In My Dreams (10 page)

A gun shot echoed through the woods.

“Oh my God, Tyler! We gotta get her outta here! Hurry!” Emily screamed.

“Don’t worry, Lizzy. I won’t let him touch you. He won’t ever touch you again,” Tyler promised. I was suddenly placed into the backseat of the car, and felt Emily slide in next to me.

“He’s right there,” she screamed, “Get out of here Tyler! Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!” Emily pounded on the back of his seat. Tyler gassed it and the tires screeched as we sped away from the killer.

“It’s okay now, Lizzy. You’re safe. We’ve got you,” Emily said quietly, gently resting my head on her lap. “Tyler, get to the hospital, now,” she said urgently. “Oh God, there’s blood all over her.” Her words sounded muffled. I heard deep sobs coming from the front seat.

“You’re okay now, Lizzy.”

Those were the last words I heard Emily say. She threw something warm over my arms and legs, tucking it in around me.

I was quickly fading, but this time I didn’t mind. I was too weak and to the point of total exhaustion. I knew I was safe with Emily and could finally sleep. The thought of sleep and the possibility of seeing Michael again was all I wanted right now.

I thought I was dreaming this time – or perhaps I was finally dead. I opened my eyes to find myself lying on my back on a bed of sand. I was in the middle of a tropical paradise with the sun beaming down on me.

White billowy clouds were scattered across a beautiful baby blue sky, and a warm, gentle breeze blew through surrounding palm and coconut trees. Little sparrows chirped, singing their beautiful songs. The crystal-clear, turquoise water glistened like diamonds in the sun, and its waves continuously rolled back and forth across the white sandy shore. Scents of salty mists wafted on the breezes. I looked around but there was no one else on this small secluded beach but me.

This had to be Heaven. I must be dead.

I walked down the shore and let the cool water wash back and forth over my feet. Little sea shells of different shapes and sizes were scattered along the shoreline. I picked one up and studied its perfect little details.

I’d always dreamed of going to a warm tropical place like Hawaii, to lie on a secluded beach with the beautiful sunshine tanning my all white body, with the limitless ocean as my backdrop. But even with all of the beauty that surrounded me, there was still a huge ache in my heart.

Michael had been to Hawaii several times with his parents on vacations. I wished he were here to share this with me.

I noticed I had on some denim shorts and a baby blue tank top. Baby blue was Michael’s favorite color. My white arms and legs glowed in the sunlight. There were no cuts or scratches and I didn’t feel any pain.

I sat back down on the warm sand and decided I’d attempt to make a sand castle. That was something I’d always wanted to do. If I had a bucket list, that would be one of my top ten items.

I started to shape the base of my castle, but the sand kept falling apart. I quickly realized it was too dry.

“Don’t you know you have to use wet sand to make a sand castle?” a melodious voice spoke over my left shoulder.

I couldn’t help but smile from ear to ear. I turned and Michael was sitting in the sand right behind me. He pulled me back between his legs and wrapped his arms around me.

I’d never felt more happiness or more pleasure in all my life.

“Sorry, Mr. Professional-Sand-Castle-Maker. I’m from Alaska…remember?”

“I figured you were from way up north from the color of your skin. It’s almost blinding,” he jested, rubbing his hands up and down my white arms.

“Hey!” I pouted. “I may be white, but I can get a tan.”

“White? You’re nearly albino,” he laughed.

“Hey!”

“Well,” he said studying my arms. “I guess you could tan but then again… you’ll probably end up like most tourists do… burnt and red like a lobster,” he chuckled, kissing my neck.

I laughed and leaned back, resting my head on his chest.

“This is such a beautiful place. Did you do this?” I asked him.

“Yes. It’s another memory of mine. It’s called Secret Cove. It was a place my parents and I went to on our last vacation to Maui, only when we went, there were loads of people scattered across this small beach. I just thought after all that you’ve just been through, you were in desperate need of a vacation,” he said thoughtfully.

“Oh… yeah,” I breathed, flashing back to the terrifying events which seemed like a distant dream. Thank God it was behind me now. Michael was with me and nothing else mattered.

“I would have taken you to Hawaii,” he breathed gently into my ear.

“I know,” I sighed. I didn’t care about anything else, except being with him… right here, right now. “I guess this is much better than the real thing. No tourists to fight with for a good spot, right?”

He smiled, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

“I’m so proud of you, Liz,” he said affectionately.

“Thanks. I honestly didn’t think I was going to make it. Wait…
did
I make it, or am I really dead this time?” I wasn’t sure.

