Since that armless slave-driver Nats insisted I post something writing-like, I decided to throw in the opening for what I'm currently working on.
Warning: This post contains a horrible teaser. If you're unable to contain yourself upon reading "TO BE CONTINUED", then this message will probably give you a massive coronary at its end. I am heavily armed, so do not visit my home and demand more.
Lights
"It's so beautiful," a young dark-haired teenage girl's voice said, "the lights. They just...they're endless."
"Yes," An old man with white hair and a beard mumbled impatiently.
But he couldn't help but look as well. The young girl's enthusiasm about the place seemed to renew his interest in it, even though he'd seen it millions of times before. Seeing it again through a child's eyes, so to speak. His heart sank a little as he watched the girl's eyes follow the dancing lights around them.
But the small open-air boat, resembling one an old, slow-moving roller coaster, continued it's journey on a silent river in a darkened cave of pure white limestone, the only source of illumination being the dancing lights moving along the walls, the ones the girl showed so much interest in. As the boat moved along inside the cave, the old man became more and more saddened. It was such a tragic journey to be taken by someone so young.
"Look, they're following us to the end of the tunnel!" the girl whispered excitedly, her voice lowering slightly as she realized that it echoed back toward her, as if she were afraid of scaring away the beautiful lights.
The old man turned away from her as she looked at him, and he closed his eyes, trying to shut out his own personal feelings. He wished, like he always did when travelling with someone so young and full of life, that his will could stop the boat, and send it back where it came from. But there were larger powers at work. There was no stopping for anyone.
"Tell me, kid," he said, swallowing the waver in his voice, "What's your name?"
"Sophie," the girl whispered without really taking her eyes off the lights, "I'm named after my grandma."
"Beautiful name," he said. The rest of what he knew to say, he'd gone through more times than he could count. He already knew what to say. "What's the last thing you remember, Sophie?"
"Going to sleep," she said. She finally tore her attention away from the lights long enough to look at the old man with her green eyes for a moment. "Am I dreaming? Is this a dream? If it is...I don't really want to wake up."
A long paused followed as the man swallowed hard, trying to keep his feelings of sadness from rising to the surface. For the first time in a millennia...he failed, and tears began silently streaming from his eyes. 'Didn't want to wake up' indeed...
"What's wrong?" The girl was now ignoring the lights, and was looking directly at the old man, her blissful smile having vanished.
The old man looked down slowly, suddenly almost ashamed to tell the girl what he knew he must. "You didn't wake up, Sophie."
Sophie looked confused, but her smile didn't return. She knew something was wrong now. "I...I don't understand."
"You were sick, Sophie. Remember? You were very sick--" The old man cut off suddenly, watching the girl's face drop in shock and horror. He knew he didn't have to say any more.
"So...so I'm dead?" She slumped in the boat, and looked at the water, no longer feeling like looking up at the lights. She closed her eyes, and her tears began dripping into the river.
"I know," the old man whispered, "You feel cheated. You never even got to live your life."
"No," she sniffed, "It's my dog, Snuffy. She'll miss me terribly. This will break her little heart. And my mom and dad--" She turned quickly and looked at the old man. "Can't you do something, please? Not for me...for them."
"Sophie--" the old man whispered. He took a deep breath to clear his mind. "This river...it is called the river of tears. Its salty water comes from the millions of people who have come through this place and cried for themselves, and for those who love them. But Sophie...the river only travels in one direction. It cannot go back. I'm sorry."
"I have to go back," Sophie whispered, her voice a mixture of sadness, anger and frustration, "I have to tell them I'm okay. Please, can't I wake up, just for a few minutes?"
Before the old man could speak a word in response, a violent wind suddenly roared through the cave toward them. His eyes widened as it quickly gained on their moving boat, and swept around them. He knew what it was...and it hadn't happened in thousands of years.
