“This dirt is all mine! Imma plant anything I want and rule this land.” The six-year-old Darcie stood atop a pile of dirt. Her smile was missing a few baby teeth, but it was bright.

“How many lemon scissors do you think we can grow? Can we have infinite?” Vora asked, removing the long grass that snared her ankle.

“Even more than that. At least a hundred!”

“No way!”

The two young girls were playing in the fields at the Krow farm, catching bugs and finding shiny rocks. A few Chimes were with them, ringing bells over the dirt and tossing handfuls of orange embers to the soil. They were revitalizing the earth with the Burning Bell’s holy flames for future crops.

“Girls!” called Darcie’s mother from the direction of the family house. “Don’t bother the Chimes. Get back inside until they’re done.”

Darcie and Vora did as she said and went back into the house. Vora crawled up on the couch while Darcie pouted at her mother.

“Why can’t I watch dem Chimes work?”

“Because they are doing the work of God. If you bother them, you may not get into heaven,” Darcie’s mother explained. She had gleaming gray hair, just like her daughter. “You’re not guaranteed into heaven unless you’re saved.”

“Okay… Mom, what’s heaven?”

“I want to know, too,” young Vora added. She fixed her hair clip shaped like a butterfly and plopped herself back to the floor.

“Well, heaven is a place where you’re eternally happy. You’re with your family and friends and loved ones. You can do whatever you want.”

“Even infinite candy?”

“Or more?”

“Uh, yes,” chuckled Darcie’s mother awkwardly.

***

Darcie entered the shed her grandfather would spend his time in. After years of hard work, the shed transformed into a comfortable retirement cabin. He had a radio glowing and playing soft jazz while on a bench mixing and preparing paints. He had wise eyes surrounded by canyons shielded by askew glasses.

“Gramps, the faucet is leaking again, and Dad is failing terribly ter fix it.” She found a shovel in the corner, nabbed it, and threw it over her shoulder. “Sis is comin’ to visit on Wednesday. We’re going to church that day, then.” Darcie silently watched her grandfather shuffle around and concluded, “You’re not listenin’ to me, are you?”

“Oh, Darcie. Perfect timin’, come with me.”

Darcie followed her grandfather outside onto a small hill with an easel planted into the dirt. A grasshopper propped itself on a beautiful landscape painting with the natural sun behind it.

“I want you to give it a try,” Darcie’s grandfather forced a palette onto his granddaughter. “It’s truly relaxing.” He tore away his painting and rolled it up under his armpit.

“I don’t have an interest, Gramps. A bit slow fer me.”

“Come now. Give ‘er a shot.”

Try as she might, Darcie could not resist her grandfather’s wrinkled smile. She sat on the chair, and her grandfather rested a hand on her shoulder and guided her arm with another. The brush she held made a plap when she placed it against the canvas.

“Not so hard. Painting is about the calm, the air, the world….”

“The boring.”

“Sure. If that works.”

“What should I paint? The hills over there?”

“What you want. Doesn’t have to be what you see or what’s there. It’s whatever you imagine.”

After a bit, Darcie’s grandfather left her alone, and when he came back with some sweet tea, an hour had passed. She destroyed a few brushes but made a work of art by Darcie’s standards.

“You made the sky? Suppose it’s something… easy. A lot of blues and whites and… that’s it.”

“It’s the best I could do. Don’t fuss.”

“I’m not. No chains? You took the chains out of the sky. Why’s that?”

The chains of the Burning Bell stretch across the sky from its center point above O’Landra. They were always there and always in sight, no matter where you were below. Despite the Bell and its chain’s size and height, they never cast a shadow. “God never casts a shadow” was a repeated phrase in the religion.

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

“I don’t know. Just felt different. Felt right. That could be o’ bit of blasphemy.”

“I don’t reckon it is. Just different.”

“Gramps, you got any more paints?”

***

Whenever her friend was sick of living in suffocating high society, Darcie invited Maive to the Krow farm. When they were fifteen years old, the pair hung out on the second floor of a barn watching the color MP. They sat among haybales and rusted equipment crosslegged.

During commercials, Maive would peek over the railing at the torn-apart HC parked below. She was nearly drooling over it, and her eyes appeared hypnotized.

“If you wanna mess with it after this show, you can,” Darcie said. “Have at it. Thing’s been dead since Gramps passed.”

“Could I? If it’s not any trouble.”

“Nah. Have at it.”

Maive fixed her long blue hair and smiled gratefully. Then she placed her hands on her lap, frowned, and her lime eyes fell to the wooden floor. “You’re amazing, and I don’t know if I can keep this up,” she whispered.

Darcie’s ears perked, and she aimed her orange eyes at Maive with a confused, twisted face. “What you mean? What’s up?”

“I have a secret that may ruin our friendship. You, I, and Vo—”

“A secret?” Darcie boomed. “And it will kill us all?”

“I-I never said it would kill us. Nothing like that. I was just saying it may hinder our friendship.”