“Sorry… still not dead,” he chuckled. “You’re sleeping soundly in a hospital bed. They have you sedated so you can rest.”

“You can actually see me in the hospital?” I looked at him in total bewilderment.

“If I wanted to, but right now… I’d rather not,” he said sadly with a sigh. The corners of his mouth turned down.

“Why? Is it really that bad?” I asked, assessing his reaction. He didn’t say anything. “Michael? Please tell me if it’s that bad!”

I knew my face had been whacked and it was probably all swollen. Maybe I had frostbite, and my nose and limbs were black. Oh no! I watched those shows where people climbed K2 and came down with frostbite on their noses, fingers and toes. Some even had to be amputated.

“Oh no! Michael, please don’t tell me I look like a busted up, frostbitten, hippo… and please tell me I still have all my limbs!”

“Hippo? Well, I wouldn’t actually say hippo. I was thinking more down the lines of processed meat.” He paused for a long moment. His face had no expression, and I felt my mouth gaping open. Then, he suddenly broke into laughter. I was stunned…a bit upset at first, but Michael’s laughter was infectious and soon we were both laughing.

“I’ll tell you this…you’ve definitely had better looking days… and no, you aren’t missing any body parts.”

“Thank God! As long as everything’s intact... it’s all good!”

“Well,” he said jumping to his feet and whisking me in up into his arms, “it’s time for your swimming lesson Miss Hayes.” He took off running toward the ocean, carrying me in his arms with no effort at all. “Hold on baby!” he yelled, squeezing me tightly to his chest. He leapt up about twenty feet into the air and then about fifty yards out.

I screamed, burying my face in his chest.

“Hold your breath!” he yelled before we plunged into the water.

We went down deep and I didn’t know if I had enough air in my lungs to make it to the surface. A quick thought shot through my mind. Could I really drown in a dream? I remembered the movie the Matrix. If you died in the matrix, you died in real life. I wasn’t about to take a chance, so I held my breath as long as I could, until my lungs felt like they were going to explode.

I felt Michael’s hand grab my arm and thrust me upward towards the surface. As soon as I made it to the top I gasped for air. Michael popped up shortly after and started swimming circles around me.

I never really learned how to swim. Living in Alaska, I stayed mostly above the water, either on a raft, inner-tube, boat, or on a snow machine when the water was all frozen over. I didn’t like going into the water because it was always too cold, or there were leeches or some other freaky fish swimming around that looked like they would bite.

“Hey Liz, you look like a drowning dog,” he laughed, turning to float on his back.

“I feel like a drowning dog!” I said desperately treading water, trying hard to keep my head above it. “Some assistance, right about now, would be good,” I admitted sarcastically, gasping for air, gulping down what seemed like gallons of salty water.

He back stroked to me and anchored my arms across his chest.

“Jeeze. I drank enough water to start another ocean.”

“Then I won’t ask you if you’re thirsty,” he laughed, patting my back.

“Thanks” I rolled my eyes.

Once I calmed down, I began to relax and enjoy myself; something that’d become a rarity over the past few days, and something I thought I’d never be able to accomplish for a very long time.

We drifted smoothly over the waves and watched them crash onto the shore, which was now hundreds of feet away.

“So tell me… can you do
anything
in my dreams or do you have limits?” I asked, fishing for an answer.

“Well, there are some limitations, but mostly… none. Why? Did you have anything floating around in that magnificent mind of yours?” he asked slyly. I wondered what he thought I was thinking. I returned a wry smile.

“Uh oh, that looks like trouble,” he chuckled.

“Well… I was just wondering--” I paused.

“Just spit it out,” he said urging me.

“Can you… fly?”

He paused and rolled his eyes. I bet he was thinking I was going to seduce him or something like that.

“Well, why don’t we see?” His head sunk under the water and then he popped back up holding me tightly to him. I threw my arms around his neck.

“Wait!” I wailed. “I don’t want to fly; I was just asking to see if you could,” I announced, feeling a bit apprehensive. I’d never had the opportunity to get on an airplane, let alone fly without one.

“Elizabeth Ashley Hayes,” he teased. “Are you really afraid?”

I nodded. “Yes.” I was very afraid.

Usually in my dreams, the ones I vaguely remembered, when I did try to fly, I would barely make it a few feet off the ground. Emily told me that it was because I had a low self-esteem. Whatever it was, it sucked, and was beyond frustrating. On top of that, I used to have those horrible dreams of falling, helplessly, not being able to stop because I wasn’t able to fly. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to experience that again.

“Well, there’s no fun in me trying to fly alone, especially if you’re here. Plus, it’s your first time ever flying, and my first time ever trying it like this. I want my first time to be with you, even if we crash and burn,” he said kissing me quickly on the lips.

