by Carlos King
“So tell me about this dude,” he asked in a good-humored, best friend kind of way. “Is he a good guy or is he a bad boy…You know, like how I was?”
Laughing at Alex’s humor, Jade responds, “First of all, I’ve never heard of any bad boys having an eleven o’clock curfew.”
Laughing, Alex comes back, “Hey, I didn’t need to be out past eleven to do my thing. I did all my thuggin’ before the street lights came on.” As Jade laugh at Alex’s jesting, he goes on to add, “That’s how much of a gangster I was. I did all of my dirt in broad daylight.”
“Like what? Weren’t you too busy with your student council meetings and all the other after school functions you were a part of?”
Alex is stunned at Jade’s witty personality. Over the course of their separation, he almost forgot how funny she could be. “I see you still got jokes. But if you’re done with you comedy bit, I believe I asked you a question about your new friend.”
Jade shifts her position on the couch. “I don’t know, Alex. I don’t really feel comfortable talking to you about this.”
Alex wraps his arm around Jades shoulders. “Come on, Jade. You know me better than that. You can talk to me about anything…Even another guy. It’s not like you’re my girl anymore.
“He’s okay,” she halfheartedly revealed. “He’s not like how you were at all. He’s actually the total opposite. He’s arrogant, cocky, self-centered at times, and a bit of an adrenaline junkie, too.”
“Sounds like your typical bad boy. It’s funny…Of all the times I checked in on you, not once do I remember sensing another guy. I’m usually pretty good with keeping up with the people you associate with. So, does he treat right?
“Yeah, he does. He has his days where he can be a total jerk, but even on those days he treats me the same way you did. That’s the only characteristic you two share. You both treat me like I’m a queen.”
“You are.” Alex declared to her with no delay. An awkward silence follows, which is then followed by them briefly locking eyes. “Hey, you’re probably tired, right? Why don’t you go ahead and try to get some sleep?” said Alex, abruptly changing the subject.
“I am tired. I’m not use to staying up all night. But to be honest, I’m too afraid to close my eyes. I’m afraid of what I might see when I open them.”
“You don’t have to worry about that. I’m here now and I’m not going to let anything happen to you. The only thing you’re going to see when you open your eyes is me.”
“I’ll tell you what…I’ll go to sleep if you promise to tell me everything you know about what’s going on when I wake up.” Jade curls up onto the couch and snuggles up with one of the couch’s decorative pillows. “I would have you tell me first, but it probably wouldn’t be wise to add more monsters to the nightmares I’m already going to have. Do we have a deal?”
“You got a deal.” Alex picks up Jade’s jacket and covers her with it. Jade closes her eyes and drifts off to sleep.
Alex silently stands over her for several seconds admiring the beauty he’s missed for so long. He bends down and softly kisses her on her cheek. “Sleep tight, Jade,” he whispered. He stands up and moves over to a window that overlooks the front yard. He makes this spot his lookout post, patiently standing on guard, anticipating the arrival of any uninvited guests.
CHAPTER 14
Hours go by, the sun holding steady in the center of the sky. So far, there hasn’t been any sign of lurking evil. Alex hasn’t budged an inch from his self-assigned post, staying on high alert as Jade peacefully sleeps on the couch. Alex steals an occasional peek at her, observing her in all her exquisiteness.
Jade begins to toss and turn. Alex walks over to her and stands silently over her, hoping she’ll push through her discomforting dream so he won’t have to wake her up. Her tossing and turning escalates into more violent shuffling and scurrying about, which is then followed by her screaming.
“Jade! Wake up, Jade!” Alex said loudly, gently shaking her awake.
Jade comes to. She’s out of breath and panicked. She takes several deep breaths trying to regulate her breathing.
“Must’ve been a scary one,” Alex implied. “Care to talk about it?”
Jade wipes the sleep from her eyes as she sits upright. “No, not really.” She glances out the window. “I think this is officially the first time I’ve ever had a scary dream in the middle of the day.”
