A story I wrote

[The Reverend Dark Angel]

I hate mushy shit... everyone knows this. But I wrote this story some time ago and people have told me they liked it, so we'll see what you all think... here it is...


Silent Reverie

A Highschool Classroom

He sits on the desk, his arms neatly crossed over his lap. His short dark blonde hair is messed, though it appears as though it was meant to be. He sits in a three-piece suit; the students before him sit in amazement, wondering what could pull him away from his normal attire of khaki?s and three-buttoned collared shirt. He stares back at a picture of a beautiful young woman. Hair of blonde with a reddish tint, eyes more captivating than the moon itself, and a smile that would illuminate even the darkest of nights. A tear rolls down the man?s cheek. He softly wipes his shadow gray eyes and sniffs back the tears he feels welling up inside. His class has been silent for the past ten minutes, more curious than anything else as to why the teacher they have come respect so dearly does not even bother to even acknowledge their existence.
?Mr. Durset?? Brandi, a young willful woman who has taken a love of English and turned it into a possibility for a future career calls out to him. Crawford turns and looks over at her.
?Yes, Brandi?? he asks her with an emotionless expression hanging on his face.
?What?s wrong?? her voice is filled with concern.
Durset stands up and walks behind his desk and takes a seat in his chair. He pulls a small pocket watch out of his coat, opens it and compares it to the time on the clock on the wall. The watch closes with an almost silent click; he then slides it back into his pocket. His head lowers as he looks at his desk, he remains this way for several moment?s before rising once again and looking around at all of his students.
?Have you ever been in love?? it is a question that puzzles those around him. The few that have watched his movements and have not missed even the slightest detail know they are about to for the first time find out who the woman in the picture actually is and why she so apparently means so much to him.
?It?s the greatest feeling in life, but at the same time it is also the worst. It is a poison that you just cannot resist. An age-old teddy bear you find yourself cuddling up with every night. Nothing and I mean nothing can ever compare to its sweet rapture, nor can anything be as harsh and painful as its deadly sting. Perhaps it is here where the meaning of life can be found. Perhaps it is far more simple than any Philosopher throughout time has understood. Maybe, just maybe we are here to feel the warm embrace, to experience the deadly stare, and find within it, victory without pride.? He says to them. They have all become entranced with what he is telling them. Though several of them haven?t a clue why he?s talking about love in an English class.
Durset lifts up the picture of the young woman that he has stared at so hard for many a day. ?I take it you?re all wondering who the woman in this picture is?? he asks them. He watches as he receives many nods. ?I suppose it is time that I told you. Most of you I have been with for the past four years, I have gained your respect and in turn I will return it. You?re all graduating in three days, over the course of those three days I will tell you of the only woman I ever loved. Welcome to your final exam.? He says this as people begin to get as comfortable as possible in the wooden chairs connected to the wooden desks.
?Her name is Christine. Seven years ago she was my girlfriend. I used to live near a valley. It was the most awe-inspiring sight one could ever hope to see. A waterfall ran from the top of the cliff, deep into the heart of the valley. The lush and full grass was green all save for the winter months. When the moon was full and positioned directly above, the waterfall and the river below seemed to be made of diamond. I used to spend most of my free time there, always with a pencil in one hand, an art pad in the other, and a cigarette in my mouth. I hadn?t thought of school, I hadn?t thought of teaching, and I hadn?t thought of English Literature. My life was my art, it was the only way I could find to express myself without causing any problems or getting into any fights. And that valley was my place, it was my Heaven.? He begins.
?I can still remember the day. It was warm, yet cool at the same time. The sun shone brightly above, a gentle wind whistled softly through the branches and leaves of the trees. The grass was thick, the flowers were in full bloom, and they swayed in harmony with the wind?s ripples. The water was so clear it was like looking through a window. It was my Utopia. I had left the house early that morning; I wanted to quickly get to work on a few sketches before I forgot my intention on going there in the first place. When I arrived however, I found that I was not alone. A young lady had beaten me to my Garden of Eden. She was standing about twenty feet away from the waterfall?s edge; on it?s banks she looked down beneath the water and to the fish swimming about. She was staring at everything the water touched, the banks, the ground, the rocks, and even the grass. She was stunning, and seeing her and seeing her standing there was just as stunning.
I remained quiet and moved over to a rock just beyond the river?s bank. I was still behind her, and I had no doubt that I could go unseen. I watched her movements, took notice of how her hair moved with her and the wind at the same time, her dress, even the motion of her body and hands. I then swung my drawing pad open and began to draw her. Everything I saw I drew. The glass coated river, the rocks emerging forth from the river itself, the clouds above, the fish that occasionally sprung forth from the water, and her, the beautiful creature mesmerized by the waterfall before me. I caught every little detail and placed it into my drawing by some means. But it was her, staring away from me, her eyes transfixed on the water before her, and her hands placed gently behind her, the right one overlapping the left. She drew my attention away from the waterfall. I watched her in silence for the next hour, I watched as she neared the edge and looked down at a sight few have ever been privileged to partake in. I just sat there on that rock, mesmerized by her, like she was to the waterfall. And still I had not made myself known to her.?
The bell rang, no one wanted to leave the class. They were anxiously anticipating the rest of this story. He excused them and smiled at each one of them as they all piled out. He knew that none of them wanted to go, he knew that they wanted to know, that they had to know. But he knew that they would have to wait until tomorrow. Durset stood up and walked around the classroom, he knew that in two more days it would all be over. He walked behind his desk once more, picked up the picture of Christine and stared at it. He smiled, kissed the glass casing and walked to the door. He flipped the switch for the lights and everything went dark. He closed the door behind him and left the emptiness of the room until tomorrow.

