Red Dust

Chapter 21

    I awoke to the smell of wood and candles. Rhys... I thought. "Iris? Is that... Iris is that you?" I opened one eye and found myself laying on the concrete floor in Rhys's garage. I opened the other and saw him standing across from me, looking like he was about to cry. He took off his hat and threw it behind him, running toward me. He sat down on his knees and tried to prop me up from the cold floor. "Rhys?" I asked, bewildered. "Iris... you... you flatlined! You were- gone..." Rhys embraced me in his plaid-bound, muscley arms. "I know... I heard you talking to.. to mom... You were there. You stayed with me." I said quietly, holding back tears. Rhys stood up, and I was pulled up with him. My knees shook beneath me as I tried to gain my balance. "Iris you look..." "Yeah I know I probably look horrible." "No, you look incredible." He moved the mirror from earlier back into my view. I was wearing the red dress I saw when I was with Lyric and the red tattoos were still there, but now they were glowing. My hair was in flawless blonde waves and the twisted red and gold crown lay on my head again with red rubies hanging from it at intervals. I had bright red shiny sandals and my nails were gold that changed to red every time I moved. "At least you're back." Rhys said, breaking my self-awe moment. "But Lyric isn't." "Are you sure?" said an echoey voice. I looked around for where it came from. Rhys was pointing at the red locket I found around my neck. "Lyric?!"