Alex takes a seat next to her. “At least you got a few good hours of sleep in first.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be selfish. Did you want to take a nap? You exerted as much energy physically as I did mentally. You probably more exhausted than I was.”
Alex readjusts himself on the couch so he can address Jade from a more comfortable position. “I don’t think I can fall asleep. I’ve been up ever since I came back here and that was days ago. I’m not even tired.”
“So you don’t sleep? That’s interesting to know. Well, do you at least want something to eat? I can go in there and make us something.”
“Haven’t eaten a thing since the day I died. No appetite. I haven’t even had so much as even a sip of water. I guess I don’t need that stuff anymore.”
Jade raises one of her eyebrows. “Heaven doesn’t have food?”
“No, there’s food there, but they’re all natural. They’re the kind of foods that are created from plants and trees. Whenever you want to taste a strawberry, bananas, or tomato, all you have to do is pick one. But technically, you’re never hungry.
Jade directs herself into a position that allows her to face Alex and give him her full attention. She stares him directly in the eyes and asks, “What’s Heaven like?”
An expression of pure nirvana slips across Alex’s face. “It’s a place you’d have to see to believe, Jade. I don’t know if they’re any words that can do it justice. It has similarities to what we’re told about in church, but it’s different in so many ways.”
Jade inquires, “How so?”
“Okay, let’s see here. For instance, it’s not a bunch of angels literally living up in the clouds. It pretty much looks like a purified Earth. People have houses and apartments like they do here, they just don’t worry about paying for rent or utilities. Money doesn’t exist up there. You don’t have to worry about heat or air conditioning because the weather is always perfect, with the exception of an occasional shower every now and then, but that’s only because we wanted it to rain.”
“Wait, you said money doesn’t exist up there. I thought you said Heaven wasn’t in the clouds.”
“It’s not. But somehow, someway, whenever you want to see earth all you have to do is concentrate on it and then you suddenly descend. You go so fast it’ll feel like you’re moving at the speed of light. So in some aspect, it is a place that exists in the skies, only it’s more sophisticated than anyone probably realizes.”
“Is that how you got back here?” she asked.
“Yes and no,” Alex stated. He tries to thoroughly explain how he came back in the easiest way he can. “You see, normally an angel can only hover over the people you want to visit. It’s an outer body experience that brings angels here. All the ghosts you hear people claiming to see are usually angels that’ve come back to visit. For some reason, I was able to ascend my concentration beyond a mere outer body experience and cross over physically.”
“Tell me more about the things that go on in Heaven.”
“Like I said, it pretty much has the same features down here. It has solid grounds, grass, trees, birds and animals. Only in Heaven, you can actually pet a stray lion on the head in front of your own house at any given time.”
“I think I’d be too afraid to try that,” said Jade.
“Here on earth you’d have every right to be afraid. But in Heaven, all the fear you carried around while you were down here disappears the moment you cross over. Everything you were ever taught on earth is instantly overwritten the second you die. There’s no need for self-pr
eservation in Heaven. A lion in Heaven can be just as friendly and playful as a puppy down here. You don’t have to worry about pain, sickness, or death there. It’s nothing short of being paradise.”
“What about the people?” Jade asked. “Is everyone in Heaven super nice? Is it crowded?”
“Yeah, everyone up there is real cool,” Alex told Jade. “And it isn’t crowded at all. There’s more than enough room up there for everybody. I think one of the coolest things about being in Heaven is that you know everybody. You could walk pass someone you’ve never met before and you’ll automatically know everything there is to know about them. You pretty much become best friends with anyone you meet as soon as you meet them.”
“What is it you like most about being there?”
Alex takes a second to ponder over Jade’s question. “Being able to spend time with family members I hadn’t seen in years. Like older relatives that I either never met or just forgotten about as I grew up. I even got to kick it with my dad again.”