The Next Day

Durset stands at the pop machine waiting to get his daily dose of Mountain Dew. His final class for the day begins in less than five minutes. But he has gotten quite used to waiting for them to show up three to five minutes late. He suddenly feels a hand on his shoulder. He turns to see John standing there.
?We?re just waiting on you.? He says with a smile. Durset gives him a look of confusion.
?What do you mean, we?re?? he asks approaching the pop machine.
?We?ve been in there for almost eight minutes now. When the hell do you expect to come to your classroom?? John?s sarcasm makes Durset smile more than usual.
He puts his money in the machine and grabs his pop and turns to leave. ?John, you have never been to my class on time, what the hell are you doing there eight minutes early?? Durset asks in disbelief.
?For four years we?ve all waited, and now that we?re actually able to find out who this mystery woman is, we?re not going to wait anymore.? He pats Durset on the back.
?Still, the fact that you?re all there before me? well, that frightens me.? The two then enter into the classroom.
Durset stops in his tracks and looks around. He then cautiously approaches his desk stunned that it took this to bring them all together. ?Why don?t we go outside?? he says to them as he turns around.
?Won?t we get in trouble?? Kelly asks him from the back of the room.
?I?m your teacher, so, no.? Durset waves his hand towards the door. Everyone stands up and walks out of the room. They exit the school and hurriedly make their way over to the football stadium. There they each take seats on the bleachers and anxiously anticipate the rest of the story that began yesterday.
?Hey Durset, do you mind if we relax?? Max asks as he begins to stretch.
?I don?t give a shit. You?re old enough to know better than to make out in front of me or fuck in front of me, so do what you gotta do.? As Durset tells him this he immediately puts his head into Lindsey?s lap. She rubs his forehead and smiles. Kelly and Jack close in on each other and begin to cuddle. Kathy and John do much the same. Michael leans back against another bleacher and looks up to the clouds. Durset smiles and situates himself for more comfort. He then lights up a cigarette and begins.
?I believe I left off when I was about to make my presence known to her?? he asks them all.
?Yeah, you just said you hadn?t made yourself known to her.? Kathy tells him with a smile. He nods his head.

