Again and I didn’t notice!
Kori gazed at the strange scene, waiting for the forest and the shadow to appear, but nothing happened. Her breath caught against the lump in her throat. Anxiety bubbles in her stomach. She came down from the bleachers to investigate, but no sound reverberated from her steps. No creaking, no clinging metal, only silence beneath her feet as she made her way to the ground below. Kori crept around to the field, searching. Still no sign of the shadow or even a blade of grass out of place, only a growing chill in the air.
It’s cold? It’s never been cold before. Nor lasted this long. What’s going on?
Kori made her way to the pitcher’s mound and reached out to touch Richard’s shoulder. For an instant, her fingers brushed right through him. She jumped back in a panic and fell hard to the ground, skinning her palms. The sharp pain subsided her alarm. Did that happen? She stood and touched him again only to find him solid. Must have imagined it.
Kori left to continue her search beyond the gate of the baseball field. She gasped. Instead of the well worn path to the tennis courts, she found herself facing a large open field. Tall blades of untamed grass that swayed in an unfelt wind. In the distance, a thick tree line arose and beyond it, the gym building stood unencumbered. Behind her, she saw the picturesque scene of the frozen baseball game. Ahead of her, an opportunity. Terror flooded through her as she left the familiar and immersed herself into the questionable.
She clutched her chest as breaths came sharp amid the deepening chill. I chose to see this through to the end. Kori clenched her fists and continued on towards her fate. She reached the depths of the tree line to face the familiar sight of a white pebble path lined with ancient trees. Fear crept within her that even a misplaced step would render the sight fleeting. If this is here, then he could be here too. Her legs shook, but Kori followed the path from her visions.
Glimpses of the gym’s brick wall showed through the foliage and Kori ran her hand over the rough surface. Her experiences included only the forest before. It’s like here and there are mixing together. She came to the corner and saw the drainage stream that ran behind the building. Strange, twisted vines lined the ends of the courtyard, framed by the back wall of the gym and the unmoving water.
The sound of scuffling caught her attention. Kori peeked around the brick edge. There, a figure pushed through the line of vines and plants into the clearing. He brushed himself off and peered at the strange sight in confusion. Kori froze and stared, transfixed, at the person in dark clothing. It’s him. He paced the area and stooped to examine the grass. He pulled some of it out and seemed fascinated by it till his eyes shot towards her. Panic surged and she jumped back behind the building. With her heart hammering within her chest, she couldn’t calm the mixture of emotions inside her.
It’s him! He’s here again! What do I do now?
“You there!” he called to her. “Show yourself!” he demanded.
All of a sudden, Kori realized knowing nothing about him presented a problem. Was he nice? Was he the murdering kind? She didn’t know. But staying here is not going to answer anything. After a deep, chilled breath to gather courage, she poked her head out.
His short, mass of black hair framed his young, light tan face and his dark eyes smoldered like black wild fire. He wasn’t as tall as Richard, but his composure seemed more commanding. His dark, loose clothes did little to hide his slight but solid build.
“Come out,” he insisted, but Kori could only stare in fear. “I won’t harm you.”
She forced her feet to move and crept out from her hiding place into the open.
“What are you?” he blurted.
“Excuse me?” she asked in shock.
“Answer me,” he said, his voice harsh.
“But I don’t understand.”
“I don’t have time for games,” he scoffed, crossing his arms.
“I’m human. My name is Kori,” she said, unsure of what else he could mean.
“How is that possible?” he muttered. He looked to be in deep thought, so Kori took her chance.
“Who are you?” she said through a cracking voice.
He shook his head. “I’m of no consequence.”
“But I am?” The question slipped out without a thought.
His composure returned. “How did you come to be here?”
“I… I live here.” Kori squinted her brow.
“Impossible.” He seemed rattled again. “We humans can’t pass through the Schism let alone survive beyond it.”
“The what? What are you talking about?”
“You’ve never heard of the Schism?” His eyebrows wrinkled in disbelief.
“No.” Kori shrugged. “Never.”
