Mind Mergers

You sit on the edge of the cliff, booted feet swaying and swinging beneath you. To be this close to death doesn’t frighten you, strangely. You always did say that it was normal situations that seemed to freak you out, whereas true crisis brought a weird calm within you.

You hear his voice inside your head. Of course, he doesn’t need to speak out loud, and the miles between you doesn’t matter. It is as if someone is whispering in your ear, but from inside your brain. It causes a slight fuzziness, like a tickle. It is the strangest sensation; one you have never quite got used to.

He asks you, How are you doing? Are you okay?

You merge back at him: Yeah, I’m okay, I’m alive. You’re alive. What do we do next? How do we get the upper hand?

Where are you? Are you far from Westbrook?

Not too far. A few miles south. But how do we get the upper hand? We need to focus if we want to stop them taking over…

You peer down into the crashing waves, feeling suddenly exhausted, all the last few weeks’ frantic activity catching up with you. You are bleeding, bruised, hungry. Saving the world is a lot more tiring than they show in the movies. When even was the last time you saw a movie, with popcorn, or did something normal?

..?

He has replied, but you missed it. The sheer weight of everything is upsetting your powers, and you cannot allow that. You have both worked so hard, lost so many loved ones already. You cannot let them win!

You focus hard, squeezing your eyes shut:

Say it again? I didn’t hear, sorry.

I said – I love you. Ella. I have to tell you, before one of us isn’t here anymore.

What? How long have you felt this?

A beat, and then: (he sounds so soft as he replies)

Always. Kinda. I stamped on the feelings a long time. There were always other pressing matters at hand, like… staying alive. You know?

You hear his easy laughter in your head. And you laugh back. You share this moment, and you feel so close to him all of a sudden. Despite everything.

He says, Don’t suppose you like me too, in that way?

The waves continue to crash beneath you. You feel frozen. A single tear rolls down your face. You watch the blue and the white foam collide. A few minutes ago, you had considered letting yourself fall.

It is starting to rain. You pull your hoodie over your head, and knot your hands together.

Ella? He sounds upset.

Shhh. I’m here. I’m here.

Yes, I do. I think I do. I want your arms around me when this all ends. Can we find each other in time?

I’ll give everything I have for that, Ella. I’ll walk south, you head north. We keep walking until we find each other. Okay?

You find yourself nodding before realising that he can’t hear that. You whisper, Yes. Yes. We’ll find each other.

You stand, and beyond the waves you see crashes and flashes of flame off in the distance. It is the beginning of the end.

Stretching, stiffly, you zip up your hoodie, and hike up your rucksack. With one last look back at the sea, you start to walk, feeling a rush of intention. You have to get to him. Words are not enough right now.