Wherever You Are

Ten: Oxygen

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I was on the cold, hard ground, almost as if I had been thrown there and just now awoke. Looking around, my surroundings were nothing new, as I sat before the home Jack and I used to live. However, as time seemed to tick faster, the once beautiful abode before me suddenly started crumbling to pieces. 

Scattering back quick, I was astounded by what was happening before my eyes, and stood up fast. Instead of dashing like my feet were planning, though, I took a step closer to the site. Bricks and boards flew about, never touching me, yet somehow hurting me inside. Each broken part of the home ripped at my heart like an open wound, but I never flinched once at the pain.

"Someone, help, please!" I screeched, my voice echoing as I was the only thing making noise. Frustrated as I knew no one could hear me, I directed my eyes back to the slowly paced falling of my home to notice someone standing in the doorway. Focusing more clearly on who it was, I could make out those eyes from miles away...

"Jack get out of there!" I yelled, motioning for him to join me outside where it was safer. Instead of him coming out, however, he motioned his hand outwards for me to come to him. Bewildered, I shook my head, but couldn't help when my feet started moving forward anyways. Struggling as I kept walking, I soon enough closed my eyes, while the world around me fell silently.

Soon enough, the touch of Jack's hand around mine made me calm and sent me to open my eyes with caution. I was no longer watching a mess of memories crumble down, yet inside even safer than I was before. The interior of our home was magnificent, nothing like the demolished home outside. Bright colors of blue and white swarmed the picture-filled walls, the smell of fresh paint still lingering a bit as Jack tugged me inside. A brass staircase to the left lined against the wall, while a large dining room sat waiting for the both of us beside it.

"What's going on?" I asked Jack, even though I enjoyed being with him in this way once again. It was nice, considering the last time I had been in our home tears drenched nearly everything from the sorrow of him being gone.

Bringing me to the left into the living room, Jack ceased to answer the question, which I kept wondering if he even heard in the first place. It was as if I was visible to him, but nothing more. Trying to shake away the thoughts, however, I took a quick glance outside the lone window in the room to see blue skies and a sun shining down. It was an odd scene to see when I knew what terrors were really there.

Lingering my hand against the fine white furniture we had in the room, I missed everything about them. I missed just lazing about while Jack cooked, or watching T.V. on our small widescreen. It all made me utterly depressed.

"Why are you-" I was about to ask Jack once more, but when I turned around... he was completely gone. "Jack?" I wondered, darting my eyes to every inch of the room I was in before rushing out into the kitchen adorned off of it. "Jack!" I screamed, though it was clear that the only thing left in that checked kitchen was my dignity. 

Lungs seeming to fill up with water, I could barely breathe. My heart stammered in my chest, as the inside of the home then started crumbling like the exterior. "No, no, please," I said exasperated, my head becoming dizzy. "Come back..." I hesitated, rushing out of the kitchen and back to the main entrance where the front door looked to be ripped out entirely. Tears escaped my eyes without delay then, as I pushed myself away from the terrible demolished sight outside and up the stairs. Clutching hard onto the railing, I brought myself up to the second story hallway where three rooms lined either sides.

Knowing immediately which one was mine and Jack's, I dashed to the last room and shoved open the wooden door in hopes of finding him. To my dismay, no one was inside, and I could barely contain my anger. Charging up to the grand white bed in the middle of the master bedroom, I slung myself down upon it in despair. Tears drenching the soft comforter underneath me, I was sold on staying where I was for the rest of forever, because even just a minute without my Jack was the end of everything...