Buried in Sunshine (30 page)

Before Emma can react, she feels herself begin
to burn. She watches as the statue form of the girl falls away and
Alexis takes her place. Everything turns dim—she watches in horror
as Hope is turned to black dust and glowing ember. Emma feels her
own body being ripped apart. Soon there is nothing left—no
thoughts, no memory…only and ending.

*

8/16/12

“I know that pain can bring you setbacks, Emma.”
Dr. Riley says as she nods to me. “You had a great week where you
were doing fine, but bad things happened—this does not mean that
you are back to square one. It just means that we have a different
place to work from.”

“I know, I say as I feel the same overwhelming
sense of sadness in my heart. “I just…I thought that things would
be different once I remembered everything.”

“It’s a lot to take in,” Dr. Riley says as she
rests her hands in her lap. “I mean, given everything that has
happened to you—with the attack and finding out your stepfather was
murdered…I am still surprised you are doing as well as you are. I
hear that you sold the house and moved into an apartment close to
Justine. You and her are getting along quite well still?”

“She’s a good friend,” I say softly. “She’s
teaching me how to paint—getting me interested in art again.”

“That is wonderful,” Dr. Riley says with a smile
and a nod. “And I know that the relationship is confusing given the
circumstances, but you and Ethan are giving it a try?”

“We are,” I reply with a small smile as I feel
my cheeks grow red. “We’re both trying to work past what happened
and just move on.”

“So at least you have friends that you can count
on,” Dr. Riley says.

“I’m working through the depression—I’m eating
normally again. I didn’t realize that I wasn’t eating,” I say as
bite my lower lip.

“It is not uncommon to forget to do things when
we feel overwhelmed,” Dr. Riley adds. “And the clones…you don’t see
them anymore?”

I shake my head as I look down to the floor. “I
don’t.”

“I see that brings you a great deal of pain,”
Dr. Riley says as she sinks back into her leather chair. “I believe
that they were your mind’s way of trying to explain everything to
you, without overloading you and causing you to completely
relapse—once they served their purpose, they moved on.”

“I just…” I say, as I attempt to hold back
tears. “I just miss them so much.”

“They will always be a part of you,” Dr. Riley
says reassuringly.

“I know,” I say.

“Well it was a great session,” Dr. Riley says as
she gets to her feet and begins to slowly make her way towards the
door. “I believe that you’ve made a lot of progress…even if you
feel that there have been quite a few setbacks with your anxiety
returning and the depression—just give it time and keep at it. Do
what makes you happy, whenever you can, and as best as you
can.”

“I will,” I say as I get up from the couch and
head out to the waiting room.

Justine walks up and takes me by my hand.
“So…how was it going back?”

“It was alright,” I reply. “I miss the others
still—I can’t believe that they are gone. I was so sure that I was
meant to go.”

“You remember when you told me that you had
memories of being the person you were before they arrived?”

“I do.”

“You remember that when you were Alexis for
those few years—you aspired to do something great…to be
remembered.”

“I remember.”

“She helped save us all. I can think of no
greater act.”

“I just wish I knew what part of me the other
Emma was,” I say as I shake my head and fight back the urge to cry
once more.

“She was the strength you needed to live,”
Justine adds as she smiles. “Cheer up—prove to her that she is
still with you. Want to grab a pizza and watch a movie?”

“Sure,” I say. I always appreciate Justine’s
company.

“Good, because I already called Ethan and he’ll
be at your place in about half an hour,” Justine says with a laugh
as she wraps her arm around Emma’s shoulder. “When are you going to
start selling your pieces in my shop?”

“When they stop looking like shit,” I say with a
laugh.

“I don’t know if that will ever stop happening,”
Justine adds as she playfully jabs Emma in her ribs. “But I’ll
allow them to hang next to my masterpieces.”

Epilogue

Emma awoke. Her head felt hazy and dizzy from
everything she had gone through. All around her was a complete
darkness. She wondered if this was her final resting place. The
ground felt soft beneath her, almost as though she was lying
against a bed of grass. This was not so terrible. At least, in some
manner—she still existed.

“Emma…?” A voice rang out in the darkness a
short distance away.

“Hope?” Emma asked. “Is that you?”

“It is…” Hope whispered. “Where are we?”

“I don’t know,” Emma said as she painfully got
up from her cushioned spot of earth. “I’m heading over to you.”

“I’m here…” Hope spoke as she heard footsteps
approaching her.

Emma placed her hand around Hope’s as she helped
her up to her feet. “Here we go…other than the darkness—this place
isn’t so bad is it?”

“There’s a light,” Hope said as pointed off into
the distance. An act, which held little consequence as Emma could
not make out the direction that she was pointing in.

“Where…?”

“There,” Hope added in a frustrated tone as she
pulled Emma’s hand and pointed it off to the distance.

The white light grew closer and closer as Emma
and Hope huddled close together. As the light reached them, a form
could be seen in the brilliant glow.

“Why are you so sad?” A young man’s voice asked
as he reached out a hand. “I mean you no harm. What do you call
yourself?”

