I packed up my stuff and made my way through the building until I finally reached the outside world. Stretching slightly, I squinted into the sun peeking from behind the clouds. It was cooler today, finally, and I actually felt comfortable in the waning summer heat. There was just one more work day to get through before the weekend, and I could not wait to relax.

The drive home was more pleasant than usual. There was barely any traffic, the setting sun made the clouds dance in swirling pastels of pink and blue, and I knew I was having pizza for dinner. I would be home in just another 10 minutes and I could-

SLAM.

The air was knocked clean out of me and I was swallowed by darkness, but I could swear I was still awake. It felt like I was surrounded by a thick, cloying fog. There was no sound except for the blood rushing in my ears. I felt like I was floating – like I was being spun around in space, but the pressure of the fog was so intense that I couldn’t move an inch.

When my senses finally returned, I was startled but what I saw. I remembered that I had been driving, but now my car was stopped on the side of the road – more accurately, my car was totaled and laying almost sideways in a ditch against the guardrail. I could smell burning rubber and heard frantic shouting outside my windows.

It looked like my car had imploded. From what I could see, the entire front end was crushed in like an aluminum can, and the passenger side door was now only inches from my right arm. The back seat had been pushed forward significantly. What concerned me the most was the guardrail that was mere centimeters from impaling my chest. Jagged metal was rammed through my car right where my heart was.

I made mental observations on my condition – my head hurt, but that felt like the only thing wrong with me. I could move all my limbs, as much as the much more compact car would allow, and I didn’t seem to be bleeding anywhere.

That was when I noticed that IT was gone. I searched frantically around me but IT was nowhere to be seen. I instantly knew that I was only alive now because of IT – IT had shielded me from all the harm the crash would have done me. It was evident now – it almost looked like I had an invisible, protective bubble around me during the wreck. Everything was destroyed but me.

I was snapped out of my realization by loud pounding on my window. A balding older man with a head wound was yelling into the car, asking if I was alright. I gave a quick thumbs-up and a smile, then attempted to open the door, but it wouldn’t budge. I pointed to the door and gave a thumbs-down to communicate my predicament. The man nodded and went off to another wrecked car behind me.

It was hours before I finally made it home. Even though I wasn’t hurt, I was still forced to go to the hospital due to the severity of the accident. No longer hungry, I trudged over to my bed and collapsed into the soft memory foam mattress. After a few heartbeats, I rolled over to my back and stared up at the blank ceiling.

“Are you there?” I softly whispered. Nothing but silence. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply, trying to settle the panic rising within. After a few minutes I tried again.

“Are you there? ...I can’t see you anymore.” My ears strained but no noise disturbed the still air. “If you can hear me...thank you for saving me.” I squeezed my eyes tighter as tears began to leak out the corners. “You didn’t have to do that for me. Now you’re hurt, or I know you’d be here. You didn’t have to risk yourself for me...you shouldn’t have.” Quiet sobs started to bubble out as I tried to hold myself together. I hugged my arms tight around myself and pushed down the lump forming in my throat, trying to suffocate me.

“Please don’t leave my here alone,” I managed to choke out as my voice broke. Huge, wracking sobs now escaped my lips, my eyes shut tight as the flood gates opened and all my emotions came spilling out – the loneliness, the doubt, the fear. I couldn’t bear the thought of being truly, fully alone for the first time. Something was missing – something I needed.

I rolled onto my side and curled into the fetal position, trying to keep my body from breaking apart in the face of emotions I hadn’t had to feel for many years. It was like all the air was sucked out of my body but I lacked the will to let more in. Then a smell drifted into the room, slowly at first, just a faint whiff – but soon it filled the room and ignited my senses. It felt like home – pine mixed with lilac and campfire. This was what I was missing. It had been there for so long, very faint, but present enough that I didn’t notice it anymore until it was gone.

I opened my eyes and saw a man sitting at my desk. His age was indescribable, as he looked quite young, but the way he held himself was like he had seen many lifetimes already. Even in the chair, I knew he was much taller than I was - his hair was a curly, jet-black mess that fell to his shoulders and accentuated the snow-white skin that seemed to shimmer where clothes did not cover. He was dressed in all black – black jeans, black t-shirt, black leather jacket, black combat boots. But when he opened his eyes, I knew exactly who he was – bright orange eyes that looked like the setting sun were staring back at me.

It was only when he spoke that I remembered how to breathe.

“I would never leave you all alone.” His voice was deep but soft, like soothing ocean waves.

I scrambled out of bed and flung myself at him, catching him off guard as he toppled out of the chair and landed on the carpet with me clinging to him. Fresh tears came as I uttered my thanks over and over again – for saving me, or for coming back, I didn’t know, but I was grateful just the same.

He stroked my hair until my sobs finally quieted, holding me gently. My eyes were already heavy from crying, and when he began to hum a soft melody, I slipped easily into sleep.