R.E.M.: The Hidden World (20 page)

             
What if he already woke up too…
The thought brought the smallest glimpse of hope to Emily.  She so desperately wanted to believe that was the case.  Nevertheless, she was already through the stairwell door and rushing up the steps before her mother could complete her yelled name.  On her way, Emily nearly trampled head first into an elderly hooded woman slowly making her way down the isolated steps.

             
“I’m so sorry…”  She spoke the words through exasperated lips as she reached the level ground of the third floor.  Her adrenaline was pumping now and she felt like she was back in the dreaded mall once again.  As she rapidly reached for the handle of the third floor door, logic overtook her. 
You need to stop running….you don’t want hospital security to notice you….especially if you plan on sneaking into a patient’s room you’re not related to…
The thought was sound and Emily followed her mind’s advice, slowing to a walking pace as she entered the third floor hall.  She desperately scanned for a sign demonstrating room numbers.  At last she found one pointing down a hallway to the right, “Rooms 320-331” was printed above a bright red arrow.  She shuffled onward at a slightly quickened pace.  A nurse turned a corner ahead and started walking her direction. 

             
Crap…
Emily slowed down, forced to pass the door with the number 327 resting above it.  Finally, she dared to look back.  The nurse turned another corner and the hallway was empty, for the moment.  Emily rushed into the room, quickly but carefully closing the door behind her.  She turned to face Kyle. 

             
All hope rushed out of her.  He laid there motionless with a blood soaked bandage wrapped around his head.  The slow beeping of a heart monitor was the only sign of life he showed.  Emily fell to her knees, sorrow filled her.  She loved this man with her entire heart just as, in a more youthful manner, she loved Sam. 

             
No…..no….no
…The word raced through her mind over and over again.  Emily approached the bed, gently touching his wounded head with her hand.  “Kyle….please…wake up…..please…”  She could barely get the words out as tears flowed down her face.  She pictured him trapped there, in Luthania, in that dreadful place she barely escaped.  Anger boiled up inside her as she pictured the dreadful Lucy standing there laughing at her pain.  “WAKE UP!”  She yelled the words now and shook him out of desperation.  Just at that moment, her mother barged into the room, followed shortly thereafter by her father.

             
“What on earth…”  Her mother cut the words short as she noticed the tears pouring down Emily’s face.

             
“May I have a moment with her alone?”  Simon was directing this comment towards Merlot.

             
“Of course…..you okay, sweetie?”  Her mother knew the answer was no, but asked anyway, as though she hoped the question would offer some form of comfort.  Normally, Emily would appreciate the thought, but staring at her lover’s motionless body, she felt nothing but pain.  Her mother exited the room and closed the door behind her.

             
Emily looked up at her father.  He was one of the last people she wanted to see right now, but perhaps he could at least offer her some answers.  “What happened to him?  He was….he was fine….”  The tears continued to pour as her entire body trembled. 

             
Then, something incredible happened.  Her father walked up to her and did something he had not done for years.  He wrapped his arms around her and embraced her in a genuine hug.  “I love you, kiddo.”  He too seemed on the verge of tears.  Emily did not even know how to react.  This was all she ever truly wanted from her father.  She hugged him back for a moment; then wiped away the tears from her eyes.

             
“I love you too, dad.”  It was true.  Despite what she tried to convince herself of, she always loved her father and always would, even when she did not agree with him.  “Thank you…”  She hesitated a moment and they both stood there in silence looking at Kyle.  “I do need to know though….what happened?”  Emily expected the answer to come along with the typical form of a lecture.  This time, it would likely be about the sins of alcohol and the overall negative effects of mind-altering substances.  She could picture it all before her father even spoke.

             
“A neighbor heard laughing and then a very loud thud.  He was quite good friends with Kyle so he decided to investigate.  After he knocked on the door several times with no answer, he opened it with his spare key.  Inside, he found Kyle on the ground by a pool of blood and you lying in the bedroom, your head propped up against an empty bottle of alcohol.  He immediately proceeded to call 911 of course and here you both are....”  Her father stopped as though finished.

             
“That’s it?”

             
“Yes, that is the story I was told by the police.”

             
“So is Kyle in trouble with the law now too?  Am I?”  Tears began to well up in Emily’s eyes all over again.

