The Other Side of Forever

White surrounds me.

The cold bites at my fingers through my gloves.

She waits for me on the other side of forever.

I take a step.

The ice beneath me begins to fracture.

I stop.

She calls out to me.

I can't make out what she's saying.

I believe she's urging me on, so I continue.

With every step, the cracks grow.

The wind stiffens my joints.

I can't see through the fog of my breath, but I can hear her voice.

And that’s enough.

The wind carries her soft tune.

It grows louder.

She shouts for me.

My coat weighs me down so I throw it aside.

Nothing can keep me from her.

I trudge forward, my hope pressing down on me.

It’s almost too much to bear.

I can barely see her through the mist.

She's hugging herself and yelling.

I can't decipher her words but it's almost as if she's pleading.

She's begging me to hurry.

She needs me.

I try to move faster but my legs work against me.

As I struggle, I step with more force.

The cracks beneath me grow larger.

She takes a step towards me but stops as the ice fractures ahead of her.

She rushes from my vision as my knees hit the ground.

I can feel the ice beneath me give way.

I'm submerged underwater.

Unable to move.

I float to the top only to find my entrance frozen shut.

I stare into the abyss but my eyes find no comfort.

I close them to see her.

I see her soft face, her deep brown eyes as they reflect the moonlight.

I wipe away her tears.

Some of her hair escapes from under her hood and flows in the wind as she whispers to me.

I hear her.

Her message is clear now.

Stop.