.

“I cannot tell you that either. You must find your own quest. Follow your own quest until you find the way out. Then you will find me.”

“You have no idea how much I hate this,” you say.

“I know,” Rose says.

You sigh, and turn your attention back to the tunnel. The light continues to flash, and the ground shifts and rattles. It's getting really annoying.

“What now!”

“Be patient,” Rose says. “You will find your purpose soon.”

“What do you mean? How the hell am I supposed to do that? I don't even know what I'm supposed to do!”

Rose tilts her head. “That is your quest. To find out. Follow your path until you reach the ending, and then wake up. You will remember nothing of this, until then.”

“How about you just hit me over the heads? Maybe that will wake me up. “

Rose points to the roof. “Use the chandelier to your left. You can get to it without touching the ground.”

You walk over to the chandelier, and touch it. It doesn't budge. Rose walks over and grabs your hand. “We must both touch it at the same time.”

“What are you talking about? I don't have anything to do with this quest thing. Let's just get our asses out of here.”

“You must hold it while I attempt to pull it from the ground.”

You grab the chandelier and hold it as tightly as you can. Rose takes hold of the chandelier above you, and the ground beneath you begins to shake. It's starting to get very slippery, and you lose your grip on the chandelier. You fall, and try to grab hold of something, but Rose is falling, too. The chandelier swings out and hits the ground, shattering into a million pieces.

“Rose!” All goes white...then blue. Blue sky. Green grass. Brown earth. Orange leaves. Red leaves. Yellow leaves. A woman's hair. The woman's head tilts. Her hand reaches up to touch her temple, but it doesn't quite make it there. You hear the roar of the waves.  You feel the sand under your toes. You see the sun on your face.

“Oh hey, Rose. You made it.”

“I thought you...” Rose says, “What happened?”

“I don't know. I think you and I have been having the same dream for the past few weeks.”

Rose laughs.

“You want to enjoy some sun?”

“Let me just get our stuff, and we can go.”

You exit the dreamscape, and find yourself on the beach. Rose is there, packing up her things.

“Can ghosts change clothes? Like snap your fingers or something.”

“No. Not that I know of.”

“But...”

Rose sighs. “I suppose it's possible. But that would be so annoying.”

“Why?”

“Imagine if you could do that in every single dream. Wouldn't it be a little bit boring, every single time, to have to wear the same clothes, over and over again?”

“Well pick something more exciting. You know like a swimsuit. Then we can roll out some towels and enjoy the beach.”

Rose shakes her head. “No. That wouldn't be nearly as annoying as having to choose the same clothing every single time. It would be hell.”

You start pulling Rose's things out of the beach bag. “Pretty please?”

Rose sighs. “Fine. You can strip naked.”

“Naked?”

“Yeah. Go without your clothes. Just don't fall off the cliff, or something.”

You snort. “I was hoping to take thinks a little slower than that.”

“We'll be fine. Come on. We can do this later. Right now, we need to get our asses to the city.”

You pull Rose's bikini out of the bag. “Why the city? We're finally in paradise.”

“I know. And that's why we're going there. Now come on. Let's get naked!”

As the two of you strip down to your birthday suit, you see a beautiful day. Blue sky. Green trees. Brown grass. Yellow leaves. Red leaves. And you can't stop staring. You feel like you're floating on air. You feel...free.

Rose looks at you, and smiles. The two of you finish stripping, and begin running through the sand, screaming and laughing. You feel absolutely fantastic. You run and run, laughing. Rose keeps pace with you, and the feeling is so...pleasurable.

You keep running, until you find yourself on the edge of a cliff. Rose is right behind you. You jump, and leap forward. And then you wake up.

You can't move. Your body is frozen in fear. All you can do is watch as a monster slowly inches toward you, through the sand. You can't scream. You can't cry. You are paralyzed, as it takes you.

The monster is far away when you see it. It's so small, it's hard to believe such a monster could be real. But it is. And you are terrified. You don't know what to do. You wish someone would help you. But no one ever comes.

Just as the monster gets to you, the chandelier slams into your chest. Pain shoots through your body as it sends you falling into oblivion.

It's almost a blessing that you wake up. For a moment, you don't know where you are, or even who you are.

You're back on the beach. Rose tips her sunglasses. “You okay?” she says.

“Yeah,” you say. “Just for a moment, I thought I was...dead.”

“You were having another dream. Did you have fun?”

“It was...an interesting dream.” You lie back and try to calm down. You look down...still naked. Rose's body is sheer perfection. You reached an unspoken agreement to be hands-off however.  No groping, no touching, no fondling. You made a promise. And you weren't going to break it.

Rose sits next to you. “You know,” she says, “I don't think I ever saw you have another dream before. You always went right to sleep after I left.”

“I think it has something to do with you. I think it has to do with the beach. We haven't been here in a while, so it was calling to me.”

Rose nods. “I think it's a nice place. I wish I could take it with me wherever I go.”

“I know. I feel the same way.”

“You really love it, don't you?”

“I do. Thank you for joining me.”

“You're very welcome. I am glad that you could join me on an innocent walk on the beach.”

“Can I ask a question? “

Rose nods. “Of course.”

“Will you let me...let me do something for you? “

Rose smiles. “Anything.”

“Will you let me...take care of you?” you ask, with a heavy heart.

“I don't need it taken care of. I take care of myself.”

“I know, but I mean, in the future. When that day comes. Will you let me take care of you?”

“I suppose. If that's what you wish.”

“Would you...let me take care of you when that day comes?”

