The Cure - Part 4 of 4

Chapter 1

Death is something most people in this world don't like to think about. There's various ideas and beliefs on what would happen after dying, but no one could ever come back from dying to confirm what indeed does happen. There's those who had near death experiences, but some just say that it's the brain still alive and making up scenarios. Unless if the person really did die, and their brain had no activity in it. However, human scientists never had the opportunity to see this happen, because those who died and came back, returned as something different, supernatural.

Rowan Miller died at 9:33pm on a Tuesday evening from an explosion in the Nightwing University lab. Yet here he was, standing in the house he lived in when he was little. The last thing he remembered was lying on the floor in the lab, stabbed with a piece of the door and half his face burned. Yet now, he felt no pain at all.

Rowan realized the setting he was in, was the same setting as the nightmare he had almost a year ago, where his birth mother turned into Tina. Except this time, it felt real. It was real. The light was so bright out the windows.

Was this....heaven?

"I....I died..." said Rowan to himself.

"You did, sweetheart."

Rowan looked up and saw his birth mother standing at the end of the hall, just like in his nightmare. Except this time, she was dressed in all white. The smile on her face was too real. Her smile reassured him he was safe. He realized that this was why he fell in love with Morgan, because she was the only other girl who could make him feel safe with just a glance.

"Mom.." he said.

She smiled, "Yes sweetie, it's me." she reached out her hand. Rowan slowly walked over and took it. She pulled him in for a gentle hug.

"I am so proud of you," she said. "You've grown up to be such a good man. I'm very proud."

Rowan was emotional to hear her say that. Just then, he became sad. he started to remember.

"I was so close Mom," he said. "I had the cure. I had it. But now the evidence is gone. When they find my body they won't be able to read the equations. Mia will die now, and it's my fault."

His mother put a hand on his shoulder.

"I think you underestimate the power of God."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

She didn't answer, just kept smiling at him.

They began to walk around the house together, Rowan having childhood memories.

"Dad really misses you," he said, then paused. "Oh no, Dad...he's going to hurt so much..."

"It will be okay sweetie." said his mother calmly. "He will grow from this."

She led him through the front door, which was already open. Even though this was his house from childhood, the location was very different. They lived on a busy street, but here they were right on a massive lake, with mountains in the distance. It looked exactly like Lake Louise in Banff, Alberta, which was a place Rowan traveled to quite a bit and loved it there.

"Mom," He said, "This is heaven, isn't it."

"Yes Rowan, this is heaven." She responded. "This is the place that has been prepared for you. You're kind enough to let others in and visit."

He looked around when she said that and realized they were not alone. There were a few people walking around, and he recognized them. There was a teacher he had in elementary school who passed on. He also noticed his grandparents who died when he was in middle school.

The one person he noticed right away, and got emotional when seeing them, was Alyssa.

She was looking out onto the lake, holding hands with a young man beside her. Rowan realized right away it must have been Joe. She turned to look at Rowan, and smiled. Rowan was so happy to see her he beamed right back at her.

"Of...of course." said Rowan, "I would love people to visit."

He turned to his mother, "Mom, I wish you met Morgan. I want to prepare a spot for her too, with me."

His mother smiled, "I know her already. And yes, she is perfect for you, even as a vampire. But..." she paused, still smiling, "This is only a viewing of your place."

"What do you mean?" Rowan asked. Just then, he felt a sharp pain in his neck. It hurt so bad, that he fell to the ground.

"Ow! What's going on?" he said, confused. "I thought you can't feel pain in heaven."

"That's only when there's no life left in your body..." she said. "But you still have a bit of life left in you."

"Huh?" said Rowan.

"Rowan hun," she began, "We all know you love us. Even the ones back in the living world know it. You're amazing. But before you can be here, you need to see how much YOU are loved. You've been through a horrible trauma, and you need to find peace with it first, by knowing how much you are loved."

Rowan stood up, the pain still horrible, but not as bad. "Are you saying I'm not...not dead yet?"

"You did die, sort of." said his mother, "But there are things you need to be around for. Unfinished business. I cannot tell you what they are, but now is not the time you come home to God. He has plans for you to live very long. So you can finish doing your great things, and experience a long life of being loved."

Rowan started to feel weird things. It was as if...everything began to fade. The mountains started to become blurry, slowly making its way across the lake.

Alyssa had walked over and stood behind his mother.

"Tell Morgan I am okay," she said.

Rowan didn't answer, just stared at them.

"God will be with you sweetie," his mother said. "I love you so much."

She reached out and touched Rowan's chest. Just when she did that, he felt the need to breathe for air, as if he was suffocating. Only to discover, he no longer needed it.