The bright sun’s rays piece the branches to shine down on the face of LH Harrison. His face twitches slightly as his eyes slowly open. LH props himself up on his elbows as he looks up at the beautiful oak tree behind him. He inhales deeply through his nose and smells the oak tree that reminds him of the large one in the backyard of his childhood home. Before it got chopped down that is. LH runs his fingers through the manicured lawn and it reminds him of his home in Hope before he joined the XWF. He always had kept the most manicured lawn in all of Hope. First impressions were everything after all. LH rolls to a standing position and feels full of energy. He reaches down and touches the grass. LH smiles as he begins to run. He runs for what feels like an eternity without stopping. The grass seems to go on endlessly. LH stops and looks around and in the distance all he sees is that one oak tree. LH smiles and lays back on the grass.

He blinks and he hears what sounds like laughter. He sits up and looks to his left. Nothing but green grass. He turns to the right and sees two small figures running his way. LH leaps to his feet. The two figures get closer as they giggle the entire time. It’s…

It’s…


Eva and Grace.

LH can barely believe his eyes. He falls to his knees as the two girls run up and leap into his arms. LH holds them close to him as tears begin welling up in the corners of his eyes. He holds his girls close to him and looks ahead. Another form is coming on the horizon. LH squints his eyes and makes out the undeniable frame of his deceased wife, Jessica. LH takes the hand of each of the two girls and begins walking towards Jessica. He begins running as he leaves the two girls behind. He finally catches up to Jessica. He holds her in an embrace for a few minutes. She’s never looked more beautiful as her hair and skin seem to be glowing. LH turns to look for the kids and they’ve disappeared. LH looks from side to side and can’t see them at all!

His eyes dart left and right and all he sees is the large oak tree in the distance and long fields of green grass.

LH turns to look for his wife. She’s standing beside him with tears streaking down her face. She’s bawling her eyes out. LH holds her hand and kisses it as tears begin to well up in the corners of his eyes. Two beings connected by a single connection.

The Inspiration looks at their hands and notices that her hand is paling. He looks up at her face as she slowly fades and becomes more and more translucent. LH pulls the fading body towards him for a tight embrace. The tears begin to roll down the cheeks of LH Harrison as the warmth of the body caressing him slowly turns to nothingness.




Nothingness.






Harrison opens his watery eyes and sees smoke in the distance. He looks and smoke is filling the distance. He stares intently and he can see the grass burning and burning towards him on all sides! The huge fire is coming towards him! LH Harrison turns to find a way out, but the fire is all-engulfing! The flames lick at him as they approach to box him in. LH’s eyes show the fiery yellow and orange fire surrounding him. He looks around and lowers his face.

This… this I deserve.



LH Harrison falls to his knees as the flames cover his body and rip away the clothing while burning his flesh, but not in the way in which a normal fire would. The burns appear and then reappear as if the fire is torturing the body of LH Harrison. Harrison screams out in pain as the landscape changes into a black abyss. Nothing in every direction for LH Harrison to see. Bonds of fire hold him outstretched restricting his movement as the embers crisp his skin time and time again.

Time is of no measure in this void with no sunrises… no sunsets. Days, months, or maybe even years pass as LH continually screams out in agony to the soundless void surrounding him.

Every so often an enormous pair of eyes appear in the darkness. They gaze upon him with their icy reflection.

Please! Help me! Save me!

Every time he begs and pleads for assistance from the eyes, they blink out and fade away.

Then something changed. Those same hollow, icy eyes appeared in the darkness as well as a toothy smile beneath them. Below that a white, outstretching hand extends in front of LH Harrison. LH Harrison tries his hardest to break the bonds constricting him and reach the hand. The flame lick at his skin, preventing him from doing so. The large grin opens and a huge gust of wind blows out the flames as LH falls into the hand and his sight goes fuzzy…





LH Harrison wakes up.

The sound of an alarm rings through the ear canal of LH Harrison. His face furrows as he sleepily opens his eyes. He reads the alarm clock’s face which reads “7:31.” He hits the off button and sits up on the side of the bed. Wearing just a pair of boxers, LH Harrison massages his temples and rolls his neck. He stretches his arms out while letting out a loudly audible yawn. LH Harrison runs his fingers through his hair and suddenly becomes aware to his surroundings.

He’s sitting on a bed with large comforters with a small nightstand beside the bed. Across the room is a chest of drawers and a mirror. LH pushes off the bed and tries to take a step forward, but his legs seem to give out. He falls forward and grips the drawers in front of him pulling one drawer out on top of himself. LH sighs as he looks up at the ceiling fan above him. He sits up and looks at his legs.

Nothing wrong with them, but he tries to squeeze and feel them. No feeling. No response. It’s as if his legs have been asleep for a very long time. LH crawls backwards to the bed and pulls himself up onto the bedside. He finally begins to feel his legs and stands up. He staggers over and places the drawer back in the slot. He looks up at the mirror and gasps. He looks…
Murderess?
Deranged?
Insane?
Normal.
What's so fucking normal?
We're not normal.
Look at us.
You know what we've fucking DONE.
No burns. No wounds. Nothing wrong with his appearance at all. He feels his face and body unbelieving. LH Harrison begins walking out of the bedroom still in shock. He walks into the big area of the apparent loft. He hears the clicking of a pen and his eyes follow the location of the sound.

A desk in the corner with someone sitting in the chair behind it. The chair is leaned back as the sun shines through the window behind the chair. LH puts up a hand trying to block out the sun as he squints towards the man sitting.

Wh-…who are you?

Hello, my friend.

The chair sits up as the back blocks out the sun as the familiar face is shown revealing those icy eyes.

Please, come sit and talk with me.