             
“Well considering it’s your 18
th
birthday and you two were not found until after midnight, you are the only person who could press charges against Kyle.  The officer was also very lenient on you regarding the alcohol, considering the circumstances….and your past.  He is one of the officers who found you and Sam.”  Her father seemed to have mixed feelings about these facts.

             
That’s it….no lecture or anything…
Emily was in shock.  “Wait, it’s still my birthday?”

             
“Yes of course, what day did you think it was?”  Her father was the one feeling confusion now.

             
“I need to see Carrie immediately.”

***

              Later that afternoon, Emily walked along the hillside up to her favorite tree and hiding spot with her best friend, Carrie.  She just finished retelling her the entire story of Neveah, Luthania, and everything that happened to her, both, from years before and more recent events.  “I know I must sound crazy, but it’s all true.  I even jotted down notes about it to be certain I’d remember.”  Emily reached into her pocket for the envelope she relocated there.

             
“I thought Sam died though, right?  How could you have seen him then?”  Carrie was clearly not getting it.

             
“Really?  Out of everything I told you, that’s the detail you’re focusing on?”  Emily loved her friend dearly; but right now she wanted to laugh at her for having such a narrow focus.  “The envelope….shit….it’s gone…”  Emily reached deeper into the pocket, checking the other one with her left hand as an extra precaution.  As she dug in more, her right hand felt something cold and hard.  “What on earth….”  As Emily pulled the small, round object from her jeans, a look of shock crossed her face and her jaw dropped open.

             
“What?  It’s just a coin, what’s the big deal?”  Carrie was clearly not following her friend’s trail of thought.

             
Emily knew beyond a doubt this was not just any ordinary piece of round metal.  It was Sam’s coin.  She had not seen it in years; yet she had absolutely no doubt about it. 
It was all real…..that means….Kyle…

“I have to go after him.”

Return to contents

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Corrie Fischer was born in Fort Oglethorpe, GA but only lived there the fir
st three days of her life.  When she was sixteen years old, Corrie started attending college.  At the age of eighteen, she was accepted as a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.  She graduated from Northwest Arkansas Community College in 2013.  She currently resides in her Fayetteville, Arkansas home with her dog Tucker and a leopard gecko named Spike.

For more information:

              Visit: www.corriefischer.com

             
Follow Corrie on Twitter @CorrieFischer13, Goodreads, and Facebook.

Finally, if you enjoyed this work, please write an honest review.  Your opinions are sincerely valued.

The Story Continues in....

P
ERCEPTION

(Shattered Sky Series, Volume 2)

1. Knockout

Emily paced furiously in front of the beloved oak tree.  Her friend Carrie helplessly watched, but Emily barely even noticed the girl’s presence.  Kyle was trapped in Luthania; Emily was certain of that fact.  The question was how to get back there and free him.  “I’ve got it!”  Emily declared the words to her friend but did not even glance her way.  She scanned the surrounding grassy hilltop, obviously searching for something.

             
“Okayyy, what’s the plan?”  Carrie raised her voice, following Emily's every pacing step with her eyes.  The girl's tone dripped with agitation.  Emily knew Carrie hated to be ignored; it was a major pet peeve of hers. Despite this, she had still not even glanced in her friend's direction.  Her mind was simply on a critical mission and she could not afford distraction by such a petty issue.  It was just then Emily finally spotted what her eyes had been seeking.  Without hesitation or a response to Carrie, she rushed down the hillside toward the object.  “Where are you going?”  Carrie remained in place, releasing an obvious sigh to express her frustration.  Emily guessed the poor girl was questioning her sanity at this point.  Considering the tale Emily had just told her, could she really blame her?

             
Emily still did not respond as she arrived at her desired destination less than ten feet away.  Looking down at the massive, dead tree branch resting amongst the green grass, Emily paused for a moment and questioned her own sanity. 
This really is crazy....oh well, it's the only way!  It must work!
  With that thought locked in place, Emily leaned over and tightly grasped the branch, pulling it from its place of dead slumber.  She awkwardly jogged back up to Carrie’s location with the tree limb in tow.  Emily smiled brightly as she finally faced her friend.  Based on the elated expression she wore, one might have pictured her holding a trophy of some form.  Instead, she tightly grasped the dead wooden arm as though it was all the victory she needed.  In no time, Emily was within a few feet of Carrie and her pace slowed, then halted.  She held out the tree limb toward Carrie and declared her plan.  “Knock me out.”

