Drifting Amongst Darkness

The blizzard started to pick up outside, adding to the blankets of snow and ice that had fallen earlier. Diana sat by the fireplace, huddled under some blankets, and watched as the last remaining log burnt and flickered away with every passing howl of the storm. 

The fireplace casted a mesmerizing array of shadows across the cabin walls and offered some distraction from the snow outside. She had only intended to stay at the cabin for a few days but the sudden appearance of the blizzard made leaving impossible. She was not as spritely in her old age to just drive away. Her car indeed wasn’t, not in this weather.

“I suppose if I had to get stuck somewhere, at least it’s here,” she thought. After the funeral and dealing with all the children and grandchildren, Diana needed a place to get away. Somewhere to grieve on her own terms. And what better place than here? Sam built the cabin ages ago as a place to have their honeymoon and to visit from time to time whenever they needed to get away from the city or the kids.  

Eventually, as they got older and the kids got bigger, the cabin became a host for memories and cherished moments between all of them. He built it as a testament to love, and love filled every corner of it, so it made sense that she would come here to rest her feet and mourn Sam’s passing. 

However, it wasn’t really mourning since they had learned of his impending death months before and shared as much time together as possible to say goodbye before the end. She mainly just remembered him, his smile, his smell, and how he always ate the last piece of cake she left for them…an irritable habit that annoyed her and one that she missed dealing with. 

The fireplace flared alive and jolted her senses. “Woah! What was that?” She raised herself from the chair. “I kept telling him to make sure the fireplace was covered properly,” she said aloud much to her amusement. There was always the odd bird or squirrel that would crawl in to escape the seasons. Sometimes, even the rain or snow liked to find its way through the fireplace. She missed their bickering.

She laid back in the chair and made herself more comfortable. She wanted to be home by now but the universe liked to throw her curveballs, and the blizzard was one hell of a curveball. She continued her vigil watching the fireplace as the lull of sleep called her. Between the white noise of the blizzard and the flickering dance of the fireplace, they soothed her mind and sent her to sleep.

As her eyes opened, she stood alone surrounded by darkness. “Hello!?” she called into the darkness. Her voice echoed all around her as it slowly disappeared. She felt some sort of solid ground beneath her feet and the space around her was warm. There wasn’t any light but she could still see her own body. It wasn’t swallowed by the darkness, it just seemed to push against it. 

She started to walk, hoping that whatever direction she was going in would lead to something, anything really. After what felt like hours of wandering around aimlessly and finding nothing but darkness, her bones ached and sweat dripped down her brows. ‘Why is it so warm? It’s basically 10 degrees outside.” she said as she wiped the sweat away. 

Her thoughts pulled her to the memories of her and Sam taking long walks around the lake. It had become more challenging as they got older and their bones started aching and making noises, but it was worth it to be together. The memories flashed against the darkness as she observed them pop in and out of existence. In one instance, Sam stood beside her as they watched the sunset by the lake. In another, they were wrangling a bunch of grandkids as they ran around the dock, trying to jump into the water.

As the memories faded away into the darkness, she noticed a speck of light far in the distance. Feeling a bit rested and with a destination in mind, she continued her walking with improved vigor. The light did not fade away like the memories but, as she continued walking, it didn’t seem the get any bigger even though it felt like she was getting closer. With no other course of action and no semblance of any other ideas, she steeled herself and continued walking.

As time passed, each breath grew more desperate and her muscles burned, begging for rest and reprieve. Yet, she still pressed on, too worried about stopping and losing her only direction in this place. Near the end of her rope and consumed with tiredness, she finally arrived. She stood only a step away from it, but the light wasn’t the blinding or overwhelming source she thought it would be. 

In front of her was a small fleck of snow that shimmered against the darkness and floated as if on water. “What is…going..on? All of this effort for this?” she asked as she labored to catch her breath. Perhaps, she thought, if she reached out to touch it, the cold of the snowflake might cool her down. It was an outrageous idea but considering the place she was in, not the worst.

