The young girl opened her eyes.
Her body was preparing for the shock of the cold that had earlier engulfed her, but it was not to be so.
She was warm, dry and comfortable; heavy blankets covering her.
She slowly pushed back the blankets and sat up, her eyes adjusting to the light.
A fire, burning not far from her, was casting light and warmth throughout what seemed to be a cave.
She had been inside some of the caves that were scattered along the shoreline, but this one did not look familiar.
She leaned back against the cave wall behind her. It was warm to her back.
"You are awake?"
She jumped slightly at the sound of the man's voice.
She turned to see him coming toward her, from the shadows.
"Are you okay?"
She knew she should be afraid, as she did not recognize the man, but his soothing voice and gentle face, seemed to take the fear away.
"Who are you?"
He knelt a few feet from her and passed her a simple tin cup.
"Drink this. You must be thirsty."
She hesitated, but a sudden thirst, changed her mind.
She drank slowly. The drink was warm and tasted like blueberries. It immediately made her feel more alert.
"Tastes like blueberries?"
"They are your favourite, aren't they?"
She nodded.
"How did you know?"
"A lucky guess, maybe."
"Who are you?"
The young girl finished her drink and passed him back the cup.
"Would you like some more?" he asked, again avoiding her question.
She nodded.
He passed the cup back to her. It was filled again.
She gasped.
"How did you do that?"
He just smiled.
"May I sit with you?"
She nodded, as she sipped her drink.
"Where are we?"
The man looked around, as he leaned against the cave wall, next to her.
"We are in a cave."
The girl nodded.
"I thought so."
She finished the drink and lay the cup on the cave floor, next to her.
"Would you like some more?"
She shook her head.
"No, thank you."
She stared at the man.
"Do I know you?"
He smiled.
"In a way, I guess you do."
The young girl thought for a moment. She could not place the man.
"There was a fire."
The man nodded.
A tear came to the young girl's eye.
"Mommy and Daddy ...?"
The man turned to her, taking her hands in his.
"Do you believe in heaven?"
She nodded.
"Then they are in heaven."
She began to cry.
The man moved closer to her and held her in his arms.
She buried her head in his chest and put her arms around his waist.
Tears filled his eyes as well, as he comforted the young girl.
They stayed that way for nearly ten minutes.
Finally, she wiped her eyes and moved away from the man.
"Am ... I ...
Am I ... in heaven?"
The man shook his head.
"No. This is not heaven."
"I remember falling. I remember the cold water."
He nodded.
"You fell over the cliff, near your house."
"Am I dead?"
The man took a deep breath.
"You have been reborn."
She looked down at her body.
"I don't look like a baby."
He laughed slightly.
"You have been reborn in a different way."
She suddenly smiled.
"Am I an angel?"
The man nodded.
"Kind of."
The young girl looked confused.
"But you said this is not heaven. So ...
you are not God?"
The man took a deep breath.
"Not the kind of God that you know, child."
She shook her head.
"I don't understand."
He smiled and pushed her blonde hair back from her face.
"You will in time."
She nodded, yawning, as she did so.
"Sorry," she giggled.
"I suddenly feel tired."
The man smiled, a tear rolling down his cheek.
"Perhaps you should rest again."
She nodded and lay down.
The man pulled the blanket up to her shoulders.
"I will stay here with you, until you fall asleep."
She yawned again.
"Are you going?"
He nodded.
"I can't stay."
She fought to keep her eyes open.
"Will I be alone ..."
She yawned loudly.
"... when I awake?"
He shook his head.
"No. There will be someone very special here to be with you."
Her eyes closed.
"I don't ... know your ... name ..."
Her voice trailed off, as she fell into a deep sleep.
He bent down and kissed her on the cheek, tears now falling freely from his clouded eyes.
"You do know me, my darling."
He began to fade.
"We will be together again, soon."
The young girl's breathing slowed down, until it was but a mere whisper.
The fire gradually died, as the young girl faded,
until there was only darkness.