Life After Death

Life After Death

How he came to sitting on a park bench, he wasn't sure, yet this thought was not uneasy and did not faze him. A stream trickled only a few yards away, water sloshing against rolling rocks and collecting sand in its tiny, white rapids. The rocky edge of the stream melting into a soft carpet of jade grass which the bench rested peacefully on. Peaceful, he thought, was probably the best word to describe this scene. There was no breeze, yet the grass swayed lazily and his black robes licked his ankles. He was not sure how long he had been sitting on the bench and staring into the water. Perhaps it was hours and hours, but it could have only been five minutes. This was certainly a strange place.

Memories flooded back to him, yet the pain did not follow. It was as though each thought was falling into his head like flour through a sieve. Red eyes glared at him and white fangs pierced his flesh. A great snake followed the Dark Lord's footsteps leaving him for dead. Automatically, he raised his hand to his neck, but felt no wounds. His skin was smooth and void of pain. Deciding to experiment, he pinched his left arm, wondering if pain existed anymore. It did. Although his skin remained pale and did not redden at his touch, he still felt his nails dig into his arm. Such a strange sensation, and such a strange place. He could barely remember who he was, but as more and more memories came to him, the more he realized where he must be. 

Succumbing to curiosity, he began surveying his surroundings again. Beyond this stream were fields and hills, some playing host to houses, even a small village, yet there were no people as far as he could tell. He could just see a small park not far from here, but it was empty. He imagined two little girls playing on the swings, but again, this was no more than a distant memory. Mountains stretched beyond the houses, reaching out into a brilliantly blue sky without a cloud in sight. Perhaps clouds didn't exist here. The view was slightly hazy, as though he was staring through heat waves, yet the temperature was ideal. Instead of him discovering his surroundings, his surroundings seemed to be forming because of him and what he found most comfortable. Had he dreamed this place up, or was it based on a happier memory from long ago? 

He turned around in his seat and the luscious grass followed his gaze. A huge, blossoming tree grew before his eyes, yet it had always been there, standing proudly  behind him. He knew this tree. This tree was more familiar to him than anything else in this scene, but he dared not approach incase he interrupted the dream, or whatever this was. Was it possible to continue dreaming after death? And his death was violent and he never wanted to die, so he welcomed this peace, but he would not have had it any other way. Somehow, this was right. The tiny pink flowers that nestled on the tree swayed in the non-existent breeze, and although they welcomed him, beaconing him forward, he did not rise from his seat. For the first time, he realized that he was not alone.

A figure came into sharper focus. A woman. She stroked the tree's large trunk lovingly and sympathetically. Even her red hair was dancing across her back. She was beautiful. He had never seen anyone as elegant and inviting as she. Or had he? Then he realized who she was.

"Hello Severus."

He leaped up off the bench and faced her, shock beating through his veins and his heart began to race. It had been so long since he had last heard her soft voice. It was like a song reaching his ears. He had longed to be in her company for too long, so why was he so afraid? Lily Evens walked towards him, but he did not back up. Partly because his legs refused to move away from her, partly because if he took more than a few steps back, he would end up wading through the stream. The closer she came, the more solid her state. Once she was close enough to touch him, she became the most real thing he had yet to see. She smiled, her green eyes shining with happiness at seeing him once more, yet there was a sorrow to them, or perhaps sympathy.