Once upon a red tree's leaf

Chapter 7:~Between space and time

It was cold. 

The dark that was surrounding me was cold. But even so, I was feeling my skin burning up by unseen flames. And there, in that cold and dark place I knew, I knew  I was not alone. Another presence was there, watching my moves, lurking from the shadows. Was it good? Was it bad? What was it purpose? I didn't knew back then. I didn't care. 'Coz I was too impressed by the strange place.

Maybe you would think I was crazy, but there was nothing imagined in that coldness. Everything was real like I am and you are. But then again, something was off.

"Am I dead?"I whispered, pulling my thoughts out of the shock.

Somone giggled. Once again, I was sure I was not alone. "No. Not yet at least,"answered the darkness.

"Not yet? W-what do you mean?"

"Think, Seung Ho! Think! What happened to you?"replied the voice, giving me chills down my spine.

And so I did. I tried to recall, to drive away the darkness that was inside my head, the black wholes that took over my memories. What happened to me? How did I ever got there? Where...was I before this? Then the sound of splashing water broke the barriers inside my mind and everything came back to me, crashing inside me like the angry waves of a sea tortured by a dark storm.

"The bridge,"I whispered.

"Yes."

I took a deep breath. "I was on the white bridge. I was looking at the clear water. And I saw something...something was in the water..."

The presence moved around me. I could feel it even though I could not see it.

"And what was that, Seung Ho?"

At that moment I asked myself how on Earth did it knew my name? 'Coz sure thing, I haven't said a thing about it! "Something. I don't...I can't...recall."

The presence let out a strange laugh. Was it a mocking one? Was it an amuzed one? What was it meaning?"Don't fool yourself, Seung Ho! I know you can remember."

But I couldn't! It was like my memory was refuzing to bring that part out from the darkness. It was like I was wishing to forget it forever. But then again, the memory of the cold water surrounding my body, the lungs that were craving for oxygen...I was dying!

"Looks like you came to a conclusion,"spoke the presence.

I panicked. "I'm dying. I, at this very moment, as I speak to you, I am dying. Where am I anyway? Take me back!~TAKE ME BACK, DO YOU HEAR ME?!"I yelled, starting to run. Yes, I started to run. Too afraid to listen to it's answer, too afraid to stand still. I ran. I ran for my life, wishing I'd never realized the truth that stood before my eyes.

"Chill, Seung Ho! No one's dying here. Or at least, not at the moment,"spoke the presence from somewhere close by.

"Who are you? What are you?"

"That, Seung Ho, is something you already know. Or, you want me forgotten already?"

What was that? The familiar feeling surrounding me? Suddenly, the dark was warmer and the air was filled with the lillies' perfume. Like home. Home...such a strange, resonating word inside me. Where was 'home'? 'Coz not the memory of a house, of smiling parents or the smell of home-cooked meal came into my mind. No. There was something else that was giving me that feeling. Something blue.

"I know who you are,"I finally said.

She giggled. "That's good. Now Seung Ho, listen to me." She took a deep breath. "Run."

"Wha-WHAT?!"

"Run. Run, Seung Ho. Run like there's no tomorrow. Run! RUN! RUN!"

And as if she was part of my being, my feet listen to her and made me melt into the darkness. But I didn't know the way or where I was running to.

"Run, Seung Ho,"her voice became more and more weak. "Run away, Seung Ho. Away from me..forget me...leave me...run away from me..."

And I woked up in water. It was freezing cold. My lungs were out of air and my flesh was hurting, burning like under the touch of a whip. I had to...to move. To get to the surface. To breathe. I had to! I just...had to survive.

"Seung Ho...Seung Ho...Seung Ho..."

Spune-mi, crezi în experiențe în timpul morții cerebrale? În viața de după? În îngeri și demoni? În ceea ce ne așteaptă pe toți acolo, dincolo de ultimul prag pe care odată și-odată toți îl vom traversa?