His Queen

Chapter 22 : Open

Slowly I crack open my eyes, they are stiff, swollen.

Thin streams of light filter in through my eye lashes like half closed blinds. All sound around me is muddled, foggy. It's like I have head phones on blocking all the noise from entering my head.

I feel like I'm emerging from a long tunnel. Miles after miles of darkness behind me marking my journey of a peaceful calm. Now I've reached the end. I'm waking up from my slumber weather I'm ready or not to face the chaos. The light gets brighter. I want it to stop. I try and claw my way back into the darkness, back into my safe tunnel. No one can reach me. I have no purpose, no choices or conflicting thoughts. I don't want to wake up.

"Ali....."

I voice whispers amongst the haze. It's a beautiful sun rise now. The light intensifying, darkness fleeing.

"Ali....."

So soft and gentle. I want to melt into the voice and find safety. I feel vulnerable. Exposed.

I try and blink but no shapes focus. Its bright afternoon, the sun in full bloom like a day lily. It's blinding. Once again I wish to be dragged back under but my wishes are not received.

"Open your eyes."

A male voice says. Everything is much clearer now. Slowly the sound of waves and seagulls is registered. The steady crash of the waves slowly chipping away at the rocks like a chisel.

I'm laying down on the sand. The tiny grains stick to my skin. Someone's holds me tightly, like a life line. They cradle my broken soul like a glass sculpture.

I slowly take a breath. In. Out.

It hurts my lungs. The taste of salt water remains in my mouth. Gritty, repulsive. I cough.

"That's it."

There it is. That same wonderful voice. Calling me back to life. Holding me down so I don't float off into oblivion.

I try and open my eyes wider in hopes of seeing the source of it. I want to see the face of the beautiful voice. However, my eyes refuse to cooperate, leaving me mostly blind, only the fuzzy colors. Blues, greens, browns, and tans. A complete gamut.

My mind slowly wakes up from its sleep. My thoughts start to race in. It all so much.

Why am I here? What happened?

I know I'm at the shoreline. It's quite obvious. But how I got here seems distant. It's a memory that won't surface, staying hidden in the back of my mind.

"Please." I whisper.

I barely recognize my own voice. It's scratchy and broken. Weak. I hate being weak. I won't be weak.

"What happened?" I say again with more force. I still can't seem to focus on my surroundings. I don't like it. I want to be able to see the terrain, measure my space, keep my distance. I want to be able to calculate my escape options and asses my company.

"You don't remember?" The voice says. It's for sure a man. Definitely.

"No." I respond and I try and move my body but it's weak, lifeless.

"Don't move yet. Rest." He reassures me putting a calloused hand on my shoulder and pushing me lightly back into the sand.

I feel trapped. I want to break free.

"What happened?" I ask again with a trace of paranoia.

"Shh. Your okay." He says to me softly. I feel a hand brush the hair from my forehead and involuntarily I lean towards it.