James woke up in a bed. Above his head was a white ceiling, all white except for a light, a vent, and the peaks. Under his back was a soft mattress. He pushed himself up. He was in a star shape. Jenny slept in the bed to his right. To his left, a girl with flaming red hair slept. James tried to remember what had happened. He remembered walking by a car wash. He remembered jeans changing. He remembered the arm washing itself under the dancing brushes. He remembered getting food at the coffee shop. He remembered following the girls back to their home. He remembered turning into a bed. He remembered closing his eyes. He remembered pain shooting through his body.
He opened his eyes. The ceiling was still completely white. The walls were clean. There was a door. A window. A person in a green robe stood next to him. He stood up gingerly.
"Good morning," the man said.
"Good morning," James responded.
"This is the meadow," the man said. "Where do you live?"
"I live in a house," James said.
"The house is right over there," the man said. "But I wouldn't recommend it right now."
"Why?" James asked.
"It flooded," the man said. "I can't imagine you there. I wouldn't trust me there, if I were you."
"Where can I go?"
"Probably the park."
"How long have I been here?"
"Since you woke up. You know, I don't really know why I'm telling you this, so it's solely up to you now. You can decide what you want to do."
"What should I do?"
"I suggest going to the park. I'm not going to lie to you. There are no other options. Not really."
"Huh," James said, sat down on the carpeted white floor and clasped his hands.
"Good luck," the man said.
"Alright."
James left the meadow. He looked at his surroundings. The forest was still green. There was a smell of a lake in the air. He walked through the world. He tripped and fell on his knees. He got up and walked on. The ducks watched him with their beady red eyes.
"Good day," James said to them.
He turned right at the trail crossing. He turned left at the trail crossing.
"Oh, thank god he picked the yellow trail," a bright blue light said.
"Why is that?" James asked.
"Because the red trail leads to his home. You can tell he follows you."
"Right."
James arrived at the beach. He walked. He watched the water recede and the sand become more compact. He walked further. The beach became a hill. The water was still sucking on the shore. The trees in the background became tall. The grass became long. The road that led away from the house was visible.
James ran up the grassy hill. He kept running. He saw trees. He saw the house. He heard a sound. He saw the neighbors. He saw the wall. He saw the trees. He saw the rain falling. He saw the sky. He saw the children. He asked the man, "Wait."
"You've done so well," a woman said.
"You mean the beach? The storm?" James asked.
"No, not at all," the man said. "I mean the storm of life."
"I don't want to go back," James muttered.
"You're going to be a great person," the woman said.
James turned. He faced the wide open field.
"I have to go," he said.
"Oh yeah, you do," the man said. "It's been great knowing you."
"Thank you," James said.
"It's time for you to go," the woman said. "It's been real."
"I keep forgetting things," James said. "I don't know what to do."
"Alright. Just go back to the woods. I'll show you what to do."
James turned again. He ran. He kept running. He ran up and down the hills of the park. His legs moved. His feet touched the ground. He ran up and down the hills of the park. He turned back, down the East hill. He hid in a bush. A car passed. A second one. The rain kept coming. He waited. He realized what he had to do. He sloshed through the bushes and leaves. He crept through the park paths. His body moved. He continued. He reached the street. He kept going.
The road ran to the end of the world. He saw the houses in the distance. The cars that drove past him. The trees beside him. His body moved. He kept moving. He saw the houses that were nearing. The cars that drove past him. The trees behind him. He kept moving.
He ran down the street. He entered the forest. He walked one path and came out of another. He turned. He ran. He kept running. He saw a deer. The rain came down harder. He could not see. He shouted. It heard him. It stood up. He ran past it. He ran past the trees. The rain fell hard on the ground. The forest became darker. He could not see. He shouted. It heard him. It ran away.
It ran past bushes. The rain fell harder. He saw the forest gate. He ran past the houses. He shouted. He shouted. He saw the store. He saw the park. He jumped the fence. He ran in the open field. The rain fell. His eyes were wet. He still kept running.
He found the old wooden fence. He kept running. He jumped over the broken gate. He saw the barn. He saw the house. He saw the cars. He saw the windows. He saw the deck. He liked what he saw. He ran into the house. He ran inside.
His eyes were everywhere. His eyes fell on the television. The rain fell harder.
The sharp rain fell. The wind blew harder. The air felt heavy. His body moved. It was dark. His eyes were everywhere. He saw the television. The rain fell harder.
Thunder boomed. Lightning flashed. The rain fell harder. The wind blew harder. The air felt heavy.
James ran out of the house. He ran through the wet grass. He walked through the trees. He ran across the field of earth. He ran through the rain. The rain fell. The wind blew harder. He saw the house. The rain fell harder. The wind blew harder. The air felt heavier. Thunder boomed. He ran.
Lightning flashed. James saw the cars driving past him. He saw the countryside. He saw the house in the distance. He saw the road. He saw the cars. The rain fell harder. The wind blew harder. The air felt heavier.
James ran. He ran in the rain and the night. He ran. He ran through the forest. He ran. He ran up a hill. He ran into a hole in the hill. He stood still. He was still.
