Lifeless Part 1 (of three)

This is part one of a new story I'm writing. In total it will have three parts.

      Tim pulled off his shirt, stretching and throwing it in his hamper before he laid down in his bed. He sighed, putting his legs up to rest them from the ten hours of standing in one place behind the register at a local fast food place. He looked in the mirror, laughing. His beard, normally brown, had grown a few gray hairs since he had last trimmed it a week earlier, but he kept it. It added a more full bodied look to his normally slender face.

      He heard his phone going off from somewhere in his discarded work pants, but he didn't move, sure that whoever it could be, would at least attempt to take him away from his comfy bed. He groped in a circular area around him for the TV remote, but he was disappointed as he noticed it, next to the TV. Putting his arms behind his head, he contented himself with just staring at the ceiling and contemplating the day off he was so looking forward to the following day.

      He stared mainly at the fan, swirling in a steady, yet still shaky rhythm that cast shadows in a way that was at that moment, the most soothing thing that he could imagine. Between that and the steady vibrating of his phone against the fabric of his work pants, he felt himself nodding off lightly to sleep.

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      Tim looked into Kate's hazel eyes and lightly brushed her hair back, smiling when she laughed at the sudden contact. He took a deep breath of the salty air as a waves lightly brushed the beach around them. It was as if for this one moment, the universe was aligned into a state of bliss for him.

      “I love you,” he said, pushing himself up on his elbow, blocking the sun from her face and staring down longingly.

Her eyes brightened for a moment and a smile touched her lips, but before the motion had even set it sagged into a frown and her eyes began to water slightly. She began to speak in a soft light whisper that Tim struggled to even hear, “I love you, too. But I have to tell you something before you get too caught up in this reality.”

      The look she was giving him scared him, she seemed terrified about what she was going to tell him, could she be cheating on him? Could she have lied about herself? He didn't think it was something like that, it just felt like it was something so much worse, yet he could not think of what. “What... What's wrong babe? Are you OK? Did something happen?” he asked, moving to place a hand on her shoulder.

       “Yes,” she said, intercepting his hand and taking it between her own. “But we don't have time for that, Tim I love you and I always will, but you can never see me again!” With the last words, her jaw began to quiver and tears began to stream freely down her face.

      The sky seemed to darken, though he could not tell if it was just the shock of what she had just said to him or if it really happened. “What?! Why?! Kate what on earth is wrong?!” He felt so betrayed and scared at the thought of her leaving now, that he could barely even think.

       “I'm so so sorry Tim,” she said, nearly pleading, “You have to trust me, this is for your own good, you don't understand.”

       He blinked several times, fighting to get the words he wanted out, “then help me understand! Why are you doing this?!”

       It had just started to rain and the seas were beginning to grow rougher, crashing waves in to the shore harder and more often. She was crying now, but she still seemed resolute that she was doing the right thing.

       Tim's confusion was only shadowed by his overwhelming sense of loss for what the day had initially brought.

       He opened his mouth to speak, but Kate raised a hand and said, “We've run out of time, you need to know that I love you. Remember avoid me at all costs and if I end up coming to your house...” She paused, and she seemed to get a hold of her emotions before saying “kill me.” Her tone was menacingly series and her eyes betrayed no hint of doubt.

       “What?! Kate, we're going to get you some help, please just let me help you,” he begged, tears streaming from his eyes.

       Kate looked downward, avoiding his gaze. The beach was now shaking, though Tim barely processed the information until he found himself growing dizzy. His vision began to blur and the storm was beginning to tear away the shoreline.

       “Tim, I'm beyond your help now, please ju-” she stopped, looking around in horror. Bolting to her feet, she put her hands up and began to cower away from Tim. “Oh god! Tim...ke... UP!” she yelled, but the storm was too loud for him to hear.

       The storm was now surrounding them, savage winds threatened to tip them as the rain bore down nearly hard enough to bring Tim to his knees. He could only just see Kate past the moving wall of water. He tried to move to her, but the forces of nature held him firmly in place.

       To his horror, he saw a hazy figure appear behind Kate, easily eight feet tall. Even in the darkness, the figure stood out in pure defiance of any spec of light. He couldn't tell if something was billowing around it or if it was just the heavy rainfall. He tried to yell to Kate, but by this point the air was being sucked from his lungs immediately after he inhaled. The best he could do was a light whisper.

       Kate turned to face the figure and it began shuffling around, finally making a large motion as if it had been pulling something from its clothes. A silver shine lit up the darkness cutting vertically in front of Kate and the figure. “Kate!!” he screamed, though it was to no avail, she simply could not hear him.

      It moved towards her and then they were both sucked into the tear, before it began to grow transparent while vibrating at the edges. Summoning the last reserves of strength, Tim pushed with all his might and pushed against the force of the rain. He stuck out his arm, aiming for the steadily disappearing portal. Desperately, he pushed off the ground with all of his might, aiming for the portal and yelling, “KATE!!” once again.

      He was going to make it, he was sure that the jump had been just what he needed. He felt the very tip of his finger tingle as it approached, seemingly in a slow motion fall. A sharp clap of thunder shook the world as a gust of wind slammed him to the ground, filling his screaming mouth with the sand of the beach. Tears mixed with the rain as he moaned against the storm that had taken it all from him.

       A gigantic wave formed along the shore, blacking out all light as it grew. He felt the cool air from the wave wash over him a split second before landing on top of him.

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       Tim opened his eyes quickly, his heart racing at a pace that alarmed him. A dream, he though. It was just a dream! He tried to inhale, but something was in his mouth, drying it out from the inside. He opened his mouth and tried to spit, but instead whatever it was crumbled and came out in pieces on his hand. It was beach sand. He threw it away from him trying to think of how it had gotten there.

      He was just about to call out and ask if he was being pranked, when there was a series of knocks sounded at the door, followed by Kate's voice saying, “Tim?! It's me! We need to talk!”

Author's Note

First draft, the end product is going to be much longer, but this is the first story I'm actually taking my time on (most are written in one writing session.) As always all opinions welcome.

Reviews

[Marie]

Sounds interesting. I'll try to follow it through.

[NoblePariah]

Thank you, I'm trying to put more work into each piece from now on.