The Long Way Home

“You would think after hanging out with me for so long you would at least have a better taste in music than this,” said Elise listening another artist thinking they are a singer using auto-tune.

She looks down at the keys on the stereo.

“Here we go, classic rock.”

“Sometimes I think that you were born in the wrong decade,” says Cory.

“You’re just jealous because the music I listen to, has singers that know how to sing,” boosted Elise.

“I never even said that I liked that song. Besides that it was on that station when we got into the car,” says Cory.

“Okay, you caught me. I secretly like Lady Gaga.”

“That not a secret,” laughs Cory.

“You knew. How?”

“ I saw you in your window a couple months ago dancing around to Bad Romance.”

Elise looks mortified.

“We have been living beside each other for way too long,” Elise laughed.

The radio is playing The Rolling Stone’s Gimme Shelter and it begins to rain. Elise turns the windshield wipers on, while driving on the windy back road.

They both start singing, “War, children, it's just a shot away, It's just a shot away War, children, it's just a shot away, It's just a shot…”

Elise screams when she sees the deer in the middle of the road. She swerves to miss it and hits an embankment, which sends the car in a roll across a field. Everything goes black. She wakes up and takes in her surroundings, she sees Cory unconscious in the passenger seat.

“Cory! Cory! Cory!” She shouts.

He opens his eyes.

“What happen?” Ask Cory.

“I just flipped my mom’s car.”

“Are you okay?” Asked Cory.

“Yeah, I think. My arm is killing me,” says Elise.

Cory climbs out of the car and helps Elise out. Cory pulls out his phone and calls for help. The emergency crew comes and takes them to the hospital. They arrive at the hospital and are checked out. Elise has a broken arm and Cory has a concussion. They are both discharged and taken home by their parents.

The next day Cory comes over to Elise’s house. He walks up the stairs to her room and opens the door. She is lying in her bed asleep. Cory walks over and sits on Elise’s bed.

“Come on sleepy head,” says Cory.

“We got a lot of stuff to do today.”

Elise rolls over and groans.

“I don’t want to move. Remember I broke my arm last night,” says Elise.

“We are going to The Falls,” says Cory.

“Okay, let me get ready,” says Elise.



Elise finally gets ready and they leave Elise’s house. The Falls is a beautiful little waterfall by the school, a lot of kids go there on weekends and summer vacation but Cory and Elise like to go there when no one is there.

“I love coming here,” says Elise.

“Yeah, it’s so peaceful here,” says Cory.

“I can’t believe what happen on yesterday. I thought my mom was going to kill me when I wreaked the car.”

“I thought I was going to get at least grounded but I think they were just happy that we were okay,” said Cory.

The two sit and watch the falls.

“ Wow, we have been here for two hours, we should go,” says Elise.

“Yeah, let’s get out of here before the other kids come and ruin our time. ”

Elise and Cory make there way home. They walk down the block to their houses and Cory sees Tommy Thompson walking down the street. He waves at him but he doesn’t see him, so Cory yells at him.

“Tommy, you want to come over and play Xbox later,” shouts Cory.

Tommy keeps walking and doesn’t even turn around to acknowledge him.

“I think the accident has made us lepers,” jokes Cory.

“Yeah, I’ll come over and play Xbox with you. Mom won’t be back from work till 6 so we have a few hours.”

“Okay, but we aren’t playing Gears of War,” said Cory.

“Call of Duty,” suggests Elise.

“That sounds good,” says Cory.

The two make their way to Cory’s house. The run upstairs to Cory’s room, it is filled with action figures in cases on shelves around the room. His favorite is the G.I. Joe he got from his dad, it was his when he was a kid and Cory cherishes it. The two sit down on the gaming chairs on the floor in front of the small flat screen on the dresser. The two begin to play. Elise is beating Cory at capture the flag, when the two hear a noise coming from the hallway. They pause the game and go to investigate. They look and see that no one is in the hall, they both turn around to go back to Cory’s room and standing the doorway is his dad.

“WHAT THE HELL?” Shouts Cory.

“Your dead,” he continues.

“Maybe we had a near death experience when we crashed the car and now we can see ghost,” says Elise.

“No that is not what happen,” says Cory’s dad.

“What do you mean that’s not what happen?” says Cory.

“Oh my God, we are dead,” gasped Elise.

“No, you kids are missing,” says Cory’s dad.

“Missing?” Says Elise.

“Yes you both are astral projecting yourselves,” say Cory’s dad.

“What does that even mean?”

“Your astral body has left your physical body and is now wondering around,” says Cory’s dad.

“No we were at the hospital with mom and Elise’s parents and they brought us home,” insisted Cory.

“That was probably a dream,” says Cory’s dad.

“Let me guess you two woke up in your beds and went on with your day as usual.”

“Yeah?” They both say.

“Your astral body came here so that you could find help.”

“Where are we?” Asked Elise.

“Where your physical bodies were left, the accident,” says Cory’s dad.

“I don’t believe you,” says Elise.

“Turn on the news,” says Cory’s dad.

Cory turns off the Xbox and turns on the cable. He flips on the local news station and plastered across the screen is a picture of Elise and Cory with a huge banner at the top reading missing. Their mouths drop and the idea of them being astral projections set in.

“What do we need to do?” Ask Cory.

“We need to get you two to your body,” says Cory’s dad.

“We were on Baxter Rd, when we crashed,” says Elise.

“How are we suppose to get there?” Ask Cory.

“You are always connected to your body. So you will always find your way back. We need to do this fast because the longer you’re away from your body there is chance that you will die,” says Cory’s dad.

“We better get going,” says Cory.

The three leave the house and make their way to the physical bodies of the kids. Elise starts to feel funny.

“I don’t feel well,” says Elise.

“We need to get there fast. I think Elise might be dying,” says Cory’s dad.

“We are three miles away. There’s no way we will make it there in time,” says Cory.

“There is faster way to do this,” say Cory’s dad.

“You both need to close your eyes and see your bodies. Concentrate on your bodies and the sliver line will take you there faster.”

Cory and Elise close their eyes and concentrate on their bodies.

“I see mine,” says Cory.

“Go there,” says his dad.

Cory disappears.

“Elise you need to concentrate really hard and see your body before it is too late,” says Cory’s dad.

“I can’t see it and I’m starting to feel worse,” says Elise.

“You can do it,” says Cory dad.

“There I am,” says Elise.

“Now go,” says Cory’s dad.

Elise disappears.

Elise wakes up and Cory is kneeling beside her body.

“Oh thank God. I didn’t think you were going to wake up. I called for help and they are on their way.”

“We made it,” says Elise.

Elise sits up beside Cory and they are looking into the field. Standing there is Cory’s dad waves and disappears.