Bed of Roses

By Susan J.

As I walked along the beach, enjoying the water lapping at my feet and thinking of nothing important, I saw someone walking towards me in the distance. It was a figure of a man; I couldn't quite make out his features since the sun was behind him, casting a shadow upon his face. I put my hand up to shield the sun from my eyes, as the man got closer I started to make out the his features; he started to smile and once I saw that smile I knew who it was.

"It can't be," I said.

"Why can't it be?" he answered.

"You just love to surprise me don't you?"

"I live for it."

"It's been a long time, Miguel."

"Yes it has, Serena."

He took me in his arms and at the moment that he kissed me a gunshot rang out and Miguel fell to the ground. As I cradled him in my arms he looked up at me.

"I don't think I'm going to make it, amor."

"Miguel, don't say that! You've survived worse things than this."

"But I'm not going to survive this one and to think that I came to see you in order to tell you that…"

Miguel breathed deeply.

"Miguel, tell me what?"

"That…Serena…"

He took another deep breath. I touched his face.

"Miguel, tell me what!"

"Serena…"

Before Miguel could tell me what he wanted to say he took his last breath and exhaled the life that he had within him. I shook him.

"Miguel! Miguel don't you die on me!"

I sat up in bed.

"Miguel!!"

I pulled off the blankets and sat on the edge of the bed. I looked at the alarm clock on the nightstand and noticed that it was 5:15 am. I got up and walked into the bathroom and turned on the light, I looked at myself in the mirror and saw that I was drenched in a cold sweat. I splashed water on my face and dried off with a towel. I walked out of the bathroom and went downstairs to the kitchen; I made some coffee and then took a cup and went out onto the patio and sat down. I put the coffee cup on the patio table and looked up to see the sunrise. I couldn't enjoy the sunrise as I normally do since I was thinking of the nightmare that I had. As I replayed it over and over in my mind I kept thinking of Miguel.

"Miguel what was it that you were trying to tell me?"

For the rest of the day I couldn't help but think of the nightmare and Miguel. I knew that if I contacted Miguel he would fly from wherever in the world that he was in order to make sure that I was all right. The day came to an end and I was ready to go to sleep, I got into the bed and turned off the light. I tossed and turned for what seemed like forever, I looked at the alarm clock and saw that it was 2:30 am, I turned on the lamp that was on the nightstand and sat on the edge of the bed. I ran my fingers through my hair and looked at the nightstand, and there I saw the bracelet that Miguel had given me. I shook my head.

"Damn." I breathed deeply and exhaled. "Spain, here I come."