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In real life, unlike in Shakespeare, the sweetness of the rose depends upon the name it bears. Things are not only what they are. They are, in very important respects, what they seem to be.
Hubert H. Humphrey (1911 - 1978)
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Utter terror caused every muscle and bone in my body to stiffen as I first saw what lay below the sky. We were plummeting towards countless pinnacles of gray rock formations below us. Maybe even I, for once, had made an error in judgment. A gigantic error. I had always thought I wouldn't die a conventional death, but this was beyond any thoughts I'd had concerning my own death. 'I don't wanna be a human shishkabob!' I thought as I closed my eyes and waited to be impaled.

Silence ensued. Painless silence. I dared to open my eyes, but was met by total darkness. 'Is this what death is like? Just total darkness? Maybe this is a purgatory. I guess I really shouldn't have partied all night with that hot alien babe at the last planet. Man, she was flexible. I'm not gonna forget that night anytime soon,' I thought, futilely trying not to grin.

"This is where I was before." I heard the girl's quivering voice. "Am I alone?"

I took a few steps forward, using my arms to plot approximately how large this area was. I bumped into something, and I heard a yelp.

"Did I hurt you?" I found her arm and grasped it to keep her from running off somewhere.

"No, you just scared me. This whole place scares me. I don't like it here." She pulled her arm from my grasp. She found my body and clung to me for dear life.

I was grateful for the darkness. It masked my falling tears. The familiarity and memories were too much for me to endure. I fought the impulse to play the memories in my mind again. I had to stay strong. If not for myself, for her. She needed someone to help her pull through this, and that was my job.

"You're the only one who can get us out of here. You have to break this bubble." I knew it was one of those corny phrases of encouragement that I promised myself I'd never use. But no one else was here, and women had always seemed to take them to heart in my experience. And we both needed to get out of here now. "I believe in you, but you have to believe in yourself. I know you can do this."

She unwillingly released herself from the safe haven within my arms. I heard her take a few steps away from me. "I...I don't know who or what you are...but I do know that I don't appreciate this. I want to leave this place. You can't hold me against my will any longer. I won't stand for it. Throw your worst at me! I'm not a coward!" Each word grew in confidence and boldness.

We were both silent for several seconds before I decided to point something out to her. "This is your mind. You should have at least some control."

"My mind? Then how did you get in here?"

"Long story. But my physical body is with yours outside of your mind."

"This is my mind. I'm not going to let it win this battle." She spoke with even more confidence than before. "I don't like the dark so it's disappearing now! I like the beach!"

The distant call of sea gulls and the gentle crashing of the tides upon the rocks were music to my ears. The scent of salt water and fresh air were invigorating. The pleasant warmth of the sun surrounded me. I was wearing a pair of blue trunks. And my Perseid Fever was gone. That made this all even better. The wet sand squished between my bare toes. It made me feel so alive and lighthearted. The sand was perfect white, and there wasn't a cloud in the clear blue sky. Palm trees swayed in the breeze, and underneath one was the best part of the beach. A surf board.

This was paradise to me already. I could have spent days on end here enjoying myself. But it got even better. I turned around and saw her. I hadn't had the opportunity to really give her a once over before, but now here she was in a emerald one piece swim suit. It brought out her green eyes and long curly red hair that cascaded down her shoulders. She was slightly curvy in just the right places and had what I would call a nearly perfect body. I would guess she was nineteen, maybe twenty. I didn't want to leave, but I felt like I was supposed to be the responsible one in this situation.

"So, what do you want to do?" She ran over to me, looking as delighted as I felt.

"We should be trying to get out of here." Those words were almost impossible to say. 'Harper, you really are a dedicated guy to be able to give all this up,' I thought.

"Five minutes won't hurt, will it?" She smiled and her eyes were begging me to say that I wanted to have fun as much as she did.

Insouciance inevitably won over responsibility. I grinned. "I guess not."

"We should go swimming or something!" Excited was an understatement for her. She was practically jumping up and down. This girl obviously didn't get out much or do anything for enjoyment.

"I know how to surf." I glanced back over at the surf board that was calling me to ride it.

"I've always wanted to try that. I'll go get the board!" She was running towards the surf board before I could say a word. I chuckled and went to the water's edge. The cool waves washed over my feet and little sea creatures crawled across the beach. The accuracy of the beach surprised me.

"I've got the board. Now what do we do?" She wasn't even slightly out of breath.

"I'll show you." I began giving her step by step instructions on how to surf. She was very attentive and constantly asking questions. People like her made perfect students.

"Can we try it now?" Her eyes glittered in eagerness.

"Yeah. We can ride together, and I'll show you how to really do some of what I've said." We stood on the board together, and I wrapped an arm around her waist. I felt the tingling of touching her as we caught the first wave.

"How am I doing?" She was following what I said to the letter.

"Great! Just lean a little this way." I pulled her back with my arm around her. Then, my desire got the best of me, and I became the cause of a major wipe out.

Instead of falling into the water, I felt myself laying in something much drier and softer. It was fragrant red rose petals. I was no longer donning trunks. I wore khaki pants and a cream-colored long sleeved shirt with ruffles that reminded me of Shakespeare. She was by my side, also no longer in beach apparel. She wore a long classic style dress that was a similar color to my shirt. It clung to her figure in just the right places and made her look like a medieval princess of sorts or Juliet Capulet. I downloaded some Shakespeare through my cerebral port a few months ago accidentally. This was the first time I could actually put it to use. Shakespeare wasn't really my thing, but most women seemed to just eat it up like candy.

"Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear, that tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops--" I began, wondering if she knew this text as well as I did.

"O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon, that monthly changes in her circled orb, lest that thy love prove likewise variable." She recited it perfectly and smiled.

"What shall I swear by?"

"Do not swear at all. Or, if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self, which is the god of my idolatry, and I'll believe thee." She was so sincere. I found myself almost believing her words.

"If my heart's dear love--"

"Well, do not swear: although I joy in thee, I have no joy of this contract to-night. It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden; too like the lightning, which doth cease to be ere one can say 'It lightens.' Sweet, good night! This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath, may prove a beauteous flower when next we meet. Good night, good night! as sweet repose and rest come to thy heart as that within my breast!"

"O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?" I was no longer an actor playing a role. I felt the words coming from my heart. I wanted her as much as Romeo wanted Juliet, if not even more.

"What satisfaction canst thou have to-night?" This was not a role any long for her, either. Her tone was too enticing, too sensual to be Juliet.

"The exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine." I moved closer to her, tempting her by almost kissing her but pulling back at the last second.

"I gave thee mine before thou didst request it and yet I would it were to give again."

"Wouldst thou withdraw it? For what purpose, love?" I spoke the words into her ear, my voice barely above a whisper. I had lost all self-control and was fueled purely by my emotions.

"But to be frank, and give it thee again. And yet I wish but for the thing I have: my bounty is as boundless as the sea,
my love as deep; the more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite." She hardly said the last word before I leaned in to kiss her. A flash of light blinded me, and everything went blank.