My face.
My face stung.
It was the most wonderful pain I could ever have asked for,
The woman that defined my life was here with me.
Carrie Hernandez was here with me.
She was here with me inside this hell.

Venomous eyes that held no hatred.
The only woman that I would call mother.
The thought that this was an illusion escaped my mind as soon as her delicate hand touched my face.

“I suppose you’re here to save that idiotic wife of yours huh?”

The suddenness of the question threw me off-guard and I was surprised that she would speak of Lyanna in such a manner.

That glint?
Is there a spark there that went unnoticed before?
Maybe.
Is it there.
Yes! I see it now.
The humor in her voice, the sparkle in her eye, the heaving of her chest.
She was holding back her laughter.

I laughed first.
She followed soon after.


“How long have you been here?” I asked.  She had led me away to a small cabin just behind the tower. “This is the first level of the Del’, I thought only the unwanted ended up here?”

“I have been here exactly four days,” she said.
She went to her table and sat along the edge.  I could see the underlining of her torn dress.  
I was stained red and I had the uncanny feeling I had seen it somewhere before.

Carrie suddenly gasped and clutched her neck.
I jumped up and flew to her aid.
She began to collapse and I could see the state she was really in.
Her eyes…reminded me of home.

She fell into my arms.
Now I knew where I had seen that dress before.

“Carrie!” I cried, “What is the last thing you remember before you came here.”

Her breathing sped up.
She clearly was being put into a state of severe catatonia.
“Carrie!”

I gave her a gentle slap across the face.
She began shaking violently in my hands.
Her entire body was growing cold.
I dropped her and ran outside into the burning sun.

I grabbed a handful of sand….