When my consciousness returns I find myself directly above the massacre below. Well, actually not myself I can still see my body laying down below. I guess this would be called a spectral form. As I survey the death below I notice that an ambulance has finally arrived along with several police cars. The EMTs check everyone for a pulse but they seem to look sadly at each other and shake their heads. I guess that means it’s true I really did die, well crap. They could at least try to resituate me but I guess it wouldn’t do any good.
“Well, crap. That sure does suck eh Lenny?” A voice says to my left
“Yea you said it Howard, I told you that woman was crazy.” A voice says to my right
“You guys can say that again, sorry about killing you Howard is it?”
“Eh let bygones be bygones. Anyway I have been watching for a while sorry about my girl stabbing you kid, you too Lenny.”
“I knew she was crazy Howard, Oh yea, hey kid nice take down. She never knew what hit her ha-ha.” Lenny said coarsely
“Well thanks, speaking of which is she here too?”
“Heck no, something dragged her down real quick as soon as she died. After all she did commit murder twice.”
“So, I guess that means I’m screwed then huh?”
“Ha-ha no, I think yours was more of self-defense and an accident than actual murder so you’ll probably be good.”
“Okay, so guys what happens now? Are we ghost now or something?”
“That is a good question! I have no clue! What about you Lenny any ideas?”
“I guess we just wait and maybe we’ll start heading up?”
“Okay, I guess but I think we already are we’re moving, just really slowly.”
“Oh, you're right we just past the gas station sign so we are moving up good catch kid.”
The massacre below us is getting harder and harder to see. Soon the flashing police lights are far below us and we can no longer hear any sirens. A warm breeze blows past us and the sun begins to peek out from behind the mountains.
“Well, at least the view is something to behold eh boys.”
“I see your point, it is quite beautiful.”
“Yes it is kid yes it is.”
We all take in the view as the sun starts its climb up past the mountains as it bathes the world in a deep red light. A few birds swoop by singing their songs while hunting for breakfast over all a very bright and happy mood sets in upon our trio of specters. It’s a surprisingly peaceful and for some reason a strange calm has settled upon us. It must be one of god’s last gifts to the departed. We should all be panicking but we seem to have accepted our predicament rather well.
“Oh yea, I almost forgot what was going on with you three before I stepped in?” I asked rather filled with curiosity.
“Oh well, I guess it is sort of your business now that it got you killed and all. Honestly, we had too much to drink and Jen was coming to get us but she saw Howard over there with some bar floozy and she snapped and tried to stab him. I grabbed her and dragged her outside and threw her down because she almost cut me with it.”
“Then you arrived and well that was that. But thinking back on it that make you a pretty cool kid right Lenny?”
“Yea it actually was a very admirable action. Sorry you had to die for something so stupid, kid.”
“Well, Lenny looked pretty cool when you stood up on that leg and saved me so we are even.”
“Of course, I was mad but damn you sure did a number to my leg. I have never been dropped so fast and I have been in fights all my life.”
“Oh, I studied a few martial arts and got pretty good at it over the years.”
“That’s more than good… you dropped Lenny and me like a sack of potatoes kid.”
“Thanks and I am sorry for that. Do you guys believe in heaven? Which religion do you think has it right?”
“Hmm well we can all agree that heaven exists but I don’t really know what it’s going to be like. As for religion I hope Christianity is right because I prayed to God and Jesus a lot.”
“Right there with you Howard but I personally wouldn’t mind the 70 virgins isn’t that right kid?”
“Ha-ha that sounds nice but haven’t you heard that joke before?” I said with a big smile on my face.
“What joke is that?” Lenny said taking the bait
“They never said it was 70 women virgins.” I said with a straight face
“Oh… ha-ha he’s right Lenny ha-ha” Howard roared with laughter.
While we were talking and joking around we had already passed well above the mountains we started to pass through a few clouds. To my surprise the clouds felt more corporal than mist even though they are the same thing.
“Hey do these clouds feel different to you guys?” I ask while touching a passing cloud
“What do you mean different I’ve never touched a cloud before have you Howard?” Lenny asked
“Lenny, A cloud is the same thing as mist didn’t you know that?” Howard sighed
“Well, I guess then it feels sort of thicker? Right Howard?” Lenny asked looking for agreement
“Yea, more like a pool of water than just mist.”
As we pass through the cloud cover a bright white light suddenly flashes, blinding me. I feel my feet on something solid and slowly my vision returns. I am standing on a golden cloud, an actual cloud. In front of me is a great gate with a short line leading up to it with a few other spectral forms. The gate and all of my surrounding appear to be crafted from golden clouds. I notice that the line is moving forward so I take a step and move up closer to the gates.
“Howard, Lenny you guy’s there?”
“Yea, we are right behind you.”
“You guys seeing the golden clouds and stuff right? I’m not losing it right?”
“No kid, you’re good, I see them as well.”
As we continue on our way towards the Gate I notice a rather large desk and a rather large person sitting behind it. As we approach even closer I hear a banging sound coming from the direction of the desk.
