An Interesting Love

Reunited

Word Count: 2,133

When I wake up, I'm in bed next to Michael. The pale sun breaks through sheer white curtains and shines over the wood floor. The air moves with the fan set up on the opposite side of the room. The scene should be calm, but I am the furthest thing from calm. I don't remember falling asleep or lying down in bed. I know Michael brought me back here and yelled at me. If he brought me back to the apartment, did he bring me into whatever life this is? Did Michael create me? I know that he can just bring me right back, but I need to leave now. I can't lie in this bed next to him. I think he's a dangerous man. What is he capable of?

I close my eyes tight and think of the park I went to last night. I felt so at peace there. I knew there was supposed to be someone else there too. Maybe they will be there today. I think of one tree and count the leaves on its longest branch, watching the rising sun warm them and bring them to life. I watch as one leaf falls, bouncing back and forth in the breeze until it lands on the table I sat at last night. Once I envision that table, my neck tightens, and in a second I am sitting there. The leaf I thought of is sitting neatly in front of me. It's happy to see me. I put my head in my hands and give a sigh of relief. I'm happy to be away from Michael. I don't know why I'm happy to be away from him and I have no memory of him doing me any harm but I just can sense that harm he wants to do to me. I feel like he has bad intentions. I feel like he's trying to keep me from something. Is intuition another power I have?

After a little while— I have no clue how long— I decide that I don't want to waste all my time here thinking about the possibilities of who Michael may be as a person. I want to explore what exactly I have here. I get up from my seat and start walking down the stone path. This forest is magnificent; the way the light hits every object at an angle that produces a soft chartreuse hue is stunning. It forms the daintiest little shadows, beautifully marking to soil next to my path. I walk for what feels like a long time until I reach an opening in the trees. The stones make a sharp turn to the left, and before me stands very short grass littered with daisies. I follow the daisies a few feet past the end of my path and discover a small pond. The water is black and only small bits shine with the sun. I'm standing in the shade of a large tree, wondering how hot that water must be. It's gorgeous, but it must be scorching. I take a step toward it and reach my hand out. I dip the tip of my middle finger into the water; it is cool and fresh. I wonder if there are small fish inside.

She's so beautiful.

I'm not alone. I hear someone's thought. It's a nice thought, but it still freaks me out. I was expecting someone to be here today— is this them?

Does she know I'm here?

"Yeah, I know you're here," I speak loudly.

I hear the branches of a bush crack as a man stumbles out into the open. I turn around to face him. He's beautiful.

"I'm sorry, I don't know how I got here," he says.

"That's okay, I don't know how I got here either," I say.

He pauses and raises his eyebrows, "I'm Henry."

I smile and he smiles back, but before I can give him a proper greeting, I am pulled back into the apartment.

"Charlotte, you need to stay here with me. You can't keep wandering off," says Michael.

I lose my balance for a moment, restabilizing myself on Michael's desk. The sunlight is shining at the same angle onto the floor as when I left. Has no time passed?

"Why not? Why don't you want me to leave?" I ask.

"Because you're my wife and you're supposed to stay with me! It's not that difficult!" he exclaims.