Your Guardian Angel
Chapter 15: Between Heaven and Earth
I found myself walking along a dark tunnel toward nothing and wondering where the end was and when it would come. Why was I here? What had happened to me? I had so many unanswered questions.
A few minutes later, I reached the end of the long tunnel and saw a bright light. As I approached the light, I felt it start to suck me in. I backed away. Now I was more confused than ever. What do I do? I wondered. Do I stay here or walk toward the light? What is happening to me? It was then that I saw the form of a tall boy with long, dirty blonde hair emerge from the light and come toward me. When I saw who it was, my jaw dropped.
“Josh,” I said quietly.
“Hi, Riley,” he said. “I know you must be surprised to see me.”
“That’s an understatement. I’m so glad to see you.”
I tried to hug him, but as soon as my fingers touched his skin, I shivered.
“Why are you so cold?” I asked.
“I’m dead remember? Dead people are always cold.”
I laughed. “Yeah, that might be the reason. I’ve missed you so much. Why did you leave me?”
“I never left you. I’m not truly dead if I am still alive in your heart, which I will always be.”
“Yes, but I need you back in human form.”
Now it was his turn to laugh. “I’m sorry, but, unfortunately, it was beyond my control.”
“You have no idea how hard it is for me to wake up every day and remember that I no longer have you. I have to live with the guilt that you died because of me. You were walking me out to my car and then it’s like you traded your life for mine and then you wouldn’t even fight for both of our lives.” Tears were rolling down my cheeks. “You just said your goodbyes and then gave up on everything right in my arms. The feeling of your death in my arms never went away. Ever since that day, I have been longing to be with you so much that you have no idea.”
“I’ve wanted to be with you too. The hardest thing to do was leave you. I didn’t want to die, but the pain was too great to endure and I didn’t have the strength to fight back. The only strength I had left was to tell you how much I loved you and still do.”
“I love you too.”
“Come on; it’s time we get going.”
“Where are we going?”
“Into the light.”
Josh and I started walking toward the light. As soon as I was about an inch away from it, a voice came into my head.
“Riley, please, PLEASE come back to me!” it pleaded. “I need you here with me. I love you more than I have ever loved anyone in my life. I promise, if you come back to me, I will never leave you and make sure that we are never separated again. I could never be happy living without you. Please don’t die on me.”
The voice sounded so familiar, yet I couldn’t place it. Someone didn’t want me to leave him, but who? Then, it dawned on me; that person was Jesse. By going with Josh, I was leaving him behind. I would have to make a choice. I felt a surge of pain race through my body and then I started to shake. I was going in to shock.
A few minutes later, I reached the end of the long tunnel and saw a bright light. As I approached the light, I felt it start to suck me in. I backed away. Now I was more confused than ever. What do I do? I wondered. Do I stay here or walk toward the light? What is happening to me? It was then that I saw the form of a tall boy with long, dirty blonde hair emerge from the light and come toward me. When I saw who it was, my jaw dropped.
“Josh,” I said quietly.
“Hi, Riley,” he said. “I know you must be surprised to see me.”
“That’s an understatement. I’m so glad to see you.”
I tried to hug him, but as soon as my fingers touched his skin, I shivered.
“Why are you so cold?” I asked.
“I’m dead remember? Dead people are always cold.”
I laughed. “Yeah, that might be the reason. I’ve missed you so much. Why did you leave me?”
“I never left you. I’m not truly dead if I am still alive in your heart, which I will always be.”
“Yes, but I need you back in human form.”
Now it was his turn to laugh. “I’m sorry, but, unfortunately, it was beyond my control.”
“You have no idea how hard it is for me to wake up every day and remember that I no longer have you. I have to live with the guilt that you died because of me. You were walking me out to my car and then it’s like you traded your life for mine and then you wouldn’t even fight for both of our lives.” Tears were rolling down my cheeks. “You just said your goodbyes and then gave up on everything right in my arms. The feeling of your death in my arms never went away. Ever since that day, I have been longing to be with you so much that you have no idea.”
“I’ve wanted to be with you too. The hardest thing to do was leave you. I didn’t want to die, but the pain was too great to endure and I didn’t have the strength to fight back. The only strength I had left was to tell you how much I loved you and still do.”
“I love you too.”
“Come on; it’s time we get going.”
“Where are we going?”
“Into the light.”
Josh and I started walking toward the light. As soon as I was about an inch away from it, a voice came into my head.
“Riley, please, PLEASE come back to me!” it pleaded. “I need you here with me. I love you more than I have ever loved anyone in my life. I promise, if you come back to me, I will never leave you and make sure that we are never separated again. I could never be happy living without you. Please don’t die on me.”
The voice sounded so familiar, yet I couldn’t place it. Someone didn’t want me to leave him, but who? Then, it dawned on me; that person was Jesse. By going with Josh, I was leaving him behind. I would have to make a choice. I felt a surge of pain race through my body and then I started to shake. I was going in to shock.