Rose stops walking. She looks at you, and sighs. “Okay. That's enough foreplay. I didn't promise anything.”

The two of you resume walking.

“One more question. I suggested a bikini, but you wanted to strip naked. Why?”

“I thought it would be more...romantic.”

“Romantic? You and me naked together? In public? That's a bit much, don't you think?”

Rose shrugs her shoulders. “Maybe.”

“I just hope that the people of the future aren't so prudish that they find it weird.”

“Me too.”

The two of you continue walking on the beach. “Join me for a swim? “

“I think I'll pass, thank you.” Rose says, with a smile.

“Are you sure? Swimming is good for the skin. I think you're scared that I may cop a feel.”

“I'm not scared of anything. I'm just particular.”

“Fair enough.”

You and Rose stop walking. You turn to stare at a large body of water, sparkling in the sunlight. “Okay, fine,” she says. “I'll go. Just no funny business.”

She steps into the water. Rose turns to you. “You want to join me?” You step into the water. The feel of the sun on your naked skin is exquisite. Rose places a hand on your shoulder. Your heart beats fast.  You slowly sink into the water. The water is warm. It feels so good. You start to relax, and let your body go limp.

You fall through the water. You drift downward. You know that you have to open your eyes, but you are reluctant. You can't do it...not yet. You feel Rose's hand on your back. She's the only thing you can see. She's your guiding light. Her hand is strong. It creates a calmness within you.

Suddenly, you break the surface. You gasp for air. Rose is at your side. She stares at you with wonder. Her hand wraps around yours.

She whispers “I told you I could take care of you.”

You whisper back “I know. I thought we were having a moment.”

“Ha ha.”

“Are you sure you're okay? “

“I'm fine. I'm fine. Don't you even think about removing your hand.”

“No chance. Not until you tell me you're okay.”

“I am. I'm fine. Now, tell me what in the hell were you thinking?”

Rose lets out a small sigh. “I was thinking we could go back to that spot later.”

“What spot? All I did was swim for a few minutes.”

“The spot where we first met.”

“What about it? I want to go back.”

“I know...someday. When you're ready. But tonight, I just want you to rest. Trust me, you need it.”

“I always trust you, Rose. I love you.”

“I love you too, Henry.”

The two of you hold on to each other. You're in this together. No matter what happens, you're in this together.

You never want to let go.

You stare at the stars. You try to count them, but you lose track after a few hundred. You decide to watch the clouds, instead. It's a clear night. The cool air is soothing. You lie back and close your eyes. You can feel the sand beneath you, the weight of the ocean all around you. You look over. The stars reflect on Rose's still wet body.

Everything is perfect.

“Look at that.” Rose whispers. “So many are so far away, but so close.”

“What do you mean?”

“We're just...we're so small, Henry. We're so insignificant. If we were any closer, we'd be touching.”

“I think that's the point.” You inch a little closer.

“No, I mean...I mean, if we were any closer, we'd be touching. You and me.” You move even closer.

Rose sighs. “We should get some rest. We need to be well rested for tomorrow.”

“Of course. I was just looking for an opportunity.”

Rose turns on her side. Her flawless backside is a sight to behold.  You lie down.

You lie there. You think of all the good times. When will you have another chance at this?

Perhaps not.

The ocean calls to you

The seagulls cry

You are alone

And that's just fine

You don't have time for company

In this life

Your heart beats and beats

With passion and pride

There's no knowing why

They say love is strange

There's no one to blame

But yourself

You lie there. Enough poetry. You turn to Rose and press a gentle kiss on the back of her neck, then wait for her response. Rose doesn't respond. She lies there, unmoving.

“Rose?” You lightly nudge her side. Her skin is cold.

“Rose, are you okay?”

“Fine,” she mumbles. “Just fine.”

“Rose, are you sick?”

“Just...a cramp. It'll pass.”

“Rose, what's wrong? Talk to me.”

Nothing.

“Rose!” You shake her by the shoulders. “Rose!”

Her eyes roll into the back of her head. You desperately try to wake her, but it's useless. She's gone.

You drop to your knees beside her. This is it. This is how it ends. You won't have the rest of your life to be with her. None of it.

The beach is silent, except for the waves. There's no one to hear your sobbing. All you can hear is the wind and the waves, the seagulls and the seagulls crying.

You stare at Rose's face, at her golden hair, at her perfect smile. You want to remember every detail, so you close your eyes and take her in. She's dead, but you can still love her.  You can still hold her close to you.

You lie there, on the beach.

You lie there, alone. Her form fits neatly against your own.

You lie there, as the sun rises.

And the waves roll across the beach to wash your sorrow away. The feel of her cold body comforts you.  You hold on to her. You lie there, and you wait for eternity. Her breasts fit in your palms.  Her breath slows with each rising wave. Her hair is silky against your face. And the stars above you twinkle so very brightly.

When morning arrives, you die. But death provides opportunity for rebirth.

Rose waits for you, just beyond the gates of heaven.

You're ready to meet again. The first thing to arise is your penis. It throbs with life, a bright white light of sexual energy shining through your body. You feel compelled to climb unto the clouds. Rose follows close behind.

You've died. You've lived. You've fucked. You've created life.

You've done it all.

And now, you're ready.

You climb unto the clouds. Rose follows you.

Two hearts beat as one.

Rose dies. She becomes the eternal energy from which all life is reborn. You ascend unto godhood.

After all, godhood is in your nature.

You are god.

Editor's Thoughts: More death exits. What else is there to say?