Entwined

Johnathan awakens in a strange field with no recollection of how he got there.The answers he seeks are down an enigmatic dirt path flanked by hundreds of flowers. What answers wait for him at the end?

“What do you think comes after death?” The woman who asked the question sat across from Johnathan. He couldn’t quite make out her details, like a shadow had been cast over her but he felt her burning gaze upon him.

“I guess I’ve never much thought about it.” He chuckled to himself. For someone who's father was a pastor, it sounded strange even to his own ears.

“Do you think we’ll go to heaven together?” She asked. The slight quiver in her voice plucked Johnathan’s heart like a string.

Johnathan reached over, grabbing her slender hands in his own. Whatever troubles he had melted as they touched. “I don’t know, but I do know I’ll enjoy every second we have together.” He reached over, feeling her lips against his own.

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Johnathan burst awake, his chest burned as his lungs desperately gasped for air like a fish out of water. Head pounding, he tried to stand. The world spun like a globe sent reeling. Johnathan collapsed back onto his back, sending dirt clouds into the air.

What the hell happened? He thought in between breathes. Wisps of a memory rushed into his beating head. He saw a wooden valley on either sides of him. Vibrant flowers of all kinds dotted the landscape, each potted and bursting with life. On the other side, a woman. Young, golden, beautiful.

Gold. Johnathan thought. A pang of familiarity shot through his chest, a thought he couldn’t quite grasp.

He rubbed his eyes, forcing out the drowsiness in him. Johnathan struggled to his feet, noticing his bare feet among the dirt. 

God I haven’t felt like this since… since… Johnathan’s heart stopped. Since when? I cant remember… A fog had settled over Johnathan’s mind.

Okay, calm down, maybe I hit my head? He searched his head for wounds but was surprised to find none, yet not as surprised as he felt when he finally studied his surroundings.

Johnathan’s brow narrowed as he tried to understand where he was. He found himself in a sea of verdant grass, a gentle breeze creating an ocean of softly flowing green. A circle of striking colors surrounded him like a crowd of on-lookers. Roses, poppies, tulips and more, dozens of dozens of flowers circled him, rows and rows, each more vibrant than any he could have produced in his flower shop.

My shop! Of course, I remember now. Floral Dreams. His mother had tried desperately to dissuade him from opening it. It’s a child fantasy! Nothing more! Become a pastor like your father, and his before him. A stab of pain hit his heart upon remembering her words.

“Well Dad wouldn’t know all these flowers would he?” He chuckled to himself. Redirecting his attention to the matter at hand.

The ring of flowers broke in front of Johnathan, splitting to make way for a well-worn dirt path. The hard earth felt surprisingly soft against his bare feet. The path stretched long passed the horizon, pushing over and passed Johnathan’s sight. Flowers flanked both sides of the path, as though guiding him like those men with the lights Johnathan had seen directing airplanes when he was younger.

 

Johnathan sighed. It’s just my luck to get stuck here and with a poor memory to boot. He remembered when he was young his mother was always losing him. He chuckled at the thought. At least some memories are intact.

Looking out over the landscape, Johnathan's heart sank as he realized he was alone. No landmarks, trees, buildings, even rocks stood out amongst the grass.

Where could I be? I have no memory of this place. Johnathan felt a pit for in the bottom of his stomach. He felt as though he had to fight for air.

Calm down John, I’ll get through this. Deep breathes. 

The wind picked up slightly, the scent of poppies became overwhelming as it washed over Johnathan. A pang of familiarity descended over him like a trickle at first, and then a flood. What memory was this? He hardly remembered anything at all. His chest beating faster and faster as the wind cleared the fog in his head.

Then he remembered something.

Butterflies erupted in Johnathan’s stomach as the small bell to his shop door rang, signaling a customer. He swallowed his excitement, tempering it, remembering the half dozen other shoppers that had come and gone empty handed. 

Johnathan had been behind the counter, a small watering can in hand lifted over a pot of dilapidated white poppies. The water soaked into the soil, bringing a modicum of life to the plant.

“Welcome to Floral Dreams, let me know if I can get you anything.” He repeated the line he said with every customer that entered his store, not taking his eyes off of his task. 

