I woke up in a bank of snow. It’s really cold but soothing to me. I sat up and looked at my surroundings. I was in the middle of a forest. As I start to get up, the most intoxicating scent catches my attention. It smells of juniper berries and fir trees. It was her.
I started to make my way through the forest. I needed to find her. Maria? No, Zira? I couldn't tell who I was going after. I ran for what felt like hours until I came to a crossroads. How cliche? Their scent surrounded me like a cloud as I looked back and forth between my options.
Then I heard her voice. It was…Maria.
"Jamesy-bear." Her nickname for me. I hated it but it made her smile and that was good enough for me. "Come this way."
I started to follow her voice. It was beautiful and mesmerizing still. I hurried down the road until I saw her, waiting by a creek. Her fiery red hair flirting in the wind. She turned and her eyes were a dazzling shade of green. She smiled and I nearly fell trying to get to her.
I pulled her into the tightest hug I could possibly give without hurting her. I buried my face in her hair, which always smelled like strawberries to me.
"I've missed you. So much, Maria."
"I know, Jamesy-bear. I've missed you just as much."
I held her for a moment before it donned on me. I felt…nothing. No warmth, no elevated heartbeats, and no sparks. I thought, maybe, if I held on longer they would come back. Alas, there was nothing.
We pulled back and she looked at me with a smile. There was something there but not like it was before. No matter, I was content with just staying here like this forever. I lifted her chin and leaned down to kiss her when I heard another voice.
"HELP, PLEASE!"
I looked in the direction of the scream. The voice sounded familiar but at that moment I couldn't place it. Maria turned my head back to her.
"It's nothing," she said with a smile. "Just the wind." She leaned in and kissed me.
Taking my mind off the other voice for an instant, until I heard another scream. This one was followed by a cry. A baby was crying. Instinctively, I started to walk in that direction when Maria pulled at my arm.
"Just leave it be and stay here with me. Isn't it what you wanted?"
I watched as her eyes filled with tears. I quickly looked away. Of course, I wanted to stay here with her but…
"I can't, Maria." I pulled my arm from her grip and took a step away from her. "I have to help them. The Goddess wants me too…I want to."
"But, Jamesy-"
"I'm sorry, Maria. I…I…have to go…I have to let you go.”
Each step away from her felt like a stab in my heart, but the path ahead felt right. I walked away, ignoring Maria yelling for me. If I turned back even just for a second, I would be lost in her. So I ran. Ran until I came upon the crossroads. This time, taking the other path.
“No, don’t. Please don’t,” the voice screamed. Zira.
My heart started to race. Someone was hurting her. Even though my chest felt as if it was on fire, I started running towards her voice.
“Please help. Help me.”
“I’m here,” I screamed back. “Hold on. I’m coming.”
Another scream pierced through the forest as the winds started to pick up. The snow came off the ground creating little whirlwinds, blinding my vision.
“Someone! Anyone!”
“Zira!” I pushed through the winds, hoping to get to her on time.
Then I heard the cries of a baby. Zacharias. He was here too. My determination increased ten-fold. The thought of someone hurting a child was too much. I let out a giant roar causing the air around me to explode, pushing the whirlwinds away. Now I was able to see.
In the middle of a clearing was Zira lying on the ground. She was holding Zacharias, who was still crying. Her eyes were closed and she was mumbling things. I knelt down beside her and noticed she was having a nightmare as well.
“Zira, wake up. It’s okay. Just wake up,” I said while trying to get Zacharias out of her arms. She held onto him tightly. “Zira, please.”
The moment I touched her face, her eyes popped open. She looked at me confused, as if she didn’t know who I was. Then out of nowhere she screams bloody murder.
****
And then I woke up. My chest still felt as heavy as it did in the dream. I wondered if this was from me or her. I quickly got out of bed and went to the door connecting our room.
I cracked it open as much as I could since she had installed a lock on the other side. Although she knows I could easily break whatever lock she puts on it, it was a sign of good faith on my part. As soon as I opened the door, I could hear Zacharias having a fit.
“Zira,” I called out. “Hey, is everything OK?”
I searched through our bond and I could only slightly feel her emotions. She was scared and in a panic.
“Zira, if you don’t say anything I’m going to break down this door.”
I paused a second before hearing her scream and bust through the door. She could yell at me later. I walked in and noticed Zira was still in bed. She was having a nightmare.
“Isaiah, please don’t,” she mumbled.
I picked up Zacharias and tried to calm him down as much as I could. No doubt her screams woke him up. I sat next to the bed and grabbed Zira’s hand. Her breathing slowed down a bit but she was still whimpering. Zacharias stopped crying enough for me to lay him down while I went back to Zira.
“Zira, hey. I need you to wake up,” I said, shaking her arm a little.
I could tell she was fighting against her dream but eventually her eyes shot open. She looked around for a bit before they landed on me. She had unshed tears that made her hazel eyes look like shiny marbles.
She was about to cry when I jumped in bed and pulled her into a hug. She sobbed against my chest as I held her. I knew she was in pain, but holding her at this moment felt good. It felt right. So I stayed there holding her as long as she would allow me. Eventually we both drifted off to sleep.