Here and Back (Prologue-Chapter 2)

Prologue

My name is Garin, and a week ago, I did something that all do, yet few can: I died, and I lived. How this is possible, I'm still figuring out, but it happened. I learned many things about myself that I didn't think could exist. Outside of some dream I could have, no matter how wild. But that is how it seemed to me: a dream. A vivid, enigmatic dream. I have dreamed before although never like this.

It's scary to find that you are something that you never thought you were. That was one of my very first reactions to the events. I went through the "Five Steps of Acceptance," I did what every normal person would do. Yet, that's something I'm not. Normal. What an odd word to hear now. I considered myself normal all my life. Okay, not normal, because what kid thinks he's normal? Average would be a better word. I did what all kids do. I was normal.

Normal.

There's that word again.

All my life, I strived to be something other than that, and now that I discovered I'm more, I want to be normal once again. I want to feel like I can be the Avereage Joe. Though I know I'll never be that again.

It kind of started when I was younger. All children figure out their talents when they're young, but mine were different. I didn't understand at the time, but they were. I played around with my talent trying to understand it, believing the entire time everyone else could do what I could. Never did I really get too far, just enough to remain curious. After a time, they faded from me all together. And I forgot. I buried them deep into my memories, as useless as remembering what pair of socks I wore on a certain day when I was six. So they, memories and events, were gone to me. To all. Until a week ago, that is.

Time flies when you're having fun, they say. Who are "They" anyways? Because time flew and it crawled, no matter how I enjoyed it. This "They" I keep hearing about need to update their books and quotes. Sorry, I tend to stray from subjects at times when confronting something that stirs me in certain negative ways. But it is true, time sped for me and for everyone else, it didn't pass at all. Or at least it was negligable. I don't understand, and there is much I don't understand.

But, I am told, all will be explained in due time. I am normally very patient, but I cannot wait this long to figure out where the pieces to this jigsaw puzzle are. I have the corner pieces, now I just need to know how many pieces there are and the picture on the box so I know what I'm putting together.

I died. Yes, died. D-E-A-D. Dead. I was given CPR and the whole nine yards. Good movie, by the way. Sorry. Anyways, I came back, obviously, but what happened in between is the real stumper. Did I see a tunnel with a great golden light at the end of it? Did I float over my body? What happened? What happened, indeed. Maybe I should start at the very beginning, the day of the accident.

