“I love you…”

What?

Who?

Love?

“What is love?” Her dull voice echoed like a water-drop in a cave. Thoughts swirled, zipped and shot like electrodes through a synapse. A vision of grey eyes and black hair. Red.
Hands clasped to her chest, shoulders hunched, legs tucked in, body curled into a fetal position. Floating. Drifting. No space, No time, No air-Nothing. Just white, maybe black, maybe grey. And sound, smothered, as if she were submerged under water. It was nice here, peaceful. Not loud and overwhelming like that place had been; that place where there was air and water and people. Things. That place with gunfire, cries and metal claws that impaled her with a hiss.

“I love you.” His voice.

No

That place was too warm and too cold. Here wasn’t. There, decided.

“Don’t you miss it?” A flicker behind closed eyelids. Not her voice. A new voice?

What?

“Home. Don’t you miss home?” The voice was soft, warm, not empty like hers.

Flicker.

What’s home?

A laugh, like the jingle of a small bell.

“Would you like me to show you?”

Flicker. Frown.

“You’ll be okay. I promise.”

Before she can decide, delicate arms wrap around her being like a cocoon of warmth that seeps through her skin and into her chest where something should be beating. Flying, falling, light, dark. Memories bursting. It’s too warm and too cold.

And here it is! Badum-badum-badum...A heartbeat.

Velvet smooth hands cradle her face. “Open your eyes, you are home.”