The After Life

"Oh."

The first words spoken on the balcony, over an otherworldly view. Neon colors bled through behind every building against the setting sky. A cold chill led by the sea life swimming through the air. Colors that only could ever exist on paper, touched every surface. The young woman stood there, taking in every single detail as if it were her own.

She opened her lungs to the air as if it were the first time in a very long time. A breath that wasn't supported by tubes and equipment. Her arms rested onto the railing, allowing her to lean forward and feel a wave of air rustle through her hair as a large and beautiful creature swam over her. It was like a dream or something even more familiar to her.

Qinni was a talented soul and as she stood on that balcony, she finally realized where she was. An after life that existed from her own being. She could reach her hand out and lines of watercolor poured out. A school of pearlescent fish swam through the evening air, only to stop and dance around her.

Another breath of air, opening and closing her lungs. A feeling that could not be taken for granted. Although this world was quiet, and brought no one to share it with, she knew it was alright. The cancerous pain, the medication and the sadness was over and now the world, this world, was hers to create. Colors, lines, anything that she wanted, she could create with no doctors and no updates. This life was hers.

A giggle sprang through the air as the woman climbed the railing, her body shook with an expectation for weakness only to be met with strength. She crouched atop of the railing for mere moments before leaping off. Flying, swimming, it was one in the same. What it wasn't, was drowning, falling, or dying. Giggles quickly turned into a burst of joyous cries. Each sound swallowed up by the air.

To finally be free and live, swim, fly. It was a moment unseen by the eyes on a screen. No Twitter fans to boast to. No Instagram to post to. She moved with no haste, finding herself on the back of a whale that swam through the air as if it were painted in it. The colors like water, splashed its body, a touch of inspiration could be seen and felt from every stroke that created the magnificent beast.

Creatures from every creation she had ever imagined began appearing before her. Below her walked women with their long entangled hair, woven into strings attached to golden fish swimming patiently above. Above her the same neon glow from before mimicked her memories of what stars once were.

Memories of what used to be, began to flood into her mind. "Fragile" is what she wrote last. An update that hurt to write, and to read. It was nothing new and it was nothing easy. She had wrote about the pain and the chemo. A survivor 4 times over and yet it felt never ending, until now. Fragile.

There was nothing fragile about this new world. It was colorful, soft, and full of all the strength she had in her past life. Every line was a tear that held together the state of each masterpiece made. Every drop of color was a Patreon dollar dropped in a go-fund me bucket. Another breath drawn in awe of every little detail.

In a sudden rush, the whale she sat upon, dove down and swiftly rushed back upwards as if to mimic a jump out of water. With the wind like the salty sea in her hair, she held on and smiled.

"oh!"