The Valley

The sun was now high above us; the day was getting warmer. She for the first time that day looked over in my direction. I was startled that she finally had. She startled to find me sitting there, even more so when she saw how comfortable I was. She could instantly tell that I had been there for quite some time. She smiled at me and asked me to join her. I did as she asked.
?Hello there!? she said with a small laugh and a large smile. I felt like a fool.
?Hi.? I smiled back; I was blushing so profusely that I went entirely red.
She was by far the most beautiful creature I had ever set my eyes upon. We sat in silence for the next few hours, occasionally staring at each other?s eyes, looking upon the valley below, watching the waterfall and the water below dance in reflection. Our eyes were glass, and everything beamed from within them, and everything outside of them gleamed off of them like a marvelous spectacle. It was a time I wished would never end. We turned out eyes towards each other once again, by the time we pulled away the sun was falling beyond the horizon.
?Come on, let?s watch it set from down below!? she said as she grabbed hold of my hand and pulled me with her. I realized instantly that I had no choice in the matter, not that I would have put up a fight in the first place.
We climbed down the rocks; we walked down the various hills and entered into the valley. The final hint of sunlight shone through the trees giving me just enough sight to still see every inch of her. I cared not for the setting sun, only for the beauty before me. She stood there with me, hand in hand, taking in every moment of what was left of the day. The night had fallen upon us and we hadn?t said more than a handful of words to one another. But already I knew that I had fallen into something that no words could describe. I had my first taste of the sweet rapture.
?Do you have a name?? I asked her trying my damnedest not to stutter.
?Christine. And yours would be?? She said with a smile beaming from ear to ear.
?Thomas.? I smiled back and looked up to the verdant star filled sky. Everything was so peaceful, it was almost perfect.
?It?s a pleasure to meet you Thomas.? She said as she gripped my hand tighter and pulled me to the ground.
?As it is you.? I was feeling more comfortable around her now and was hoping that the subject of how long I had been watching her wouldn?t come up.
?So Thomas, do you come here often?? she hesitated for a moment and watched the ackward look I gave her. She then burst into laughter knowing just how cheesy that comment actually was. I gave off a small laugh and shook my head. She laid her head down upon my chest.
?Yeah, it?s a place of pure beauty. I sometimes think that it?s the last good place in this world.? I put my hand on her head and began to move my fingers through her hair.

The Stadium

?You two sure got it on hot and heavy pretty damned quickly!? Jack shouts as everyone laughs.
?That?s the strange part about the one, Jack. The most comfortable moments are those you never expect. Take you and Kelly for example, you?re made for each other, and you know it. Same goes for Justin and Lindsey, and John and Kathy. The unexpected comfort of love is what makes it all worth while.? Thomas says to him. ?Anyway, we laid for a long time??

The Valley

She then stood up and walked over to the edge of the water. The stars sparkled off it like tiny crystals. She lifted the hem of her skirt above her knees, sat down, and dipped her legs into the water. I walked over behind her and sat down, daring not to get wet.
?So how long were you watching me?? she asked with a sly smile on her face.
I felt a lump suddenly form in my throat. ?For about an hour or so.? I felt ashamed, especially when she cocked her head in my direction and flashed me a look telling me I was an idiot.
?What?! Why didn?t you just say hello?? she asked me.
?I was caught up in the moment. I was captivated by how graceful you are.? It sounded a little better, but I was still a fool. ?I?m an artist, I came down here today to draw the valley, instead I drew you.? Saved by love.
?Oh, what types of things do you draw?? I wasn?t sure if she was asking out of curiosity or if she just didn?t believe me.
?All types of things.? I told her.
?Do you do nudes?? The question caught me off guard and I felt a look of shock fall upon my face. ?Well, do you?? she was intent on finding out.
?Yes, occasionally I do them. It usually depends on whether there are any available models around though.? I was afraid I was sounding a little too professional, especially seeing as how I was only an amateur artist.
?Are you one of those people that only does nudes of women?? she said with a look that combined curiosity and anger.
?No, I want to be a successful artist one day. And that means that one must take in all aspects of the field. Both men and women. It sure beats a bowl fruit though!? I watched her laugh at the remark, it gave me a warm feeling inside. ?So what is it that you do, Lori?? I asked leaning back against a rock.
?I?m home from college. I?m majoring in Marine Biology at UCLA right now. I decided to come back home for vacation, then I realized that mother had moved here. Played hell on the airfare.? Her smile was bright as she told me this. Her eyes were focused the whole time, and I knew that I was in for the ride of a lifetime.
We talked for another four hours before departing for the night. I walked her home, as I came to the walk before her house she softly kissed me on the edge of my lips. I watched as she walked up to her door, and I watched as she disappeared behind it. As I walked home that night I remember the one thought that was on my mind, ?Today was a silent reverie.?