Chapter 1
The alarm went off on the night stand, screaming it was time to get up. But Garin was already awake. He rolled over and slipped the alarm switch off and looked grudgingly at the time. The LED screen read six forty-five, time to get ready for school.
He slipped out from underneath the covers and braced himself against the cool air that still circulated his room. The heat hadn't been on for hours, he guessed, so they might be out of fuel. His feet carefully touched the floor and even though the brown carpet was cold, it felt more comfortable than the air in the room. Standing up, he surveyed the room.
The night stand was by his bed and cluttered with his wallet, black visor, spare change, pens and various items he kept in his pockets. There was also a book on the single shelf. A fantasy; his favorite genre. His green and black bookbag was slumped along side the stand and still had his homework in it, untouched from the day before. His small room was painted blue, but the drywall showed through the single coat, and he didn't have enough posters to cover it up. The small window in the far right corner showed a glint of sunlight peaking over the plants. He enjoyed looking at them every morning when he got up, it made having the basement room more enjoyable.
Over in the corner was a pile of clothes he sifted through to find a set for the day. A clean pair of white socks with his black jeans and loose grey tee was all he wanted for today. He filled his pockets and grabbed his visor and bag before heading to the bathroom to have a shower and brush his teeth for school.
In the shower, he had the bad habit of singing or talking, rather loudly at times, too. The door began to pound from a fist behind.
"Shut your damn mouth!" came a scratchy voice from behind.
Garin could hardly hear it, but he knew what was being said all the same.
"Whatever," he muttered. He heard more cursing from behind the door and just ignored it as he got out and began to brush his teeth. It was almost time for the bus, so he hurriedly threw on his clothes and rushed out the door, almost forgetting his bookbag and lunch. The screen door was thrown open and he rushed out.
He was just reaching the end of the street when the bus pulled up. The great yellow transport was covered with banners about the school and spirit week. He could have cared less. School was school, and only the jocks and club nerds got really into it. The door opened and the bus driver smiled.
"Only one today?" she asked. She adjusted her ball cap. Even in her older age, she still dressed like a teenager.
"Yeah," he greeted, "I guess so."
On the bus, the seats were close to being empty. Understandable, seeing how he was the fourth stop. He chose his usual seat, third from the back. His bag slid into the corner as he did and the bus was already moving. The outside world seemed oblivious to the bus's approach and slept on. But the children were already awake as usual with most of their parents buzzing about, some at the bus stops but mostly they are inside their homes. Drilling of children from an early age to prepare them for their futures of late nights and early starts. The walk of the living dead as Kevin called it. Kevin, a strange person to know, even stranger as a friend, but he brought humor and thought to Garin's life. He was very thoughtful, but too much at times, although he knew when to quit and when o begin. Usually. He could be a very heated and motivational speaker though, his charisma could be considered second to none. Trees passed the bus and slowed with the feeling of Garin being pulled forward showing that they were coming to the next bus stop.
A few public school children got on the bus, hopping into the first couple seats. They were tittering loudly and were jumping around like rabbits on caffeine. The driver tried to calmly hush them but something excited them so much that they simply ignored her. After a few minutes and unsuccessful attempts at quieting them, she gave up and turned the radio a little louder. Garin left and began to tread into his own world once more. His fantasies became more intricate and amusing as the days passed on lately, he wished that he could write them down, but he was afraid that he would be laughed at. A story teller at heart that was embarrassed by his stories. It was a small amusement to him. English and literary classes were usually his best grades; they were his guarantee into college. Publication was beyond his grasp, he believed, even at the encouragement of others. Only a hobby, but it passed the time for him.
The school came into view now. A large two-story squatish building made up of three connected rectangles. A cafeteria on the east side and a technology hall on the north. The middle was a grouping of classes with a stairwell in the near-center leading to the second story where the arts and humanities were usually placed. The nations flag flew on a fifty-foot pole out in the front by the school sign, advertising the dance coming up. Cars and buses were piling up in the front of the entrance, and it was a good ten minutes before Garin was able to get off the bus. He stalked into the building, still in his own world, unreceptive to the one around him. He was too tired to really pay attention, his body had shifted into autopilot. The boy was almost at his locker when a hand grabbed his shoulder, forcing him to start and twist in response to be greeted by two people.
"Jeez!" he cried. "Don't do that!"
They laughed. "What? All I did was try to call you, but you were ignoring me."
"Sorry, Kev. Lost in my own world."
The boy smiled. The girl beside him spoke up. "Hey. How was your night?"
"Great, as usual," he said sarcastically.
"That bad, huh?"
"You could say that."
Kevin was in his usual punkish outfit. Lately, he's been favoring he look. Garin figured it was because he was trying to impress a skater girl in his guitar class. Kevin was one to do things like that sometimes if he figured he had a chance. He didn't have his hair died, but he was considering piercing his lip.
The girl was in a yellow tank-top and a pair of blue jeans. She was a simple dresser, but no matter what she wore, she made it work for her. Her strawberry-blonde hair was always moving, almost alive, which brought out her blue and green eyes. It amazed many how she could be so good looking and be such a nice person as most of the people that knew they were naturally endowed allowed it to consume them and rule their lives.
She already had books in hand, prepared for first period. There was still half an hour before class, but she liked to be ready early. Emily always hung out with Kevin and Garin, but she had a small group of girls that she could hardly be parted from. But the threesome had been good friends since they were young.
Garin opened his locker and pulled his homework out of his bag and threw it on the floor. The bookbag was thrown roughly into the locker and Garin slumped to the floor to start his geography work. Emily reminded him once more that he should do it at home, and Garin was evasive as usual with an answer with why he didn't do it. Kevin sat down and began talking about what happened on TV the night before. It wasn't long before the bell rang and Garin was forced to scribble in some answers to which he didn't even know the questions for. The books were then slammed shut and he scrambled to class. He didn't even notice that his two friends left to go to their class. His teacher was standing at the door when he slid inside. She gave him a weary look before closing the door behind her.

