Anesthetize the Shattered Soul
Disclaimer: This story is entirely original, however, it was based on the song "Anesthetize" by Porcupine Tree and some of the lyrics were used in the story. Any similarities to other works are entirely unintentional. The lyrics to "Anesthetize" are at the bottom of the story for comparison and entertainment purposes only. Thanks for reading.
"It's not so bad. I haven't left you, I never will. I love you and that's all that matters, right? That's what you used to say at least, don't you still believe it?" whispered the darker woman into her partner's ear as she brushed burgundy strands of hair off of her shoulder with an affectionate gesture.
"Of course, Diana!", she tried to say more, but broke off into a sob.
"Artemis, I'm still here with you," Diana tilted back Artemis' head to be able to appreciate her golden eyes and the rest of her fine-boned features.
"I love you, but it hurts. It still hurts, and every second of every day I'm so angry that you were taken from me-"
Diana cut off the rest of what Artemis was going to say by kissing her softly on the lips.
"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I had to leave this world in all but spirit," the moonlight reflected in the trail of tears sliding silently down Diana's face.
"Why? Why did we go to the ocean that day? If we hadn't y-you wouldn't have died, you wouldn't have drowned!" she tried to keep the pain and bitterness she still felt out of her voice, and failed. It was times like these that Artemis' true age was revealed. She was yo very young when I died, reflected Diana, and she still is.
"Maybe it was my fate to die. The water was so warm that day, do you remember? I smiled into the sun, but you probably don't remember that, I know it's been awhile," Diana said softly while seating herself across from Artemis on the floor. They intertwined their fingers. Artemis' fingers were long and were a pure, milky white: the fingers of a pianist. Diana's were shorter and darker with the callouses of a tennis player.
"Yes," Artemis' voice almost broke, "I remember I was counting out the waves, and I watched as they broke on the shoreline. I could see you from where I stood, but I couldn't hear you because of the sea birds and the waves crashing against the rocks. I had always liked that violet bikini it went so well with your skin...," she trailed off and couldn't speak for a moment, but then regained her voice, "It was... it was almost like the waves were letting out one last, dying cry. It was an omen, I know it!" She buried her face into Diana's shoulder, crying. Her lover held her close and lightly stroked the top of her head.
"You were holding your hat in the breeze, turning away from me. You were trying to keep it from getting wet but in that moment, you were stolen from me forever," Artemis continued in a voice hoarse from crying and all of the emotions she tried not to let any one see. "It was my fault! If I hadn't suggested that we go to the beach you would be alive right now!"
"No! It wasn't your fault at all, it was mine. If only I had been more careful, if I hadn't tried to keep that stupid hat from getting wet, I might not have slipped on the rocks and been dragged down by the undertow. It might not have been my fate to die so early." Both women were crying now.
"This is the last time I can come see you, but I will never leave you," her voice dropped slightly lower in both volume and pitch, "And I am glad that you have finally found another woman to love and protect. I love you, and I'm so glad that you are finally able to love again. It has been two years, after all," Diana tried to smile as she rested a hand on the back of her partner's elegant neck.
"Wait! Please! Don't leave yet!," cried Artemis as Diana began to fade into the moonlight, but all too quickly she had faded away completely.
"Artemis?", rang a soft, melodic voice, "Why are you sitting in the dark?"
Artemis pulled her waist-length burgundy hair back as she turned with eyes still shining with tears to greet the petite girl who had just come in. She smiled weakly.
"I'm sorry, Luna, I was just thinking again. The dark seems to make things more bearable at times."
Luna sat down in front of Artemis and embraced her gently. Artemis ran her long, white fingers through Luna's short, straw-colored hair.
"This cut looks good on you," she took a breath, "I think that I'll be able to truly move past Diana's death. I know she wants us to be happy, and she'll live on in the breathtaking memories that she and I shared," Artemis met Luna's aquamarine eyes with her own and gave a true and unburdened smile, one that Luna had only seen before Diana had departed. "I'll still need your help, though."
"And of course, I'll always be here for you. Come on, you need sleep and you know it," she pushed Artemis onto their bed, "A person really does need more than five hours of sleep a night," Luna leveled Artemis with a mock-stern glare.
"Peace, my lady. I'll sleep, but I have one condition: you have to sleep too, you've been functioning on almost as little sleep as myself," Artemis caught her partner's wrist and pulled her onto the mattress with her. Luna freed her wrist, entwined her fingers with Artemis', and promptly fell asleep. She is lucky to be able to fall asleep so quickly, thought Artemis with warmth.
Artemis gazed at Luna's green-clad form caressed by the moonlight and knew that Diana was Luna, and Luna was and still is Diana. She knew that Diana and Luna were two halves of the same soul and that when Diana's body had died, her fractured spirit had rejoined with its counterpart. With this revelation, Artemis slipped her other arm around her partner and fell into the first genuinely undisturbed sleep she'd had since Diana had died.
Anesthetize (not all of the lyrics are here, just the pertinent section):
Water so warm that day
I counted out the waves
As they broke into surf
I smiled into the sun
The water was so warm that day
I was counting out the waves
And I followed their short life
As they broke on the shoreline
I could see you
But I couldn't hear you
You were holding your hat in the breeze
Turning away from me
In this moment you were stolen
There's black across the sun