The next thing I remembered was grey.
I was shaking on the ground. Smoke was getting worse around me. I looked around once again at what had become of my surroundings, but dark clouds covered most of it.
I tried again to move any body part, but I couldn't. I looked around, trying to get anyone else to stop and help me out, but no words came out. After trying to yell, a fit of coughing overtook me. I turned to my side and choked out more coughs onto the asphalt. Spit flew out of my mouth and hit the street, blotting out some of the ash that covered it. Suddenly, I got an idea.
I spit again, this time on my hand. The spit attached, and some of the ash glided off.
I dropped my head back on the ground, the world spinning above me. I reached my hand up to my head and covered my eyes.
I realized with a start what I was doing and looked at my hand. I moved my fingers and bent my wrist back and forth. It was heavy, but it would work. I rubbed furiously on my other hand with spit and friction. Slowly, ash ran off my wrist, hand, and bicep.
Once I freed both of my arms, I started rubbing against the rest of my skin. I kept rubbing, spitting, blowing. I freed my chest soon enough and, with some trouble, I finally sat up on my own.
I heard someone calling my name again. I hurriedly brushed off the rest of my legs and fumbled my way to my feet. I moved in the direction of the voice, my feet lifting like cinder blocks underneath me. I was walking down a wide street when another man walked up to me. He didn't talk, but he had a wild look in his eyes. He put his hand on my chest and stopped me from walking.
I pushed his hand away, but he put his other hand on me. I pushed the other hand away and tried to yell as I pushed him. Once my hands hit his chest, he turned to dust. I frantically brushed all of the falling debris from me, terrified of it weighing me down.
I looked around. I was gaining other people's attention. They began lining up along the street I was on.
I geared up for another attack, but they didn't move. They just stood there. But on the other side of them was the voice, and I needed to go. I struggled towards them, my lead feet dragging against the ground. They still didn't do anything. I got closer but still, no movement.
As I got closer, one of them took off. He came running at me, sprinting with a blank expression on his face. I stood paralyzed until the last second, when he leaped through the air. I ducked and he flew behind me, turning into a thick cloud of dust as he tumbled on the street.
I looked back at the wall of people, adrenaline rushing through my veins. They all still stood with their blank stares, centered in my direction.
Two more started running. I braced myself to counter their strides, but after I dodged the first runner, I ran straight into the other one. His body collided with mine and knocked me back onto the ground.
I was much heavier, but I found my footing again.
I looked at the line and got an idea. I put my arms and head inside my shirt and sprinted towards the gap left by the men's absence.
A couple of others ran at me, so I ducked my head into my shirt as well. They ran into me on the sides, in front, and behind me. They all burst into my body with the force of a tackle, but I stayed on my feet. At the very end, I couldn't even lift up my legs, but I was still standing. I couldn't see anywhere in front of me, but I set my hands down below my shirt and tried to lift it. Unsuccessful, I bent over, and the shirt slid off. I used my arms to guide it over my head, and it fell with a thud on the ground. I then unlaced my shoes, every string taking all of my strength to move.
I ran barefoot towards the voice and it got louder, heavier. I heard them behind me, but I refused to look back. I started moving faster, the fatigue making every step a marathon.
The pollution started to wane. The air was getting brighter. I slowed to a walk. My body begged me to stop moving, but that wasn't an option anymore. I had gotten so far. Ahead of me, I could see beams jutting out of the ground.
The voice was getting louder. I knew I was getting close, but there was no end in sight. I stretched my way across the final building and tripped to the ground.
I couldn't get back up. My feet were aching and my hands were stuck to the ground.
I lied down again, looking above me. I felt like I knew this place, but I couldn't remember how. I looked down at my hands once again, the color barely showing through. Anger rose up in me as I tried to scream again.
I heard the footsteps of people behind me. They were getting closer. I tried to push myself off the ground, but I couldn't.
I was done fighting. I just wanted to wake back up.
"Israel?" I heard behind me.
I turned around and the smoke faded. The air was yellow and felt warm. I shielded my eyes with my hands, attempting to see who the figure was. A flood of emotions poured through me when I realized.
"Israel." She said once again. Her voice was soft and sweet.
"Emma." I breathed.
--
I opened my eyes to the rising sun out of my window. I felt the harsh return to reality like someone getting back from vacation. I didn't want to leave the world my mind had created. I felt the need to stay there for a while. There were problems that needed my attention. Mysteries that needed solving.
I didn't understand it. The grey people, the bridge, the lines formed outside of those hideous buildings. None of it made sense. There was one thing that troubled me the most; I had no idea where the story was going to end.
It was both created and lost in my mind.
I decided to call Emma.
"My dear," she answered in what I could only describe as a Mary Poppins-easque voice.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" I asked.
"Well enough that I want to see you," she said happily. "How about a movie night?"
"That sounds amazing," I responded, excitement creeping through my voice.
"Well then I guess it's a date."
"Yup. It's a date," I concluded cheerfully.
I hung up the phone smiling. Then got dressed and ready for school.