Ella Revival

Wake Up.

Heartbeat. Blood. Breath.

I could hear the loud, successive thumps set in frantic pace inside my chest—‘Lubbdubb’—pumping blood throughout my system; its stream pulsing life at certain points of my ischemic anatomy. ‘Hmm, hah!’ also, air was starting to fill my dry lungs as I inhaled into the humidified current as if I’d just breathed for the first time.

“Come on Ella, wake up! I love you! Baby, please…come back to me?”

‘Lubbdubb. Lubbdubb. Lubbdubb.’

A familiar voice, same wild beats, but I am no longer cold.

I wake up not in the endless darkness I’ve been contemplating atop that bridge; Hades, the ruler of the underworld, is nowhere in sight as well. The vicious and looming figure I was expecting to greet me is not anywhere visible. No, darkness, this place is not.

If fact be told, my eyes opened in the very opposite of dusk and almost everything in here is painted white. Pretty strange vicinity to awaken when I’m no longer suppose to. Nevertheless, the world seems to not matter anymore as I behold a surreal beauty my soul have been longing to see. A face of a savior—of love.

With shaky hands and quivering lips, I reach for the sitting in an armchair beside my white-sheeted bed. I just want to make sure I’m not merely dreaming all of this. I need to feel the reality of his presence.

“Are you real?” I asked helplessly, daftly even, as I caress every inch of his glorious visage: his rather long and wavy bronze-colored hair framing a pair of gleaming sapphire-blue eyes, straight nose, smooth cheeks and prominent jaw set in a backdrop of tanned skin. I’m afraid that any second now he will suddenly vanish from my sight.

His lips crack into a joyous smile, holding my exploring hands as he gives me a gentle pat on the head. “Of course I am, silly.”

And that simple remark brought about a serious bawling on my part. I cried and laughed at the same time like a complete oddball. But I don’t care. The most important thing now is he’s really here and not just a product of my imagination nor desperate illusion.

“I’m sorry! I’m very sorry Jace! I-I’ve been so foolish and self-centered. I was immature and ungrateful despite everything you’ve done for me. Oh I’m sorry…sorry! I know I don’t have any right…I-I don’t deserve your—“

“Shh…” but he hushed my rambling by placing a finger on my lips. “I know. But I love you and I forgive you. I don’t care about your past; all I want is your present and your future. I wanna be with you for the rest of your life.”

Speechless. Blinking in rapid succession. Breath caught and lodged in my throat. I pinched my left arm, then slapped my right cheek—they both sting.

Even more when he finally says: “Will you, Stella Crossroads, spend your lifetime with me?” he paused and kissed my hands. “Please, marry me baby.”

As a little girl, I had also dreamt of having my own perfect, romantic proposal scene. I had imagined it in a river-side hill under the cool shade of beauteous autumn-clad maple and oak trees. I’ve always loved the falling perfection of bright-colored leaves joining the mild, fragrant breeze. Not as hot as in summer or as cold as in winter; just warm and easy. Then, he would sing me a sweet song as he eventually kneel down and set an exquisite ring in front of me; promising not the world or stars, coz for him I’m already both, but his heart that’ll forever be mine.

Yet, I realize that the most perfect and romantic offering of love for me is right at this moment: in this hospital room, with dextrose attached in my left hand and oxygen supply placed on my nose. The place, season, or anything I originally wished is not as imperative for he and his love are enough for me to make everything special and magically amazing.