“That’s cool that you were able to reunite with your dad? I remember how much you missed him. He passed away about five years ago, right?”
“Yeah.”
“You know your mom still misses you.”
Alex smiles, “I know. It was the first thing he told me when I got there. We stayed right next to each other up in Heaven. We spent time together every day up there.”
Jade smiles in gratitude for the detailed picture Alex painted for her. He has perfectly explained to her a Heaven that she could’ve never imagined on her own. He even gave her the sanctity in knowing that her deceased loved ones are safe and enjoying the pleasurable niceties of a much better place, and for that, she is highly appreciative.
Without warning, Jade’s stomach rumbles. “Excuse me. In the middle of all this craziness I’ve been unconsciously starving myself. I’m gonna see what they have in the kitchen.”
“Oh, go right ahead,” Alex politely insisted.
Jade goes into the kitchen and searches for something to eat. In the meantime, Alex gets up from the couch and returns to his place of surveillance at the window. From where he’s standing he can hear Jade searching through the kitchen cabinets and then through the refrigerator. A minute later, she re-enters the living room.
In a despaired and drained tone she says, “There’s nothing in the cabinets I can make and my parents threw out all the food in the refrigerator.”
“Did you want to go to the grocery store and grab a few things?”
“No, we have enough to worry about. I’ll be okay for another day. All I need is water and juice and I’ll be fine. It’ll be like a mini-fast.”
Alex moves closer to Jade. “Don’t be silly. It’s no trouble. Besides, we need to keep you strong. Going hungry will only make you weak, and this definitely isn’t the time for you to be losing any pep in your step.”
“I don’t have any money, though. We left out in such a hurry I didn’t have a chance to grab my purse.”
“Jade, you’re hanging with an angel now. Leave it to me. But before we go, do you think it’ll be okay if I borrow some of your dad’s clothes?”
CHAPTER 15
Jade and Alex are standing in the checkout line of a nearby Wal-Mart. As the cashier rings up their items, Jade’s nervousness goes on the rise. The total of their purchase is nearing sixty dollars and neither of them has any money. Between Jade’s anxious conduct and the hood pulled over Alex’s head, which conceals his face entirely, the two have aroused the attention of a few of the store’s security members.
“Your total is sixty-seven dollars and fifty-two cents,” said the cashier.
Alex pulls the hood from over his head. When he reveals his face to the cashier it hypnotizes her almost immediately. Not only has the cashier become absorbed with him, but Alex has also grabbed the interest of the three customers standing behind him.
“I seem to have forgotten my wallet,” Alex stated charmingly. “Is there any way we can work something out? I’d be very grateful to you if you saw fit to help me out.”
The cashier is so fixated on Alex it takes her a moment to respond. Her eyes water up and a single tear breaks free, streams down her cheek. After the question finally registers in her mind she answers, “Don’t worry about it. I have twenty dollars I could loan you. I was going to use it to get my nails done, but I can wait until next week for that.”
“Thank you very much, ma’am. I really do appreciate your graciousness.” Alex turns to the people standing in line behind them. “Excuse me, but I don’t have enough money to cover this bill, is there anyone else here who could spare a couple dollars? The kind cashier already donated twenty dollars to us…All we need is forty-eight more.”
All of the people standing in the line seem to be mesmerized by Alex. When they break loose from their hypnotic trance, the group of people do all they can to help accommodate Alex’s request. The people into their pockets and purses, pulling out every single dime they have.
Before they know it, Alex and Jade have fists full of money being shoved in their face. Jade is amazed by the kind of reaction Alex can invoke in complete strangers. These people are willing to give their hard earned money to someone they didn’t even know.
For a split second, Jade got a small taste of what it feels like to be in a place where people are willing to do whatever it is they can to help another. For a fraction of a second, she actually felt like she got a minute taste of Heaven.