The class ended just as it began, boringly predictable. Garin picked up his books and left quietly a few minutes before the bell, so he could throw his books in his locker and get his clothes ready for gym. Emily was already at his locker waiting, somehow knowing that he would be there a little early. She smiled as he approached. He smiled back, but was a little surprised. Emily stepped aside when he came to open his locker and replaced his items.
"Hey," she said.
"Hey," he replied smiling. "You okay?"
"Yeah, just thinking about something. Anyways, I was also thinking if you wanted to hang out after school. I got that movie and was hoping you would watch it with me."
He laughed. "I don't want to, you know I don't like romance, even if it is a comedy."
"I know, but the comedy part was why I was hoping you'd watch it with me."
"What about your girls?"
"Nope, they have other plans that I don't want to be a part of."
"Like what?"
"That's what I've been thinking about."
"Okay then, why not Kevin? Wait, I could guess-"
In unison they spoke, "-Romance is a corporate capture for money." Laughter broke out right away.
"Well, please? I'm home alone tonight and your not doing anything, so why not?"
"Alright, fine. But you owe me one."
"Done. I'll get those pizza chips you like."
Garin smiled. "Thanks. Four then?"
"Four o'clock. I got to go to class. Talk to you later, Garin."
"Later Emily."
She left towards the tech hall and Garin began walking to the gym when Kevin appeared beside him. He had his bag slung over his back casually and walked with what seemed like an extra spring.
The halls seemed to empty as they made their way closer to the gym. Kevin was chatting away happily about his class with his new friend, the one who inspired him to change his dressing style. If he ever had one, Garin laughed inside. Garin smiled, nodded, and questioned and commented naturally, but he was spaced out. Thinking about his dreams for some unknown reason. The one of the night before to be specific. It scared him; not that he hasn't had frightening dreams before, but this one was different. Almost real. Garin shook his head to relieve himself of the thought. It wouldn't do any good to dwell on it now.
Kevin spoke up insistently. "So what do you think?"
"Huh?" Garin looked at him blankly. "I didn't hear you."
"I asked you if you wanted to do something this weekend."
"Like what?"
"I dunno, maybe a double kinda thing."
"Double?"
"Yeah, I asked Tricia if she wanted to go see that new Stallone movie and she said yeah. The thing is, I'm not very good at this dating thing, so maybe you and someone, maybe Emily," he winked, "could come with me so I don't look like too much of an idiot."
"Sure."
"Don't laugh, it's true."
They walked into the gym and were surprised to see that the dodge ball rack was out. It was rare that their coach would let them play dodge ball. Something good must have happened, like a pay raise or something. The two laughed about it on the way to the change room. Inside, the rest of the guys in the class were changing rather quietly. With the exception of the few real athletes of course. A tournament happened the day before and from the sounds of the players, they won gold. One bowed his head in joke to the painted griffon on the south wall. The rest laughed.
A tall male with blond hair and a golden yellow tee was walking out as the two were just finishing. He was laughing about something, although they never caught on, they would soon find out. Mik Carson was not considered the brightest, but he was an apt player. He participated in all the sports he could and dated the head cheerleader. He was the bully while she was the protector. An odd pair, but they got along very well. Maybe it was the balance.
Class went as usual. A tough warm-up followed by a brief work out in the weight room and then came the dodge ball. The basketball players teamed up and fired volley after volley at the others. Garin and Kevin tried their best to get back at them, but they didn't fare so well. Garin was hit and taken out of the game, but unlike the many others, he didn't cheer. His thoughts strayed again to the dream from the night before. He leaned subconsciously against the bleachers and crossed his arms. Moments seemed like hours to him after that.
"Dax!"
Garin jumped, both literally and from his thoughts. "Sorry, Coach. Only had an hour's sleep last night."
The man grunted. "You're back in. Go on, the runnin' will do ya good."
"Yes, sir."
Garin jogged back in. He bent over slightly with his hands on his knees and watched alertly each of the other team. Mik was at the fore, behind him James and Kyle- his two henchmen. They did as he said and followed him around like a couple of pups. Around were a couple of other teens and some more quiet basketball players. They may not have been as loud, but they wore the same carnivorous smiles on their faces. Those smiles spoke of the victory they were sure of attaining. The whistle blew and everyone ran for the six balls that awaited them in the middle.
Garin and one or two others held back and waited for the first balls to get thrown. After that, Garin began scooping up a number of balls that dropped or just weren't claimed. On average, Garin wasn't great with the dodge balls. His aim had a bit to offer, but much to be desired. He had four balls in his hands when he walked calmly to the front of the lines. Down went the four balls save one. A ball was flung at him and he ducked, the ball sailing clear over his head. Garin stood slowly and found the thrower; he lined up and fired. The ball cut threw the air and knocked the boy's legs from under him. Everyone laughed, even the coach. James went to grab the ball as Jim walked out, but the second ball hit him in the side and knocked him over. He was left gasping for breath and crawled off the court. There were three left on both sides; Kevin was dodging the balls being tossed around and was cheering on his friend and Michael just kneeled in the corner, waiting for balls to be tossed his way.
Mik's smile left his face and dove for the ball and was missed by one from Michael and was on his feet in the blink of an eye. He was jumping and sifting back and forth as Michael and Kevin sent ball after ball careening into his direction only to bounce harmlessly off the back wall. All failed to notice the cacophony of yells and howls from the sidelines as the game got very intense. Garin's face was still slack while Mik's was full of sweat and taut with tension. Both of their hands were grasping red rubber balls and both had determination in their eyes. This wasn't a game anymore, this was a small war. The next few seconds would prove what would happen.
Kyle was knocked out and there came shouts of triumph and dismay and Kevin was hit. The other two remaining players figured something was going on as Mik and Garin walked the center line facing each other as caged animals might. They dropped back and refrained from throwing anything more than a few potshots here and there.
Mik had never gotten along with Garin. He always thought himself better than the other and sought to prove it time and again. He was feeling threatened, as if this game might dampen his reputation, so he was out to prove his dominance once more. Garin just took what he dealt and thought little of it and him. He never set out to entangle himself with the other, but it happened, so the two kept growing apart and a friction kept growing. It was rare that Garin would challenge him, but here it was, plain as day. Yet, only between the two.
Mik was first to throw, Garin brought up his right hand and deflected it off the ball he held. He replied with a ball that flew low and Mik hopped and slid to his left out of the way. They stared for a moment and picked up the two balls that they spent. When the coach yelled at them to do something, it was as if a whistle was blown and the both threw at the exact same moment. Both watched and time seemed to have slowed down.
The two balls met and deflected off each other in different directions. Garin was already throwing the second ball while Mik was still recovering. A large red streak darted and hit him square in the chest, shocking him. Carson stumbled back a few steps, but just enough that a second red blur managed to ease by and strike Kyle behind. Garin had snapped out of his trance to see Kevin jumping and screaming with happiness as he had struck Mik and won the game. Garin took a few moments before he joined in. Kyle and Mik walked towards the change room disappointed. Carson even more so. Before he walked through the open door, he shot Garin a look that would have shot knives through him if possible.