The Stadium

?That is so romantic!? Kathy said a little teary eyed. ?Why aren?t you like that?? she asked as she smacked John.
?Hey, hey! It?s not my fault I don?t have a waterfall near me!? he said trying to avoid the attack. Laughter fills the stadium.
?So is this waterfall magical?? Michael asks.
?No, it?s just a waterfall.? Thomas says to him.
Max was staring up at Lindsey eyes. He then sat up, took her in his arms and kissed her passionately.
Durset watched them for barely a moment?s time. Just long enough to see them happy together. Everything then went white in his eyes as a memory flooded his mind. He was back in another time, at another place. He was in the valley, in the river itself, at the base of the waterfall, he could see her there, his arms around her neck, her forehead pressed to his, the moonlight above providing more than enough light for them to see each other. She softly kissed him as he spun her around in the water. He pulled her tightly to his body, she pulled him back. They caressed each other?s bodies, their passion ignited the Heaven?s, and they made love as the water danced around them. He was then forced back into the present. The entirety of the memory lasted but three seconds; he was shocked because it lasted for well over an hour. He was now sweating, the intensity of the memory felt real, he was there again and he was happy once more. He looked around at the kids. Max and Lindsey had quit kissing. He smiled at them all.
?I think I need another cigarette.? He said reaching for his pack. The memory that swooped in left him with an orgasmic feeling that only he could understand. He pulled a cigarette from the pack and put it in his mouth. He then took out his lighter and struck it. He watched the flame, how it leaped and flayed about almost as though it was trying to escape. He dipped the tip of the cigarette into it and listened to the crackling of the tobacco catching fire. He inhaled and watched closely as the paper burned down and the end turned to ash. He pulled it away from the lighter and watched the smoke rise into the sky. He took it out of his mouth and noticed that both ends smoked. He looked at the small yellow discoloring on the end of the filter and smiled. He hand never noticed a detail like that before. And now it was one that he would never forget. Much like her.
?Mr. Durset!? John shouted out to him.
?What? What?!? Durset said as he looked around feeling a little embarrassed that he had spaced out like that.
?The bell just rang.? John said pointing the students now leaving school.
?Oh. Then class dismissed! Go home, have fun.? Durset said standing up. He took another puff of his cigarette and saw that no one was moving.
?Tomorrow?s our last day, we want to hear the rest of this.? Lindsey said to him.
?And so you shall, tomorrow. We?ll meet out here again.? He said to her with a smile.
They all groaned but decided to stand up. As they walked off Durset looks up to the sky, he watches as the clouds pass over the sun and release it again. No longer was knowing this story a necessity to his students, it was now a desire. A smile creases his lips as he turns and walks back towards the school.

The Next Day

Durset walked by his classroom. The lights were off, the door was shut. He unlocked it and walked inside. He took the small picture of Christine off his desk and held it tightly. He then walked back out the door, shutting it behind him. The day was bright, only a handful of small clouds roamed the skies. He placed a pair of sunglasses on his head and made his way down to the Football Stadium.
?Man, I?m going to miss playing here on Friday nights.? Justin says as he wraps his arms around Lindsey.
?No shit.? John said. Everyone suddenly became quiet with a look of confusion lingering on their faces.
?John, you weren?t on the football team. And baseball isn?t played here.? Jack points out.
?I meant that I?m going to miss the games here.? John reaches over and punches Jack in the arm.
?Ow!?
?You deserved that!? John said returning back to Kathy.
?Why?? Jack asked rubbing his arm.
?Graduation gift.? Everyone starts to laugh. Durset walks around the bleachers and takes a seat to where he can see everyone.
?So this is it?? Michael asks him.
?This is it. Your final class and mine.? Durset tells them.
?What do you mean your final class?? Kelly asks.
?I?ll tell you when it?s over. Where was I yesterday?? Durset asks them.
?First kiss of the night.? Kathy and Max said together. Kathy stretched as she began to sit up.
?Ah yes, we?ll let?s move on to the next day.?