Johnathan set the small green watering can down and sighed. Five customers today and not one sale. Who knew running a florist shop in rural New York would be so “profitable”. He leaned against the counter rubbing the weariness from his eyes. Maybe mom was right. 

Johnathan studied the customer, a young woman. He surmised her to be in her mid-twenties. Her brilliant golden hair reflected the light from the windows. Her sapphire gaze flickered over the display of flowers, never settling on one for more than a few seconds. 

Another “connoisseur” I see. The woman changed shelves and walked the length of the new one. She continued her inspection until she stopped dead in her tracks. Her thin features twisted into a look of surprise. She grabbed the object of her obsession and hurried to the counter, nearly tripping on the carpet.

“Where did you get these?” The woman presented a pot of flowers, blue petals of deep ice and a stamen of sunset orange. Johnathan looked into her eyes, noting the tears welling up. She looks like she’s seen a ghost. He thought.

“I don’t know, someone left them on the doorstep a few days ago.” He confessed, rubbing the back of his head. “I assumed someone didn’t want them so I put them on the shelf. I have no idea what they are but they’re perfectly safe if you’d like them.” 

She looked at the flowers, her eyes glazing over as they reflected the blue flowers. “I… I can’t remember why but I feel so nostalgic looking at these”. She stammered as tears welled in her eyes. “As if it reminds me of somebody, but I can’t remember who.”

The memory faded from Johnathan’s mind as quickly as it came. A faint pang of loss fluttered in his chest, like he remembered something he had long lost. 

Johnathan rubbed his eyes. Nobody told me the afterlife would be so tedious.  He sighed, picking up his feet and moving forward. At least I can finally get that exercise in.

Miles upon miles and what Johnathan was sure was several hours had passed, yet the sun still stood proud in the sky showing him the way forward. He was sure he should feel thirsty as well, or that his feet should suffer some damage from the walk, yet nothing.

As he journeyed, Johnathan’s eyes narrowed and his mind wandered again, slipping into the realm of memories again. The scent of flowers rushed into his waiting mind and unlocked another memory.

Johnathan found himself sitting at a table in front of his store. Potted flowers adorned the big bay windows affording a view into the shop.

The scent of the freshly brewed coffee in front of him caused his mouth to water. How long has it been since he just sat and enjoyed a coffee? 

Johnathan’s surprise mounted as he noticed his companion directly across from him. It was the girl from the previous memory, sitting still, nursing a cup of coffee. 

“Thanks for the coffee.” She said, staring into the murky brown liquid, her eyes still red. “I don’t know what came over me, it just… it felt so familiar.” She said glancing longingly at the ice-blue flowers sitting over on the adjacent table.

“No, no it’s fine. I sometimes get a little emotional when I see flowers too”. Johnathan scratched his cheek. “Or maybe that's the allergies”. He said, chuckling slightly.

The woman lightened as her lips formed a smile. Johnathan’s heart leapt in his chest. He ran his hand through his chestnut hair. Maybe I should have cleaned up a bit. He thought, looking at his soil-covered hands.

“I don’t even know why I came in, I don’t normally pay too much attention to flowers but… Something brought me in.” Her smile faded as she realized what she said. “N-not that there's anything wrong with flowers! Just…uh… not really my thing.”

“No, no I get it.” He said. His face split with a smile. She’s kinda cute. He thought, studying her thin features, her deep blue eyes.

Johnathan took a sip of his coffee. Bitter. “Well I’d like to say my advertising had an effect but uh” He said looking around. “I don’t think that's the case.”

The woman’s face lit up again, a smile splitting her cheeks as she begun to laugh. Johnathan followed suite, warmth flooding his cheeks. 

“Oh! Where are my manners? My name is Samantha.” The woman said, wiping a hand on her jeans and presenting it.

“I’m Johnathan” Samantha’s hand was soft, and slender. Contrary to Johnathan’s hands, rough and covered in callouses. It’s touch sent a wave of goose bumps up Johnathan’s arm. He could feel his face flushing further.

“So, what made you want to open a flower shop here, in the middle of nowhere?” Samantha asked looking around at the slow street corner.

A car meandered slowly down the dreary road. Johnathan took a breath, letting the early morning air settle in his lungs and still his beating heart. 

