The Arrival...

The sound of light footsteps are heard in the hallway in the early morning as my colleagues arrive. I exchange a smile with each and everyone that I come across, I then lead myself to my office and place my backpack down onto my desk. I pull out my laptop and folder of papers as I heard the bell ring and the echo of chatter fill the halls. The over whelming sound of students never fail to drain my energy almost immediately,

Well it's just about another day to begin.

____________________________________

Pardon, let me introduce myself..

I am Raya, a 25 year old highschool teacher. Personally I see my students as my children, and I prioritize their progression in the hopes that they will have atleast a decent future. But now I'm expecting a child of my own with my Husband John who I've been married to for 3 years now, and have been together with for 10 years. It feels like our life had just began, and I am eager to meet my little boy, yes I already know it's a he. I've been pregnant for 8 months now, and I've been missing my students dearly.. But I'd be back after I recover once I've given birth, but I certainly would be in a maternity leave for quite a while..

Sigh.. and life begins.

[Part: Beginnings]

I walk around a the Grocery as I caress my enlarged belly, I push a cart filled with goods as I excitedly prepare the ingredients for the congratulatory cake I wish to bake my husband for being promoted as the new CEO of his dad's 30 decade standing company.

A little later as I finished in the cashier, I pushed my cart carrying the grocery bags and pickup up my quite light grocery bag that only consisted of a bag of sugar, eggs and flour. I then happily waited in the sidewalk to cross the street, as the traffic light turned red I then set set foot on the road and began to cross a little behind the others with me, but then suddenly a loud deafening honk of a truck's horn was blasting in my ears.. I heard someone yell but I can't distinguish what the person said, suddenly my ears just rang and that was all I could hear. My vision began to blur and my body felt numb, I held onto my stomach and I felt a slight moist in the corner of my eye, now that I think of it I swear that it was a tear.. Before my eyes began to close, I saw myself laying down in my own blood.

Everything went silent.. I was alone, it was eerily quiet.. Yet my thoughts echoed out loud, I hear my self, I hear my thoughts... It echoes in a seemingly endless purely white room. I walk forward, and it seems to just never end. There is no other color, no other people, just me and white walls that seems to stretch to an endless horizon..

where.. am I?...

___________________________________

Dear John...

[Part: Endless color]

I walk around aimlessly, suddenly I feel a droplet fall on my arm. It's pink paint?.. all of a sudden it rained paint, I shielded myself with my arms and closed my eyes. When the rain began to stop, I opened my eyes cautiously. I noticed I was wearing a pink long sleeve sweater.. I was no longer in that colorless dimension, I was in a restaurant... A really familiar one..

" Raya! Come on order up. " I flinched, I turned to see an old friend, " Julliane? " ..

"Girl.. quickly, the cute guy is waiting!" She whispered and nudged me forward. Surprised, I looked Infront of me and I stood awkwardly in silence. John? I thought it myself. My husband, looking youthful is standing in front of me.. With his long hair in a short ponytail, wearing a black polo, his old work uniform.

Suddenly it clicked, this was the day when we first met.. but, how? Why?.. Julliane shook me hard, suddenly I was out of my cautious and curious trance. "Right.. I'll have the Fillet and a simple Cola" I said cautiously, carefully checking for any signs of reality. "O.. Kay.." he said slowly, clearly finding the situation awkward. "And a bottle of water, does your number come for free?" Jillian courageous added. "JULLIANE!! " I shouted in disbelief. I looked at my young husband curiously. He let out a scoff, "sure, why not" and gave me an innocent little grin. My friend silently squealed near my ear.

I gave a breathy sigh, how I would do anything to see him right now, I thought to myself. I sat down as my friend pulled me in a vacant seat, "Eee!! You're totally his type. Did you see his cheeky grin??" She asked excitedly. "Hmm.. yeah I did" I said calmly with a smile. "How are you so calm!!! He's so your type" Julliane said to me in disbelief. "Well.." I said trailing off noticing how he was staring at me from the cashier counter. Was he like this back then too? I never noticed.. I was probably too busy giggling with Julliane back then. I thought as I scoffed to myself, I gave a smile to him and he smiled back.

Suddenly he started to look pale, eventually he seemed to lose color. Everything around him seemed to melt away into a white puddle, I was alone.. Back in that colorless world, what is happening I begin to question. Suddenly I feel the ground beneath me crumble, I can't move I felt my body restricted. I then fell, I couldn't make a sound, not a peep or squeal. I fell in, this time it was pitch black, an endless darkness...

I felt colder, I looked at myself, I was wearing a hospital robe. Why?... Suddenly I fell on what seems to be soft cushion, like a painting, my surrounding began to show color. I was in a dim lit hospital room, suddenly my arms felt heavier than usual, I was holding a baby, my baby.. something tells me that the baby in my arms is mine. Tears suddenly cloud my vision, I felt a pang of relief rush over me. I brushed my fingers along his cheeks.. my baby boy..

I felt a hand on my shoulder, yet I didn't flinch one bit. It was my husband, it felt as if he was always there.. But he wasn't, I was alone up until now.. Yet it feels like he never left.. But it doesn't bother me, I hid my head on his chest as I cry and he pats my back comfortingly. "It's our baby boy.. I promise I'll keep him safe, and raise him to be a dignified man." He says soothingly, yet in such a sad tone.. why?..

[ The reality ]

Heart monitor makes noise, and the cries of a newborn baby can be heard. John walks over to the nurse who holds their little baby boy, "He's here love.. You'll get to see him soon, just.. please try to stay with us for now okay.." he mumbled to himself.

A little later..

"Sir here is your health baby boy" the nurse gives the sleeping infant to John. He smiles softly with a sad gaze as he looks at their child, he turns to Raya on the hospital bed still unconscious and stares longingly. He walks over holding their baby, "Babe.. Look, it's our little Hugo.." he whispers to her, his voice strained trying to hold back his tears.

He holds her cold hand, "It's our baby boy.. I promise I'll keep him safe, and raise him to be a dignified man.".. He said to her, then he leaned forward and gave her a peck on the forehead.

" I know you're doing your best to come back to us.. But don't tire yourself love, okay?.. ofcourse we would want you here.. but if it's for the best.. I'll accept whatever you choose to do.."

His hand immediately rushed to cover his mouth, attempting to muffle his cries. He gulped and cleared his throat, "we love you.." he kissed two fingers and tapped it on my forehead, "one for me" , kissed his fingers again and placed it on my forehead a little longer, "one for Hugo"..

[ Back to the Raya ]

Suddenly everything disappeared on me again, this time I was standing on my feet. I suddenly fell to my knees and I cried, feeling empty and alone. When they disappeared I suddenly realized what and who I had left behind, I became reminded of what had happened to me... Is this.. some sort of heaven?.. I ask myself.

Hmm, that is a common question around here. But no, this is not the place you call heaven.

A voice answered and echoed, I looked around, no one was there.. "Who are you.." no more importantly, "Where are you?.."..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

{ End of chapter }

This is the end of Chapter 1, kept it little short but I hope I still kept it intriguing.

Happy to be back to writing, been keeping this a draft for the longest while.

Word count: 1494

Including end of chapter note: 1543

Author: Hayven Averdine