Death Becomes You

Chap 7 - Goodbyes

    "Good luck, Celeste McKay." Malach whispered, stepping from the room and slamming the door as I rushed toward him.

    "Malach! How could you!" I slammed my fists against the door, biting back a sob as I leaned into it. "How could you do this." I breathed out before the room started to grow brighter. I turned, eyes squinting as I leaned back against the door, arm raising as I tried to block out the light. The one thing I'd learned through the months of being a Reaper was that your trial started at the beginning of the day of your death if you failed and became a Reaper. Mostly because that day is the day that defined why you became a Reaper in the first place. So what I had to look forward to was another beating that would result in my death. But this time, this time I couldn't kill my father even if it was in self defense it was still murder. No, this time I'd have to let him kill me, no matter how much I wanted to fight back. I was dead already anyway and would be again.

    When my eyes opened I lay not on the bed I should have, but in a field of vivid color. The grass, knee high, swayed around me in the breeze. Wild flowers swayed as if to music. The sun over head was warm, but not overly so. I sat stunned for a moment before pushing to my feet. A white dress replaced the clothes I'd worn in Limbo, my feet bare against the cool of the Earth. "Where..." I turned in a slow circle, trying to make sense of what was happening because I knew this wasn't right.

    "Hello Celeste," I turned at the voice, coming face to face with a woman so beautiful my breath seemed to leave me. Her eyes, as blue as the sky above held laugher in them. So much Joy I felt tears start to form. Her midnight hair had been braided away from her face, almost creating a halo around her head. She wore the same white gown as me, though the pure white wings against her back told me just where I was and what I was faced with. "I'm sure you're wondering why." the woman said as she moved toward me, holding out her hand.

    "I....yes," I whispered, not even hesitating as I took the offered hand and stepped forward. "I....This isn't right." I whispered as I looked around, starting to walk forward with her when she took a step away.

    "No, it isn't. But...sometimes things change." she said as she stopped next to a natural bench formed in stone. She motioned for me to sit before settling next to me, leaning over to start picking at some of the flowers around us. "Nothing is set in stone Celeste. There are many paths one can take that always lead them somewhere new. Sometimes, somewhere exciting and unexpected," she smiled as she started to braid the flowers and long strands of grass into the start of a flower crown. One I remember making when I was a small child before everything had turned bad. "Our choices during life and sometimes in death can change the circumstances in where we end our days or where we begin anew." she smiled as she lifted the crown, examining her work before resting it on my head.

    We both turned when laughter filled the air, watching as a group of children rushed by not far from where we sat followed more slowly by adults, all of whom sported wings. I turned my attention back to her. "So...Because of how I lived in Limbo I came to heaven without even facing another trial?"

    "Yes, and no." she said as she smiled at me, reaching out and touching my cheek lightly. "How you lived in Limbo did change your fate. Where you were destined to end up. You showed that you didn't belong anywhere but here," her hand lowered to my lap where my hands rested, covering one of mine and gave a light squeeze. "Limbo was your trail Celeste. Because of your life on earth the trial you faced wasn't right for determining where you belonged. Limbo was supposed to be your second trial which you passed with flying colors."

    "I...don't understand how it could be a trial." I whispered as I looked down at our hands.

    "No, I don't suppose you would.  And really there's no need to try when you've already reached the place you belong," she was quiet a moment, smiling as she placed a finger under my chin and forced my gaze to hers. "But it's not where you want to be is it?"