19. Back Again

I feel awake and I prepare myself to open my eyes. To my surprise, I'm not dead—or I don't think I am. Maybe I'm in the Locker, I think to myself as I open my eyes and see a familiar world upon me.

"How?! What?!" I exclaim aloud as I realize I'm lying in my bathtub at home in Massachusetts. I sit up and pinch myself and then slap myself in the face.

"You're definitely alive," I say out loud finally, standing up. I look down at notice I had been laying in the tub without water in it. Gross—how long have I been like this? Was it all just a dream? Did I ever go to the Caribbean? I step out of the tub.

"MOM!" I scream at the top of my lungs. I pause for a moment. No answer. My heart is pounding. What if it was all a dream? What do I do? How do I go on living my normal life after having experienced so much. What about Jack? Was he just a figment of my imagination? I was twenty-one when I last checked—was I really only 18? Had no time passed since I first lay in the tub till now? I take a deep breath, close my eyes and position myself in front of the mirror. I breathe once more and then open my eyes.

I am astonished at what I see before me...

A young woman clothed in Asian-style wardrobe. It is red and embroidered in black. My waist is belted in a thick black belt. I touch the clothing as though to make sure it is real. I fasten and unfasten the belt at my waist, pull on the sleeves of my Asian tunic. I touch my hair and decide to let it fall about my shoulders—the true test since no water had touched me. As I let it fall down, it surpasses my shoulders and falls in curling dark locks down to my mid back. I finally swing open the bathroom door.

"MOM! Are you home?!?!" I scream, running about the house. I stop suddenly when I get into my room. There are clothes strewn about the floor—clothes Jack wore when we were here—clothes I wore when I was last here. I pick them up and feel them. I put his clothes to my face and take in their scent to make sure it was no dream.

I remember how he smelled. My heart flutters with each breath.

"Jack" I whisper into the clothing as tears roll down my cheeks. "Jack!" I exclaim into the clothing as I drop to the floor sobbing.

"How did I end up back here?" I sob, "how did I end up here?"

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That night, I have a dream about Jack—a vivid dream in which he is traveling back to land—Tortuga. He tells Gibbs that he is searching for me.

"Gibbs, I need t' find 'er. I know where she must be and I've got t' get to 'er. I think I know how. I'll never forget it, Gibbs. When Elizabeth screamed at Will's death—the way she looked at him, I realized in that moment I want nothing more than for her t' gaze upon me like that. I told William that' if you choose to lock your heart away, you'll lose her for sure' and I fear I've done that with meself,"

"Then what shall we die for?!" I scream aloud suddenly, awake from my dream. I sit up in bed and rub my eyes. "I can't live like this," I say aloud to myself as I lie back down to sleep. What if he really is searching for me?

Sorry this was so short, mates! I just needed this little chapter to get me to the next one!! Hope you like the story so far. We are out of AWE plot now so enjoy!