The rest of the day proceeded as normal, computers then a free period with lunch. No problems at all. Occasionally he passed Carson in the halls and was shot a rough look or was completely ignored. Garin envied Kevin for making that shot, but he was glad that Mik was taken down. Kevin was bright and couldn't stop talking about it all day. Emily was soon tired of hearing about it, but still acknowledged him. Kevin didn't pay attention. He even asked her if she would go with Dax and himself on a double date to the movie theater with a red faced Garin beside him. She said yes with a coy smile. Emily then walked off quickly to her next class, even though she was rather reluctant to do so.
"Why do you do that?" he demanded.
"Do what?" his friend asked innocently.
"You know what, Kevin. Always try to get me and Emily together? If we were interested in each other, we would, but its not like that, so stop trying to play matchmaker. That stuff's for TV."
"Sure, Garin. Okay."
Kevin walked off abruptly before Garin could reply. Garin didn't mind going with Emily, but for the past couple years, his friend had been trying to set him up with the girl. She must have been as sick of it as he was. At every point and opportunity, he would push them together, especially on holidays that lovers got together and so on. Valentine's day was the worst.
That day was one of the worst he had had all year. Kevin got them together during first break with flowers and vague messages. The two recipients laughed at it and smiled at the fact that he had their best interests in mind. At least, that would be logical. They knew that something was up when that happened. At lunch, he had them have a lunch in the auditorium with a few other couples and a band on stage playing. The two didn't consider it too bad until the lead singer started a fight when a kid walked in and screamed "You suck!" to them. The place turned into a riot and The couple had to push and shove their way out as people piled in to watch. Then to top it off, at The end of The day, Kevin put an announcement on to tell everyone of their "status,"and to wish them a Happy Valentine's Day. Garin didn't know whether it was a prank or something else all together. Needless to say, a few laughs and taunts went their way. They were questioned repeatedly in The halls and Kevin walked around like he was king of The world, or worse, King Cupid.
The two did not need to have an encore of those events.
Time passed as it usually did for Garin. Classes passed uneventfully and it wasn't until The end of The day that something happened. Dax had thrown his books a little less than happily into his locker and pulled his bag out roughly before piling his homework he'd probably never end up doing into it. After that, he pulled out his brown uniform he kept on a shelf within a plastic bag and thrust that inside as well. He forgot that he had his roller blades in his locker and decided to skate on over to Kevin's house before his staff meeting at work. Then it was over to Emily's for her movie.
People hustled by to claim a seat on The bus or just leave The building. He made his way out carefully and strapped on his blades while sitting on The nearest bench. Forgoing any protective gear, he decided to stay on The sidewalk until traffic eased up. This was The school's rush hour. It would be a good twenty minutes until he got there. if he took The two shortcuts. He will probably arrive before Kevin if he took The bus.
The day was still bright out and cars passed by in The neighborhood of all speeds almost. Trees dotted The front lawns of The white and red brick houses one and two story houses. A bus stop here and there, and kids making their way to and from them. Occasionally he waved at some and they greeted him in turn. The park was about to come up and he would cut in soon. He turned and glided over the paved walk around the borders, by the fenced in yards of the houses behind. Few walked by, most biked through and would have passed through already. Jungle gyms were still crawling with toddlers and their mothers talking amongst themselves and watching their children. Their older brothers and sisters would still be in school. A few of the toddlers stopped what they were doing and waved or just stared as Garin rolled past.
He smiled.
The street on the opposite side of the park looked just like the first, although there weren't as many students returning home here; they would be soon. He quickened his pace and moved onto the street, he preferred the feel of pavement under his skates rather than the sidewalk. A car passed blaring some song, yet all he heard was the beat from The subwoofer and began to move in time to that. Left, right, left, right.
A second car came up behind and honked its horn. Garin turned slightly to look and saw a black Jetta coming up. Inside was a group of the guys from his gym class laughing at him as they passed. The car swerved threateningly in his direction and he moved out of the way and slapped the hood before gesturing to them and yelling a couple curse words in response. They laughed and sped up.
Another horn began to bleet, but it was more in warning than taunting. He turned his head just in time to register a red monster flying towards him. The horn was still screaming and so were the breaks. The black window and bright headlights were the last thing he saw before his body was impacted.
His legs gave out under the grill and his torso slammed into the hood. Oddly, he hardly felt it. With the car rolling forward and with the angle of the hood, he rolled up and crashed into the windshield. The car decelerated so quickly it threw him off, as his form had sped up from the impact forcing him forward into the asphalt. The moment human and street met, the world went black and the pain ended.