The Town

My brother Zak told everyone about Christine. He sparked their curiosity and so they decided to have a party down by the waterfall to meet her. I was rather amused at the gesture, and I was impressed that Zak was able to set the whole thing up. There weren?t many kids in that town, we were always a small community but they were the best friends I could have ever hoped for. Besides myself and Zak, there were James and Jill, a couple full of love and hope. Adam and Joe were the town?s two roughnecks. If you ever went into a fight, you never wanted to go without these two by your side. And then there was Richard and Kylie, she was a human dictionary and he couldn?t spell for shit. They were a perfect match, and we had all known it since we were little kids. We all gathered at my house as dusk approached. Christine was already there. We all made the small trek through the woods to the waterfall; we brought a grill and a variety of food and drink. We set everything up down in the valley and began the night.
?So have you two fucked yet or what?? Zak hysterically said.
?No, and watch your fucking mouth young man!? I replied. He laughed at me.
?What?s the matter, couldn?t get it up?? he quickly took off running, I kept chase until I caught him and dragged him back in a headlock.
?Those two are going to be beating the shit out of each other for years.? Ally commented.
?They better not, that?s our jobs!? Adam said as he pointed towards Joe. The valley filled with laughter. It was so loud that it spooked the birds and sent them flying away from the trees. I took a seat next to Lori and watched as Tommy and Bjorn roughhoused.
?Boxers or wrestlers?? James asked everyone.
?Adam?s as a wrestler, Joe?s a boxer.? Richard began. ?Either way I wouldn?t want to be beat up by them.?
?It?s not them you need to worry about, it?s me!? Kylie said as she pounced on him sending him back into the grass. I gave a small laugh and turned to Christine.
?What do you think?? I asked her.
?I like them, they?re a good crowd. But why haven?t any of you ever left this town?? she had been out, she didn?t understand the way this town worked.
?Most people never get out of this town. It?s like a prison, everyone here knows everyone else, we all have our businesses and the generations that span throughout this town go back to the Civil War. I guess no one?s ever really made it out of here.? James said.
?But we?re all trying.? Jill told her.
?One day we?ll all make it.? Matt said looking up from Kylie?s lips.
?One day.? James stood up and walked over to the edge of the river.
?Is he okay?? Christine asked Jill.
?Yeah, at some point we?ve all tried to leave, everyone except Thomas. But for some reason we could never make it out. When he said this place is like a prison, he meant it.? Jill then stood up and walked over to James. She squatted next to him and put her arm around his shoulders.
?Why haven?t you ever tried to get out?? Christine asked me.
?When it?s my time to leave, I?ll know it. Until then, I have all this.? I raised my hands and waved them all around the valley. She looked around and smiled.
For the rest of the night we sat around a campfire, we smoked, we ate, we drank, Richard puked, it was a good night. We wrapped it up around three in the morning and headed home. I then began to wonder if I would ever make it out?

The Stadium

?But you obviously did, or you wouldn?t be here.? Lindsey points out.
?Yes. But it?s not that I did get out that matters, it?s how.? Durset tells her. The intrigue can be seen in all their eyes.

The Town

As the days and nights formulated into weeks, Christine and I became inseparable. I remember one day when she and I were sitting at the top of the waterfall, looking over the valley a cloud passed by that looked like a human with wings. It was amazing, as we looked at it; it looked right back at us. She looked over at me, her eyes staring beyond my exterior and into my soul.
?You?re my Angel.? She whispered into my ear. It was that moment that I knew. I felt the embrace and was no longer afraid to taste the poison. I placed by arms around her and gently kissed her lips. I spoke no words to her, but we both knew that our souls were becoming one. We were in love, but neither one of us would admit it to the other.
Time passed by and we knew our time together wouldn?t last forever. She would have to leave for college soon, but that didn?t stop us from loving one another. The night was calm, the stars were shining bright, the crescent moon had begun its decent to allow morning to arise. She and I were down in the valley, it held a certain glow to it that night that is indescribable. I pulled her close to me and held her tightly, I kissed her again. When we stopped I stood up and looked at the water. I decided to go for a swim. I walked towards the edge and pulled off my shirt.

The Stadium

A few cheers from the ladies in his class erupted. He gave a small laugh and shook his head. He lit up a cigarette and watched as a couple of others did as well.

The Waterfall

I swam over to where the ground allowed me to stand upright and see her. I smiled at her and she smiled back. She then stood up and walked towards the water and me. She pulled off her shirt and skirt and tossed them aside and entered into the water.