“Thank you. Thank you all. But this is way more than what we need.” Alex tried to divide the forty-eight dollars he and Jade needed for their tab evenly amongst the three customers. Once he gets the amount he needs, he hands the money to the cashier. The cashier rings up the purchase and hands Alex the change. In turn, Alex hands the remaining change to the person he took the most cash from and thanks them all one last time for their help.
“I promise you your good deeds will not go unrecognized.” Alex tries to move toward the end of the lane to bag the groceries, but is stopped by the cashier.
“Is there anything else I can do for you? Anything at all…You just name it,” the cashier empathically declared.
“No, I’m fine. Thank you anyway.” Alex tries again to move to the bagging area but is stopped yet again, only this time by the cashier and the other three customers. They’re all offering their services to him and asking him if he requires anything else. The longer Alex stands in the lane, the bigger the surrounding crowd around him grows. They all want to lend their services to him for whatever needs he may have.
The security guards notice the growing disturbance and head over to the budding crowd to investigate. By the time they get there, they too, have fallen victim to the divinity that pulsates from Alex.
Alex turns to Jade and says, “Can you bag these up please? You might want to go ahead and wait for me in the car. This may take a while.”
“Okay. But don’t take too long, alright?”
“It won’t take me long. All I have to do is settle these people back down.”
Jade bags the groceries and heads out to the parking lot, leaving Alex alone in the midst of his growing crowd of admirers. She exits the store and walks at a steadfast pace to her car. She hears the familiar voice of someone shouting out her name from across the parking lot. She turns and spots Drake standing near his shiny red Corvette.
The last person she expected to see was Drake, but on the other hand, she’s glad to see it was Drake and not another demonic savage. The two approach each other, meeting in the middle of the lot, where they share an endearing hug.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, her head resting on his chest, her arms tightly wrapped around his neck.
Drake keeps his arms around her waist. “You scared me to death this morning. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Everything is fine.”
“Not according to your apartment. That place looks like a warzone. I went there before I called you this morning to apologize for the way
I acted yesterday. I walked in and found doors knocked off their hinges, wrecking ball-sized holes in the walls, and shattered glass and broken objects everywhere. I didn’t know what to think.”
Jade’s grip softens. She leans back slightly and looks up at Drake. “How did you know where to find me? I didn’t tell anyone where I was?”
Drake looks at her suspiciously. “You talked so much about your home life I figured it’s where you’d most likely be. I remembered the town, so I looked up the address and put it in my GPS. I hope you don’t mind.”
Jade shakes her head and laughs at her own paranoia. She can’t believe what she almost made herself think about Drake. “It’s okay. I’m sorry about the third-degree. There’s a lot of crazy things going on and I guess I’m starting to get a little suspicious of everyone. I really am glad to see you.”
“I’m glad to see you, too. I’ve been worried sick about you. I missed you.”
Alex passes through the sliding doors of the supercenter. He begins his journey to Jade’s car when his nose catches a recognizable scent. Alex traces the scent to where Jade is standing. At first he doesn’t see anything out of the ordinary. The only thing he sees is Jade, hugging a male individual and they both seem to be pleased with each other’s company. But when the two separate from one another, the man laughs at something Jade says. Although his laugh sounds normal to human ears, Alex picks up on a frequency that only his ears can hear. Alex’s pupils erupt into a golden-flame that starts at the iris and spreads throughout the entire eye, leaving the color of both eyes pitch black.
“Jade! Get away from him!” Alex yelled out.
Jade and Drake simultaneously turn toward Alex. Jade sees Alex and takes instant note to the look of worry on his face. She turns to Drake and sees confusion on his.
With an explosive burst of speed, Alex runs from the store’s entrance to where Jade and Drake are standing. When he reaches them, he delivers a single punch that crushes into Drake’s chest. The powerful blow literally launches Drake off his feet and sends him crashing into the side of his own car. He hits the car with so much impact the side of the car crushes in like a tin can. Drake’s seemingly broken-body is deeply dug into the driver’s door.