“Hey did you guys hear that?” I asked.
“Yea it sounds like a courtroom Judge banging his wooden thing on the desk.”
“I hear you Lenny but I think it’s called a gavel right kid?”
“Yea I think so this might be a place of judgment or something. What do you guys think?”
“It could be kid… Hopefully we will all be okay…” Howard said nervously
“Well you’re up soon kid so you’ll find out shortly right Howard?” Lenny said surprisingly cheerful
I look up again towards the desk and I see the gavel hit the desk and watch as a spectral figure is dropped through a hole in the clouds.
“Crap… Lenny we can still screw this up…” Howard moaned
“Calm down Howard… Kid you’re up good luck.” Lenny smiled
Lenny pushes me forward toward the desk. I stumble and almost fall however I regained my footing and raise my head. Before me is a tall, tired looking man with long platinum blonde hair and a small wispy beard. He is wearing a huge bathrobe and it has the initials J.O.H. With a loud cough he clears his throat and looks at me with bright blue eyes.
“Well hello, young man are you sure you’re in the right line? How old are you?” The judge boomed
“I don’t actually know sir… I’m 21 sir…” I respond clearly shaken
“Ha-ha well boy did you die? If so you’re in the right line but why you’re not on the list I don’t know.”
The judge grabs a pair of glasses from within his robe and puts them on. He then picks up a piece of paper and looks closely at it. A small frown comes across his face.
“What’s your name boy?”
“Um it’s… huh Um…”
“Have you forgotten it boy?” The judge looks at me curiously
“No um… it is… my name is…”
I start to think and try to remember my name. I try to remember what my friends and family called me but to no avail. I look up at the giant who is still looking at me with sad eyes.
“Sorry sir… I can’t seem to remember.”
“Huh, It’s alright boy just tell me how you died.”
I told the judge how I was running and saw the girl in distress but it turned out to go horribly wrong and I killed one man by accident and the girl for revenge. I told him I was sorry for killing Howard but I wasn’t sorry for killing the girl because it was also self-defense as much as it was an act committed by anger. The judge scribbles down what happened and once again looks at me with sad eyes.
“Boy, you tried to do a good deed but it seems that a lot of bad things happened rather quickly because of it.”
“Yes sir, I guess you could say that it all happened because I tried to act all cool.” I sputtered out
“Ha-ha-ha…Well, because of you those two behind you will be allowed to pass into heaven. Normally we would have sent them down but because you interfered with their fates, Lenny sacrificed himself to stop that woman and Howard died instead of killing that girl for revenge.”
I am relieved that Howard and Lenny are going to be alright but I am still worried about myself. I changed their fates, which sounds pretty cool though. They seemed like good people and I was glad that I made it so they would get into heaven.
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“Well then… What should we do with you… Regardless of reason, you did kill two people and those are heavy sins. However it seems that a lot was due to a misunderstanding due to someone else’s negligence so I’ll let you off lightly.” The judge gives a deep sigh and looks rather apologetic
“Lightly? How light?” I ask carefully
I really hope it’s like a slap on the wrist instead of a drop through the clouds. Before the judge responds to my question a voice rings out.
“HEY! DAD! He’s mine remember!! No dropping him or any punishment!!” the voice shouted
I look around for my savior in the crowd but to no avail.
“Hey, move out of the way!!!” the voice shouted from above me.
I look up to watch as a small black dot rapidly transforms into a blonde girl with black wings flying towards me. Actually the truer statement would be falling towards me. Before I can move out of the way she slams into me. I would love to say I caught her in my arms but to be more accurate I was slammed into the ground and the force of it makes a depression in the golden clouds.
“Ouch… I told you to move!” She puffs out her cheeks and rubs her forehead where she collided with me.
“No, it’s not possible to move that fast! No one could off dodged that!” I said angrily
As I feel the place where that crazy angel landed on me I feel a large bump. I guess that means that even a spectral body can be injured. I look back at the girl, who is still looking at me with puffed out cheeks, and notice that she’s rather cute. Her hair is about shoulder height and is such a platinum blonde that it’s almost white. Her skin is rather tanned and she has an athletic build. If I saw her on the street I would think she was a rather attractive but normal girl. However, that is where the similarities with normal human girls ends. The wings on her back clearly make her different but the most striking difference is her eyes. Bright Silver eyes that seem to pierce through you. A normal black pupil resides in the center with one rather atypical feature, a small white cross is in each eye. The cross only extends to the edge of the pupil but is very noticeable due to the contrasting black pupil behind it.
“Hmm, hey what are you staring at? Here, stand up.”
She stretches out her hand and pulls me to my feet.
“Thank you.” I said clearly with a trace of anger remaining in my voice
“Um, Sweetie, papas at work right now can this wait?” the judge said all of the previous power drained from his voice.
The girl turns towards the judge and gives him a scathing look.
