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A woman recalls her life as she drifts off to sleep.

Drip

Drip

Drip

Drip

Drip...

    “Colin will fix it when he gets home.” Shannon said as she listened to the sink in the bathroom. The leak had been going for some time, and her old bones were not up for dealing with the handiwork. She would leave that for Colin. He was more adept at those things.

    “Come Shannon,” a voice said and she turned toward the darkness.

    “I'm not quite ready. Do you mind if I stay a bit longer.”

    The voice didn't answer, so Shannon assumed that whoever had spoken had acquiesced. She smiled briefly and walked the length of her hallway to the bedroom. She was tired. It had been a long day. She sat down upon the comforter and pulled it around her shoulders. Closing her eyes, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

    “There is a leak in the bathroom dear, please fit it before you come to bed.”

    The hand left her shoulder and Shannon could hear soft footsteps lead away from the bedroom. She smiled. She knew that her Colin would take care of her, just as he always had. Standing, she moved over to the side of the bed and lifted up the covers. As she slid into the bed, she could hear the tightening of the pipes. There was no more drip. Smiling, she lifted the blanket up over her shoulders. Settling down, she felt the hand on her shoulders.

    “It is time.”

    Nodding, Shannon nestled deeper into the blanket. Her breath was easy. She felt her self getting lifted into the air.

    “Oh Colin, do you wish to carry me across the threshold? If you must, but then we must return. Our parents will worry. The wedding is just a few days hence.”

    “Rest.”

    “I am tired Colin, ever so much. What do you think of the new rug, is it brown. Should I have gone with the green one, or perhaps the red one.”

Shannon drifted to sleep, her mind wandered to the day that she had met Colin. He had been standing in the grocery market with his mother, they were hand in hand. Staring at peaches.

It didn't take her long to know that he was the one for her. They had married on a Tuesday, just few days after they graduated from high school. The people in their neighborhood said that they were too you. That you could not find love at such an age.

    “Posh, Colin. Posh I saw. They laughed at our love, look at us now. We surpassed their mockery. Did you fix the leak in the faucet. I only ask, because I hear a trickle now.”

    “They are only tears.”

    “Do not weep dear Colin. I know that you are sad, but our angel is heaven. We will reunite with her.”

    The voice was silent as Shannon floated into the water. She felt the reeds beneath, they were inviting.

    “You have built a raft my love. It is wonderful.”

    “I will see you on the other side.”

    Shannon smiled. “Do hold tight to the raft, you know I do not swim well.”

    The current pulled her into the river and Shannon, a hand touched her heal and it placated her. Her nerves settled. She knew Colin would not leave her side. She floated further on, the current pulled her deeper into the river. Warmth flooded into her as she rested atop the raft. But her journey was short and she was pulled from the waters. Strong stout arms encircled her. She felt a warm breath on her neck.

    “I am home.”

Reviews

[ruth]

extremely intense.
at first, i thought the voice was death calling out to shannon but she was waiting for colin to come home so she could say her last goodbyes or something. when colin came home, the way you wrote about him sounded like he was still young so then it didn't make much sense for shannon to be dying.

were you trying to make shannon relive her memories of getting married? i could get a flashback kind of vibe but just checking in case. you did mention they were already married but shannon said the wedding was in a few days.

overall, i enjoyed it. it was truly a wonderful plot even if i didn't exactly get it.

edit: i didn't read the description which was probably why i didn't get your story. it makes a lot more sense now.