Did I make it? Am I back in the Realm? I lift my eyelids. Unhappiness overflows me. Grass; red brick; black cat; I'm still here. It didn't work.
I feel tears swell in my eyes. I stand up and run to my room. Crying, I slam the door closed and lie on my bed. I hear a door open. I lift my head from my pillow. "Kona," I sniff as I see him walk from the closet as he did yesterday, "It didn't work... I'm still here, it happened again..." He watches me calmly. "I'm so sorry..." I cut him off, "I'm dead for life. The passage is closed; I'm never going back." I face plant into my pillow again. I murmur quietly, "It's too late."
Kona sits on the bed. He grabs my shoulder and pulls me up. He looks me in the eyes. "That's the same thing you said to me back in the Realm about you and Coco, and guess what happened? It wasn't true. You and Coco became best friends again." I wipe my tears. "You'll see her again Mint." I bow my head. "Not this time Kona." His hand slides across the bed to meet mine. I resist. "I just wish I could always have her with me." Kona's hand reaches mine this time. His other hand explores my face. "You'll always have me with you, dead or alive." I smile, "Kona, you're alive as you'll ever be here on earth." He scoots closer to me, our hands still mingled. "So are you, Mint." The blankets tremble below me. Is he going to...? His hand slides into my hair. I feel sweat beginning to form between our foreheads with nervousness. No Mint, you have Shadow. And he really does love you. You can't just betray him! Says a
voice from inside. I can't do this... I pause, backing just inches from Kona. I see his eyes sadden. I lean forward into him arms and kiss him, regretting it immediately afterwards. But he takes it seriousy, one of his hands reaching into my hair and the other wrapping around me. I need to stop him. I need to tell him that I'm with Shadow. He grabs at me. Our mouths rub constantly, and I feel my heart beating rapidly. He pushes me against the headboard, supporting my back with his arm. I know I need to stop him. I have to. I block him from kissing me again. "I'm sorry Kona... I can't..." I stutter, reaching my shaky hand up to my head and pushing his hand away from my hair. He sighs, sitting there over me with clutched teeth. I can almost hear the crack of his heart, and I frown. "I don't why I even tried. You always lead me on and then turn me down!" he says, his eyes clouding, "I knew you were already out of my league... Destined for something greater and I would be in your way. But of course I kept thinking about you..." I feel like crying, and I do, feeling like a terrible person. "I'm so sorry... I never meant to lead you on, I just... felt like you deserved more than a hug," I sniffle, wiping my eyes. "I can tell you feel something for me, I do, I know. But... It also seems like there's something else, and it's complicated for you..." I nod, covering my face, and shaking my head. "It's true. I'm so mixed up that I'm just making decisions and then second guessing them... I think," I swallow, sadness clogging my throat, "I think I need a break from love." Kona smiles, cheering me up. "I thought you were going to be gone forever Mint. I though you left me for sure when you walked into that cave." I look down at our hands which are barely touching. "I did too, but... maybe I can't go back." I suppose, "Maybe I'm stuck without her... and I just have to deal with it. But it's so hard..." Kona pulls me in for a hug. "You'll be okay Mint. You have me..." he calms me, "And I love you Mint. I'll never let you go. Even if you don't feel the same way." This time I don't say anything to argue. He's always going to love me. There's nothing I can do to change that, except break his heart. And I won't do that... He saved my life on the battlefield.
For long I forget about Shadow, letting Kona's soothing voice bring peace to my mind. "I know you do. And... I love you too." I whisper. As a best friend. It feels wrong to have been kissing him. I'm.... I'm cheating. How could I ever explain I love Shadow now?
He flattens my head to his shoulder. "Come with me..." His bangs hang over his eyes as his nervous voice crackles. I breathe, "I don't know Kona... It all just came so fast. Yesterday I battled Shadow People in the Realm, and today I live on earth once more." Moonlight floods transparent through the blinds of the window. "But you have me..." Kona informs. I smile, "I know I do." He sits up this time. "Then come with me. We can live together in peace... No war. Like we've always wanted. I'll take care of you. I promise!" His hands hold my waist. I move them. "I... I guess." I take his hand and we burst through the backdoor.
The wind splashes my face, and we run through the woods. I've never felt more stressed than this. The wind roars in my ears, and I look at Kona. His hair is an icy white in the light of the moon, and his face is pale as snow. I exhale fog from my mouth as we stop chasing the clouds for a breath. "What are we going to do?" I ask, mind clouded with memories and incoming intensity. Kona tosses his hood over his head. "I don't know Mint. Honestly, I never thought I'd see you again after I died..." Kona's sentence burns through my brain. "What do you mean, 'after I died'? You couldn't have possibly known anything after you died. Thoughts are merely impossible while you're sleeping in death." I put my hands to my temples. "Unless... you awoke again... or... you're from Earth! But I know you're not." Kona gives a blank face. "No, I meant that when I awoke in your closet, there were hours before you finally found me. I was dreaming of you." That makes sense. "So where do we go?" We stand, eyeballing each other unknowingly. "There's this place..." Kona begins, "It's a shack... like Shadow's. I... I know where it is." How does he know? I squint my eyes. "How do you know?" We exhale white fog before he answers, "I saw it in that dream I had while I was unconscious... I had never known where it had been, but... this looks familiar." I nod. We race down streets, jackets dangling behind us in the icy wind.