"Hey!" Kyle spoke up. "That's The Dax guy from gym!"
Carson spotted him also. He smiled carnivorously. "Let's give him a scare."
The passengers all cheered. Mik slowed the car down and came up from behind laying onto the horn. Dax jumped and it brought laughter out in everyone. It was good to see him scared. What he did was embarrassing. The kid was pathetic and him and his buddy had managed to get the best of Mik. That was unacceptable. For a moment, he was considering of hitting him and throwing him into the curb. But instead, he just feinted and swung harmlessly away. They all laughed and insulted the loser before speeding up. He yelled back but they weren't listening. A stop was coming up and Mik decided to stop instead of going through. He slowed to a stop and saw a red SUV coming through and was thankful he did stop. That would have been a bad accident and his dad wouldn't have been happy.
They all watched as Garin passed them and rolled into the intersection and they began to laugh at him again. He just glared and then the honking came. The SUV saw him and started to brake. Not soon enough. Dax connected with the vehicle and was sent rolling off it's front. He was thrown at least ten feet away. The back had gone oddly quiet with the event they just witnessed. Carson froze. He didn't know what to do. He never really considered killing Dax, but wasn't he now guilty? This and a million other things were flying through his mind and he froze.
"Dude, this isn't good," came a whisper from behind.
"Go, man!" A third. Mik wasn't able to decipher who was saying what. He just heard. "GO!"
All just stared as the driver got out of the red vehicle and began yelling frantically into his cell phone and his passenger try to check to see if Dax was alive. Mik stepped on the gas an wheeled around the accident.
"What the hell just happened?"