The Stadium

The men of his class joined together in a roar of appreciation. Durset laughed and laid down on one of the bleachers. He waited until everyone calmed down to continue on.
?There is a fine line between sex and love. Many of you have probably tried oral pleasure or taken a good romp in the sack. But you?ve never experienced what making love is truly all about. I do have a hope that all of you one day will. You are all my seniors, and I would hate for you all to leave today without knowing what you can achieve tomorrow.
?She and I were there, and it was perfect??

The Waterfall

She rose up out of the water and flung her arms around me. Out lips met and I felt the warm sweet taste of her mouth once more, her tongue, her very being flowed through me. I spun her around in the water. We were like to glowing fools dancing in a river of dreams. I wanted that to last forever. She swam around trying to get me to chase her. I would do so and dive beneath the water, grabbing hold of her legs and pulling her under with me. It was Heaven before I died.
She kissed me again, under the water; I smiled as I felt her hands removing the last of my clothing. And I found my own hands doing the same to her. I moved inside of her, her breasts heaving in the night air, our moans harmonious with the sound of the waterfall, our bodies and souls had become one.
We moved from the water to the banks of the river and back into the water. We finally moved to a small patch of grass a little ways up on a hill. The sun slowly peeked over the river and we moved back into the water. When we were done, dawn had come and gone. The waterfall before us, the sun high above us. It was the most magical moment of my life. We stepped out of the water and lay down in the middle of patch of flowers and grass. She kissed me once more and placed her head on my chest. She smiled as she hugged me tightly and then she ran a finger around a car on my left shoulder. It tickled, but it felt so good.
?How did you get this?? she asked as she continued to circle around the scar with her nail.
?My brother stabbed me.? I said as I kissed the top of her head.
?What?! Why?? she asked with a chuckle.
?He was about thirteen I think, frustrated with his school work. I came in to his room to see how he was doing, I knew he hated school. In a fit of anger he swung his science project around trying to hit it against the wall. Instead it found my shoulder. Except to eat and go to school he stayed in his room for a solid week. He was so sure that I would come after him to beat him up.? Her laughter emanated forth and sent me into a fit of laughter as well. She then kissed from my scar to my lips.
It was probably early afternoon before we decided to get dressed. We found it rather difficult to get our underwear, seeing as how it was down at the bottom of the river, our river. We walked home that day and the few people that saw us knew what we had done. But neither of us had cared, we were happy together, and that was all that mattered.

The Stadium

?You spent an entire night making love?? Lindsey asked.
Durset let out a small laugh. ?Yes, Lindsey.?
Lindsey turned to Max. ?Hey, don?t look at me, I please you!? Max said backing away expecting to get hit.
?We need a waterfall.? Lindsey said laying her head back into his lap.
?It?s not the waterfall, it?s the moment.? Durset tells her.
?I?m having one of those moments now!? John says as he looks down at Kathy.
?Oh no you?re not!? Kathy laughs pushing him back against the bleacher. Everyone laughs as they hear the bell ring.
Durset looks over towards the school. ?Looks like you all made it.?
?We?re not leaving. We want to hear the rest. We?ve got time.? Michael tells him as he looks around to everyone. They all nod their heads.
?Very well.? Durset tells them with a smile.

The Waterfall

It had been two months. Two more weeks and she would leave for college. I had lived here my entire life, and just now had found love, and she was soon to walk out of my life. But for the days that lay ahead of us, was something neither of us could have ever expected.

The Stadium

A few tears flowed from some of the women, and surprisingly, one of the men.