Without warning, the ground shifted. Kori stumbled forward, but a strong hand grabbed her arm and held her steady. He pulled her to her feet but wouldn’t let go. She looked straight up at him, courage bursting forth. “Why is it that when the world stops like this, I see you? Who are you?”
“What?”
“I see you all the time! Why are you here? Who are you?” Her free hand gripped his shirt.
“What do you mean, ‘the world stops’?” He blinked.
“Tell me! Please!” she begged. “Before you vanish again!”
His eyes examined her face, as if looking for something, but couldn’t find it. She began to give up hope of him answering anything, but then he spoke. “Hekai… My name is Hekai.” He paused for a moment. His eyes continued to examine her in such a way that made her breath catch. “I’m not really here, but-”
“How can that be?” she interrupted, placing her hand on his arm. “I can touch you.”
“I don’t understand myself and time is running out.”
“But-” She protested but he cut her off.
“This is very important,” Hekai stated while grabbing her other arm. “Tell me. What do you mean by ‘when the world stops’?”
“I don’t know how to explain,” she said, but then the immobile water caught her eye. “The water! It flows but then it stops; freezes in place.” Hekai didn’t look like he understood. “Other people live here, but they stop too. They stand there like statues. This forest… it grows from nothing! Time stands still and I’m the only one who’s unaffected.” She doubled down on her own questions “Why do you come? If you know why this happens, then tell me.”
“But I’m not sure.”
“Then tell me what you know-” Kori lost her footing, cutting her pleas short, but Hekai’s grip held her. The ground shook again, more violent than before. What is this? The earth itself began to crumble under her feet.
Hekai pulled Kori to him and wrapped his arms around her. He steadied them against the wall of the gym during the onslaught. She pressed her face into his firm chest; his labored breath at her ear. The heat from his body and the scent of pine on his clothes surrounded her. A strange sensation prickled from inside, as if an aura of protection penetrated past her sense of self. The world tore itself apart but her fear disintegrated with his presence.
“Kori.” Her heart leapt at her name on his lips, his deep voice resonated her soul. Hekai released her and placed his hand on her cheek, his fingers gentle, but searching as if they wanted to memorize the feeling of her skin. “There isn’t anymore time. You must listen to me. You’re in danger. The fact that we could meet like this is evidence enough. If the time comes, I will do what I can to protect you.”
“Hekai, what do you mean? What’s coming?”
“I don’t know. There are dangers in my world that are still hidden. You need to trust me.”
Trust? Could I? The ground at Kori’s feet gave way under the force of the tremors. Kori gasped and reached up as the feeling of free falling filled her stomach. A strong hand clasped hers, jerking her to a stop.
“Kori! Hold on!” Hekai called as his muscles tensed as he struggled to hold onto her.
“Hekai! What’s happening?!” She clawed at the crumbling ground to help pull herself up, but couldn’t find purchase.
“I got-”. The ground under his feet crumbled away as did his hold on her. “Kori!” he yelled as everything became submerged in an abyss of black, freezing water.
Kori attempted to yell his name, but nothing came from her throat. With no sign of Hekai and unable to find the surface through the midnight water, she thrashed around like a wild animal. The desperate need for air forced her lungs to gasp in nothingness and the urge for sleep seeped in. The last thing she thought before it took her was the panicked look in his eyes as he tried to save her. Could I… trust him?
The next thing Kori knew, grass poked her cheek and the stifling summer heat burned her lungs. She heard water rushing and the sound of people cheering in the distance. Heavy and stiff with cold, she managed to sit up, but pain stung her palms. The broken and scraped skin seemed like a glimpse from a dream long forgotten.
“Did that happen?” she whispered to herself still disoriented and groggy. She brushed loose hair out of her face and caught a strange scent on her hands. Pine. Her clothes, her skin and even her hair smelled like pine trees.
Hekai’s face flashed across her mind. The realization of his encounter surfaced amid the fog of her memories. It’s real, everything. It all happened. She finally met him, spoke to him, heard his voice and felt his touch. Tears streamed down her face, warm against her frozen skin. Despair, happiness, confusion. She lost herself in her own emotions. Overwhelmed, she laid down and succumbed to them in the shade of the gym by the creek.
