That morning, sleeping in Geyer’s aluminum coffin, I had a strange dream.
I dreamed that I was on that beach in Florida. Where I first saw the ocean all those years ago. And in the dream, I was again kneeling in the sea oats in my bum clothes. Staring out at that watery horizon where giant waves broke in the dark. I felt, in the dream, as I had then. Humbled. Insignificant. Not even a godamn footnote in time. And yet, paradoxically, I felt as if I were a part of something immense. Something necessary. Something…
Holy
Yes. That there was some indefinable holiness out there in that night scene. The waves crashing over and over. A dominion connecting my callused heart to the stars…
How ‘bout that sports fans? The stars…
And in the dream, as it had been all those years ago, I could have knelt in the sand indefinitely, the wind whistling its sea shell chats in my ears
Love is forever…Love is forever…Love… Is FOREVER that ocean wind had seemed to whisper then.
“Sara…” I whispered back in the dream. And then, as a grace-note, I shouted toward the sea “Jill!”
And then, in my dream, something sinister happened. Another variation on the source code. Before another wave could curl and crash out there in the sea, it seemed to detach itself from the waters entirely. It became a shadow instead of a wave. Rose up. Some black, shapeless, almost sentient cloud. And after, it started to move inland toward the white beach.
Toward me.
I had a feeling it was coming for me.
My mood turned quickly then. From elation…to cold fear.
“Sara…Jill” I said. But oh, so weakly now.