Image credit: pintrest
Cassy had a love for books. They were the centre of her life. Infact she loved them so much, that she turned her own home into a large library with bookshelf that were stacked from floor to ceiling in every corner of her home. Including, the kitchen. She did not own a stove or a fridge and ordered in most nights.
In her living room she had a special reading corner, that always caught just the right amount of sunlight. She would sit there for hours and read, completely losing track of time as she was swallowed up by worlds made of paper. She traveled the world without having to leave her home. She fell in love with the perfect man who always rescued the damsel. Her life was perfect.
One morning her day started off as it usually would. She woke up, got dressed, and headed down the stairs. Brushing her fingers along the books that filled the wall running down the staircase. She opened the door and as always a large box awaited her arrival. She brought the box in, humming all the way, and opened it to reveal a brand new set of books. Ecstatic she pulled out the book at the very top and pulled it open.
The book had no cover and was plain purple. The hard cover flipped open and immediately the story began. Though she found it strange she was intrigued and practically skipped her way to her reading corner to begin reading.
The story began and Cassy was transported to a farm. She stood in the centre of a large yellow grass field, with the farm house no bigger than her thumb, peering out in the distance. She could smell the fresh air, and feel the breeze brushing her cheek and dancing in her blond curls.
“There you are.” A voice startled her. His charming southern tone gave her goose bumps, and she suddenly realised that she was wearing a wedding gown.
“I’m sorry.” She replied. The words came naturally and simply drifted off her tongue. “I didn’t mean to run.”
“You got scared, I get it.” The young man took her hand in his and moved closer. “I’m just as terrified. Feel my heart” He placed her hand on his chest. She could feel the rhythm of his heart on the palm of her hand.
He took his free hand and placed it under her chin. Lifting her face so that their eyes could meet. “I love you.” He wisped. “I love how you laugh when your nervous, or how you cry when an animal gets hurt in a movie. I love how hazie you look when you’ve just woken up, and how shy you get when you have to talk to strangers. Oh, your eyes, can’t forget those. Your eyes are ALWAYS filled with kindness. I love everything about you, and I want to make you mine. I want to grow old with you, and start a family with you.”
She realised that she had been holding her breath when she huffed out the words “I love you too.” In one breath. “I didn’t run because I don’t. I do. I just. It’s just.”
“Breathe.” He calmly replied.
She looked around her and realised something she had not realised before. This world she was in was different from so many others that she had visited before. It felt real in so many more ways.
“This isn’t my world” She suddenly realised.
“It could be. We can make it yours. We can make it ours.”
“But, you’re not real.”
“Of course I’m real. Can’t you feel my heartbeat? Cassy, stay. For me, please.”
What was it about this book? It was so much more than just an ordinary book. It was like a porthole to an entirely different dimension. She looked into the eyes of the man who was begging her to say, and suddenly she saw it. “Alex?” This could not be real. She thought.
Alex had been dead for nearly two years.
“Stay with me. We can be happy here. Start a new life. We can actually get married this time. Please Cass, there’s nothing back there for you.”
“Am I dead?” Her mouth felt dry and her heart felt as though it had stopped.
“You, uh, you don’t remember?”
“Remember what?” Her throat aced and her knees weekend.
“You fell down the stairs this morning. They’re trying to revive you, but it’s up to you if you want it to work.”
Image Credit: pintrest
Unable to control her body. She fell to the ground. Alex went down on his knees in front of her and pulled her tightly against him.
“I’ll understand if you want to go.” He said through a shaky voice.
She did not speak and only listened to the sound of his heart that was now fading.
“What happenes if I go back? Will I remember this?”
“I don’t know.”
“Why didn’t you come back?”
“I tried, but I was too weak”
“Then what makes you think I can even make it back?”
“Because you're strong you always have been”
“What about you?”
“I’ll do what I’ve always been doing. Protect you.”
Their eyes met once more, and she could feel a jolt of electricity rushing through her body.
“What was that?” She asked shocked.
“They’re trying to revive you.” He pulled her tighter to afraid to let go. “You have to choose Cass.” He placed his lips on her head and kissed her.
She could feel as his breath ran down her head and into her neck. Sending a chill down her spine.
“I’m scared.” She griped his shirt.
“Of what?”
“Going back. I don’t know if I’ll ever be as happy as I am with you.”
“I’ll always be right beside you. I promise.”
“It’s not the same without you. Some days I feel like I just want to rip my heart out of my chest.”
They fell silent for a few seconds as another bolt of electricity filled her vanes. “I can’t leave.” She wisped.
He didn’t speak and his grip on her began to loosen. She looked up and he was fading, she could see straight through him.
“No!” She screamed as loud as she possibly could. “I don’t want to go back!” … “Alex!”
Oxygen suddenly began to fill her lungs and the field began to turn back into her house. Franticly she tried to get up and run further into the field, but her legs felt heavy and numb. It wasn’t long before she regained concourses. She began to cough as the paramedic let out a sigh of relief.
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