Chapter 2
Blackness.
The unconscious blackness of sleep, it was there, but like sleep, no one could be aware of its presence. Yet he was. Garin was swimming in a sea of black. Almost like a dream. The sea was thick, almost unyielding. Perhaps it was and movement was just a delusion he was experiencing.
Strange. He floated yet he did not. His body nearly felt stripped of their senses, but nearly. Twisting, he soon became frustrated and soon mad. How could he live in this? How could he be?
How?
How did he get here?
It just seemed that he opened his eyes and he was imersed in black. Washed with this as wave after wave rolled over his body. Maybe he was dreaming. Maybe he wasn't. It didn't feel imagined. His subconscious whispered that this was real, and no imaginative trick. Suddenly, it struck him. If he was here, maybe someone else was. Yes. Help, it never hurt to ask for any.
Hello?! he screamed. Only he didn't. It was more of a thought rather than an call. He tried again.
No answer. Garin was confused. Maybe he couldn't hear anything because his voice was gone. No, he did speak, he could feel his mouth move in response to his thoughts. It must be his hearing then. This place must be plugging his ears so he could not hear. He yelled again, but added that if anyone could hear him, please try to come to him, he was deaf. Still no reply.
He tried to move and started to panic and thrash around in his own space. Garin moved and moved until mentally and emotionally he exhausted himself. His body never tired, only his mind.
After a few moments, he calmed and began to think. Yes, how did he arrive? There was no memory as to how he came to be here. He searched his mind, conscious and sub, looking for any memory or thought that could add light to this. No, nothing. Only. . .
That couldn't be it, no. That was only an imagining, a fleeting painful fantasy. Nothing more. Yet, it wasn't. There was no other reasoning on why he was here. None. Forgoing all emotional response, he forced himself to think and relive the events that he could last recall.
The black car coming up behind him with people inside. He didn't like them, whoever they were. Wait, M-something. Mik Carson. That was the driver's name.
He could see Mik again. Not an altogether pleasant sight, but it was proof to past that it happened. The detail was too fine and too blurred at the same time to be false. The blond hair and blunt features to a rather squarish face. The rest were behind tinted windows to give too sharp of a description, but he could tell their shapes and who they were, as ghostly as they were. Garin was walking and being taunted. No, he was travelling too fast to be walking, but the pace was about the same. In his mind's eye, he looked down to see why. Ah. So he was skating towards something. An enjoyable place; a house; his friend's house. Kev- Kevin.
Why was this memory so hard to piece together? He knew the outcome, but the remainder was more challenging. He had to know why it happened.
The car swerved to him and he dodged, then watched as they sped up towards the upcoming intersection. He skated faster and watched them in case they tried something as he passed. There was a pang in his stomach. A mistake. No. He saw the red thing come up on him. It was still unclear what it really was, but there was no mistake that it was a vehicle. All he saw were yellow eyes and a black thing sweeping back over those. There was a connection that appeared so painful, but he couldn't recall the physical sensation. The red thing threw him into the pavement and into the black where he remains now.
At that point, his memory blanked and he was where he was now. It brought on a pain and certain denial, but that was what he could last remember, so it had to be right. Regardless of the emotion it wrought.
Am I dead? he wondered quietly.
The answer came before he knew, although he did. Yes.
Then why am I here?
No answer to this question, but it was still a pointed question.
In the midst of the black, a blue light began to filter its way towards Garin. The source was not discernable, but it seemed to be coming towards him. He struggled to turn himself so he could get a better look at it. It swam this way and that, but it still made its way towards him. Soon, the light was no more than a few feet from him. He managed to look around, hoping the light would show where he was, but it did not. There was no illumination, just the light itself, as if it were a tangible object that was only there. Garin attempted to bring himself towards it, but it seemed to back away as he neared. He stopped and so did it.
Hello?
Now a second light, this one red, came from a different direction to make its way to him. He turned his head and noticed, but it was faster than the first. It stopped when it reached the distance away from Garin as the first. When he moved towards it, the light backed away also, but the first moved in conjunction with him. Odd. Garin backed up and so did the lights. He shifted to his left and the lights as well. He played with this for a little while and it brought a slight smile to his face.
He turned to face the first light and saw a third light move under him. It was yellow. He faced each of the lights and continued to move so he saw each one and thought about them. What are they? He posed the question out loud knowing he wouldn't recieve an answer.
The blue light moved towards him and he saw that it was just a little ball that had a small tail of light like a comet extending behind it. That was what gave the illusion that it was being shone from that general direction. The ball stopped only inches from his view and swung up and down, back and forth playfully before moving back into its original position. All the while it sort of chittered, almost amused. Garin was confused. It was also confusing that he could hear it chitter, but he could not hear himself speak.
The balls of light almost seemed to turn to each other, and chitter to one another. Garin gazed hard at each in turn and tried to deciper unsuccessfully what was going on. Impossible as it was, he believed he could almost make out what they were saying. The chittering died down and they turned back to him, silent. Then they began to fade away as if htey were never there.
The confused boy began to call back to them, asking them to return. Of course there was no answer, but there was no chittering either. The void returned, the one in which he was origianlly placed and he made silent pleas for the lights to return. He felt irrevocably alone.
A sound! What?
He turned and tried to find the source of it, but nothing.
There it was again!
Where?
There!
He turned to where he believed each sound was coming from. They were a series of clicks that soon repeated themselves. After turning into a great cacophony of clicks and cracks, they stopped abruptly. A few moments later, a solitary sound was made behind him. Rather close, as the other ones were just echoes with no real distance bearing he could make out. slowly, he turned and saw the lights gathered together. The red and the blue were revolving around the yellow slowly.
All movement paused, if only for a second before the spheres threw themselves at him. It felt as if he was struck with a baseball bat in the chest. He fell unconscious- if that was the right word, again.