She reached out her hand, took a step forward, and grasped the snowflake. The light disappeared in an instant and darkness took hold once more. But, as quickly as the darkness went, a wave of light burst through her hand and pushed her backward. The blinding light consumed everything and she couldn’t even see her hands or feet anymore. 

She felt herself floating like a snowflake and felt a light breeze that carried the earthy scent of a lake that brimmed with life. Her feet landed on something solid and she opened her eyes. A large lake stood in front of her that was surrounded by a dense forest. The sun was shining and it looked like the peak of summer, but it was so cold. The warmth of darkness had given way to cold light.

Diana looked around and tried to gather her bearings. So much of this place reminded her of the lake by the cabin, but everything felt off. Everything was too vibrant, too bold of a color. It was so quiet with no rustle of leaves or calls of birds. Although it looked like the peak of summer, it felt dreadfully cold.

Ahead of her, she saw a table with two chairs by the lake. The table had an assortment of cakes and flowers with one teacup. The other teacup was in the hand of the woman who sat on one of the chairs. 

The woman was dressed in a long flowing black dress that seemed to shimmer ever so slightly in the sunlight. Her dark black hair draped along her shoulders and held the same shimmer as the dress. Her pale hands held the cup delicately and brought it to her lips. She kept all her attention on the lake as she drank. 

“Excuse me miss, do you know where I am?” Diana said as she walked closer, with her hands folded around her for warmth. The lady in black did not seem bothered by the cold as Diana was. “Excuse me, can you hear me?” Diana was close now and the woman finally turned to her. 

“Hello Diana,” she said with a calm and cool voice. “Please join me, enjoy the tea and scenery. It will help warm you up.” 

“Uhh..sure.” Diana sat on the chair. She finally got a good look at the woman in front of her. The woman’s face was beautiful with lines that spoke of age and wisdom. Her eyes were like a deep abyss with untold depts. Diana couldn't help but admire her and feel safe around her. “What’s going on? Do I know you?” she asked the woman. 

Something about her was so familiar like she was a friend that she hadn’t seen in a long time. Diana took the teacup and took a drink as she waited for the woman to reply. The drink was warm and spicy with notes of vanilla, ginger, and a hint of sweetness. 

“I would hope that you know me quite well,” the woman replied. A soft smile filled her face and her eyes looked with Diana’s. Diana felt the tinge of recognition in her stomach as warmth flowed through her. “Oh…oh no,” was all she managed to say. Diana saw the woman for who she really was. “You’re death…right?” Her voice was apprehensive.

“That is right. And I’m here and you’re here with me,” the woman replied. “I wanted to talk one last time before we go our separate ways.”

Tears fell from Diana’s eyes. The faces of her children and grandchildren floated in her mind. Their laughs and smiles echoed around her. No more new memories, no more silly tales and games to play with her grandbabies. Just, no more.

“But…how..why?” Her voice fumbled as she slowly got her bearings on the situation. “Death comes for us all in the end. Sometimes we can see it coming a mile away and sometimes not,” Death replied. “As for how…well take a look.”

The lake changed and in its reflection, Diana saw herself laying on the chair beside the fireplace. But, there was no fire, no flickering of flames dancing against the cabin walls. The log had burnt out and the temperature had dropped.

“Oh…” was all Diana managed to say as the tears continued to fall. She wiped them away with one of the napkins on the table. “What happens now?”

“Life, and even death, are full of surprises. Full of paths well worn by travelers and paths yet unfounded,” Death said. “Where you go next, when you go next will be entirely up to you. You can stay here as long as you want to enjoy the view and the cake. And I will stay by your side. Otherwise, we can walk together into the lake and see what awaits us. What would you like to do?”

“I..I…want to see him,” Diana replied. If this was her end, and it seemed that way, then whatever happened next, she wanted to be with Sam. Death smiled at her and got up from her chair. “Then take my hands and let’s see what we can find.”

As Death stood up, Diana got up herself and took her hand. She finished her tea and moved beside Death. They walked towards the lake and seemed to walk on top of it for a moment before slowly sinking below. The trees of the forest started to disappear and melt away into darkness. The table faded next and the lake drowned in darkness as Diana and Death went completely under.