“Emma…” Emma said as she took the strangers
hand.

“Aaron,” the young man replied.

A rush of memories filled Emma’s head.

*

As everything turns to black, snapshots of
Emma’s past filled her mind. She remembered going to school—meeting
a young boy with dark hair and light hazel eyes. He always
attempted to speak to Emma, who mostly kept to herself. He would
always try and make her laugh. As they grew older, they grew
closer. Aaron Chase—that was his name, Emma remembered that he had
anxiety problems as well. He was always running. Emma used to try
and keep up, but she never could. He would laugh as he ran; he
would always slow down so that Emma could keep up. One night he
confided in Emma that when he was thirteen he attempted to drown
himself in his family’s pool. They were always fighting. He felt
neglected and did it as a way to seek their attention. It did,
although not as he intended. Their parents divorced shortly after
and they bounced him through the therapy system like a rubber ball.
Emma never confided in him her horrible past—for she did not
remember it. Aaron always said he was never depressed when he was
with Emma, although sometimes she could still sense that he was.
They began dating in college. Aaron was Emma’s first love. Aaron
still ran—he said it was his way of keeping depression away
permanently. He died before he could graduate.

*

Aaron chase released Emma’s hand as he stepped
back in shock. He then reached forward and threw his arms around
her, embracing her tightly. “Is it really you?”

“I remember you…” Emma whispered. “I finally
remember you.”

Emma could feel a light of her own begin to glow
within her. Soon, the air was filled with a pair of brilliant white
lights.

“And who is this with you,” Aaron said as she
reached down and extended a hand of friendship. “Don’t worry, it
won’t bite.”

“This is my sister,” Emma said as she placed her
hands on Hope’s shoulder.

“I’m…Hope,” she replied as she reluctantly took
the hand. As she did, her own light began to illuminate the area
around them.

“There you go,” Aaron said as he got back up as
a smile spread across his face. “All fixed now.”

“Where are we?” Emma asked as she marveled at
the sight around her. Beneath her feet the grass shimmered in the
reflection of their combined lights. Branches of a tree hung
overhead, and a rock path existed a short distance away.

“I’ve only just arrived myself,” Aaron said as
he shrugs his shoulders. “Not but a an hours ago I’d guess.”

“How is that possible,” Emma asked. “You—“

“I know,” Aaron said as he nodded. “I don’t know
how it works.”

“I’m so happy to see you again,” Emma said as
she placed her arms around Aaron. “It has been a long journey to
get back to you—to get here…wherever this place is.”

“I don’t know where I was before you arrived—but
you brought me back,” Aaron said as he kissed Emma. “Thank you for
bringing me back.”

“Where does the path lead?” Hope asked as she
began to head for the stone walkway.

“A whole town—“Aaron said as he took Emma by
hand and began to lead them up a large hill. “I was about to head
there until I saw two falling stars off in the distance.”

As they crested the tall hill, Emma let out a
gasp. It was beautiful. Strange flicking lights illuminated a city
made of dark stone with flecks of white that glittered like fresh
snow in the moonlight. Large towers and twisted spires loomed high
into the air. A single tree resided at the entrance to the city, a
large globe that made a strange electric grinding noise hung from
its largest branch. A series of cables held the globe in place. The
entire town seemed to produce a hum, a blooming sound that would
growl and quiet as its luminance faded and exploded brilliantly.
The black stone road twisted in odd places, as though it was set by
a madman. Emma squinted her eyes as she looked into the town—she
could make out more lights, only these lights were constant and
moving. “There are others…”

“Let’s all go,” Hope whispered as she was in awe
of the beautiful town. “Let’s go together.”

“Of course,” Emma said as she looked down to
Hope and smiled.

“Your sister really lives up to her name,” Aaron
said as she took each of the girls by hand as they began to walk to
the strange town.

“She really does,” Emma says as she lets out a
laugh. Although she does not understand where she is—she realizes
it does not matter. She still exists. “Thank you Alexis…” Emma
muttered so quietly so that no one else could hear. “Thank you for
this second chance at life—I promise I’ll watch over hope…and—I
will never forget you.”

Despite the confusion she felt about her strange
new surroundings, Emma felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude. She
thought that there would be nothing left for her at the end.
Instead, she found that this was not an ending after all—instead,
this was a new beginning. This was a chance to reconnect with her
lost love. This was a chance to take care of Hope. It was full of
uncertainty, a little bit of anxiety, a small touch of the fear of
the unknown, and it gave her a jittery, nervous feeling—but that is
just how life is, isn’t it?

The Beginning

***

Other titles by Matthew Fish

A Window in the Earth

A Window in the Darkness

A Window in the Earth: Revisited

Softland

Softland 2

Fireflies in Winter

Charlotte’s Feathers

In Rust

Without Warning, I Suddenly Feel
Everything

Waiting for Fireflies

Einstein and the Nuclear Space Dolphins VS
The Terrorist Comet Armageddon

Lily’s Dick

Coming Fall 2012:

Free Lives in Transit (At the End of
Time)