We don't stop running for hours into the night; I follow Kona until he unhooks a chain from a locked gate. "Are you sure this is it?" I question as I see green planted freshly into pots. The flowers seem to already be dying from the weather. He walks up the rock path to the door. "This is the place." He opens the door. It welcomes us into a well lit room. I observe the delicate antiques spread from table to table. "It looks like an old midget women lives here." I state. The ceiling is only a couple feet above my head. He sits down on an old wooden chair. "I know... but this place is unlived in." He says. It sounds like he's trying to cover something. I pop my knuckles. "So we're staying here?" The floorboards creek. "Yes." I notice a bed against the wall. I feel sick with exhaustion. I get into it without any words. The blankets smell slightly familiar. Kona? The lights dim down, and I feel him crawling into the bed next to me. He breathes in, and breathes out. I'm breathing in, breathing out. Isn't that what it's all about? He brushes me with every movement. I try resisting the temptation to snuggle in his warm, safe arms, but it's not use. I snuggle closer to him than ever. He rests his chin on my head, and I nestle into his shirt. "I love you Mint. You're safe in my arms." He whispers.
I don't even know anymore.
I awake to the sound of a pan boiling. I smell something I know and love. "Are you making bacon?" I ask, my voice hoarse from sleep. "Yeah, I am. It was in the fridge..." Kona replies. I slam back down to my pillow. Well, this is it. This is my new life. There has to be something to do so I can return to the Realm... I sit up and comb through my slopped hair with my fingers. I get out of the bed with hesitation. "Good morning Mint!" Kona greets me with a smile. Back to that happy personality I see. I sit in a chair. Kona steps over to me, his silver hair messy. He kisses me on my cheek. I give a slight smile, but it fades as memories take over. Guilt begins to sizzle from my head to toes. I have to tell him that I have a relationship with Shadow... I think from Kona's viewpoint ...he'll be crushed!
We eat the bacon with a few swift bites, and I am left to wonder what we do next. I never thought I'd come back ...Honestly, I had really hoped I wouldn't. Kona's eyes seem to linger among the cabin like he knew the place up and down. Suddenly, he stands up and walks quickly to a box stashed in the corner next to a fireplace. He opens the folds of the cardboard box to reveal stacks of photos. He calls me over to him. I sit and cross my legs next to him, while he digs through the box. He pulls out a photo, and dusts it off. I see a smile forming on his face. "Look at this," he says. I take it from his hand and look over it. Have I seen this before...? I ask myself. It looks to be a family photo-like the one I saw in Shadow's shack behind the couch. There's a mother, a father holding a medal, and a boy with blond hair. "Who are these people?" I ask, suspicion bubbling in my mind. "I don't know," Kona replies quickly, snatching the photo from my hand. And... how did it get in the Realm? I seem to hear words echo off the walls of my mind, "I put it there Mint. You needed to know..." I grit my teeth, hearing Stella's voice. Needed to know what?! "You'll find out soon enough." Kona tosses the photo into the box, and closes it, his eyes seem to hold concern. "Uh... do you want to go for a walk?" he stutters. I shrug. If it distracts us from the truth, than sure.
"It's almost time to fit the pieces together. For a complete view of where your life spins you next."
My vision begins with a blur as I wake up. It clears as I rub my eyes. This time when I look around, Kona is nowhere to be seen. I sit up, looking around. I finally spot him through a window; he sits on a bench studying something... the family photo from the Realm? What interests him so much about that picture...? I let out a cough, feeling my throat dry. He spins around, and sees me through the window. He folds the picture and stuffs it in his pocket. He enters the cabin and barely smiles. I tilt my head, "What's wrong?" I rasp, my throat hoarse. I put my hand to my neck. Do I have a sickness? Kona looks at me this time, "Are you feeling okay?" he asks, worry in his speech. I part my hair. "I don't know. My throat hurts." He takes my temperature, and his eyes widen. "Mint... you have a fever, and it's bad." I shake my head, "It can't be!" I take the thermometer from him, and stare at the numbers. 103◦F. "What?" I panic. I can begin to feel my blood surging and heat overwhelming. "What should I do?-should I go home?" Kona lays me down. "No, don't go! I'll take care of you." he says. I press my hand to my forehead. "Do I have the flu?" Kona sits on the bed, "I think so. And if we don't treat it, it could turn into something fatal." Cold sizzles through my body and my brain buzzes. "...Do we have any medicine here?" I question. He shrugs, "I don't know... but I'm not going to let you get any sicker than you already are." He searches through cabinets, thrusting bottles and cans around furiously. He slams the cabinet doors with anger. "We don't." he concludes. My head feels hot with fever, and my breaths feel knocked out of me. "We have to get some!" Kona rushes over to me. "Where?" he asks. I finally think for real. "I can't go back home... it's too far... and I can't go to the store because I don't have money..." We wait patiently for the other to suggest something. Kona finally rests his hand over my forehead. "I think it's best for you to rest." He says. I close my eyes and lay my head onto the pillow. "Do you think I'll live?" I ask with humor. He laughs, "Of course, I won't you die." I giggle, though inside I hope for the best. Maybe. He crawls over to the other side of the bed, and warms me with him touch. I turn to him, "I don't want you to catch this..." He pecks my lips. "I'd rather catch it than stay away." I grin, but feel flinched inside because I'm doing the wrong thing. Admit you're with Shadow. Admit you're with Shadow. It repeats in my head. I shake it away. Not now. I feel sick, but I let myself lay over Kona; his hand on the back of my head. "Your destiny awaits elsewhere," he seems to murmur, but I know it's all in my head.