“Dad, you were about to punish him when all he did was protect himself right? Anyway, he is my responsibility as his guardian angel right?” The girl asked
“Well, that may be true but sweetie…” the judge said almost at a whisper
“Anyway, hurry up and tell him what he’s going to do while he is here?” She sends her father another scathing look
“Fine, son you are sentenced to the Rebirth Program.” The judge sighed.
The gavel cracks loudly on the table and with that my sentencing is complete. The judge waves me off and the girl grabs my arm and smiles.
“Let’s go!” She said brightly
“Go where? Who are you? And what is the ‘Rebirth Program’?” I asked
“I almost forgot to introduce myself! I’m Ella and I’m your guardian angel! Um… you’re coming to my house and then you are joining the Rebirth Program so let’s go!” Ella stated quickly
She grabs my arm and pulls me towards the huge gate in the distance.
“Wait… Like I said what is ‘Rebirth Program’?” I ask struggling to break free of Ella’s death grip.
“Son, just give it up she’ll explain later if not my wife or I will. Good luck.” The judge grumbled and looks at me with pity
“What about Lenny and Howard?” I asked
“Ehh, don’t worry, you’ll probably see them again anyway their punishment isn’t going to be bad because of you.” The judge waved off my concern
“Oh that’s good...” I trailed off
I look back towards Lenny and Howard who smile and wave at me. Even though those two guys indirectly caused my death they weren’t bad people.
“LET’S GO ALREADY!!”
Ella kicks off the ground and soars into the air dragging me along by my arm. The speed of which we are flying makes me feel as if my arm is being torn from its socket. I suddenly remember that the last time Ella was in the sky she fell from it and crashed into me.
“Ella, you know how to land right?” I asked over the roar of the wind
“Hmm… sure was the best at landing in Guardian Angel School… Hold on!”
Ella rolls and goes into a dive towards the gate dragging me right behind her. It appears as if this crazy angel is going to slam into the gates with me right behind her.
“Oi, Ella the gate… You see the gate right?”
“Haha of course I see it… Silly… So what gate?” Ella asked with a confused look on her face
“The big gate! The big golden structure over there!!”
I try to point at the gate but the wind pressure forces my hand back to my side. Ella turns back towards me and give me a questioning look. I look at the gate that’s rapidly getting closer and closer.
“Right in front of you! It’s too late!”
I use all of my strength to try and clamber and block some of the damage from the upcoming collision. However, instead of hitting the gate we just pass through it.
“Where exactly do you think you're grabbing?” Ella said venomously
I feel a soft yet firm sensation in my hand. I squeeze my hand gently and Ella blushes deeply and turns her face away from me. I look down at my hand and I notice that I am grabbing Ella’s breast.
“Hmm… Very nice… Thank you.” I said awkwardly
I squeeze her breast again and look up at Ella. Ella is glaring at me while blushing deeply.
“Hey… Can you let go now…” she said shyly
“Oh sure.”
I release her breast and look back towards the ground. I see a gold and silver city stretched out below us. Angels, both men and women can be clearly seen moving to and from inside a market district. Small stalls and storefronts with people, with and without wings, selling everything from delicious smelling bread to extravagant clothes. I hear shop workers shouting out to the passerby’s. We quickly fly over this are and head towards several rows of houses made of golden clouds with silver doors and windows. Small children are playing out in the yard and adults are drying laundry on racks in the sun. A few people wave at us as we fly past them and a few shout out a few things.
“Look at that Ella’s finally got a man.” A woman said loudly
“Ha-ha but how long till she scares him off.” Another woman said
Ella turns bright red and turns away from me. We rapidly pass through much of the district and Ella banks towards one house towards the end of the lane.
“We are almost there! Um… so just hold on okay this might get a little rough.”
“Why? Why would it get rough?” I asked nervously
“Well, you remember when I said I was the best at landing in school?” Ella asked
A bad feeling rises in my chest. A deep dark feeling that can only be known as the feeling that you’re in trouble.
“Yes, I remember… and?”
“Well I may have left off a word or so… so don’t be mad okay.” Ella said quietly
“May I inquire to that word?” I asked nervously
Ella looks away towards the horizon and sighs. She then slowly turns back towards me with a dejected look on her face.
“C…” Ella mumbled and the wind steals the rest of the word
“Sorry, could you say that again I couldn’t hear you.”
“Cr…h” Ella mumbled
“One more time…”
“Ugh fine… ‘Crash’ I’m the best at crash landing because I never got the hang of landing okay!!” Ella shouted with tears appearing in her eyes
Then and there it hit me, I was going to die again.
“Then why didn’t we just walk!!” I ask angrily
“Well, I thought you would like flying and I wanted to look cool. It was cool right?”
While Ella is looking back at me with pleading eyes I realize that there is really nothing I can do except forgive her. I really can’t resist those eyes when they have tears in them. But before I can speak we slam into the ground and I lose consciousness
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Author's Note: Thank you two anonymous people who have already started reading this! Please don't hesitate to comment or PM if you find any mistakes or if something isn't quite clear. I hope to have several chapters up by the end of today but I don't know if I need them to be approved first. Thanks for reading!