Revisiting Her

-Her-

Light consumed and spat me out slowly moments later into a new place. My vision resembled what a camera would catch with the exposure setting raised to the maximum. I could not tell whether it was my vision or just the way things were there. Shapes started to become more distinct as my eyes adjusted to the light. I started to feel the air getting cooler. Wind? I turned as I began to hear water flowing behind me. Leaves of trees were rustling from the wind, trees that spread from the opposite shore of the river flowing in front of me and climbed atop the canyon where I found myself. I know this place...
"What are you doing out here?"

Io? I turned around. She was strolling towards me, looking at me with wonder. I am dreaming... it's in my head. But I died, right? What... A turmoil broke out inside me which got amplified as I realized that my body was not responding to my emotions as it should. I was not sweating, I could not feel my face blushing. I panicked.

"Sweatheart are you alright?" She was worried. On top of being panicked, I was confused, shocked and with my emotions overflowing, as soon as she reached me I pulled her close and hugged her tighter than ever before. "Heeeey, heeey! Take it easyyy... what's the matter?"
"You are here!" I whispered with joy.
"Ohh dear, I told you not to trip alone love.."
"Hahahaha yeah well... I don't know what the fuck is going on!
"That's alright..." she gave me a kiss on the back of the head as we were hugging, "I am here for you." Her voice was as tender as her touch.
"Good. I have questions." I let her go and held her face in my palms. Her skin was as soft as I remembered. Her eyes... I had not forgotten but, it had been a long time since I had her this close.
"Is this it?"
"Is what it?" She looked clueless but curious.
"Io, I am not tripping I am dead dear." Her look changed and she looked to the ground all disappointed.
"I thought it was going to take you some time to realize..." she said bitterly. You are adorable darling. You are made of fairy dust... no doubt.
"So what is going on?"I asked as I grabbed her palms.
"What do you mean? Were you expecting eternal sleep filled with wild dreams, indistinguishable from reality?" Her tone indicated a certain disappointment and bitterness, but as she stared in my eyes, I also realized there was a bit of irony there as well. " Or did you honestly believe that you are just going to reincarnate into something else?"
"So it's not real?" My heart got lighter as I was now welcoming this possibility. Real? That's an interesting word to choose.
"You have a choice, as a matter of speaking."
"Do I?"
"Hahaha" She laughed and I felt warmth surrounding me, as if the light was trying to compete with the cool breeze. Ok but I need answers dear...
"Can you please tell me what's going on?" She looked at me, straight in the eyes, with a sign of a smile on her lips. " So, am I dead and I am seeing you? Does it work the same way for you? Did you choose this? How long have you been here?!"
"Slow down, slow down... damn you are curious!"
"I am sorry I didn't mean to..."
"Nevermind. We are here. What do you want to do?"
"I missed you."

The look of her eyes... I thought I remembered distinctly what that was like, but it hit differently now that she was standing in front of me. I felt my insides light up and start to burn like wildfire. We kissed and the daze that struck me was otherworldly. Her cool lips left mine slowly and as I opened my eyes I met hers still fixed on me.
"I missed you too" I admitted.
"Let's sit... this may take some time" I suggested. We took a seat on top of some boulders by the shoreline. "So what is the choice?"
"It's simple..." she said plainly "...you either follow the river or cross it."
"To where?"
"Life" she said without providing any further explanation. She looked rather happy about it though as if going back to pain and suffering is every person's dream.
"Life? Is there even a remote chance that I survive my wounds?"
"I don't know. That is all I know."
"Where will the river take me?"
"A sea" she said enigmatically. I took a deep breath and looked toward the moving body of water in front of us. It was not deep, at least it did not seem to be.
"How do I get to stay here with you?" She looked at me with a hint of a smile.
"You don't belong here dear" she explained. She was peaceful, emotions were manifesting normally but she was eerily peaceful.
"I never wanted this to happen to you..."
"No. Yet no one is in a position to just want stuff and stuff to magically happen. Do not pity me John. You, my sister, my parents, it's the people I left behind that you can feel pity for."