“Well, I’ve always loved flowers, so some part of me always wanted to make it professional.” Johnathan’s mind turned towards his childhood. The countless hours in the garden, the sense of belonging. “It always felt like where I needed to be.”

“I hear that” Sam said, downing the rest of her coffee with a smirk. “I write erotic fan fiction.”

Johnathan coughed as his coffee came back out. “What?” He asked, bewildered.

Sam burst out laughing, she held her gut as her face turned red. “I’m kidding, I work at the dinner down the road.” 

Johnathan couldn’t hold back a smile on seeing her face. I should get her number.

The fog cleared from Johnathan’s mind once more and he found himself under the blue sky, as he wiped the vision from his eyes. The memory was gone but a pang of loss lingered in his heart. Why do I get the feeling I have a long way to go? He thought, picking his feet up once more.

Johnathan cursed whatever cruel god had designed this place. The road unending, the horizon stretched on forever. He was beginning to doubt it even had an end. Maybe this place tortures you with memories of the past for eternity. He sighed. He kept at it, one foot at a time. 

He briefly considered why all of these memories were of Sam. Indeed, Johnathan found majority of his early life remained intact for better or worse, yet someone or something was forcing him to relieve these in particular.

A rush of fire set in Johnathan’s heart. I hate this feeling that I’m being played with. He fumed.

A new scent wafted, uninvited into Johnathan’s nose. Red roses. Another memory floated to the surface, darkening out the landscape and bringing a new picture into view.

The sounds of an old 60’s pop song crackled through the dark, candle lit room. Sweat formed on Johnathan’s brow as he twirled hand-in-hand with Samantha. She moved like a rose twisting in the wind as the ruffles of her red dress spun around her. 

Johnathan felt as though he were water, flowing and moving in canals. His feet landed in all the right positions, his hand knew where to go , to grab her hips, to swing her around him. His mind focused on the woman in front of him and everything else faded. 

“You’re good at this!” Samantha exclaimed, breaking away from Johnathan and slumping into a chair, her chest heaving. Johnathan could feel the heat emanating from her skin. The sweat glistening in the candle light.

Johnathan sat opposite of her, trying to regain his breath. He produced a cloth from his suit pocket and dabbed the sweat from his forehead. His heart quickened as he looked over the bouquet of roses in the center of the table and towards Samantha. 

“Samantha…” He started. His palms were slick with sweat, his breaths shallow. “These last few weeks, I…”.

Sam shushed him. “I know.” She looked him deep in the eyes. “I’ve felt the same way. Being with you, it just feels right.” He sighed the lump in his throat fading as she reaffirmed his feelings.

This feeling was all too familiar to Johnathan. The last time he had felt this way was when he wanted to be a florist.

Samantha stood, moving to Johnathan. She held out a singular, slender hand. An invitation.

Johnathan grabbed it and was swept away in a current of jubilation and heat.

The air felt heavy on Johnathan when he emerged, though he was grateful for the relative cool of the air.

I was in love with Samantha, maybe that's why I’m being shown this. To appreciate the happiest time of my life. 

Johnathan sucked in air and steadied himself. He quickened his pace to a jog, dividing breathes evenly as his bare feet hit the soil. Whatever lie in wait at the end, he knew he needed to reach it.

The movements came naturally, his legs felt smooth and flexible. He bounced foot to foot with precision and grace. Something is happening, I feel it in my gut. Like a puzzle piece I can’t quite grasp. 

The flowers rushed by as he jogged, the scent of lilies carried on the wind, filling Johnathan’s lungs and mind with another memory.

He held Samantha in his arms against the cold of the night, her warmth was pressed up against his side, his arm over her shoulder, pulling her close. 

The wooden deck they stood on was unoccupied, they stood alone in the solitary of the night. The roar of the waterfall drowned out the beating of Johnathan's heart. The pale moon reflected off of the water droplets falling to the ground.

Johnathan’s gaze focused on Samantha, her sapphire gaze fixated on the water, her lips parted to release a breath, fogging as it touched the air. He studied her profile, slender and smooth, her skin, her golden hair, silver in the moonlight. 

Johnathan removed his arm and stepped back a foot. Sam’s face turned into one of confusion as she averted her gaze to Johnathan.

“What’s up Johnny?” She asked, raising her eyebrows.

