Sea of the Dead

Smooth, solid beams creak and bend underneath my back. A symphony of boundless colors melt through my vision and my body gently sways as if I'm drifting through the ocean. I'm floating on a thin sheet of glass, glued to a peaceful raft that's going nowhere. I sigh and settle in with a warm smile, reaching my palm down to dip my fingertips into the black water. A never ending bullseye ripples outwards, sending a pulsating wave through the sea of the dead.

I'm summoning her, hoping I'll get the answer I'm looking for this time.

Just like before, she comes for me. She has no physical form, but I can feel her everywhere. The warmth of her presence devours my mind, body and soul. She rises from the depths beneath me, cocooning herself in a swirling rainbow sheen around my body. Fingers of anhydrous water probe into my temples, connecting us into one fluid being.

It's so peaceful here that I never want to leave, and she knows that. The last time I was here, I begged for a release that I wasn't granted. Hopefully this go around will be different.

"It's not time yet, Iris," she whispers into my mind. My heart sinks and I shake my head in denial.

"I don't care, I'm as ready now as I was before," I protest, pausing for a moment. "Please, just…let me come home." I'm met with somber silence on her end. A single tear rolls down my cheek and I work to maintain my composure.

"Please…I can't do this anymore, I just want to be with him…I want to be with both of them."

She sighs, gently invigorating me back to an unwelcomed reality.

"I'm sorry, my love, but your work isn't done yet…there's much more to do."