Healing Heart II: A Healed Broken Heart
Wes sat in his car seat as the Kia drove really fast down the street. They were almost to the exit that led to the highway. Annie reached to her radio to change the station and then smiled at Wes. Wes smiled back and looked at her tattoos, which were mesmerizing. There was so much of her that he remembered from the barn dance and didn’t know where to start. Suddenly they passed by the mountains and Wes’ mouth dropped. He couldn’t believe how beautiful and amazing it was. Wes turned his head to look at Seilah and Haden who were quiet in their seats. He smiled at them and they smiled back.
They then made it back to Annie’s apartment and Wes looked around to see it was a beautiful day. The apartment was dark inside because the drapes covered the windows. Wes turned on the light and looked around at the lived in apartment. Annie checked her messages and got on the phone.
Seilah was eating some chips, “I can open up my mouth really wide want to see?” Wes watched Seilah opened her mouth and smiled.
“Seilah close your mouth, that’s gross,” said Annie while she continued to talk on the phone.
Wes continued to smile as the kids continued to entertain him, “do you want to play Connect Four or Candy Land?” asked Seilah.
“Sure lets play Candy Land,” he answered.
Wes remembered the game when he was a kid, but when Seilah pulled out the board game he saw that it was different and was a little disappointed. He didn’t like changes, but realized changes were necessary to grow and move on.
Annie got off the phone and saw that Wes was playing a board game with her kids. She walked over and sat down to observe. Everyone was laughing and having fun. Wes looked at her smiling and saw that she was looking dim, but a smile emerged while she looked at him.
“Is everything ok?” he asked.
“Everything is fine,” she replied.
“I was thinking that tomorrow we could go to Garden of the Gods,” she suggested.
“Sounds cool,” replied Wes.
The afternoon went into the evening of playing board games and Annie put the kids to bed. They were alone and were eating her roast beef that she prepared when they got home. It was so good Wes’s mouth began to water as soon as he saw the plate in front of him.
“This looks really good,” he complemented.
“Thanks,” she smiled and joined in the delicious food.
“Well,” she began as she finished her plate of food.
“I’m exhausted from the day and I’m going to bed. You should probably go to bed early as well. Hiking on the trails can get exhausting and you’ll need all the sleep you can get,” she said.
Wes nodded his head understanding, “is it all right if I stay up to watch a little Television?” he asked.
“Sure, just keep the volume down,” Annie answered as she left to go to her room.
Wes stayed up as he flipped through channels and couldn’t find anything interesting. He was thinking about Arrisa and wondered what he had done wrong. Arrisa was a girl he met on the internet and the relationship ended badly under a misunderstanding.
He turned off the television and turned to see the books on the shelf. He rummaged through one particular book of unexplained mysterious. One mystery he read about was about cats born with wings. As he read on, he found himself drifting asleep and slowly his eyes closed.
Wes walked around a desolate land filled with mountains. He looked up to see a large dark red sun and a red sky with no clouds. He could see he was in a town where there was nobody around. Red fire was on the buildings, but they weren’t burning. Wes became scared when he realized he was in hell and wondered when the demons would come out to kill him.
After looking around he saw a black cat with wings of a raven hiss at him and then run into the gas station. Wes couldn’t believe what he was seeing and decided to walk into the gas stations to get a better look at the animal. Then before he got in the door Arrisa walked outside to meet him. She looked weathered; her appearance was a mess from the pretty face he knew her as. When Wes knew her she was a beautiful blonde with brown eyes and a gorgeous smile that lit his life. As strange as it was to see her Wes saw beautiful white wings on her back.
“Wes I’m so glade you’re here!” she gasped with delight as she hugged him followed with a kiss.
“Arrisa, what are you doing here?” he asked.
“The devil took me away from my room. He locked me away in this hell until I serve him, please save me and take me with you!”
Wes stopped hugging her and backed away while hearing strange screechy noises that sounded like birds.
“Don’t you love me?” she asked.
“I did.”
“Will you save me,” she began crying.
