By popular demand 😀 an old school short story called The Dream
Cole Reed climbed into his bed under the warm comforter as a storm raged outside his bedroom window. In the nineteen years he had spent living on the earth, storms had always calmed him, sending him into a peaceful sleep of dreaming.
“Cole wake-up! Wake-up!” the heavenly voice of an angel called him out of his dreams. Slowly he opened his dark blue eyes to a bright room.
When Cole finally open his eyes completely his room was bright, but outside his window was dark. Turning saw a beautiful woman, or so he thought. He couldn’t see her face because it was pure light. She wore a long plain white gown. “Who are you?”
“I’m your Guardian; I’m here to show you something about your life and decisions…” her heavenly voice replied. “Take my hand… and I will show you…” She held out a soft tan hand.
Light filled the room and then they appeared in a different room.
He was standing in a huge bedroom, and in the bed he saw a young woman with long curly strawberry blond hair and next to her a man he didn’t know. “Kate Mitchell, your ex-girlfriend, the one who was your best friend, the girl you thought you were meant for, but she told you no. She found someone else who is her true love, the man you see next to her…”
“It can’t be true…”
“Ah… but it is and if you keep on this path it will lead to destruction.”
“Destruction?”
“Yes your future…” She said, grabbing Cole’s hand. Wind wept around them and light flashed.
Cole fell to a hard tile floor; he stood up and looked around. He appeared to be in the hallway of a hospital. “Where are we? When are we?” Cole asked quietly.
“Atlanta General Hospital, the Intensive Care Unit. The year is 2010.”
“Who am I here to see?” Cole asked confused.
“Follow me…” the Guardian said as she led him into a dull white hospital room. He looked at the hospital bed, and saw himself in the bed but older. His light blonde hair from his teen years was now dark. The only color in the room was the roses next to the bed.
“Guardian, what happened to me?” Cole asked in shock.
“You never got over Kate… Two months ago, you found out she was getting married, you were so upset you got into your car, and drove. It was two in the morning. Your car was hit by a drunk driver, and flipped. Ever since that night you have been in a coma…” the Guardian was interrupted by a young woman in a wheelchair wheeling into the room. The woman in the wheelchair looked tiny, her skin was pale and sickly, she didn’t have hair, and so she wore a scarf around her head.
“Hello… Cole” the woman said her voice weak and soft. The woman slowly moved her hand, which was all boney and tiny, she held on to Cole’s hand. “I hope you like the fresh roses I brought you yesterday…” the woman said, she slowly let a tear fall down her cheek.
“Guardian, who is this woman?” Cole asked confused. He thought he recognized the face, but this woman was tiny. She looked to be about a hundred pounds or less.
“Why Cole, don’t you recognize your soul mate, and friend…” the Guardian said quietly. “She comes and sits with you everyday. She’s been coming ever since you were brought in, and brings you fresh roses every week…”
“I see she cares about me but I don’t know her, do I?” Cole asked confused. He walked closer to the woman.
“Yes you do… Her name is Jazmyn Maria Silver…” the Guardian said quietly. “The friend you abandoning for Kate.”
Cole just stood and starred at the woman in shock, this woman didn’t look at all like the Jazzy he knew. “What… happened to her?”
“When Jazmyn was twenty she started to get really sick, by the age of twenty-four they diagnosed her with cancer, and she started treatment. When they brought you in… Two months ago. Jazmyn was too sick to come and visit you, but after a week she was able to, and she hasn’t left your side since, even though you left hers. If she can stay in remission for a couple years she is better off,” the Guardian said quietly. Cole was shocked even more Jazmyn had cancer. He slowly reached his hand out to touch her face, but she couldn’t feel him.
There was another flash of light, and a cold breeze. Cole felt himself falling, and then he landed onto green grass. He was in a cemetery. “Guardian where are we now? What year is it?”
“We’re in the Silver Moon Cemetery, the year is 2014…” She said slowly “Come with me…” The Guardian slowly made her way through the cemetery where she stopped in front of a large gravestone; she pointed a finger towards the grave. Cole looked at the gravestone and read:
Cole John Reed
Nov. 20, 1984 – July 25, 2010
Beloved Son, Brother, & Friend
Peace on Earth
“You never recovered from your coma… and died. The rose bush next to your grave was planted by Jazmyn a year later, because she couldn’t bring you roses every week.” The Guardian said quietly. “She vowed she would love you until the day you died. And that is exactly what she did…”
“What happened to Jazmyn?” Cole asked afraid. As soon as the words were out of his mouth, the Guardian slowed turned and pointed to the grave next to his. Cole slowly turned and read what was on the grave stone.
Jazmyn Maria
June 2, 1985 – July 26, 2013
Beloved Daughter, Sister & Friend
Live in Christ’s Love
Cole fell onto the ground next to her grave, crying. “Why did this happen? She didn’t deserve to die! Why did she?” he screamed out. His hand gently traced the engravings of the stone.
“Jazmyn didn’t stay in remission, they tried Chemo again, but it didn’t work and they couldn’t find a match for bone marrow. You were her only match, and so she died three years and one day after you,” the Guardian said quietly. “You weren’t there for her; you let her leave this world.”
“Who are you? Why are you doing this to me?” Cole screamed at the Guardian. Tears rushed down his cheeks, “You’re the devil to say such things! I demand you show your face now!”
Cole watched slowly as the light around the Guardian’s face disappeared to reveal that she was wearing a hood covering her face. Slowly her tan hands removed the hood. Cole starred in shock, at her face. “JAZZY! It can’t be…” he said, but it was her. Her cocoa brown hair framed her face and her light blue eyes glistened with tears. “No!!!!” Cole screamed, shutting his eyes.
“Cole wake-up! Wake-up!” the heavenly voice of an angel called Cole out of his nightmares. He bolted up right in his bed. Sweat drenched his shirt. Slowly he brought in his surroundings, he was in his room. Cole turned to his right, to see his wife starring at him. “Oh honey, did you have that nightmare again?” She said softly pulling him into her arms.
“Yes…” he told her as he relaxed with her touch, and looked into her light blue eyes. “I love you, Jazzy, and I’ll always love you.”
“I know you do, and I love you Cole…” Jazmyn said as they lay back down in their bed. Jazmyn quickly fell back to sleep and Cole just held her close. That nightmare was not true. He had stayed with her, and she had the bone marrow transplant two years ago, and she lived, as did he. Everything is okay. Everything is perfect. He knew that as he watched his wife of three years sleep peaceful. Her cocoa brown hair fell lightly across her face; he gently put it behind her ear before falling into a deep dreamless sleep.
Savannah M. Kammer 