Depths (12 page)

“
Dammit,
”
I muttered as I pulled the other piece out. I stepped
carefully, trying to avoid the glass, as I made my way to the
window. The frame was warped and a few shards of glass jutted out
like daggers. Carefully, I stuck my head out the window. There was
nothing in any direction. Just blackness. Not even the ground was
there and I couldn't see the outside walls of my house. And the
air... No chill, no warmth no movement at all
… Nothing. It's like the outside world didn't exist
anymore.

Just jump.

I don't know what will happen though.

It's not like
you
’
ll fall and break something.
There's nothing there.

No.

Come on... Just do it.

“
NO!
”
I
shouted out loud.

I stepped back from the window and planted my foot
on yet another piece of glass.

“
FUCK!
”

I hopped on one foot, holding it with both hands,
smearing blood all over the walls as I tried to keep balance. I
stumbled into the corner opposite my closet and dug the glass
out.

I sighed and dismally looked at the pile of rubble
in my doorway again. There was no way I was going to get out that
way.

You can always try the window!

Shut the fuck up.

I put my hand up on the wall to pull myself up but I
touched something metallic. Metallic and it twisted...

I looked up and saw a doorknob.

A doorknob?

I used it to pull myself up. My feet were tender and
I could feel the blood seeping out and staining the floor.

Sure enough, there was a doorknob
in my hands. Which was connected to
—

A door.

Yes a door, but where the hell did it come from?

Does it matter? Go through it.

Just minute ago you were telling me to jump out a
window into nothingness.

And now I'm telling you to go through the door.

I tip-toed back to the window and looked to the
left, trying to see if there was anything that the door would lead
to. But there was nothing.

Jump through the window!

Make up your mind!

I went back to the door and stood there looking at
it before putting my ear up to it and listened.

I could hear voices now. Not sure how many there
were, maybe two? Three?

“
Hello?
”
I called out, knocking on the door at the same
time.

“
HellOOOooo?
”

No response. I couldn't make out the words the
voices were saying, only indecipherable chatter.

“
Hello!
”
I banged on the door again but still got no
response.

I threw my arms down in frustration and paced back
and forth. There was a pile of well, my house in my doorway, a
window that led into nothing and a door that had magically appeared
with voices behind it that didn't respond to me.

Not an ideal situation.

I kept pacing, trying to make up
my mind. I could try to unblock the doorway, but if the window was
any indication of what I might find once I moved the
rubble
—
however long that would
take
—
then it didn't seem like that would
help me much. And the window... That just seemed like a bad
idea.

Wait a minute.

I carefully moved over to the pile of rubble and
yanked a piece of wood, maybe from the coffee table in the living
room, out of the pile. I tip-toed again back to the window and held
my arm out with the battered piece of wood.

Should be interesting...

I released my fingers and watched it fall and fall
until I couldn't see it anymore. It made no sound.

Good thing I didn't try the window.

Oh come on, I was just trying to be proactive.

I started pacing again, stepping on yet another
piece of glass.

“
Motherfuckerpieceofshitsonofabitch! FUCK!
”

I held my foot up and ripped the glass out and threw
it at the wall, shattering it into even smaller pieces. I stormed
back over to the other side of the room and slammed my fist into
the wall, punching a hole clear through it.

Only one thing left to do....

I had to go through the door.

I turned the knob, unsure of what I would find on
the other side. I took a breath and one last look at my bedroom. I
turned away from the carnage and slowly opened the door.

A blinding, pulsating light splashed over me. I put
my arms up over my face to block it but it didn't help. I stumbled
forward, trying to feel in front of me with one arm while shielding
my eyes with the other.

The door swung shut behind me and I turned around at
the noise, losing my balance. I flailed out with my arms trying to
catch myself on something but I fell flat on my face.

The light slowed its pulse and
dimmed each time. I rolled over onto my back squeezing my eyes
shut, half from pain and half because I was still blinded. The
light faded and faded until it stayed steady
—
bright, but not too bright.

I sat up and found myself in a room that was
completely bare. The walls were white, so white they seemed to
produce a light of their own, the only explanation I had as to
where the light source came from. The floor was stark white as
well, like some sort of linoleum or something.

How exciting. Maybe you can decorate.

As sarcastic of a thought as it was, it seemed to
fit. There was absolutely nothing in here. I turned my head to look
at the door. It was still there, the outline of it barely stood out
against the reflective white walls.

I stood up, head still fuzzy from
my fall and retinas still stained, and walked along the walls of
the room. It wasn't very large, maybe 10
’
x
10
’
at most. I
couldn't really tell where the ceiling was, it just blended in with
the rest of the room, but so did everything. The only reference I
had was the brass door knob. Without it I wouldn't be able to gauge
distance at all.

But where were the voices that I heard?

Over here!

Shut up.

No, no... Over here!

Shut. Up.

The voice in my head actually did
to seem to be coming from different sides of the room
though
…

Pst!

It came from my left this time and I turned, hoping
to catch whatever it was. But I saw nothing.

What the hell is going on?

Think... What were you doing before you 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
—

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.

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 don
’
t
remember a cliff. Or getting pushed off one, and
I don
’
t think I
’
m dead
…

No. I
’
m not dead. Of course
I
’
m
not.

Keep telling yourself that.

I don't want to be here right now.

So don't be.

What do you mean?

You don't want to be here, so don't be here. Why not
go somewhere else?

To where?

I know the perfect place.

The room began shifting from a bright white to pitch
black. A small pinpoint globe of light grew just off in the
distance ahead of me.

Little rays of sunlight shown
through the thick canopy of willows
…
.

…
I parked the car and turned the
ignition off. 24976 Sunny Way. I was here.

Just be yourself!

What a stupid saying. Who else would you be?

I was nervous and got out of the car and took a look
at the street. It wasn't even getting dark yet but it seemed like
it was the middle of the night.

Sunny
Way? I don't think so. The willows blocked out all but the
tiniest slivers of sun, which never stayed in one spot for long.
The breeze made the rays dance as the willows swayed, the rustling
of the leaves the only thing that broke the stillness.

I wasn't sure why, but this street just made me feel
uncomfortable. I walked to the door and took a breath. My nervous
anxiety was making my palms sweat. I was going to meet her dad
today and I had heard some things about him. Nothing that I liked,
but regardless, I wanted to make a good impression.

Just be yourself!

I wiped my hands off on my pants and knocked on the
door.

A
middle
-aged man with big thick-framed
glasses and a receding hairline opened the door. He smiled at me
revealing a large gap in between his two front teeth.

“
You must be Mr. Green,
”
I said as I held out my hand to shake
his.

He took my hand and shook it, firmly.

“
You're right about that,
”
he said cheerfully,
“come on in, dinner is almost ready.
”

“
Thank you,
”
I returned his smile and stepped inside.

The house smelled of roast beef
and potatoes, I could already tell that dinner would taste
amazing.
She
always cooked the best meals. I followed Mr. Green to the
living room and sat on the opposite side of the couch as him. He
crossed his legs, folded his arms and looked me over like he was
studying me. Must be where she gets it from. I folded my arms as
well and tried to think of something to say. He sucked on his
teeth, still looking at me with intense curiosity.