Tears in Heaven
Chapter Two.
"You are special, Leslie Burke," God repeated. "Terabithia has claimed a new princess, Maybelle Aarons. But the Terabithians need their queen, they need to be protected. They need you, Leslie, and so does Jesse Aarons. You have much unfinished business to attend to, many people to care for, and most importantly - many secrets to protect. It is because of these things I have granted you the ability to keep your heart."
This was all far too much for me to take in. I mean, I'm just figuring out that I've been dead for, how long is it now? I don't even know! And now I've been granted some kind of special power, to stay alive? What was this place, purgatory? Was I getting a second chance at life? But that means... I was right! I told Maybelle that God didn't go around just damning people to hell! I guess that's one comforting thing to think about while I tried to figure out what else was going on in my life... or, no; Life - after - death, I guess this would be.
God chuckled, "You've been dead now for a month, which makes it mid November. Yes, this place is much like a purgatory, only more organized and only for the people whose lives were taken far before their time was up. And yes, you are getting a second chance at life... in a way. You are not dead, but nor are you alive. You cannot be killed, but your time will run out. If you have revealed the secrets of Terabithia, if you have upset the Aarons or your own family, or caused any kind of trouble in Terabithia - when your time runs out, I may not grant you an opportunity to go back as a mortal being, to be human again."
"But what about Jesse and my family and the kids at school? If I've been dead for a month now, won't they all be just a little suspicious of me, walking around school? Or my home? I mean, what about all of that?" I was still a little bit frightened at how beautiful the sound of my voice was.
"Easy, I've already thought about all of this. When you died, I knew that something had gone wrong; you're far too young to be dead. Because I am God and I can control everything," not that he was bragging or anything, "I put time on pause, and maybe erased everything that happened right until they found you in the river, where they got you to the hospital and you've been for the past three weeks in a coma.”
“HAS JESSE BEEN IN TO SEE ME!?” my voice twinkled.
“Yes, the only person the doctors will allow to go in. He loves you, you know; my job is to listen to people’s prayers, and I’ve been paying close attention to his in particular. He praises me for giving him such a good friend, that he lost half of himself when they said you were gone, and that I do anything possible to keep you alive. I couldn’t possibly take you away from someone who loves you that much, your family, or his. You’ve become so involved and I couldn’t leave Terabithia without their queen.”
I just stared at my milky – white colored bare feet that almost seemed to blend into the white rug. “I don’t know what to say… thank you. That doesn’t come close to all the thanks I owe you, but I promise I won’t disappoint you - you won’t regret giving me a second chance as an immortal. I promise.”
God rested his monstrous hand on my shoulder and looked me in the eyes, “I know you won’t, and that’s the only reason I’m giving you the chance.” He smiled warmly again and I felt a surge of warm electricity flow pulsate through my veins. “Now, let’s get that head of yours out of the clouds.”
This was all far too much for me to take in. I mean, I'm just figuring out that I've been dead for, how long is it now? I don't even know! And now I've been granted some kind of special power, to stay alive? What was this place, purgatory? Was I getting a second chance at life? But that means... I was right! I told Maybelle that God didn't go around just damning people to hell! I guess that's one comforting thing to think about while I tried to figure out what else was going on in my life... or, no; Life - after - death, I guess this would be.
God chuckled, "You've been dead now for a month, which makes it mid November. Yes, this place is much like a purgatory, only more organized and only for the people whose lives were taken far before their time was up. And yes, you are getting a second chance at life... in a way. You are not dead, but nor are you alive. You cannot be killed, but your time will run out. If you have revealed the secrets of Terabithia, if you have upset the Aarons or your own family, or caused any kind of trouble in Terabithia - when your time runs out, I may not grant you an opportunity to go back as a mortal being, to be human again."
"But what about Jesse and my family and the kids at school? If I've been dead for a month now, won't they all be just a little suspicious of me, walking around school? Or my home? I mean, what about all of that?" I was still a little bit frightened at how beautiful the sound of my voice was.
"Easy, I've already thought about all of this. When you died, I knew that something had gone wrong; you're far too young to be dead. Because I am God and I can control everything," not that he was bragging or anything, "I put time on pause, and maybe erased everything that happened right until they found you in the river, where they got you to the hospital and you've been for the past three weeks in a coma.”
“HAS JESSE BEEN IN TO SEE ME!?” my voice twinkled.
“Yes, the only person the doctors will allow to go in. He loves you, you know; my job is to listen to people’s prayers, and I’ve been paying close attention to his in particular. He praises me for giving him such a good friend, that he lost half of himself when they said you were gone, and that I do anything possible to keep you alive. I couldn’t possibly take you away from someone who loves you that much, your family, or his. You’ve become so involved and I couldn’t leave Terabithia without their queen.”
I just stared at my milky – white colored bare feet that almost seemed to blend into the white rug. “I don’t know what to say… thank you. That doesn’t come close to all the thanks I owe you, but I promise I won’t disappoint you - you won’t regret giving me a second chance as an immortal. I promise.”
God rested his monstrous hand on my shoulder and looked me in the eyes, “I know you won’t, and that’s the only reason I’m giving you the chance.” He smiled warmly again and I felt a surge of warm electricity flow pulsate through my veins. “Now, let’s get that head of yours out of the clouds.”