[EDITING]
you took a polaroid of us,
then discovered,
the rest of the world was black and white,
but we were in screaming color,
and I remember thinking
are we out of the woods yet?
••••••••••••••••...
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ONE YEAR LATER August 25th, 2013
I let out a soft groan followed by a sniffle as the warmth of the morning sun brushed against my sleeping face, my hand tiredly reached up, cupping a hand over my eyes. A soft buzzing was heard on the nightstand beside me, alerting me to wake up.
My eyebrows furrowed at the sound, my eyes squinted as I perked up my head from the soft pillow below me, seeing my alarm clock buzz and ring. A raspy sigh escaped me as I leaned forward, hitting the clock with the palm of my hand and shutting it off.
I lay there momentarily, my eyes shut as I took in the silence around me. A yawn escaped me as I stretched my limbs underneath the blanket, my hand instinctively reaching out for the familiar warmth of Rick beside me. But as my hand slid across the bed, it was met with a cool, empty sheet.
My hazy blue eyes shot open, confusion flooding my groggy mind as I realized he wasn't there. The spot he usually lay was cold as if he had been gone for a while. I blinked a few times, the lingering haze of sleep dissipating as concern began to creep in.
"Rick?" I called out softly, my accented voice still heavy with sleep. There was no response, only the quiet hum of the house around me. I sat up, glancing around the room, half expecting him to appear in the doorway with that reassuring smile of his. But the room was empty, and a small knot of worry began to form in my chest.
I quickly pushed the covers aside and swung my legs over the edge of the bed, my feet hitting the hardwood floor with a thud. My eyes briefly glanced over at the alarm clock, the blue digital letters saying it was 8:02 am, I then moved my eyes to the calendar, a breath leaving me at the sight of the date that was circled in red.
August 25th, 2013.
My birthday. Today, I am 33 years old. Damn, what am I? A grandma?
I bit my lip as I concealed the giggle that tried to consume me, but I simply shook my head, knowing the main priority was to find Rick. I knew it was unlike him to leave my side, especially on my birthday.
My hands combed my messy grown-out hair behind my ears as I moved toward the desk chair, grabbing my soft blue robe that was draped on it. I quickly slipped on the fabric, a soft shiver leaving me as I touched the cool hardwood floor.
With a bit of caution, I moved toward the bedroom door, slowly creaking it open. I protectively wrapped my arms around my chest as I moved down the hallway, my ears straining for any sound, but everything was uneasily silent.
When I reached the top of the stairs, I hesitated a moment, peering down into the shadowy hallway below. A faint light was coming from the kitchen, and I could make out the murmur of voices– low, hushed as if someone was trying not to wake the entire house. I couldn't make out what they were saying or who they came from, but it made me feel less on edge.