"The people in the photo... seem familiar? How about the boy with blond hair? I think you know him. He's closer than you think."
"Mint wake up!" I hear Kona screech. I sit up instantly, aware of his fear. "What's going on?!" I ask, terrified. My throat burns, and I feel as if I can't breathe. "Don't speak Mint, you have pneumonia!" I brace my neck. "What is that?" He places his finger on my mouth. "You're flu has turned into pneumonia! It clogs your lungs, and if you speak, you might choke... and or die...!" I begin to burst something, but I silence myself. How serious is this?! Kona takes my temperature. 107◦F. I can't help but whisper, "I thought you were going to take care of me." What happens if you die twice? Kona's eyes water, "I'm so sorry... I should've let you go home and get medicine..." My throat begins to throb and swell inside, but I have to tell him, "It is okay Kona." He steps forwards and swoops me in his arms. We begin to hear a siren sound growing louder. Kona sets me down. Blue and red flash through the window. Kona stares intensely. "They found me." I widen my eyes, "Wha-who?!" He doesn't even glance at me. "Come with me, now." I don't hesitate, even though I feel as if I cannot breathe. Kona breaks a window over the stove, and we crawl through. I stop to cough just as I hear a loud voice, "Surrender now, or we will have you killed!" My head spins; Kona picks me up and runs.
He carries me through dark thick trees and places me on the ground. "We have to climb the tree. Can you do it?" he asks with sympathy. I climb the first branch, my boots skidding on the bark. Kona supports my feet, and I jump onto the first limb. He climbs up beside me. I choke, "Who are they?! Why are they after you?!" Kona doesn't reply, just watches the policemen tear the house apart. "...I can't tell you Mint." I feel my heat rage, "Kona, I may die today. You should tell me." He lowers his head. "Mint... I'm..." He turns to me, bug eyed. "Mint! You're fading!" I hold up my vanishing hands. I yelp, "Tell me!" As I fade, his silver hair begins to shift colors slightly. Blond hair! Staring at him, he matches the boy in the family photo exactly. I merge from memories, to life. "Kona you're from earth?!" I gasp as I stare at him in horror. He hesitates, stammering, "I... I..." I feel my presence disappearing. "What is happening?!" I scream. Kona takes my transparent hands. "You're dying Mint... I... I love you." I try to speak, but it can't be said. I reach into my pocket, feeling Kona's pendant. I pull it out, setting it in his hands. Darkness begins to bleed over my vision; Kona is taken away by my dreams.
I open my eyes; a house sits before me. A blond-haired boy plays with a puppy in the yard, while a mother tends to her garden. A father watches the son proudly as he instructs the dog with a stick. "Sit boy!" I smile, though I know this isn't real. Everything is perfect, until a bomb is dropped onto the house. It explodes in fire and fury. There are screams that make my eardrums pound. The mother has been squashed under rubble, and the father's body parts are spread around the yard. The boy cries with agony as he flees the yard. I can't even look. I hear a voice, and Stella appears next to me. "You see; there are more than enough reasons for one to long for a different world-a better world." She vanishes, and I see a new vision. The same boy, but older, waits at a cash register. Is that Kona? I ask myself. A gun is pulled from his pocket, and everyone protesting is shot. "Kona was a murderer?!" Stella blurs into sight, "Everyone has a weakness. As you can see, his is that he had no parents to raise him." I can somehow hear Kona's thoughts, "I wish I had a better life... I wish I could start over..." Another vision is placed before me. The boy-Kona, walks through woods. He comes upon a hole in the ground. "Take me somewhere better..." he begs. He hops through the portal and appears in the realm. His new mother cradles him next to another kit; Ash... his sister. They are reborn. Now I can only see black. Stella stands in front of me. "So... those pictures he showed me... those are his real parents! And... the cops were after him because here, on earth, he was a murderer!" Stella nods, "Yes. And he left earth to be somewhere better... the Realm of Time. And the Realm is not better-now, in the hands of Elsa." I begin to speak, but Stella speaks first, "Mint, it's time for you to return to the Realm. It's time for you to make it better." My heart lurches, but I can't protest. I almost died here. "Let me return." She speaks no more, letting me enter the portal through my mind into a world that peace will be upon.
Time has come, to return to my destiny.