Johnathan steadied his breathing, he had been thinking about this for the last six months and he had his doubts but looking at her now, bathed in the moonlight, he was sure.

Johnathan got down on one knee, reached deep into his coat pocket and produced a small box. Opening it revealed a small ring with the engraving of a blue flower with an orange stamen on it. Johnathan looked up to Samantha, her eyes growing wide and mouth agape, she covered it with a hand as more breathe escaped.

Johnathan swallowed the lump in his throat.

“Sam, This last year has been the best of my life” Johnathan carefully recited the words he practiced so many times in the bathroom mirror. “I had no idea it would come to this when you walked into my store all that time ago” When he thought back on that day, his heart settled, he couldn't help but smile. “I love you, and I want to spend my days gazing into those sapphire eyes. Would you marry me?”

Tears streamed down Sam’s face, a smile split her slender cheeks as she replied. “I will! I will marry you!”

Johnathan couldn’t stop himself from grinning like a madman. “You will? I mean of course you will!” He shouted as he took her hand and slid the ring onto her slender finger clumsily. His heart soared when he saw her admiring the ring.

Sam threw herself at Johnathan, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her lips against his. Her body brought his warmth, her jubilation was uncontainable, Johnathan wanted to run a mile to rid himself of the energy.

 Her body against his, the two shinning in the starlight. I could get used to this. Johnathan thought.

The memory faded like foam in the waterfall, leaving nothing but a sense of overbearing loneliness in Johnathan’s heart. A piece was missing, his heart felt empty and he wanted it back.

Johnathan wiped away the sweat on his forehead. He sprinted full bolt down the flower path, his heart beat with increasing intensity, pumping harder and harder in his chest with every step. He could feel it inside of him, he was so close. So close to the answers he needed, to whatever this was about.

His feet grew clumsy and he tripped, sending the world reeling as he tumbled across the dirt, scratching his legs and sending dirt flying. He did not stop to rest, with a huff he was on his feet again and running. 

A sense of Deja vu sat in the back of Johnathan’s mind, as if this had all been done before. But that’s crazy. This place must be clouding my judgment, making me hazy. He rationalized. I just have to focus on the here and now. 

As the thought left his head another scent drifted in, one of the sorrowful lilacs. It’s aroma induced a feeling of hopelessness in Johnathan. His pace slowed to that of a walk, his heart shouted in agony.

Johnathan found himself, this time, in a hospital room. The scent of lilac permeated the medically sanitary room. He sat in a chair, his focus on the bed in the middle, a slender figure occupied it. It’s features were gaunt and deathly. Their eyes sunk deep, a ring of black under them. The hair a mess of bedraggled gold. A dull, monotonous beeping could be heard, timed with the slow roll of her heartbeat.

Her breaths came with difficulty, racking her entire body for a moment’s relief. Tubes protruded from her arms, connected to machines all around her. Johnathan held onto her slender hand, he choked back tears when he felt it’s chill.

We can’t figure out what’s wrong sir. The doctor had said, fire filled Johnathan’s heart upon remembering it. She’s just failing no matter what we do. He clenched his free hand until the knuckles turned white.

Well, find out what’s wrong! He had shouted, he had cursed, yet they remained silent, their eyes failing to meet his, an unmistakable air of surrender filled the room.

She was sleeping now, as she had been for the last three days, Johnathan was unable to. 

A steady beeping filled the room. Beep… Beep… Beep. Johnathan wondered what had went wrong. He searched his mind, his memories for clues and yet was left wanting. Everything was fine until she collapsed. A pain settled in his chest. It was just so sudden.

“Come back to me… please… ” A lump sat in his throat as he choked out the words. He tried to wipe away the tears welling in his eyes. 

Samantha’s gaunt eyes creaked open slightly, her sapphire gaze studied the room and settled on Johnathan. Her cracked lips moved to utter a silent sentence.

“Sam!” Johnathan’s heart nearly jumped from his chest as he jumped from his chair. 

She was mumbling something inaudible, Johnathan tried to read her lips to no avail. He leaned in, placing his ear near to her mouth.

“… I…Love you… I’ll wait… at the… door to the next… life for you…”

Johnathan’s eyes grew wide, tears now streaming down his face.

