Prologue- Angel
Julia's P.O.V.
I tremble in fear, heat surrounding me. My throat is choked with black smoke and I can hardly breathe. I feel my heart pounding and tears fill my eyes, giving relief to the intense burning. My ears are filled with loud crackling and popping. My vision begins to blur and my head spins. I look around groggily, searching for anything to comfort me. Nothing. Nobody. I'm alone.
A hoarse shriek escapes me when I feel a hard pressure appear on top of me. I can't bring myself to move away from it. Hot. My side is hot. It grows uncomfortable. Too hot. I'm burning. I work up all my strength to lift my head, looking down as the pain grows exponentially worse.
A long wooden beam is lying across my lower stomach. The lines of the wood are glowing red from the heat and I slowly begin to comprehend the flickering colors on top of the dark wood.
Fire.
I'm stuck under a flaming beam.
My chest begins to shake with silent sobs and I close my eyes. I'm going to burn to death. I'm going to die.
Mercifully I feel my lungs begin to constrict. Coughs rattle my chest and my eyelids grow heavy. Then the heat begins to lighten. It softens to a comforting warm. The terrifying crackling fades to a ringing and my eyelids grow light. I fight to open my eyes. But I can't. The hard floor under me seems to disappear, replaced by a cool material.
Then I hear a soft voice.
A voice smooth as silk, murmuring gently "Julia.. Open your eyes, Julia.."
A cool pressure appears in my hand. Slowly my mind dredges up the image of my hand being held. I slowly open my eyes and white light surrounds me. I'm staring up at a pale ceiling. A pure white ceiling.
Where's the burning room?
I shoot up quickly and yelp, clutching my stomach. The same soothing voice "Shh..lie down..rest.." I feel a hand gently push me back down and my eyes trail up the arm to meet the face.
It's a man.
The man has crystal blue eyes and soft black hair spreads over his forehead. It extends down the sides of his face into a stubbly beard. His pink lips spread into a pure white smile.
He's in a completely white suit, sitting in a white chair next to the bed I'm in. I look around to see I'm in what looks like a bedroom. But everything is white and it seems to have a soft glow. I slowly look down at my hands. They're a creamy ivory. Unscathed. No burn marks, no old scars, no sun tan.
I look back to the kind-eyed man. "Wh-Where am I..?" I whisper softly. My voice isn't scratchy like I'd expect it to be. It's smooth and gentle. The blue eyed man smiles and murmurs quietly "There are many names for where we are.."
He looks around the room and slowly gets up, walking to an armoire. My eyes follow him and he picks up an elegant hand-held mirror, looking back at me.
"It is sometimes known as Moksha.. Other times it is known as Nirvana.. By some, the Celestial Kingdom.. But it is all of these, and more, combined into one. Simply known as 'Heaven...'"
My eyes widen. "I.. I'm dead?" I barely choke out. I'm briefly caught off guard by my voice that seemed musical. A sympathetic smile spreads across his face and he barely nods.
My brows knit together and I shake my head. "N-No.. I can't be dead.. I haven't done anything! I-Im not even an adult! I'm turning 18 in two months! I can't be dead! I never got to make any of my own choices!"
The man still has a sad smile and he walks forward with the mirror. "That's why I have a proposition.." He says softly. He hands me the mirror and I slowly take it, looking into it. I'm completely stunned.
My tan is gone. I don't have freckles anymore. My lashes are no longer bleached by the sun, and I am unable to find a flaw in my face. My skin is a perfect, smooth, cream color. My cheeks are flushed a soft rose red, my eyelids a light lavender color. My muddy brown eyes have darkened into a warm chocolate brown. My lips have filled out and developed a soft pink color. My eyelashes are as dark as night, elongated out, looking soft and feathery. Even my eyebrows are perfectly shaped.
This girl in the mirror is perfect.
This can't possibly be me.
But when I look closely I can find a few comforting flaws. The left half of my top lip raises a little higher, and when I looked closer I could see the patterns in each eye were different. I take great comfort in this, looking up to the man.
I smile slowly, whispering in amazement. "I'm.. I'm perfect.." He smiles kindly and nods. I set the mirror on the bed and look down at myself.
My hair is a soft golden as opposed to a strange pepper patterned blonde. It cascades in soft ringlets over my shoulder and I feel my smile grow.
The man smiles.
"I'm glad that you're satisfied.. Now the proposition." I carefully sit up, watching him. "Now..you never reached full adulthood.. So you were never really given the chance to make your own decisions. That's why you, and many others like you are given this offer.. If you'll accept it.."
I swallow hard.
"If I do?" He smiles "You'll be given a new life on earth.. Would you like to hear the proposition?"
I nod eagerly and breathe "Anything. I'll do anything.." His blue eyes slowly wander up to me.
"Julia Elisabeth Rose.. Have you ever heard of a guardian angel?"