It was a dream, she thought. If she pinched herself, she would wake up. But she didn’t want to wake up. She wanted to stay in this world where the air was crisp and clear, and her body worked. She was enjoying walking through the fields. Not feeling the pain that usually presented itself within moments of waking. Her knees didn’t buckle, her back didn’t pinch, her hands didn’t tingle, and her heart didn’t feel broken. Why would she want to wake up and leave this perfection?

Instead of pinching herself, Kathleen kept walking. She decided to enjoy the pain-free beauty for as long as she was able. Once she awoke she would face the pain of her body, and all the headaches of her life. Things had been going downhill since she lost her brother. Some days it feels like yesterday that Colten took his life. She had done all the things a grieving person does. She had been to therapy. She cried. She had raged. She had moved on or tried to anyway. Nothing seemed to work, and her grief took over her life, driving away friends and family. Colten hadn’t only taken himself from her but had also taken everything and everyone with him.

No, Kathleen wouldn’t force herself from the first true peace she had felt in 12 very long years. She was going to immerse herself in this new world, dream or not. In the distance, she could hear water, and she decided to wander in that direction. Soon she came upon a pristine lake with a sparkling waterfall feeding it. The sight took her breath away. She came to a stop, taking in the sights and sounds that surrounded her. She had never seen anything so breathtaking with her own eyes. It reminded her of pictures she had seen of waterfalls in Hawaii. The mist rises from the surface, creating a rainbow over the lake. There looked to be a cave behind the waterfall. Curiosity prodded Kathleen to the edge. She needed to see if she could get into that cave. 

Kathleen eased her way around the lake. Making her way to the waterfall and the enticing cave entrance. The jagged shoreline hindered her and her progress was sluggish. Her foot caught, tripping her over a larger rock. Her knees hit the ground, shooting pain up her legs and into her back. This routine pain, and standing up, she shook it off. Did the feeling mean that this wasn’t a dream? Was this reality? It couldn’t be, could it? She had no idea how she got here if it wasn’t all in her head. She took a deep breath, cleared her head of the whirlwind of thoughts, and kept going. Feeling determined, even if it was silly, to get to that cave. Something told her she had to see what was in there.

She stumbled for what felt like hours. When she finally reached the edge of the waterfall she wanted to lie down and go to sleep. Drooping eyes and sore muscles made continuing on strenuous. She forced herself to keep moving. She could close her eyes briefly once she got behind the waterfall and into the cave. The splashback from the waterfall startled her into motion. She sauntered her way behind the falls, her clothes getting drenched. 

Kathleen tumbled behind the falls and into pitch dark. Her eyes struggled to adjust, but she was so tired that nothing seemed to work. She decided to rest for a few minutes, thinking it would make a difference. This is a dream after all. She wasn’t even sure how she could feel so tired in a dream. She slid down the side of the cave, laying her head on her arm, and closed her eyes, falling asleep immediately.

Writing Prompt 12/22/19

This is a first draft that has never been seen by anyone until today. I have three chapters, but haven’t written anything in over two years. I don’t know if I will be doing anything further with it. I guess time will tell.