“I don’t know how,” he answered.
Suddenly there was a huge shake in the land. Wes looked around and saw hundreds of demons creeping on the roof of the gas station. They looked like lizards cross bread with humans with horns on their heads, red skin and leather wings. Wes backed away even more and saw them walking out from behind the life less cars and debris that was lying all over the ground. Arrisa began screaming out his name while running out to him. Wes watched helplessly as five demons jumped on her and began ripping her body apart.
“Wes save me! I love you!” she screamed her last breath and lied motionless as the demons feasted on her corpse.
Wes saw the creatures take notice of him and began walking towards him. He turned around to see he was surrounded by them and saw a large demon emerge from the crowd of thousands. The demon grabbed Wes, while opening his mouth to take a bite from his face. Wes watched in fright and let out a terrified scream.
Wes woke up in a cold sweat and realized it was just a dream. He took a deep breath as he saw the light was on and looked at the floor to see the book on the floor he was reading showed a picture of the cat with wings. What he couldn’t understand was why Arrisa was in his dream asking to be saved? Wes closed the book and shut off the light and laid on the couch, stared at the ceiling and waited for Annie to wake up.
The next morning Wes and Annie left for the Garden of the Gods. It was a beautiful park with mountains and bike trails, walking trails and beautiful flowers. Seilah and Hayden were being baby sat by her mom and they were alone on a mountain having a picnic.
“You’re awfully quiet,” said Annie.
Wes turned his head from looking at the mountains ahead and smiled at her. He didn’t want to ruin the moment by talking about Arrisa or the nightmare. He wanted to make things work between them.
“I’m just enjoying the view. There’s a lot of beauty in Colorado,” he replied. “Are you thinking about moving here?” she asked.
Wes looked around the landscape and realized for the first time he had a huge decision to make. He could have a life living in Colorado and potentially having a love affair with Annie or to remain in Wisconsin with the support of friends and family. It was true that they talked on the phone everyday about this idea of getting together. It seemed imaginable to attain and wondered what it would be like?
He was a designer and artist working a dead end job at the newspaper in an economy that was in shambles. Yet he continued to try and would keep trying until he would hit the success desired. He was single with nothing holding him back from his dream. Annie was divorced with two children and going to college. On the phone it was clear she was tied down with the responsibilities for her children and couldn’t leave Colorado even if she wanted to. They lived opposite lifestyles, yet they could understand each other completely and accepted each others faults as well as their strengths.
Wes turned his head and looked at her with a smile. “I was just thinking what else is out here?”
Annie got up from sitting on the rock and sat next to him, “more trails, more adventure.”
“I want to see more of this beautiful park,” he said as he watched a smile emerge on her face.
“Then let’s go before the sun sets,” she smiled.
After four days of having absolute fun Wes could see a change come on to him as he realized he was learning something new. They went on many other hikes and picnics together until they explored every passage. Wes was sitting in his chair thinking about what to do. He was listening to a good song on the radio when suddenly Annie changed the radio station.
“I liked that song,” said Wes.
Annie turned it back to the song on the radio station. Wes continued in his train of thought as the music relaxed him to concentrate. Then as soon as the song was over she began channel surfing again and Wes looked at her puzzled.
“What?” she asked.
“Why do you do that?” he asked.
“So I don’t miss a good song.”
“Yea, but you’re missing all the good songs that will come on next.”
They drove through town and went inside little gift shops that had dragons, angels, fairies and crystals. It was a magical place and Wes could hear the soft angelic voice of Celtic music playing in the speakers. After walking around and making purchases they left to go to the park. Seilah and Haden played on the swings with Annie while Wes sat on the picnic table with a notebook. Ann turned around to see that he was writing something.
“What are you writing?” she smiled. Wes looked up at her and smiled, “it’s a short story I started.”
“A short story, what is it about?” she asked as she sat down.
“It’s about vampires and angels,” he answered while looking at her. Her eyes turned away as though something was bothering her.
“What’s the matter?” he asked.