* * *

Garin's eyes opened and he was on a street. It was very familiar. The trees and houses and street. He knew them all. Wait, this was the street on the way to Kevin's place. Yeah. That was it. This was where. . . He couldn't complete the thought.
He looked down and saw himself. This flooded him with relief. He felt the weight of his bookbag on his shoulder and the familiar crinkle of the grocery bag inside. On his feet were the rollerblades, rolling over the pavement. He wasn't in the blackness anymore, thankfully.
It was just a dream. Yes, that was it, a grim fantasy. It did seem more real than anything, but that was just imagined. He was just tired, that's all.
Garin was slowing down. So he kicked with his right leg and followed with the left to get back up to speed. He was back in his groove, the movements automatic again and his mind drifted again. Not to the black thing that he thought he was enveloped in, but to his geography assignment. He would have to go to the library tonight or tomorrow so he could use a computer. Michael Tremida from gym would have to help him some more. Michael was his partner frequently and he didn't like to work. He managed to hand the work in on time, but the bulk of the load was usually on Garin's shoulders. This assignment was too big for that, he would have to get Michael to do more work.
Someone collided with him and sent him reeling.
"Hey!" he yelled. "Watch yourself!"
The guy didn't reply. He just kept on rollerblading. He had a similar bookbag and black jeans and visor with a grey tee. It took a moment for that to sink in. Garin called to him to wait, but the person did not seem to hear him, so he sped up to try and catch up to him. A car came up honking, it was the black Jetta.
A wave of fear and apprehension washed through him. He fell silent, but still struggled to catch up. The people in the car yelled and jeered at the boy who was skating along. They were all male inside. What Garin feared about this moment came to pass: the car swerved in his direction and he dodged, skipping onto the sidewalk. He came back onto the road cursing and struck the car.
The intersection. No, it couldn't be. The black hatchback came to a stop and the boy surged through, unheeding.
Garin yelled in fear, "Wait! Stop!"
But the boy skated and the horns yelled. The red SUV absorbed the boy and threw him back into the road he briefly left. Garin was almost running now, forsaking the skates in which he rode. The bookbag was forgotten and fell to the street as well, rolling and dragging violently to a stop. He was racing now towards the crumpled body. The black car accelerated and turned around the body, leaving the intersection faster than they arrived.
The SUV driver was yelling frantically into his cell phone and the passenger was checking the body. Garin skidded to a stop and dropped to his knees, sweat pouring off his body. He crawled to the pair and reached with one hand slowly to touch the body and pulled away out of fear. He finally touched the body and the female was crying over the body, her friend on the phone still. With his hand still on the form, he moved around and saw the face.
Garin's mouth opened wide in shock and moved his skin went pale. He backed up and stumbled over himself. He pulled himself up on his feet and slipped again. Once more, he tried to bring himself to his feet, and couldn't. So he just crawled back to the sidewalk on the opposing side of the street and sat down. It seemed as if everything was in slow motion. He could not believe it.
Behind him he heard someone approach. Garin didn't bother to turn to watch, he already knew that whoever they were, they were going towards the accident. There was already a crowd forming around the intersection, and he could hear sirens in the distance. Everyone knew where they were headed, and the people who stopped in their cars, hurried to move them.
The footsteps stopped. The person did not pass him, but instead put their hand on his shoulder, as if to comfort him. Now, he did look up. There was a man, in his late twenties/early thirties, wearing a black nondescript suit. He had black hair and blue eyes with a tough complection. He was looking out at the crowd, and kneeling beside Garin with his hand still on his shoulder.
Garin looked up and tried to wipe his eyes. He wasn't crying, but his eyes were reddened and he wasn't entirely sure if what he saw was true.
Then the man whispered. "I'm sorry."
"What?" Garin forced the single word out of his mouth, as if it were the hardest thing he's ever done besides look at that body.
"This. This wasn't supposed to happen," the voice was rough, but gentle enough.
"I-I don't understand."
"No, you don't do you? I wouldn't expect you to. This is still fresh." He shook his head slowly. "This is hard I know."
"Do you?" he whispered.
"But I need you to stand, come now."
He slid an arm under Garin's arm and around chest. Slowly, Garin stood, but most of his weight was on the man. The shock was so deep that he didn't think twice to ask the man anything or even if he should trust him.
The rollerblades impeded him, moreso than they should have, but they also saved him from walking. The effort would have expended his almost exhausted supply of energy. His newfound companion eased him along the sidewalk and soon Garin brought his own power, even though how little it was, to bear. The two began their way away from the scene and the way he had come.

