Miscellaneous

Surrounding Me

For Werewolfgirl13's story competition.

     The cold seeps into my very bones, but I don't think about that. All I think about is her.

     It's my fault. It's my fault she's not here beside me, it's my fault she's laying dead in her grave.

     I go deeper into the water until the cold reaches my chin. Shivering, I go deeper and deeper until my whole body is underwater.

     Don't.

     I hear her voice again, but I know it's not real. I ache from the cold, and my lungs yearn for air, but I refuse to go above water.

     Ethan, don't.

     Her ghostly voice surrounds me, drowning me even more than the water. 'Sienna?' I think to her, because I can't speak.

      Ethan, get out of the water.

      I shake my head. I have to be with her forever. I can't wait until a natural death. It's my fault she's gone, and I need to pay.

     No, you don't, now get out of the friking water.

     I try to swim up, I really do, but it's impossible. I had drifted further and further away from shore, and deeper and deeper under the water. I know I will die a watery death. A couple minutes ago, that thought was inviting, but now it was terrifying.

     'Help me, Sienna,' I beg silently, but she doesn't.

    Instead, she says, Ethan... leave me alone. I told you we were done.

     'But it was my fault you died!'

     She shakes her head. I told you to leave me alone. It wasn't your fault I died- if anything, you kept me alive.

     'No, I didn't. It's my fault.' Black spots dance across my vision, and my lungs burn with desire for air. I am dying.

     The last thing I see is her face- her horrible, hate-filled face.

       "Oh, God, not him again."

      Two girls look over me as I lay underwater. Both are painstakingly beautiful, but I don't know either of them. I don't know anything.

       "I thought you ditched him years ago."

      "I did too, but he's a crazy friking stalker."

       The girls giggle, and I struggle to sit up. "Where... Where am I?"

      "Dead." the second girl responds without the blink of an eye.

      "W-what?" I scream. "Dea-dead?"

       "As a doornail," girl two responds, examining her nails nonchalantly.

      The first girl looks at me, repulsed, but then smiles shyly. "H-hi, Ethan," she says.

       "Hello..."

       "Sienna."

       "Okay."

    She smiles, and the second girl looks at her like she's crazy. With one last glance, she disappears.

       And it's just me and Sienna.

       "H-hey, Ethan."

       "So, my name's Ethan?"

      She smiles and brushes back a piece of my hair that had been floating around. Her hair is contained by a messy brown braid. God, she looks beautiful.

       "You look beautiful." the words are out of my mouth before I think them. Sienna smiles, and I wrap my arms around her.

       "I've known you since kindergarten." blood flows to her cheeks.

       "It feels like I've known you forever."

        She pulls away from my grasp. "No," she says, "I'm sorry. I-I can't."

        "Oh." I deflate like a popped balloon.

          "I-I'm sorry."

         "Give me a chance."

        She looks startled. "What?"

        "One chance. One night. One kiss, to prove that I-I love you."

        "No."

        "Yes," I insist. "If you're so scared, then I must be right."

        "Fine." a smile creeps onto her lips, even though she's trying to act angry.

        "Just one night."

         And then, I pull her into a kiss. She closes her eyes, and her hair seems to fly out of the braid. It lasts forever, deliciously forever.

       Finally, she pulls away. "Ethan?"

       "Yes?"

       "Can I have another night?"