As I sank deeper and deeper into the warm black water, I realized it was me back there on the road who needed an ambulance. As I drifter further away from the scene, ignoring my own call for help, I was getting closer to death. The dog kept barking and I lost interest in returning home. I thought I was dying, but I woke up instead.
From what I can remember, I was chasing Suzanne Doyle-Yerxa through a public place. A mall megaplex movie theatre with food courts and shops and pop corn on the floor. She asked me if I had any gum which I knew I had. I dug through the front pouch of my black back pack, pulled out an empty pack, threw it back and grabbed the newer pack. She took it from me and said, "It's good to give away what you need." Suz looked back at me and took off into the crowd, giving pieces of my gum to random people as she went.
I tried to follow her but got caught in the mass. Up stairs, down escalators, through line ups past potted plants. The atmosphere was red, with Vegas style lights advertising here and there. It became a game to get to Suz.
Finally, I reached the other side of the mall and exited onto the street. I saw Mrs. Yerxa across, seated at a cafe patio with her youngest daughter Brooke. At this point I was carrying more than just my black back pack but also many parcels and other bags. Evidently I had gone shopping during my search.
I crossed the road, and when I dodged a car successfully I looked up at the Suz and Brooke who were both applauding. I held up my bags in victory. When I reached their table I could tell they were celebrating Brooke's birthday and I was happy to be in the presence of another Sagittarius.
This is when the scene changed suddenly. Brooke disappeared, as did the cafe. Instead we were on the street behind my old apartment building on Jameson. Suz and I were talking about heavy things, and Michael, her oldest son, was seated on a bench on the sidewalk listening to us. It was night time and I knew that I had a movie date to make. As we spoke about the past and our lives, Mrs. Yerxa gave me great comfort although I do not recall the details of the conversation. But I had received my prize for finding her and all my bags were gone. As tears came to my face I knew it was good to leave on a high note. I told her I loved her and gave her a hug. She told me I had a good heart. I turned and left. As I went to hug Michael goodbye also, he stormed past me towards his mother, he was crying too hard and so I left up the street.
As I walked north towards King Street to catch the streetcar, it started to rain. The rain came down fast, and standing there waiting at the stop I decided I wasn't going to make it to the movies. Instead I thought of Adam, warm and dry back at home. I turned and decided to walk to him. I was getting soaked and could feel the water leaking in to my pocket where my phone was. When I got to Springhurst Avenue the street quickly flooded with black water, at least it was warm but I had to wade home, my phone was ruined. As I ventured past the last street before I got to my own I could tell there was an emergency taking place. A woman yelled at me to call an ambulance. People were crowding around a young man's body on the front lawn to a house. I ignored it and pressed on, pushed by the thought of getting to Adam.
The water kept getting deeper, I had to swim. So close to home I thought, I need to make it. The sun came up, night turned to day in moments and the rain slowed and stopped. A dog was barking back at the scene of the accident, but another dog swam by me and then in front of me, as if leading me home. I thought to myself, I need to get out of his path or I will drink his pee. My mouth still half under the black water, I began swimming on a diagonal. Then I put it together. The accident up the road was the real me, and the spirit of me was swimming towards the home I so desperately wanted to get to. Instead of following the dog back I was getting pulled under the water. I was unable to help myself and unable to follow such obvious signs so I was sinking to my death. I could feel the end coming. I woke up.
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