“A lot of things are on my mind. I’m worried about certain things in my life,” she replied.
“Why?” he asked.
“When you live a stressful life with difficult ex-husbands, social workers, the economy and a mom who looks the other way, you let me know how you feel.”
Wes was quiet and felt her pain, suddenly before anything could be said Seilah interrupted, “can we go home now, I want to play Connect Four with Wes.”
“Yes, baby we’re leaving right now, but we have to stop off at the library.” “That’s great I have to check my email to,” replied Wes.
“Yes, but we can’t be in there long,” said Ann.
“Ok, how long were you thinking?” he asked.
“A few minutes maybe ten minutes at the most,” she replied while getting up. “Hayden, come on, it’s time to go.”
Wes got up and they got into the Kia.
Wes began thinking about Annie and then Arrisa. A girl like Annie with a heart of gold and a beautiful soul could be loved well, but with a past of abuse as well as hurt. Could this work? Then of course there was Arrisa, the girl from the internet who was beautiful in every way with a life built around being devoted to her man. Arrisa was gone with only the memories, dreams and the sound of her voice. If Arrisa truly wanted him in her life she would have kept in contact. Annie was right in front of her waiting for him and he had to do was embrace their relationship into romance. It seemed like a lot of work to be part of a woman life who was having a lot of problems. Wes closed his eyes and drifted asleep.
Wes walked around the desolate land filled with mountains. He looked up to see a large dark red sun and a red sky with no clouds. He could see he was in the same place where nobody was around. Red fire was on the buildings, but they weren’t burning. Wes took a deep breath as a flutter of emotions took hold of him. He knew he was dreaming and began thinking of Arrisa.
After looking around and feeling lonely with sadness he saw a black cat with the wings of a raven hiss at him and then it ran into the gas station. Wes recognized it from before and followed it into the gas station to get a better look at it. Then before he got in the door Arrisa walked outside to meet him. She looked the same as before; her appearance was a mess from the pretty face he knew her as.
When Wes knew her she was a beautiful blonde with brown eyes and a gorgeous smile that lit his life. As strange as it was to see her, Wes saw beautiful white wings on her back.
“Wes I’m so glade you’re here!” she gasped with delight as she hugged him followed with a kiss.
“Arrisa, what are you doing here?” he demanded.
“The devil brought me here. He locked me up in this hell until I agree to serve him, please save me and take me with you!” Wes stopped hugging her and backed away as he looked at her and her eyes stare into his, then his chest.
Wes suddenly felt a huge pain in his chest and looked down to see blood spill out of his heart. Wes looked at Arrisa as she looked at him innocently and smiled at him. For some reason he could sense that she was apart of this. “What’s going on with my heart?” he asked as he began gasping for air. Then Arrisa began to move closer to him as she licked her lips, “you are a good man and I want your heart.”
Without warning someone attacked Arrisa with a crossbow. The person was dressed in tight leather with long black hair and black wings like a raven. The heroin looked like Annie and she looked at him as she fired her crossbow at Arrisa and then at the demons that emerged from behind the cars and gas station.
Wes felt weak and was lying on the ground and as he tried to get up he got a quick gesture from the dark stranger to be still. She looked at him with kindness and ripped the front part of his shirt where blood was coming out of his heart. He felt her tongue lick the wound and then her entire mouth suck the blood. It was a strange sensation and he kind of liked it because it didn’t hurt. He felt like he was healing. He opened his eyes and looked into hers and heard her voice, “everything is going to be ok.”
Wes opened his eyes and realized that they were at the library. It seemed quick and easy to get from the mountains to town. They walked inside and right away Wes got on a computer that would allow you to be on there for fifteen minutes. As soon as he was finished he looked around for Annie and saw she got on the computer that lasted an hour. After waiting for what seemed to be twenty minutes he walked up to her station.
“Are we ready to go?”
“Yea just a minute, I’ve got to check my other messages.”
