Where These Souls Go

Chapter 9

You know those movies, those really dramatic movies, when the main character is running for their life and everything around them is a blur? And you know how their surroundings go from something light and normal to something dark, as if it's foreshadowing the eerie scene, or even God forbid, something terrible about to come. That's how I felt. Memories from my accident were pulsating through my mind, as my heart beat irregularly and my brain throbbed against my skull. I felt panic in my chest as I ran.

Where was I going? I couldn't tell you. Hell, I didn't even know if I could stop.

I heard a familiar voice calling out my name. It echoed out into the surroundings, as if it was bouncing off some invisible wall over and over again. 

I tried to ignore the voice, but I got louder and louder, until there was no way to ignore it. I skidded to a stop, falling to my knees and panting hard. I still heard it. My name. And then talking.

"Hey, Olivia. How are you doing? That's stupid to ask. Sorry. I doubt you can even hear me...."

The voice belonged to a man. It was so damn familiar. He sighed.

"We miss you at the station. We've been cracking down on criminals. Going out of our way to make the streets safe. It's what you would've wanted...--shit. It's what you want. I'm sorry,"

That voice... is it Jensen? It has to be. He's speaking to me?

"It's just been so long. You gotta wake up, Liv. You have to. You're my partner. I can't do this without you..."

He sighed again.

"You know our guy? The one we brought into the station the night you-- The one with tattoos? Remember him?"

That man. I remember. I remember looking at him through the one-way mirror. I knew he looked familiar. Tell me, Jensen.

"Liv, he's the jackpot. The ultimate jackpot. Twelve years back in Atlanta, Georgia, he hit up a place and there were multiple casualties. Twelve years later we bring him in for threatening and holding hostages, but we have nothing but witness statements to hold him. We had a hearing just last week. Let him go. But I have evidence. Evidence that he was the one who stole and damaged the property and hurt all those people. Liv, it's like Wonderland. You have to come back and help me get this guy,"

I felt myself smiling as I looked up into the darkness around me. Jensen... he was always like a brother to me. Even now when I was bedridden, he refused to leave my side. And I can tell that he desperately wanted me to wake up. I wish I could. If I only knew how...

"Just keep it in mind, okay?"

I heard him chuckle to himself.

"Goodbye, Liv. I'll swing by soon,"

No, don't go. Please. Jensen...

I tried to call out, but I couldn't. And only silence was returned to me. Complete and utter silence.

I was left alone with my thoughts.

Until I heard my name again.

Jensen?

No...this was someone else.

"Olivia!!"

The voice didn't seem distant. It didn't echo like the last one. It seemed to be right next to me. But who...

"Olivia, come back!" the voice almost sounded panicked.

I jumped to my feet and spun around to see where it was coming from.

"Olivia, follow my voice. Follow my voice. Come back towards the light,"

The light...?

I saw a faint flicker in the distance, and I stumbled towards it. I felt my body become weightless, and I walked into the radiant light as it absorbed me.

...

I felt myself falling. Or was I? No, I wasn't falling. It was just the feeling of falling.

My head spun as I reached out, breaking through what seemed like a thin glass sheet of blackness, the fear shattering around me with the glass as I stepped through. The minute my body was through, I felt something wrap his arms around me. I was stunned and confused, until the figure released me after the tight and long embrace.

...Beck?

It was true. I saw Beck's deep hazel eyes searching my face, his hands still firmly grasping on my shoulders, as if he feared I would topple over and shatter. I heard a ringing in my ears, and as Beck tried to speak, his voice sounded like he was talking while I was submerged in water. I shook my head, waiting for a moment until the ringing had faded out, and Beck's panting breath was clear again. He raised his eyes brows, as if to ask if i could hear again. I nodded.

"Thank God! What where you thinking, stupid?!" he exclaimed, finally letting go of my shoulders.

I winced, rubbing my left shoulder where his grasp had been particularly tighter than the other. I let him continue to go off.

"How could you just do that? You have no idea what kind of risk you just took. Do you have any idea?" he shouted, pacing back and forth.

I let out a sigh, dropping my hand back at my side. He wasn't finished.

"I don't know what that was, but I'm serious, Olivia, you better not do it again. Are you hearing me? Is this clear? Say something," he finished, his voice sounding more concerned and wary at this point.

I shrugged my shoulder, looking up at him with tired eyes.

"I told you not to call me stupid," I mumbled, which caused him to shake his head.

He rubbed his temples, letting out a breath he seemed to have been holding. Whoa...was he worried about me? Was Beck Mitchell concerned about me?

And why? What even happened?

"Beck..."

"Not now. Don't ask any of your stupid questions now. Please. Let me just take a breath, yeah?"

I backed down for a moment, staring at the rough, dirt ground.

Wait...where were we? This didn't look anything like the place we were in. It's a lot more grey and foggy and...sad. What happened?

"Come on, Liv, let's get you back," Beck said to me, taking my arm gently.

Liv? Did he just call me Liv?

Did that happen?