“If you’re really that special, you’d do it.” I look down at my feet as a few rocks topple down into the dark, still water below. I shake my head.
“No, I can’t do it.” I go to step back but turn into her.
“Do it.” She puts her hands on her hips.
“Let me go, Chastity…I’m serious…” I mumble trying to get past her. She grabs my arms and looks sternly into my eyes.
“You’re going.” She smiles her wicked grin and sends me flying down the huge cliff into the rocky waters below.


“Where am I?” I whisper as I open my eyes. I try to sit up but instantly shoot back down. Wow what a headache.
“Hello, my dear,” A soft voice says. I flutter my eyes back open. A beautiful brunette African-American woman is standing over me, wearing a flowing white gown and a white headband. Her hazel-green eyes are piercing, and yet mesmerizing. Where am I? “Don’t be alarmed. Everything is going to be alright.” She puts a white washcloth over my forehead.
“Where am I?” I repeat.
“Darling…” She sighs, looking down thoughtfully, yet nervously before looking back into my eyes. “Now, I know you’re going to have a lot of questions, but I’ll reassure you now that they’ll all be answered in time.”
“Where am I? Which hospital am I in?” I whimper remembering the “accident”.
“Honey, you aren’t in any hospital that I’ve ever heard of. If this is a hospital, then darn somebody lied to me a couple centuries ago.” She says with a slight chuckle. I slowly force myself up onto my elbows to look around, but slowly…wow I must’ve hit my head pretty hard. I open my eyes and look around.
“Why is everything so white?” I utter squinting. Then it hit me.
“Heather, you’re in heaven.” Tears instantly fill my eyes.
“Liar…” I whisper.
“No…” She declares. “Have you ever known an angel to lie?”
“I’ve never known an angel period.” I say sternly as a tear falls down my cheek. She smiles and laughs silently.
“I’m sure you have.” She says gently moving my hair behind my ear.
“No actually. Surprisingly enough I think this is the first time I’ve died.” I say sarcastically. She laughs.
“Angels aren’t all in heaven.” She says with a smile. “Angels roam the Earth too, ya know.”
“No, I didn’t know, but thanks for filling me in.” Gosh, I’m even b***** in Heaven.
“Heather,” She says solemnly, looking me directly in the eyes. I pause and stare at my white cloud floor for a while. “Heather,” She says again. I reluctantly meet her eyes with mine. “You’re home.”
“This isn’t home.” I say quickly. “This is a nightmare.” She sighs.
“Well, Heather, you only have two options here.” She looks at me again.
“Oh boy, I wonder what those options are.” I say sarcastically, bringing my knees against my chest and wrapping my arms around them.
“Heaven or hell, my dear. Pick one.”
“You’re joking, right?” I articulate looking up at her.
“Do I look like I’m kidding?” She says bluntly. I sigh. A while goes by.
“So, where is everybody?” I say finally, breaking the silence.
“What everybody?” She says.
“You know, all of the angels, everyone that’s gone to Heaven.” She laughs faintly, revealing her perfect white teeth.
“No, my dear, Heaven is not at all like that.”
“Where’s God? What about Jesus?”
“Honey,” She says finally. “How do you suppose that mortals know of all of these supposed Gods?”
“Well, I…” Good question. How do we think we know what’s beyond the mortal grave? “I guess we don’t.” I say, swallowing my pride. She smiles. “But there is a God…isn’t there?” I say unreassuringly.
“If you want there to be.” She says.
“I don’t understand.” I say quizzically.
“And you won’t for a while,” She says smiling. “If you want to make it to the true happiness layer of Heaven, you must do much else.”
“What else can I do?” I say not comprehending her words. “I’ve already made it here, haven’t I?”
“No, Heather, not at all. You don’t think we let people into Heaven that easily do you?” She says with a smirk.
“I guess I don’t know quite as much as I think I do.” I sigh. “So, who on Earth did I know that was an angel among us?”
“Oh, you’ve met your fair share.” She says thoughtfully.
“Like who?” I ask. She presses her finger to her lips in thought.
“Take, Tamantha Plainfield for example.”
“Her?” I say in shock. “She never talked to anybody! She was all depressed and alone in her own little corner…we hardly noticed her existence! She was an angel? A real angel?” I ask. She nods.
“She was an observer. She let us know who was truly doing their job there on Earth, and let us in on who wasn’t.”
“Wow.”
“And Nick Mockow.”
“Nuh uh!” I say with a smirk. She smiles. “The school jock? Really? He was such a bully to everybody! How could he have been an angel?!”
“He was a test. He tested others strength, both emotionally, and physically in some cases.”
“Damn…”
“Oh, and Jason Klamath.”
“Jason?” I say breathless. She nods solemnly. “My Jason?” She smiles again and nods.
“He sure had a thing for you.” She says with a warming smile and wink. I feel tears begin to fill my eyes.
“No…no…” I say. “My Jason…my angel…” I cover my teary face. She clasps her hands gently in front of her. “I need him…Angel, I need him…” I say. She smiles.
“Mariana, love.” She says with a smile.
“Mariana…I need him…please…how do I get him back?”
“What makes you say that you need him?” She says, her hands slacked onto her thighs.
“I just,” More tears roll down my cheeks. “I…I never got to say goodbye…I never got to tell him everything that I really felt…please, Mariana…I need him. Please, let me see him again, just once more. Please, Mariana, please!” I’m pleading to her on my knees, putting my arms around my stomach. She looks at me with patient and knowing eyes. So warming, even in my weakest of moments. I put my hands back over my face and sit there on my knees, crying. I need my Jason…I just need him.
“You really need him don’t you?” She says finally.
“Yes,” I say breathlessly. “I’d do anything to be with him.”
“But, now you know that he’s an angel.” She says half glaring at me quizzically. I smile through my tears and shrug gently.
“I already knew that he was an angel. I’ve always told him that.” I look up at her and smile gently. “You’ve just proved my point.” She looks down at me with a smile.
“Alright,” She begins with a smile. “Your wish is my command.” She closes her eyes, and I fall asleep.


“Heather…oh please, Heather…Heather…talk to me, Heather, please!” I flutter my eyes open to see Jason standing above me, holding my hand tightly and crying.
“Jason?” I say weakly.
“Heather!” He exclaims throwing his arms onto my shoulders and his head into my neck. I put my arms gently back around him, still weak. I look around; I’m in a bright white hospital. He holds me tightly. “I thought I’d lost you…” He says wiping his tears away from my eyes and holding his face close to mine as he sits on his knees at my bedside, kissing my hand and arm gently.
“I thought I’d lost you too…my angel…” I said, putting my hand softly on his cheek. He grins and throws his arms around me again. I put my hand gently on the back of his head. I look up at the ceiling and see Mariana standing there with her arms folded, shaking her head. I smile at her.
“Thank you.” I mouth to her. She winks, and disappears into the white paint of the ceiling.

(c) Katelynn 2010