“Hello?” My voice echoed in the darkness. “Is there anybody there?”
I was met with the same hollow, disembodied mimicry.
I stood in the vacuum. Alone.
“Someone has to be there! Any one! It’s me!!! Really… It’s ME!” I screamed.
This place. IT was devoid of anything. No smells. Nothing to hear or taste. Nothing to feel.
“You’ve been gone a while!” said a voice; familiar, gentle, patient.
My heart skipped.
“Yes.. yes I have, and I’m sorry,” I said.
That damned silence again. "Are you there?’ I tried.
I felt like running. But running in the darkness, where would that take me? I felt despair.
A hand game through the darkness, a shimmering white hand, “Come on,” I took it. The grip was firm, but warm and filled me with a sort of joy I’d not felt in, God knows how long. It pulled me from the darkness, and I saw a face.
“Elsha?”
“Yes, Al,”
I embraced her tightly, kissing her neck. “I’ve missed you,” I did not want to let her go.
“It’s nice to see you again, Al!”
I nodded, “Ya!”
“Where have you been?”