Ocean of Light

"Slow down Jake! You're going to kill us." Pleads Maggie.
"Don't worry; we're almost there Mag's." I reply
"Just pull over, you've had too much to drink"
"I'm okay...look I can see it now, told you we'd make-"
Time seemed to stop when I saw those bright lights... The wide eyes of the other driver in the intersection was the last image I remember. .

It's dark now, and I'm scared. Where is Maggie? Did we hit that car? I think we did...where the hell am I then?
"Hello?" I scream.
Wait a minute...If I were in an accident I would be in pain, right? I feel fine. Maybe I'm at the hospital drugged out of my mind; but my instincts tell me something is very strange here.
"Oh my god..." I moan as an intense, but small, white light emerges in the distance.
I suddenly feel like I'm floating, and as if my body was working independently of my mind I begin walking towards this piercing light.
It sounds like the ocean in the distance. This doesn't make any sense, but I don't hesitate to continue out of this darkness.
I am close now, the light is blinding. I move forward on pure faith that this is where I am supposed to go.

Just as the intensity of the light nearly becomes unbearable it is gone. My feet are slowly sinking; I look down to discover I am standing in the most beautiful sand I have ever seen. The sounds of the ocean are in the distance, but I can't see the water. I begin walking towards the sound of crashing waves and the smell of sea salt.

Hours seem to pass as I search for the ocean in the distance. Just as I feel like giving up hope, I hear the sound of laughter in the distance. Not any laughter, Maggie's laughter. I would recognize it anywhere in the world. All doubt that was in my mind is instantly gone. My favorite person in the world is okay, she must have found the ocean already. I can't wait to see her. I begin running now, the sound is growing stronger and stronger; I have no doubt in my mind that I am almost there.

I can feel the mist of ocean water in the air, there is only one more sand hill to climb over and I will find that laughter. I reach the top of the hill and see the most incredible ocean awaiting me, but all I care about is finding her.

"Maggie? Mag's where are you?" I shout over the sounds of the waves.
I nearly jump out of my skin as I feel an icy cold hand touch me on the shoulder. I turn around and see Maggie; She looks so beautiful, I can not recall ever seeing her look more incredible.
"Maggie, I am so glad I found you. What is going on here?"
"There you are, I missed you Jake" Maggie says as she flashes her beautiful smile.
"I missed you too Mag's, I missed you so much." I say as I embrace her in a tight hug.
We sit down on the sand together and hold hands as we watch the ocean together, not speaking a word. Hours must have passed before we spoke again.

"We're dead, aren't we?" I ask Maggie.
"Yes." She replies after several moments of contemplation.
I hang my head for several minutes before speaking again.
"I am so sorry Maggie; I'm such a fool, I should have listened to you."
"We can't change the past Jake, let's just enjoy the future." Maggie says reassuringly.
"What exactly is the future?" I ask.
"You, myself and this beach is what I predict." Maggie says as she flashes that smile again.
"That sounds like...heaven."
"I think it is, Jake." Maggie says.
"But...It's my fault we're here, I got you killed. I should be in hell."
"Yes, you should be."

I am surrounded by darkness yet again. There is no sand underneath my feet anymore.
"Maggie? Maggie where are you?" I yell, and the sound of my voice almost instantly dies off in the unseen distance.
"Maggie..." I whisper to myself as I sit down and wait for the light to reappear.