I thrust myself out of the darkness, and a gentle spring sun beats across my shoulders. The flowery meadow winks back up at me, like we are sharing a secret. All around me are dandelions, sunflowers, peonies and wildflowers, sprinkled among the lime green grass. It's paradise. I hear my name called, and I spin completely around, to look into the face of my lover. His strong brow is one I know so well, as are his ears, his nose and eyes. Oh, his eyes are the clearest blue, accentuated by the green meadow we stand in.
He opens his mouth to say something, and he barks like a wolfhound. I want to reply, but as soon as I try to do so, my world spins, and I open my eyes to the gnarled wood ceiling of my bedroom. My eyes are caked with sand, and my body aches from sleeping on my hard bed. "Ugh," I groan, "I don't see why we can't find me a new bed. This one is older than me!" I swing my legs over the side, and the ancient thing groans louder than I do. "Oh be quiet," I grumpily scold. I go down our ancient staircase to the kitchen.
My mother is down there, and she is humming a nursery tune as she scrubs the greasy old sausage pan. I'm about to ask her to stop singing that annoying song, when I remember who's favorite it was. My little brother Hal's. My eyes fill with tears as I remember his ruddy cheeks with his blond hair and hazel eyes. I small sob escapes my body, and my mother turns around. Her wispy brown hair with streaks of grey is escaping the checked headband she constantly wears. She pulls me into a hug, and we comfort each other. "Ana, we have to try to move on," She looks into my eyes, and I see they are full of tears. "He's been gone for three days; I don't think he's coming back."