The Waterfall

The usual rains had come; we had been anticipating them this year since the crops were going to be so abundant. We might have actually made a buck. But I didn?t plant, nor did I harvest. I was an artist, and I was in love. She and I would meet in down at the river where the waterfall fell into every day. We would walk and talk for hours on end from there; we found peace in this. We had no need to shop, we had no desire to eat until late in the day, we were happy together, and that was everything to us.
It was four days until she left, it was late at night and the sky was darker than usual. She called me, she was crying and I couldn?t make out very many of her words. I did hear her ask me to come to the waterfall. I hurried out of bed, throwing on a pair of jeans, a shirt, and my socks and shoes I rushed out the door. A storm raged on outside, one more violent than I had ever seen before. Lightning cracked through the sky very three seconds and enormously loud thunderous bellows echoed through the night. I ran as fast as I could, slipping and sliding and finding my way into the mud. Walking to the waterfall usually took me upwards of ten minutes, running as fast as I did, it took me less than five. She was already there waiting for me, she didn?t live too far away from it. Even through the thick blanket of the rain I could tell that she was still crying, hurting in some way. As I ran up to her she ran into my arms.
?What?s wrong?!? I screamed through the pelting and pounding rain.
?I don?t want to lose you!? she screamed into my chest. Though I could barely hear her, I could feel her words through my body.
?You?re not going to!? I shouted to her. She pushed back away from my chest and looked at me. Even drenched and crying she was as beautiful as ever.
?I have to leave this week. But I don?t want you to stay here!? her arms were by her chest, her face held an expression that I didn?t understand. Her words raced through my mind as I tried to make sense out of them.
?I don?t understand!? I yelled.
?Your pad! I kept it! The drawing you did of me, I sent it to UCLA, they want you!? I froze looking at her; I was so wrapped up in her that I had completely forgotten about my pad. I didn?t know what to say or do. ?Thomas?? she screamed out in a question.
?You sent in the drawing I did of you?? I hollered back.
?Yes, I?m sorry, I know I should have asked you first!? she apologized.
I walked over to her and embraced her. A tear fell from my eye. And for the first time since we first met I whispered the words into her ear she had so longed to hear. ?I love you.?
She kissed me and repeated those same three words into my own ear. I pulled back and laughed out of sheer joy. It was as if there was no storm. Like we were the only two people in the entire world, and it felt great.
I watched as she danced in the rain next to the waterfall. I watched in awe as she threw her hands out to her side, looked up to the sky, and began twirling around. A vision of beauty of the woman I loved. I watched her as she danced; feelings flooded me that I had never felt before. I shouted into the rain, beyond the thunder, over and over the words, I love you. And in one earth shattering voice she screamed it back.
It was pure bliss; nothing could have compared to that single moment. But it would not last. Even with the raging thunderous storm everything went deafeningly quiet. Fear took hold of me as the expression on Lori?s face changed to match my own look. Her eyes widened, her mouth hung open as fear swallowed her very being. It all took place in less than a second?s time. I looked up to watch she saw, and there was the end. A light that would destroy our precious moment.
I watched from no more than twenty feet away from her as a bolt of lightning crashed into the ground and began to course through her body. Steam streamed from the ground and rose up all around her. Instinctively I jumped towards her, an attempt that would prove failing. I felt something surge into me and I was flung backward colliding with a rock. It would be three minutes before I would awaken, three minutes too late.
I ran my hand over the side of my face. As I pulled back and looked at it I saw blood as it washed away between my fingers. A gash that would one-day leave a scar, but nothing I considered serious at the moment. As I gathered my senses I looked over to where Lori lay. The ground was still warm, steam still rose from the mud and grass. I quickly ran over to her and pulled her into my arms. She wasn?t breathing. Her heart had stopped beating; her blood no longer flowed. She just lie there, dead. I just held her there, drug across my lap. I looked up to the clouds, into the Heaven?s and I screamed. Over the crack of lightning and the booming of thunder the entire town heard me. Only a few would come to see what had happened.
It took my brother, Joe, Adam, and Jan to pull me off of her. Jill and Kylie tried to comfort me, though we all knew it would do no good. They told me that I should go home, another failing attempt. I went back to the spot where she was dancing, and I stayed there until the storm passed, hoping that with each streak of lightning that crashed through the sky and every clap of thunder that rolled through the clouds that my own life would be claimed as well.

