For Always (book one)

Chapter 27: Sanity

Beau

In hindsight, I'm thinkin' that jumpin' on that thing might not've been the best idea. I didn't know how many days had past, but it seemed like an awful lot. I was a bit shocked when I ended up where I did, but I knew right quick where I was. To my surprise, there wasn't any torturin' goin' on or anybody bein' chained to the walls. Actually, there didn't even seem to be any walls, at least none that I could find. But with it bein' as dark as pitch, I could be walkin' right next to one and not know it. I walked for what seemed like forever but never did find an end to this place.

I could tell there were others here, too, but I couldn't hear or see 'em. Knowin' I was wastin' my time tryin' to find a way out, I just sat down and started thinkin' about Malyn. How could I go and do this to her? I'm sure my disappearin' right in front of her was a bit startlin'. Leave it to me and my quick temper to ruin the night. I just hoped she'd forgive me—if I ever made it out.

Damnit!

Even though I had no energy left in me, I got up and started to run. I thought I might get lucky and run into somthin', or even someone. At this point, I'd take whatever I could get. I knew that if I didn't get out soon I was gonna lose my mind. It drives ya batty, after a while, when all ya ever see is black and all ya hear are your own thoughts. So I ran....

I liked runnin' when I was alive, too. Sometimes, I'd run from the house to the fields and back just for the heck of it. It made me feel good—well, except for my feet. Nowadays, livers had special shoes made just for runnin'. I ain't seen none of 'em runnin' in boots or barefooted like I did. Must be nice! Spoiled livers.

After runnin' for what seemed like hours, or maybe days, I gave up. Either this place was bigger than I thought, or I was just runnin' in place and didn't know it. Or maybe I wasn't even really here. Maybe I wasn't a goner anymore... maybe I was just gone. Gone. But if I was really gone, I wouldn't really know it, though, would I?

"Hell if I know."

I started to laugh 'cause I answered myself. That's somethin' Malyn would do. Malyn. I laughed again, not sure why, but I did.

I sank to the floor and rolled over on my stomach, burying my face in my arms. It felt better to cover my eyes, makin' the blackness feel more normal instead of feelin' like I was blind. Deaf and blind with no sense of touch or reality. It seemed like the only sense I had at all in that place was smell, which was the one I wished I didn't have. The smell was less than to be desired, like a mix between our old outhouse and dirty socks.

I'd never wished I could sleep as much as I wished it now. I tried to think about Malyn, pretend she was with me, but it made me miss her more. Then, again, I thought about her whether I tried to or not, so missin' her was a given. My heart hurt. I'd been with a few girls in my time, but none compared to her. I loved her. Malyn. She was the one. I laughed again.

Suddenly I felt her but figured it was just wishful thinkin'. Then, again, I'd never wish her to be in a place like this. Never. Not here. Maybe this was just my mind's way of keepin' me sane—or makin' insanity come quicker. Either way, I liked it.

At first, it just felt like a dream, but that dream turned into a feelin' of urgency that I couldn't explain. So, I rolled over and opened my eyes, shocked to see a faint, silver light. I jumped up and realized the light was actually a string that started right in front of me and stretched farther than I could see. Then, I was overwhelmed by her.

No! She couldn't be here. Not here. But a small part of me—that selfish part—hoped she was. "Malyn?"