             
The branch was wavering in Emily’s hand dangerously close to Carrie’s face as she insistently held it out toward her friend.  As a scowl formed across her face, Carrie grabbed the branch out of self protection and then allowed the majority of its weight to fall.  Her fingers barely gripped the top of the thing as its opposing end gave way to gravity and fell toward the ground with a clunk.  With the object safely resting upon the ground, Carrie flung her hair out of her face, allowing her widened eyes to show.  “You want me to what?!”  Carrie didn't want to believe she had heard the words correctly.  Sure, Emily’s story had been quite the tale, but was her friend truly convinced a dream world was real?

             
“Yep…oh, hold on.”  Emily dropped into a half crouched stance, resting her hands upon her bent knees, and taking several deep breathes before closing her eyes.  She was ready for impact.  “Okay, go for it!”  Her mind rushed as she tried to prepare for the pain.  She waited several seconds, braced in place.  There was no hit, no thud, nothing.  Finally, she opened her eyes to reveal the form of Carrie still standing in front of her, jaw now hanging open.

             
“What the hell, Em!  You’re actually serious?”  Carrie’s jaw had been forced to move to produce the words, but her lifted brows and wide eyes confirmed the shock remained steadfast on her face.

             
Emily immediately felt defensive.  She strongly considered cussing the girl out in hopes she would then
want
to knock her out.  She knew Carrie too well though.  The girl had a feisty personality but she had never been the violent type. 
Hm…if I do that, she’ll probably just walk away…I have to convince her how important this is….that Kyle needs me.
  “Yes, I’m serious, Kyle is trapped there and I have to get him back.”  Emily’s tone was desperate, almost pleading.  Though internally she wanted to scream at her friend to hurry, she worked hard to appear weak.  She dropped fully to her knees, and lifted her face with a light frown and puppy dog eyes as she tried to force tears to the surface.

             
“Oh stop it!  What if Kyle's not trapped?  What if he’s actually just lying in that hospital bed and all this will accomplish is giving you another concussion?”  As she spoke the words, Carrie waved her hand in the air insistently.  She was obviously not convinced by Emily's performance.

             
Emily bolted to her feet.  “You really don’t believe, do you?!”  It was now tears genuinely flowed to the surface of her eyes.  Here she was with the one person she could always turn to and she was being let down.  A single tear drop escaped and slid down her cheek. 
No!  Stop this Em, even if she won’t help, you must find a way!
  Emily’s expression transformed as the liquid tears sunk back away from the surface. 

             
Her attention was on the oak tree now.  With only a moment of contemplation, she backed up several feet and slightly tilted her head down.  Sheer rage now filled her eyes as she stared at one of the oak’s lowest branches.  She tightened her fingers into fists and muttered under her breath, “Fine, I’ll do it myself then.”  Carrie did not even have a chance to react.  Emily bolted toward the branch at full force, closing her eyes just before impact.

             
Clunk!

             
Emily's eyelids lifted to reveal a blue sky with a sea of puffy white clouds.  She turned her focus to her left side and met the features of Kyle's face.  His bright blue green eyes gazed upon on her like an endless sea, their coloring highlighted by the tan background of the field surrounding them.  His thin lips curled into a smile as she continued to hold his full attention.  "You know, you are the most beautiful woman in the world." 

             
A smile flew across Emily's face as her cheeks turned multiple shades of red.  Kyle's grin then widened further as a mischievous twinkle flashed across his eyes.  "Your beauty cannot disguise that fire in your cheeks though."  He laughed heartily as Emily lightly slapped him across the arm, "Hey!  I told you not to make fun of that....it's my worst imperfection....."  She lowered her eyes and her voice nearly faded to a whisper with the last words, but Kyle was still laughing.  A frown formed across Emily's face in response.  "I'm serious.  You know how conscientious I am about that...."  With her left arm trapped under her prostrate body, Emily lifted her right hand up to cover her blushing cheeks.