The Stadium

Durset leans back against the bleachers. A tear rolls down his cheek as a cigarette is suddenly lit up. He takes a long drag and inhales deeply. He watches as the smoke pours from his mouth.
?At her funeral I kept to myself, away from the small crowds that had gathered around her. I didn?t want to be near anyone, I couldn?t bear to hear how sorry they were for what happened. I couldn?t tolerate being near anyone at that moment. Before I left I approached her grave for the first time. There I noticed something odd engraved upon it. The words ?Wife of Thomas Durset. They had claimed her as Christine Dawn Crawford; they had claimed her as my wife.
I couldn?t understand it, so I went to the one person who just might. Her mother explained to me that the last thing she had said to her was that she wanted more than anything in life or death, to be married to me. It however had also become her final wish. The Priest had honored her final wish and performed a vow of marriage for us. Illegal proceedings, but no one would ever say a word; small towns like that can keep a secret. Her mother then handed me a wedding band; she told me that she had also gotten one for her daughter. I looked on the inside and read the engraving ?Thomas and Christine, in life as well as in death?. I smiled at her mother, gave her a gentle hung and said nothing more. She was to me then as she is to me now, my wife.
The next day a package arrived for me. It was an acceptance letter from UCLA; they had given me a full art scholarship. She wanted this for me, she wanted me to be there with her, and she wanted me to make something of myself, to be more than what I could have been here. That day I gathered my things and headed out west. I took Art and excelled in the field, but as time went on I changed my major to English. Art was my love, Lori was my love. English would find me a new love. And so it has been that with you kids that I have found my new love. But now you know the story of the woman in the picture, in this picture.?
Durset holds out the picture of Christine.
?My wife, Christine Dawn Durset.? He puts the picture away and looks down.
?That?s so sad Mr. Durset.? Lindsey says with tears in her eyes. ?I?m so sorry.?
?Don?t be, Lindsey. It wasn?t meant to be a story of sadness, it was meant for you to learn from.? Durset tells her as he pats her on the foot.
?What do you mean?? John asks looking around Kathy?s neck.
?Love is all the joy, all the pain, and you will know when you are in love, for it will feel like a Silent Reverie.? He then rose from the bleachers, lit another cigarette, and walked away.
Tomorrow the graduating seniors will learn that they have passed his class. Five days later, Thomas sat on a rock on top of a hill; his back pressed against a tree. A small art pad lay in his lap. He looked up, a diamond waterfall, a glistening river, and uncountable memories. And he began to draw. He saw her walking down the riverbank, he watched as she faded into the waterfall itself. He smiled and created his masterpiece.

[-=Wizard=-]

WTF? if I wanted to read a freaking book I would have shut this computer off and opened 1 up! Haha naw it was pretty good though!

[SummerStorm]

*tears* that was sweet...I loved it...ever thought about havin it published as a short story??

[macy^]

*smiles*

[demon chloe]

Love is completely overwhelming.... feel it...live it....don't hide behind fallacies or half truths...

truly can be gone in a blink of an eye

never again..would i even consider playing games of the heart...... for that reason....

and for that very same reason.... you have to live laff and love [img]graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

REv... Ive always told you I think you are talented... We barely speak..barely know each other...and mostly just say hello.... BUT crap man.... Most people would give their pinky finger nail for your intuitiveness...and talent.... I like you..REv....... [img]smile.gif[/img] you're good stuff.......


think..live laff...love....and the world will be better...just for havin you in it

[Blazey]

Revvy!..I dont know what to say...its not often i am speechless..that was truly amazing..i cried..simply put..thank you sweetheart..*hugs ya tight*

oh yeah..macy..first timer poster here..geeeee..wonder why.. [img]rolleyes.gif[/img]

[The Reverend Dark Angel]

I don't like it. I think it's the cream of crap. But I hate mushy bullshit unless it's SNUGGLE TIME!!!

Wiz, I'm gonna smack you with a book ya shit!

chloe, we speak, we know each other, if someone wants to actually give me their pinky fingernail I'll take it dag nabit! But as far as talent goes, you should see my *ahem*... um yeah THANK YOU CHLOLOLOLOLOLOEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE *smooch*

Blaze, it's fun to make you speechless. Macy posted here cause I told her I wrote a story here and asked her to see it. Which is good cause I'm a Sexy Bitch! [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

[-=Wizard=-]

Ha ha ha Rev's a troll but I like him! Some one that say's it like it is but doesn't intentionaly try to hurt ya! That is what I truely like in a person!

Rev. your realy cool--Just stay away from me Chloe! [img]wink.gif[/img] (joking)

[Blazey]

well.well..well...macy is always welcome here..she knows that..*winks at her*

and as far as the sexy bitch..yes..i am inclined to agree..*wonders how your head can swell any bigger* [img]eek.gif[/img]

[Tee Ehn]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="tempus sans itc,verdana,arial">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#DDDDDD"><font size=2 face="tempus sans itc,verdana,arial"> Some one that say's it like it is but doesn't intentionaly try to hurt ya! </font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>

*lights blaze's far and smooches chloe, just passin thru.....waiting on that firehouse call *L*.......