“But I-!”

He didn’t give me a chance to respond. Like a rocket we shot out of the water. The upward momentum pushed me down and I began to lose my grip.

“Michael!” I closed my eyes and screamed. He laughed and assisted me in re-locking my arms around his neck and my legs around his torso. I held on for dear life.

“Whoo- hoo!” he shouted. He was having way too much fun. He sounded more like a kid on a roller coaster ride. I felt us twisting and turning, keeping my eyes sealed tight.

“Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!” I yelled, starting to feel a bit nauseous.

“Liz… you can’t experience all of this awesomeness with your eyes shut,” he said, attempting to pry my arms from his neck.

“No. I’m fine,” I said in a shaky voice.

“Liz,” he said calmly, “
please
open your eyes.”

“Is it safe?”

“Would I ask you to open your eyes if it wasn’t safe?”

After a few seconds of debating with myself, I finally decided that I should at least take a peak; get a glimpse of what he was experiencing. I slowly peeled my lids back and saw his handsome face; smiling from ear to ear.

Instantly, my fears melted away. I was in his embrace and I knew he wouldn’t let anything happen to me.

“Look,” he said motioning with his head for me to look down. I twisted my neck to witness us flying effortlessly, feet above the water.

“Wow!” I whispered.

It was exhilarating. I carefully loosened my death grip on him, and with his help, twisted myself to face the water. Michael held me tightly around my waist while I skimmed my fingers over the water watching it ripple behind us. Just ahead, two dolphins jumped out of the water, as if guiding us to some unknown destination. It was the most magical moment I had ever experienced.

“What are you thinking right now?” he whispered in my ear.

“It’s amazing. I feel like Lois Lane taking her first flight with Superman. I never want this to end.”

He kissed my neck and we continued to fly higher over the islands, memories from his vacations.

We flew ten thousand feet high to the Haleakala National Park. I walked through the middle of the dormant volcano and through lava tubes. He took me to swim in the Seven Sacred Pools; freshwater pools fed from waterfalls flowing from the mountains. We even went to a small island called Molokini. It wasn’t exactly an island; it was more of a volcanic crater, partially sunken, forming a crescent shape which had become a fish sanctuary. Thousands of multi- colorful fish of different shapes and sizes swam within the protected reef. It was as if I was swimming in a billion dollar aquarium.

Michael pointed out the Hawaiian state fish with the funniest name – Humuhumunukunukuapua’a - a triggerfish with a snout like a pig.

This was a zillion times better than going on a real vacation to Hawaii. I knew I would never get to experience it this way, alone with Michael.

It seemed as if the day stood still for us. After we did everything we could do on a vacation, Michael took me back to the shore. His Superman landing was perfect, softly touching down in the sand. We sat and watched the setting sun cast the most beautiful hues of pink, orange, and lavender across the baby blue sky. It was pure bliss.

“If this is how it’ll be every time I dream, I won’t ever want to wake up,” I said laying my head back on his shoulder.

“It’s too bad good things don’t last forever,” he said quietly. I turned to him, and his eyes had that look; the look that he was holding something from me.

“What do you mean?” I asked. He didn’t answer, but kept looking blankly into the distance. “Michael, what did you mean?”

“It’s nothing for you to worry about.” He glanced at me with a smile and a wink, but there was still sadness in his eyes.

I stared at him. I knew if I did it long enough, he’d give in and tell me what I wanted to know. It wasn’t long before he sighed and shook his head at me.

“What’s the matter Michael?”

“Well…” he paused, “once I cross over, I won’t be able to be with you anymore. I can’t interfere with your life. I’ll have to leave, and you’ll need to move on and finish your course on earth.”

My heart dropped.

“My course was to be with you, Michael!” I noticed my words were harsh and loud but I felt so passionate about it. “Our course was stolen from us! You’re not interfering with my life. You are making it complete; finishing what was already predestined for us!”

“I know. But, that’s not how it works.”

“Well, it’s not fair!”

“You’re right Liz. It’s not fair. But it’s the hand we’ve been dealt, and we have to decide how we’re going to play it.”

“I know,” I said reluctantly, “but I don’t have to like my hand. I wish I could trade it all in for another chance.” Hot tears poured from my eyes.

“Liz. I won’t leave you until I’m certain that you’re safe,” he said pulling me close to him, wrapping his arms around me. “We have to remember that everything happens for a reason. If we’re lucky we’ll find out what that reason is, but then again… we may never. Either way, fair or not fair, we have to get through it… one breathe at a time.”