Wanderer's Journal #19

     I opened my eyes to find a familiar world surrounding me. I had re-entered my dream world, but much had changed. In the distance I could see a desert rapidly approaching, destroying the lush forest that stood in its way. I looked up to find the sun had been replaced by a moon. It was odd. My world used to follow the rules of the real world, but it seemed that the game had changed. I began wandering the world, traversing through the blazing desert. It felt like I had been walking for centuries, but it was less than a year that I had been walking for. The desert moon burned through the layers of concealing skin and revealed a layer of truth. Fire flashed before my eyes and my mind found itself thinking of Marie-Lynn. My heart beat like the telltale heart. I began to miss the flame-haired girl. I jolted awake all of a sudden and found myself pacing around my room for hours. The earliest hours of the morning darkness disappeared quickly.

     I knew what I had to do. I took my leave and disappeared into the cold reality of the world. I wandered through the snow and found my way to the place where we had first met. I wondered if she missed me like I missed her. I believed for a moment that she would be waiting there for me. I let hope get the better of me. The snow covered park was empty. The sunrise that symbolized a repeated beginning no longer seemed so pleasant. It began to seem as if the refreshed beginnings were just part of a cycle that I had been trapped in. I started to think that Marie-Lynn was always going to be coming in and out of my life, never resting to have a cup of tea. I was deep in thought when a familiar voice called out to me. I looked up and saw Kim approaching me, which stuck me as strange.

     "Hey Jesse!" She said with an excited smile. "You don't look like you're doing so well..." Her mood darkened instantly. She sat down beside me and held my hand. She remained quiet, but I felt her loving embrace comfort me. The embrace had changed. Now it was an embrace of loving friendship. The feeling was new to me, but felt to be exactly what I needed. I began sobbing immensely and she just sat there and helped me cry. When the tears had finally exhausted themselves, I looked up and smiled at her.

     "Thanks, Kim" I thanked her sincerely. She didn't say a word, but rather got up and smiled down at me. Her eyes said 'take care of yourself' and then she walked away. I felt six thousand tons lighter and decided to head back home; the sun had finished rising. I was just exiting the park when another voice called out to me from behind me. I turned around just in time to notice Marie-Lynn running at me at full speed. I prepared for impact and caught her in a tight hug. I felt her body warming mine up, but something was different this time. Behind her, a friend of mine followed. His name was Gerald and he used to date her as well. He wore a tench coat and seemed to be a mean guy, but was a Teddy bear most of the time. There was a flash of jealousy in his eyes and I realized that a girl I knew clearly didn't like that. I pushed Marie-Lynn away and went to see him. I figured there was no point competing for Marie-Lynn's attention. Something quickly came to mind. I had read it somewhere and I wasn't sure who said it.

    It said something like this: "Love is like a game of dominoes. You fall for them; they fall for someone else."

-Zero