NEAR DEATHS DOOR

BY P&C PRODUCTIONS

CHAPTER 15

Cassie found herself moving further and further away from their voices…away from the pain and darkness. There was a bright light up ahead…full of warmth and love…so pretty. She found herself drawn to it as if it were calling to her. She was so tired…she just wanted to escape from her prison…she was ready to go.

At the end of the tunnel was a magnificent field of flowers…as far as she could see. So warm and inviting…there were people in the distance…she couldn’t make them out clearly…but she decided to walk towards them.

She stopped to pick one of the flowers when a voice called out to her…

"Let them grow…we don’t pick them here." A sweet sounding voice…a woman.

As she looked up she saw her…so pretty…young with short brown hair and brown eyes like her own…dressed in white and holding out her hand.

"Come with me…Someone is waiting for you." She said with a voice so warm and tender that Cassie found it easy to trust her. She took her hand and led her through the flowers…careful not to crush them. A tall figure began to come into focus…clearer and clearer with every step she took…

"DADDY" she cried out as she ran the rest of the way and threw her arms around him…hugging him tightly

"Cassie …my baby…I’ve missed you so." He said as he held her and stroked her hair. I’m sorry I had to leave you alone.

"Dave takes good care of me…I love him daddy…he’s been so kind to me…but I’ve missed you so much…I want to stay with you now." She said this to him…still not realizing where she was and what it would mean to stay there.

"You shouldn’t be here…not yet…you have to go back." He told her as he looked into her eyes.

"Don’t you want me to stay?" She asked him. "Don’t you still love me?

"Of course I love you…but, you have to go back now…I can’t keep you …you still have so much to do." He tried to explain to her.

"But I don’t wanna go back…it’s so dark and it hurts. Why can’t I stay?"

"Because Cassie.." The pretty lady told her. "Dave needs you…and you need him…you can’t leave him like this. I left him because I had to…I didn’t have a choice…but you do." She told her as she touched her hair. "It would hurt him to lose you…you don’t want to hurt him do you Cassie."

"Of course not…I love him…but I don’t want to leave daddy either." She told her. "What should I do?"

"You’re father will be here watching over you…if you need him." She said softly to her. "Go back Cassie…live the rest of your life…do this for me."

"How do I get back?"

"I’ll take you most of the way…then you’ll be on your own…the rest will be up to you." She said. "You have to try…for Dave ok."

"You know Dave?" she finally realized…she spoke of him as if she did.

"I knew Dave…a long time ago…I love him too." She confessed. "Walk with me and I’ll show you."

"Wait!" she said …and then she hugged and kissed her father goodbye…for the last time. "I’ll see you again…someday."

"I’ll be waiting." He told her…then he turned and walked away from her.

"I’m ready now." She said as she took the lady’s hand again. "Let’s go."

As Cassie walked with the pretty lady…she found their souls flowing together…mixing…she saw things…memories…A Basketball court and Dave and Hutch. A small carnival…Hutch riding the bumper cars…

(Is this the same girl that wants to ride a giant slide…no time for feeling sorry for yourself.) Pictures flashing through her mind…so many memories…(make it 4:30…promise…I thought best friends didn’t have to promise…they don’t…now get outta here.) She was lost in them…like reliving another life…a life with Dave…as his lover…and his friend.

Cassie received the first dose of the new drug an hour after Starsky signed the consent form. He was told to watch her for seizures or any other side affects. Since the drug was experimental…they weren’t sure what kind of reaction it would produce in her.

Hutch stayed but after a while Huggy had to leave…to open his bar. He would check on them tomorrow. Starsky looked like hell…Hutch was there but all he could do was be there…he couldn’t comfort him. No one could…he was preparing himself for the loss…for her death…Hutch knew.

It was just like Terri…all over again.

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