“No, I want you now, don’t leave me, I love you!” He shouted, holding her hand a little too tightly. The pit in his stomach that had refused to go away grew a little larger. 

Sam looked at him for a long moment before struggling to don a slight, weak smile. The color faded from her eyes as she stared at him, the strength faded from her grip. The life that had once occupied his wife was gone.

A flat beep matched the monotone of the hospital room.

Johnathan watched with bated breath as the doctors tried to revive her, watched as they failed. He knew it would. He spent the night at her house, sifting through her belongings. He knew a piece of him had died then and there. A piece of him was gone forever.

The funeral was quiet. Johnathan watched as they put his wife to rights and finally in the ground. He had wore his best suit, the one they had danced with. He stood there, alone in the shadow of a large oak in a field of green. He placed a bouquet of ice-blue flowers with orange stamens on the grave.

Johnathan went home that night, and sat in front of his shop, beside the plants, at the table they had met. The pale, cold moon shone down on him. The street was empty, reflecting Johnathan’s heart. He felt as though a void had entered him. I will see you again Sam. Johnathan wipe away the tears in his eyes. When this is all over, I know I will.

Johnathan remembered now, the memories came flooding back like so much water. He had briefly considered suicide but he knew in his heart that Sam would disapprove. So he lived his life out there, in that florist shop, a lonely life but he knew she was waiting on him. When the time came for him to depart, he did so gladly.

Ahead was the end of the path, the end of the road that Johnathan had walked for so long. He came to a sudden halt but a few yards away, the effort creating clouds of dirt. He stood agape, gazing at it. It ended in a circle of hundreds of flowers, each with ice-blue petals and orange stamens. In the center lie a disembodied staircase and at the top was a large metal door, engraved what Johnathan could make out to be a story of two people.

Johnathan slowly approached, his strides growing shorter and shorter until her stopped at the edge of the ring, his heart skipping a beat. In the center was a woman. She wore a long rose-red dress, her face outlined by spun gold and her eyes like two sapphires. 

“S-Sam?” Johnathan stammered out, unsure of his own legs he dared not move.

The woman smiled and rushed over to him. They met as arms entwined, pulling themselves into an embrace. Johnathan couldn’t hold back the tears her warmth produced in him.

“You waited…” Johnathan stammered out. “You actually waited.” 

Sam pulled away yet tied her hands to his. “Of course I did! We will always be together.” 

A thought sprung to mind in Johnathan, like a creeping insect he couldn’t remove. 

“What happened? Why did you fade so fast?” He asked. The question had nagged at his heart for fifty years. What had went wrong?

“It’s the nature of our curse.” She replied as sad look in her eyes. “For a crime we can’t even remember, we aren’t allowed to be together for too long.” 

“A curse?” Johnathan’s mind reeled in circles, he couldn’t grasp it. What curse? Who did this? Why us? A million questions littered his mind.

“You clearly haven’t remembered everything.” She gave Johnathan a reassuring squeeze. “That’s fine, you’ll regain the rest on the way.” She glanced at the door.

“What’s behind it?” Johnathan asked, he glanced at the door, something pulled at him, demanded he see what's on the other side.

“Our next life.” Sam replied, the joy written across her face. “This time, I think we can break the curse.”

“Break it?” Johnathan was still adjusting to this, his mind struggling to grasp what she was talking about but if they were destined for each other then surely that explains their meeting. It would explain a lot actually.

“I know you have a million questions but we have to go.” Sam pulled Johnathan towards the door. “I’ll explain it more on the way” She smiled at him, filling Johnathan with courage. “This isn’t exactly our first rodeo you know!” 

“It’s time we started our next life.” The doors slowly creaked open, a blinding light came from the threshold. blinding but warm.

Johnathan couldn’t tell what was on the other side, in fact he wasn't sure he wanted to know, but hand in hand with Sam he felt strong, and brave. Like he could face the world, or whatever cruel god forced this fate on them.

“I love you” Johnathan said, spilling his heart for Sam to see.

“I love you too.” She replied confidently and with a smile, pulled them through.

Author's Note

I've been putting a lot of work into ensuring compelling characters and to some extent, narrative. This piece was practice for my "show don't tell" skills so any feedback on that would certainly be appreciated. I know it's not quite professional level yet.