“Oh. Well, the only way to do that is if we’re dead. Nah, not even that. Spill it out then, princess, if it weighs on ya so heavily.”

“I fancy you, Darcie. Really fancy you. I think you’re pretty, and strong, and brave. You’re everything I’m not, and I look up to you. I want to be with you, and not just like friends. More than that.”

Darcie whistled. “That’s a lot to take in all of a sudden. Honestly, I’ve never seen you that way before.”

Maive covered her purple, embarrassed face. “I understand. I’ve messed up dearly. No way you would like me like that.”

Darcie removed Maive’s hands. “Hold on now. I said I hadn’t seen you that way. Doesn’t mean I never could. I think you’re great as well. I knew you would be the day my fist hit your face,” she snickered. “I’m willing to try something. I’m not too picky on this sort of thing.”

“That makes me wonderfully happy. Thank you for giving me a chance. But my other concern is Vora. It may become awkward between the three of us. She may feel pushed away, then resent me, and then fight with you, and then—”

“Aww, hush. It’ll be fine. You worry far too much. Vora isn’t like that. If you have such a concern, we’ll keep it quiet for a while,” Darcie smiled brightly.

***

Darcie woke up bright and early, as she did every day, since she could walk and talk. She’d start by getting dressed in her overalls, brushing her teeth, and stepping outside with a big, upward stretch to the heavens. The Burning Bell hovering in the sky gleamed at the earth whenever a cloud drifted out of the way.

Darcie went into the pig pen and heaved over the trough of water. The pigs squealed and ran away from the wave caused by the felled metal tub.

“What you running for?” Darcie put her hand on her hips. “I do this every day. What so different?”

After dealing with the swine, Darcie went on to the cattle. She tossed bales of hay over the fence like they were feathers. Her muscles have always been strong and defined because of farm work. She rested her arms on a railing and watched the cows’ lips flap and their teeth gnash.

“Least you don’t worry about anything.”

“Darcie! What are you doing? You don’t need to do farm work on the day of your saving. Get back inside and relax.” Darcie’s father came over.

“Don’t feel like it,” Darcie said earnestly.

“Nervous, huh? I can’t blame you. We are, too. Our girl’s going to heaven. This is the best thing to happen to the Krow family in a while. Wear your status proudly.” Darcie's father punched his thick chest.

Darcie smiled a bit. “I will. But I’ll be leaving y’all behind. That’s what’s been weighing on me.”

Darcie’s father put a hand on her shoulder. His fingernails were brown beneath, and his touch was rough from the calluses. “In heaven, you can do anything. Even be with all of us forever. You can do anything in heaven,” he repeated.”

“I-I suppose… But they wouldn’t be real, would they? Y’all won’t be honestly with me until you pass. And even then, there’s no guarantee.”

“Ahhh,” Darcie’s father growled with uncertainty. “That sort o’ stuff is beyond me, hun. Only the Bell knows.” He looked at the sun’s position. “Time’ll come sooner than you think. Your mother’s got a fantastic breakfast and lunch today.”

Darcie had her breakfast, then unwillingly putzed around until lunchtime. She cared for her youngest brother, who was still just a baby, taking him on the porch to bottle feed him. After the bottle was empty, his tiny hands reached toward her chest.

“’Fraid you’ll get nothing out of those. Hey!” Darcie screamed out, covering her baby brother’s ears. “Don’t be aiming for the face with those sticks.”

The two younger brothers who’d been sword fighting stopped and hid their weapons behind their backs. “Sorry, sis. Didn’t mean to upset you. Not today. Big Sis will be coming in a few minutes. She’s mighty excited.”

“Did you clean your rooms?” When the boys nodded, she added. “Go clean them.” When they passed by, groaning, she whispered, “Lying to me after what you said.”

A few hours later, the eldest child arrived home and embraced her only sister.

“So proud of you. My dumb sis going to heaven,” Hilde said.

“Thanks, you’re so kind,” Darcie replied with a drop of sarcasm. “You’re late for lunch, by the way. Your portion is already gone.”

“Awww, Bell, dammit. Let’s chat a spell at our spot. This will be our last opportunity.”

“Sure.”

Before adulthood, the two girls made their classic hangout spot: a large walnut tree. It had a concealed hole in it where they hid candy and coins. The two popped it open for old times’ sake.

“This candy is well passed expired.” Darcie’s sister said while a lion head was in her cheek. “When was the last time we were out here?”

“Seven years ago,” Darcie replied while counting the measly coins. After exchanging info about the recent events in their lives, Darcie finally asked, “What do you think heaven will be like?”

“I think it varies depending on the folk. Personally, I prefer being in a bustling city atop a skyscraper, away from any unpleasant smells. As for you, the countryside is your home. Or you’ll be in one of your paintings.”

“Would it feel real? Will I forget earth?”

“I can’t answer that, Darcie. I’m just happy for you.”

Darcie hugged Hilde crushingly tight and whispered, “Don’t ever change while I’m away, dummy.”