After Life

17

I couldn't make him out clearly, but I knew it was him. The bright light, backlighting him until all I could make out was his silhouette, the effect magnified by a strange mist that seemed to follow him as he walked slowly towards me. I could see no features of his face, a face I knew much too well for the short time I had known him. I could hear no sound coming from him, or from anywhere else around me, and yet I felt like there was a deafening roar echoing in my mind.

I felt cold, a chill burrowing deep down into my bones, and yet I couldn't tell if I was outside or inside. I pulled my arms closer around myself, trying to block out the feeling, or shield myself from the chill, but it made no difference.

His hair ruffled as if from a wind I could not feel, his stride slow and purposeful towards me. It was an eerie feeling, watching him come towards me so casually, and yet, not being able to make him out at all. I could tell he wore a long sleeved shirt, and his hair a mess, but other than that, I saw no detail. He was nothing more than a black outline surrounded by a blinding white light.

"Harry," I called, trying to get him to communicate with me. I needed him to say something, because although he had been walking towards me for several moments, he hadn't actually gained any ground. I was still too far away from him, still unable to see him or reach him. And for some reason, I felt an uncontrollable need to reach out to him.

He didn't respond to my voice. He made no indication that he had heard me at all. I couldn't even tell if his eyes were on me, since I could see no features of his face. But I knew he was moving towards me, and I moved to meet him half way.

As I tried to move, I felt frozen, my legs bound. Looking down my body, I saw myself standing at a road side, torn jeans, missing one shoe. I was standing on the gravel shoulder, a ditch to my left with tall grass waving gently in a wind I could not feel, highlighted from the light pouring over Harrys shoulder. To my right was the pavement of a road, although my vision did not allow me to see more than a few feet in any direction. The only other thing I was able to see, was him.

I forced my feet to move again, and again, I was denied. I looked at myself, finding no reason for the impediment. I was standing normally, completely unbound, and yet, no amount of effort on my part allowed me to move towards him.

The harder I struggled to reach him, the more panicked I felt. The more panicked I felt, the more helpless I became. Nothing I did, nothing I said, would make my feet move. The only part of me I had control over was my arms, and my voice.

I reached forward, towards him, begging him to finally close the distance that seemed ever present between us. He was still walking, a slow steady pace, and yet had made no ground towards me. I called his name out over and over, begging him to answer me, begging him to help me, and yet he did not respond.

Suddenly, a piercing cry called out, breaking into my senses like a lightening bolt. It was shrill and deafening, and I had no choice but to abandon reaching out for Harry to cover my ears. It lasted only a moment, but just as I removed my hands from my ears, it happened again. And again. I closed my eyes against the sound, shaking my head to try and escape. The sound suddenly dulled as quickly as it had appeared, lowering to a gentle ringing in my ears.

As I opened my eyes, I gasped in shock as I found Harry standing directly in front of me now. His face was blank, pale and expressionless. He was covered in blood.