A special place

You walk through the door and up to a wood cabin surrounded by dense forest. Behind the cabin is a beautiful lake flanked on all sides by a dense tree line. Near the water, is a campfire in a stonw fire pit surrounded by wooden benches. She begins walking down to the firepit, her previously naked chest is now covered in a warm vest and sweater. She is wearing tough, outdoor pants. Her hair is straight and she is wearing a furry hat with a poof ball on top. You look down and see that you are in a hearty flannel and canvas overalls, as if you spent the whole day fishing.

You follow her down to the firepit. She sits down in one of the benches and you wrap your arm around her. She holds you close to her, both of you appreciating the warmth of the fire and the view of idyllic scenery.

"This was my favorite place growing up." She says leaning her head against your shoulder. "My uncle used to invite us up to his remote cabin. Well, I guess it used to be remote."

"It looks pretty remote to me." You say, nodding to the lush forest surrounding you.

"It was when I was younger." She says "It blew up in popularity when I was in my teens. Now you can't find single area of shore without some sort of dock or development."

You feel her sad, nostalgia for this place.

"So this is from your memories then?" You ask, facing her.

"It must be. After my grandma's couch appeared in the white space, I wondered if I could bring in other things from my past." She replies, eyes still soaking in the scenery from her childhood.

"Thank you for sharing this with me." You say, spreading warmth and gratitude through your connection.

"You're welcome." She says, finally meeting your stare. "I told you. I love you, but I don't know you. And you don't know me. I figured I might as well start with my favorite part of me." She smiles at you.

You sit there for a long time, listening to stories of her childhood. The time her cousin broke the only canoe paddle in the middle of the lake, and her dad had to swim them back to shore. Games that they played, people that they had shared this place with. People she loved, people she lost.

It was such a beautiful way to connect with someone, and it felt like it was an extension of your souls' connection. She held onto you tightly, savoring your warmth.

You had stayed mostly silent as she told her stories. At one moment she looks up at you, a look of interest on her face.

"What about you?" She asks. "What is something you remember from childhood?"

Your smile furrows. You try to think back to anything that you can remember, but all you remember is waking up to Cyndi in your first day in the hospital.

"I can't remember anything before waking up in the hospital." You say, glumly.

"Really? That's strange." She says.

"Yeah, it is." You say.

"Perhaps it's time you receive a look at from the doctor." She chuckles.

"That's another person I need to make amends with." You say, guilt staining your voice.

"We can figure out a plan for that too. But let's not let that guild hurt the natural scenery" She says.

You sit for a good while longer, just savoring the peace of this place and her body against yours. After a while, Justine shifts out from under your arm.

"Let's get you home, shall we?" She says, standing up.

You stand up and follow her past the cabin, through the door, and into the white space. As soon as we return, her sweater is gone and she has returned to the ethereal goddess she is on the inside. You take another moment to appreciate her beauty and you can tell she is doing the same.

After a moments indulgence, you try to figure out how to leave the white space again. You feel for the threads connecting you to the real world. There is the steel cable thread by connects you to Cyndi and there is the spider silk thread that connects you to Dr. Reese. You find a collection of two threads wound together like rope. One is silky and soft, yet strong. It is as strong if not stronger than your connection to Cyndi. And the other is a bit rougher, yet the strongest of all. You assume this is the one to your body.

"Do you sense them?" You ask her.

She nods. Intuitively, you both know how to return. You grab her hand, her essence forming around yours as you follow the combined thread back to your bodies.

You leave the white space in an instant, unaware that you didn't fully close the door on your way out.