It wasn't long until they reached a small coffee shop. The man was still helping Garin around, although he was essentially moving on his own power now. Not too many cars were parked outside, but there were three police cruisers parked right outside the door. Their white sides gleaming in the afternoon light.
The man opened the first door for Garin and he opened the second. Garin rolled slowly to the first table by the door. He ignored the small white and red signs requesting no rollerblades and skateboards in the shop. He slumped into the seat and laid back, closing his eyes after briefly surveying the shop.
The officers were mosly along the bar, but there was a pair on the other side of the entrance. Their blue uniforms seemed darker than usual, but their badges and metallic items gleamed brightly. At various tables, at least those left, were people spread out. A couple men in suits with only a single woman counterpart dressed similarily. They discussed some agenda quietly while sipping at their coffee and munching on some doughnuts slowly. A young couple in their twenties sat at a double table and spoke happily and flirted. A man Garin took to be a trucker was seated at the bar also, chatting in a friendly manner to the waitress behind. His large form moving slowly and unintimidatingly.
The tall man eased himself across from the shocked boy. He placed his hands on the table and laced them together as if in thought, but the younger one wasn't paying attention. What he was paying attention to was the recurring images of the face he saw. The image refused to leave his mind. Everything moved in slow motion again and again; the hit, the faces, the first realization and even more questions began to move through his mind.
A waitress approached cautiously, but the man waved her off gently. She left without a word and he returned to gazing out the window. It took a couple minutes before Garin could bring himself to speak, the time between suited the stranger quite fine. When Garin did begin to speak, he looked up sympatheticly.
"I don't understand what is going on. . .' he began, but he could not say anymore. It seemed that that sentence was all he could piece together.
A moment later the man spoke, " No, I know you don't. I guess you wouldn't."
Garin opened his mouth then closed it thinking better of it.
"Ma'am, I think I can order now." The kind stranger beckoned to the woman behind the counter.
She strode over, happy, but somber in voice due to the looks she saw between them. "What would you like?"
"I would like a coffee, double-double. I've missed it. And he will have an hot chocolate with a peppermint teabag and a couple double chocolate doughnuts." He ordered without hesitation.
"Be right back."
She left silently, and the two were left to their thoughts.
Garin finally was able to speak again.
"That person, the vic-" he choked on the word. "Victim. He was, he looked like me."
"Yes, he did." This was matter of fact and he withheld any judgement from his voice.
"But how is that possible? Everything was the same. The exact same. No, if that were true then- No. Right. I'm sounding crazy." With each word he began to gain speed and soon it was just a babbling rush of incoherrent thoughts trying to match words. "No. I remember that, but I was only dreaming. The black, the balls, they were real, but only a fantasy, just like that. I would drown if it were water. I was deaf, but I could hear, maybe I couldn't talk, but I did. Then I was back. The accident, Carson. He saw it, but I saw him. I got hit then BAM!"
He looked up now from trying to mediate his thoughts and stared inquisitively at the man. "Who are you? Thank you, but if you try anything, I got seven cops there armed and ready to beat and bastard ready to kidnap a traumitized kid."
A mute smile crept over his face. "You still have it. No, you needn't worry about me kidnapping you. Those police officers won't need to be called. I forgot my manners, but I also wanted you to at least try and sift through things. Cruel, but I thought it might help you deal with the events.
"My name is Aurin Liodssar. I am here to help you, even if you don't believe me at the moment. But if you do not believe me, I invite you to call the officers over. They will protect you if you believe you need protection. Even if it be from myself."
There was something in his voice that rang true and Garin was convinced that he didn't need to be protected from this man, this Aurin. Not from the words he spoke, but from the reaction that came from instinct. Odd, but he still did not call on the police officers. The look on his face, the way he spoke and also the way he helped him when he saw the body.
Garin began to grow bold with the realization he has protection just a few feet away should he need it. "I'm bringing myself back together, so I'm thinking more clearly. I have some questions I need answered."
Liodssar nodded. "Go ahead."
"First: what the hell just fucking happened?"
Aurin was about to comment on the language, but he reconsidered since he knew the situation the boy was in.
"What do you think happened?" His voice was antagonizingly timid.
"I just saw myself- saw, as in the third person, get hit by a fucking red sports utility vehicle. Red, how appropriate," he muttered under his breath the last comment.
"Ironic, actually. That is neither here nor there. What is is what you remember. Go back further. Think."
"The black?"
"Further."
"I. . .I was blading down the street. That happened to me. . ." he was whispering now. "Then everything went black and oddly peaceful. The balls of light made their way to me and disapeared, then I came back just. . .Just to watch myself get hit by a car? Dammnit, what's going on Lodissar?"
"Say it. You must."
"I. . ." he choked once more. "I died?"
"In a manner of speaking, yes." Aurin was whispering, quietly now. He hung his head slightly as he delivered the news.
"No. . ." Garin refused to believe it, but deep down in his soul, he knew it to be true.
"I'm sorry. I know it's hard to hear."
Garin bowed his head and began to heave with each breath, but only in the slight. He was trying to cover his shock that was renewed. The hand touched his shoulder and he heard Aurin mutter his apologies again. After another few moments, Garin brought the coffee mug under his lowered face and sipped silently. The other also drank his coffee.