CHOICES OF YOU

0.7

A knock on the door wakes me up from my slumber. A tanned looking man comes into the room with the pizza I asked for. To my surprise I see Theo already awake.

"Wakey sleepy head." He croaks out. "I smelt pizza."

"I'm sure you did. And guess what, it's your favourite kind, cheesy garlic." I excitedly tell him. Walking towards the pizza, I realise I should stay here. Aiden isn't even real.

"How is your head?" i ask him, biting into my pizza slice. The cheese seeming to go on forever.

"Sore. I feel confused because I don't know somethings, mum is driving me mental." His voice still croaky.

"Yeah I know the feeling. Do you remember seeing me the first time since you woke up?" I need to see if he remembers that conversation or not.

"Not really sorry. Why?" He continues eating only stopping to think.

"No reason. You were pretty delusional."

"You not what I do remember is though? The first time we met. I had a free period and no one wanted to volunteer to take the new girl around. So me being the gentlemen I am, was selected." His smile making me smile.

"I thought you were and I quote, forced to do this."

"Or was I? You will never know." We laugh. I look at the time on my phone. 1:27. It has been an hour since I was suppose to meet Aiden. I feel guilty. But he isn't real.

We finish the pizza, deciding I should head home, I say farewell to my friend.

The sun shines through the giant trees. One willow stands in the park, reminding me of those trees from my dream. A slight breeze comes through as I enter the park. I shiver as the cold wind is sent up my spine.

As I near the other side of the park I feel a presence. A feeling of someone behind me. I turn my head spotting no one. I continue to head home still feeling the presence.

Instead of hanging in the front I walk to the back. An old sunbed sits upon the ground. Sitting on it I hear someone.

"Over an hour late. I thought when you checked the time you would come. Guess you don't want my help." Aiden appears behind me. I look up from the red chair.

"I do! It's just-"

"You think I'm just your imagination?" His angry voice cuts me off. "We are only as good as our words."

"No Aiden. I just- I don't know what's real or not! I keep getting these flashbacks and all the questions! Please Aiden." I plead. My hands holding my head. Everything is too much.

He grabs a rake and smashes it in half on the ground. "You know, when that friend of yours asked to give his life up for you I thought he was joking."

"What do you mean? Aiden please tell me!" I yell. I need to know.

"You know. He gave you his life. He was given a choice to let himself die or to let you live. And he chose you. But when Theo gave up his life he was given a second chance. He can't choose his own fate though." His voice still angry, but instead of flapping his arms about, he just stands there pointing. "You can't choose what happens to you, only the Glotest Council can. So they gave you a chance, you can save him."

"How do I do that?" I get up walking over to the spirit. "How do I save him?"

He just looks and laughs. "You have to remember you only have one chance. You don't need to choose now, you have a week."

"Who else would I save? I need to save him."

"You'd be surprised." The wind hurls as no one talks. The silence eerie.

"I'm going to go. Don't think I have forgiven you for not meeting me."

As I begin to say 'stay' he disappears. As much as I think this is a dream and I am going to wake up normal, I can't help but face the reality of this situation. My best friend gave his life up for me, yet I can't help feel the words of Aiden's fall to the pit of my stomach. Who else can I save or want to save?

What choices that I will have to make are going to be bad?