             
Kyle's left hand pushed her hand away and he lifted her chin upward.  For a second that felt like an eternity, he simply stared into her eyes.  Emily could feel the reddening warmth spreading back into her cheeks.  "I think....."  He paused for a moment and bit his lower lip, allowing the corners of his mouth to curl again into a full on smile.  "....it is the most perfect of all your imperfections."  Emily could not contain it any longer. Her eyes sparkled brightly as her lips curled to their full potential.  Her cheeks must have been bright red by now, but she no longer cared.  With her free hand, she rapidly pulled Kyle's face toward her own.  His lips immediately spread, allowing her tongue to meet his at full force.  Emily could feel the passion flowing between them like a wild fire and she threw her leg over his body.  In one swift movement, she was on top of him.  She released her lips from his as she slowly lowered the positioning of her mouth.  Her fingers had already made their way to the desired location and were gently caressing his skin just below his pant line.  Her mouth continued to work its way down his body, hovering just above the man's red polo until it reached the top of his pants.  She pushed his shirt upward and began gently kissing his lower stomach, once again allowing her fingertips to venture just below the line of his jeans.  As her mouth continued its playful dance, her eyes glanced upward and met his own.  Pure desire upon his face was slightly replaced by a more serious expression.  "Hey...."  The word that left his lips was weak and Emily ignored it, increasing the speed of her passionate kissing.  She could feel a storm raging below her own jeans urging her to continue.  Chills and tingles started to overcome her entire form as she quickly unsnapped his belt and her fingers moved rapidly to unbutton his pants.  "Hey!"  His word was louder this time, but Emily did not slow.  The button released its master with a pop and her hand quickly worked to pull down his metal zipper.  It got jammed halfway down and she pulled harder to free the beast beneath.  Then she felt it.  Kyle's stomach was suddenly closer to her face and his hand now rested upon on her back.  "Hold up a second...."

             
Emily flung her body into an upright position as the flush red returned to her cheeks in full force.  "Why!?"  Her brows quickly furrowed as her arms crossed over her chest.

             
"You said you wanted to wait.....are you sure this is what you want?"  Kyle gently caressed the top of Emily's shoulder as he spoke the words.

             
"Well, I was ten seconds ago....but now....ugh!  Why'd you stop me?"  Emily shifted slightly, initially just enough to remove her shoulder from Kyle's touch.  Then she lifted her leg over him and positioned herself sitting Indian style beside him, distinctly staring away from his gaze.

             
Kyle laid back down upon the small blanket and stared upward for a moment, then glanced her way to catch her eyes looking at him.  "Get over here; I want to show you something."  He tapped on the location directly beside him.  Emily rolled her eyes and sighed, but then followed his directions, looking upwards at the sky.  "What?"  The irritation in her tone must have been obvious by this point.  Kyle only reacted to it by glancing her way and then allowing a small smile to form across his face.  He then pointed toward the sky.  "You see all those puffy, white clouds?"

             
Emily released a burst of air as an outright frown crossed her own face.  "Yea, so?"

             
"Those are cumulus clouds.  The majority of the time, they look the way we see them now.....fluffy, white and perfect....staring down, allowing rays of sunlight to shine through...."  Kyle paused and watched as Emily's expression softened and she took a moment to truly focus on the forms above her.  Realizing he had her attention, he continued.  "Something about them being like this is almost heavenly, isn't it?"  He didn't wait for her to answer.  "Sometimes though, on rare occasions, cumulus clouds get filled with precipitation...and they produce short bursts of heavy rain.....which is normally the job of nimbostratus clouds....." 

             
Emily turned her face toward Kyle as her left brow lifted high into the air.  "What are you getting at?"

             
"Em, you are like a cumulus cloud.....pure and beautiful.....you are unique.....I just don't want you to allow the rainclouds around to change who you are...."  He was staring her directly in the eyes now. 
There's no way he could have known about the conversation with Carrie, could he?
  Emily's eyes stared absentmindedly at his shirt.  Then she resumed her focus on the clouds above. 

             
Suddenly, a strange shaking sensation suddenly came over her body.  Pain rushed to the forefront of her head...

Want more? Get your copy of Perception on Amazon today!