Her Own Little Eden

Lauren escaped death on the night she escaped the Slenderman in Oakside Park. She then managed to escape death for about another 70 years more before it finally caught up to her. Or rather, until she finally slowed down for it. She was, at last, ready to let go of her life and move on into whatever might come next. She'd had a good, long life, full of success and meaning, but even so, throughout it all, something always felt missing. That was why, when Lauren felt her eyes grow unnaturally heavy right in the middle of one summer night, she had no issue in slowing down and shutting them and going to sleep.

When at last her eyes did open again, Lauren was standing right in the middle of a lush little forest, quaint and quiet, the only sounds being that of nature itself: water flowing, birds and crickets chirping, the wind rustling through falling leaves. It was a very scenic picture and it didn't help that there was a gentle, golden sunset on the far west horizon. The grass was bright green and soft beneath her sneakered feet and the sky was a hazy pink-yellow. The trees seemed young and strong, vibrant with color and rich with smells. It was what she'd envision as her own little Eden, a quiet paradise in a majestic garden, a forest.

Normally, such serenity and beauty would've been lost upon someone just waking up right in the middle of this field with no knowledge of how or why they were there. Lauren, however, felt very much at home here and even though she couldn't explain it, she felt as though this place had been waiting for her, and now she felt as though she were waiting for it...

"Lauren!" a cheerful voice that Lauren hadn't heard in decades echoed behind her. Lauren turned around with a huge grin.

"Kate!" and she had never said anything with so much certainty. Sure enough, then, coming up over the grassy slopes, was a college-age girl in a pink dress. She had long, silky black hair that ran down her muscled shoulders, and she practically flew at Lauren. Lauren, excited, began to run towards Kate, all the stagnancy and tiredness gone from her limbs. Suddenly, she felt worlds younger, and was skimming across the soft ground, limbs taunt and thin again, lithe with muscle and energy of life.

The girls met in the middle, colliding in a joyous embrace.

"Lauren! You're finally here! Oh! We've been waiting for so long!" Kate cried in delight.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry. It just took me awhile to get here!" Lauren laughed in reply, knowing exactly where she was even though no one had given her an exact name or explanation for this place.

"Well, that's a good thing!" Kate replied. "Oh! But it sure is good to see you again! It'll be just like when we were kids!" Kate took Lauren and spun her around a little and Lauren laughed.

"Time certainly hasn't changed you at all, has it Kate?" she joked and Kate shook her head proudly.

"It hasn't changed anyone else either!" she added, gesturing behind her.

Then, as if on cue, three boys all appeared where Kate had stood moments ago, running at them from atop that grassy hill.

"Charlie! CR!" Lauren recognized two of the boys at once. There CR was, still just as lanky as he ever was. His dark hair was still spiky and wild. He had a proud and playful smile on his thin face as he ran down to join Kate and Lauren at the base of the grassy slope. Running right beside him was a much smaller, younger boy. He was a chubby little guy with short, fuzzy brown hair. It was Charlie. He began to sing Lauren's name and he danced over to her eagerly, chubby legs never tiring at all.

"Lauren! Lauren! Lauren!" Charlie sang, then he launched himself into Lauren's arms.

"Hey, Charlie Boy! It's so good to see you again!" she hugged him tightly.