[Sample] Into the Light

            Everything hurt so much. When was Damian going to quit? Simone closed her eyes trying welcome the blackness that threatened to consume her. Finally it overwhelmed her and the pain stopped.

            When she reopened her eyes, everything was white and fuzzy and she couldn’t see much. “Wh-where… Am… I?”

            “I’m not sure. I think it’s a limbo of sorts.”

            Is that…? “Wh-who said that?” She turned and looked around, but could still see nothing.

            “Who do you think?” Whoever it was gently put his hands on her shoulders.

            “B-but you…” Tears filled her eyes and spilled over. “You’re dead. We buried you… Please. I’ve been in enough pain. Whoever you are. Don’t toy with me.”

            “I’m not toying. Turn and look, if you don’t believe me, Sima.”

            Simone gasped. “Only one person knows that name…” She turned. “Is it really you, Zeke? How can it be?”

             Zeke smiled and hugged her. “Yes, it is. Though, I don’t know how.”

            She cried into his chest. “I’ve missed you so much! Everything has seemed dull without you. Why did you leave me?”

            “I’ve missed you too. Oh, Sima. I didn’t want to leave you.” He lifted her chin to look into her eyes. “If I could’ve done anything to stay with you, I would have.”

            She looked away and wiped her eyes. “I know, I know. I just…”

            “It’s alright. Come on; let’s go talk for a while until it’s time for you to go back.” Zeke took her hand and led her to patch of grass underneath a tree, the only noticeable landscape in the place.

            “Go back? Can’t I stay here? With you?” She sat next to him and leaned against him with her head on his chest.

            “No, Simone. You can’t stay here. This place isn’t for the living.”

            “Then how am I here?”

            “I’m not sure…” A thoughtful frown crossed his face.

            Simone lifted her head and looked into his eyes. “I don’t want to go back, Zeke. It hurts there. Everything hurts.”

            “You’re needed there, Simone. You can get through the pain to help someone you love.” He smiled and caressed her face. “I’ve seen it myself.”

            She closed her eyes. “But you’re the only one I love.”

            “It’s been three years, Sima. You haven’t moved on yet? There isn’t anyone you care for?”

            She looked away. “I… I… He reminds me of you… But I can’t… It’s not fair to him...”

            “What’s happening there? Right now?”

            Simone spoke quietly into her lap. “I… We tried to escape that place. We got a lot of boats… And supplies… It took months to prepare. And we almost made it, too. Someone betrayed us. Hundreds of kids… We almost had them out of there… I jumped up and tried to release the blockade. But as I did, Damian caught me. He had that electric stick of his and threatened to kill me if any of them left. I told them to go, that it was worth it. He hurt me for every boat that passed through. I tried not to scream… But it hurt so much... I told them to go… But Justin. He wouldn’t leave me. I begged him to go… I… I… Don’t remember any more. I think I blacked out.”

            “See, Sima? You’re needed there. You have to go back to help the rest of them get free.”

            “But it’s safe here! I want to stay here and be with you. I missed you so much…” She put her hand on his face. “And there’s so much pain there.”

            “I want you to stay too. But there’s still much left for you to finish.” Zeke gently moved her hand from his face and looked at it. “Look, you’re starting to go back as it is.”

            She looked at her hand as well. It was fading, becoming transparent and then solid again. Simone held his hand, trying to root herself to this place. “No… I don’t want to go, Zeke. Please don’t make me go.”

            “I don’t have control over that, Sima. Let’s just be thankful we got to spend some time together.” He smiled gently.

            Her eyes filled with tears. The pain was coming back too. “I can go there… and then come back here. It wouldn’t be too hard, I—”

            “No.” His voice was firm. “I want you to live your life. I want you to be happy. Do whatever you need to do in order to be happy.”

            “You. I need you in order to be happy. Without you… Life has just been a haze.” She gestured vaguely in the air. “Going through the motions.”

            Zeke shifted positions so that he was facing her directly and gently took her hands in his. “One more year. I want you to try just one more. Honestly try, with everything you are, to be happy. Understand, Sima? With everything. If the year is up and you are still unhappy, then… Well, then you can come.” He looked into her eyes and could practically see the wheels in her brain turning, looking for some way to twist his words. “But you have to truly try, do you understand? No loop holes. No tricks.”

            She swallowed. “But I…” She stopped and sighed. “If that’s what you truly want… Then I will… I will try… But I doubt that it will do any good…”

            “Maybe not, but as long as you try.” Zeke touched her face again. “You’re fading. It’s time to go back now. I love you, Simone.”

            She tried to hold back the tears. “I love you too, Zeke. So much.”

            He drew her close and kissed her. But even as she kissed him back, she was fading.

            And then she was gone.

            “Find a way to be happy, Sima. Even if that means you don’t come back to me.”

[Ugh, the romance almost sickens me. And I wrote the thing. xD 

Anyway, this was written, I think, two years ago? Almost three. It takes place right after a dream I had. And I have all the back story in my head... And it all makes sense... The problem is trying to get it down on paper...
I am working on it though. Kinda? We'll see.
Fun fact: Sima is an Aramaic name meaning "treasure." Zeke is short for Ezekiel, which has Hebrew roots. That's why he calls Simone, Sima. I picked Sima as a nickname first and then had to find a name that made sense with it as a nickname, but at the same time, not too obvious. :)

Also, this is a working title... Subject to change.

As always,

all praises to the King.]