Wes politely left and kept an eye on her kids until she was finished. They waited outside in the shade under a tree from the sun. Wes thought about the last four days of their conversation and then the dreams. He thought he knew what he wanted, but couldn’t be more confused than bringing up the idea to come down to visit and make things work. He could feel a strange repelling feeling from her when ever he got close. He couldn’t help, but feel he was being taken advantage of, but she was his friend. The channel surfing and tricking him out of spending more time on the internet was impolite. It was heading into a direction of being trapped, but he wanted to love her.
After an hour Annie walked out of the library and everyone joined together at the car to go home. They went cruising down the street and across the intersection while Annie channel surfed the radio from one song to the next. Wes could recognize the pattern of turning the dial on the stereo, which was like moving from one relationship to the next without thinking about the consequences.
They arrived at her apartment and once again had to deal with the complete darkness. Right away Wes turned on the lights and Annie checked her messages. After watching TV and playing Connect Four with Seilah the day drew to a close. Annie tucked the kids into bed.
It was her birthday and they celebrated by having a few drinks and watching Twilight; New Moon. They even played the game, Twilight. After a few hours they played music by George Michael and talked about how much fun they had together. “Lets dance,” smiled Wes.
“I don’t know, dancing for me is a sacred thing, its like having sex,” she replied. As reluctant as she was he was able to move with her to the sound of George Michael.
“I don’t think you’re serious about moving out here,” she said.
“Why?” he asked.
“My kids drive me crazy. I promise you that once you get back on that bus you’ll feel so relieved.”
“You’re kids can’t be that bad,” he answered as he suddenly felt a shift of hesitation.
“I think you would be happier with someone else. If I was a guy I wouldn’t go out with me.”
Wes held her close and felt her pain, it was an emotional pain deep down. He turned his head and kissed her. She looked at him surprised as though trying to figure out why he did that.
“Why did you do that?” she asked.
Wes looked at her and then stopped dancing, realizing that she was living the same torment that he was. Broken hearts from relationships of the past that was making things difficult to move on. They read each others mind and knew what they wanted to do.
Annie turned off the lights in the living room and they both walked into her room. He held her close and kissed the back of her neck and felt her trembling. In his dream she rescued him from his pain and suffering by sucking the blood from the wound in his heart. He closed his eyes and felt her lips touch his neck. Her fingernails scratched his back and he ran his fingers through her beautiful black hair.
“You’re an amazing woman,” he whispered, but all he got was a coy look in her eyes. He picked her up while walking to the bed to lie down together and they made out all night.
The next morning Wes woke up on her bed and the blinds were up to reveal the sun. It was an amazing change to take place and Wes looked around to see he was the only one by himself. He saw her Twilight books on the shelf and remembered how interested she was in being a vampire.
He walked outside her room to the living room and saw the kids watching television. The blinds on the windows were open and he saw, through the window, Annie outside. Her back was turned and it looked like she was in deep thought.
Wes began to walk across the living room to talk to her when he was stopped by Seilah, “want to play Connect Four?”
“Maybe latter,” he smiled as he walked outside.
“Hi,” he said.
Right away Annie turned her head and smiled at him, “hi.”
“I would like to thank you for having me come down to visit.”
“Life is full of lessons,” said Annie. Right away Wes had an idea for a saying that emerged in his mind. Love is more than a feeling, it’s a lesson to help you on your way. Annie had help free him from thinking about Arrisa and now he was ready to move on with his life.
It was time for Wes to leave and Annie pulled up to the bus stop to assist him by getting his stuff together. It seemed nostalgic because the vacation went so fast and they met each other for the first time in fifteen years. Wes hugged her and watched her get back into the car. The Kia took off and Wes was walked into the bus station.
The bus pulled up and he got on, took a seat, pulled out a pencil and paper. He continued writing his short story, The Vampire and the Angel. He had the inspiration from Annie to finish it. Then he heard a familiar song from Amy Grant and began to laugh. He realized that fate was teaching him a lesson about life his life and his pen pal. Healing Heart II: A Healed Broken Heart
Ryan Keith Johnson
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