We flew higher and higher until I could've sworn we broke through Earth's atmosphere with a resounding boom that echoed around Grey, Michael and I. The air was incredibly thin, so thin that I knew human lungs would've given out by now. Following the boom, the dark blue sky around us had immediately become entirely saturated in a grey cloud that swirled and curled like waves on the ocean. It was beyond freezing cold, and I felt myself subconsciously tapping into my soul's power to keep my body warm. I struggled to keep Michael and Grey in my line of sight, as the clouds would swirl out behind them with every beat of their wings, hiding them from view.
The higher we went, the colder it got and the brighter the clouds became. The clouds slowly turned from a misty grey not dissimilar from the ones in Washington, to an annoyingly bright white comparable to the shade of Michael's wings. I couldn't see any sunlight anywhere, so I wondered how these clouds were so bright. Normally, I'd associate white clouds with warmth and a nice sunny day, but it was so cold I had to keep tapping into more and more of my soul's power to keep from losing feeling in my fingers and toes.
"Grey!" I called out after losing sight of Grey for what seemed like the hundredth time since we'd began flying.
Silence.
"Grey!" I called out again.
Nothing. Not even an echo.
Shit. Now I'd lost them.
I continued pressing in the same direction as I'd been flying, but directions were nearly impossible given that there was no ground, no landmarks, no wind, no sound- I was flying through a swirling white mass of clouds and everything looked exactly the same. Was I flying in circles?
My wings ached as I pushed them harder, the skin on my face burning against the ice cold air. I could feel my eyes tearing up against the fierce wind, blurring my vision a little.
"Grey!" I called out again in frustration.
"-eene!" I heard a faint whisper of a yell from above me.
That was all the encouragement I needed. With a powerful push, I soared up in the direction of Grey's voice, ignoring the searing pain on my skin and in my wings. The clouds somehow got even brighter, the air somehow even colder- but I pressed on. He couldn't be that far.
"Grey!" I yelled again, my voice getting raspy from the temperature.
Nothing. Again. Shit.
A searing pain erupted in my shoulder as a wall of steel nailed into my side, sending us both flying. Arms wrapped around me, however, and I realized it wasn't a wall. It was just Grey.
I looked up at him, his normally cerulean eyes now glowing a fluorescent blue. He looked positively unreal. I don't think I'd ever seen him look this angelic. His skin practically glowed in the light of the clouds, his lips remaining a perfect nude pink. His eyelashes fluttered as he gazed down at me, the mischievous twinkle in his eyes appearing more like starlight than ever before.
"Wow," I breathed out, unable to stop myself.
"Wow yourself," Grey replied in the same breathless tone.
"You look-," I began, but found myself unable to say the right words.
"Angelic?" He raised an eyebrow slowly as his wings beat down against the clouds below us, carrying us both higher.
"Why do you look-," I began again, but couldn't even finish my sentence I was so dumbfounded.
"We're close to Heaven, love. Our souls are at the surface because this is where our human forms can not exist on the surface. Our human forms are lies, masks to keep mankind from recognizing us. Lies don't exist in heaven. So, Angels appear as our true Angelic form up here," Grey explained.
"You're beautiful," I whispered, my eyes trailing all over his face, unable to soak in enough of his glory.
"Wait 'til you see a mirror, Greene," he smirked devilishly, his eyes boring deep down into mine.
Grey paused for a moment, scowling a little and clenching his jaw. His fluorescent eyes flicked to mine and narrowed a little.
"Suck in a breath and hold it. Ready?" He asked and I nodded. "Now."
I sucked a deep breath of air into my lungs, so cold it burned the entire way down. I could feel it freezing me from the inside out, searing against the warmth of my body- but I held it in. Grey pushed us higher and then I heard it- a whoosh of wind that knocked the freezing air out of my lungs and replaced it with warm, humid air. We broke through the clouds, bathed now in sunlight and surrounded by lush greenery. Hills of thick trees and meadows stretched on and on in all directions around us, a single white archway adorning the ground beneath us. I have no idea where we came from, as there wasn't a break in the ground below us where I'd thought we'd come in- only a lake, which glowed silver in the bright sunlight.
"Holy-," I began.
"Yep. Welcome to Heaven, Greene," Grey murmured against the nape of my neck as he slowly beat his wings, lowering us to the ground before the gates.
The ground gave a little as my feet came to rest on it, the grass soft and alive beneath my feet. It was like a thick green wool blanket that covered every inch of ground for as far as I could see. Birds were singing in the trees, little creatures rustled in the shrubs, and I saw a few deer drinking from the lake I think we'd somehow flown through.
"The Garden of Eden," Grey nodded, confirming my suspicions.
I took one last sweeping look at the stunning scenery before tearing my gaze to the white gates before us. Michael leaned absentmindedly against one of the pillars, watching us with disinterest. The pillars of the archway looked much like the pillars in ancient Greek architecture, like the Parthenon, but unlike those, these were as white as the clouds above us. A set of iron gates sat in between the pillars of the archway, glistening silver in the twinkling light.
"In order to enter, you must open your heart to our Father," Michael stated bluntly, eyeing Grey.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Grey looked to me and winked.
"How do I open my heart?" I raised an eyebrow, bewildered by the request.
"The fear you feel, let it go. Fear of anything, you must let it go and just exist. Fear clouds the heart and builds walls. Remove the fear, and He will allow you inside," Michael explained.
"Easier said than done," I grumbled in annoyance, taking a step towards the gates.
Michael turned on his heel, clearing his throat as he turned to face the gates. They creaked as they slowly opened, bathing us in a silvery light that came from inside. I held my hand over my eyes to shield them as it was too bright. Michael walked inside easily, strolling in like he owned the place.
I mean, he kinda did, but still.
Grey followed, reaching the gates and pausing. I furrowed my brows a little.
"What are you doing?" I asked, walking up to his side and looking up at him.
"It won't let me through," he said softly, looking down at me.
"What do you mean?" I scowled in confusion.
"Take my hand," he murmured, outstretching his arm to me.
I reached out, taking his hand in my own. Grey smiled a little, then took another step through the gates. I followed him, shielding my eyes from the light with my other hand.
Once we walked through, I heard the gates creak closed behind us and Michael clear his throat in front of me.
"You can look now, Miss Greene," Michael chuckled a little.
I removed my hand from my eyes, my heart stopping dead in my chest as I took in what I saw.
It was a city, comprised entirely of white marble buildings and ornate gold and silver adornments. The buildings were a variety of styles, none similar to the one next door, but all in the same white marble. Silvery figures walked from building to building, sometimes accompanied by an Angel with their white wings proudly on display. White clouds drifted in between the buildings like fog, making the entire city appear to glow in golden light. At the center of the city was what appeared to be a massive golden staircase ascending into sky and into the light above us. A staircase to the sun?
"Where does that go?" I nudged Grey, who huffed.
"To Him. The light up there? Meet my dad," he rolled his eyes and the ground beneath our feet rumbled a little.
"Caution, brother," Michael spun around on his heel, casting a dark glare at Grey.
Grey, however, didn't seem phased. He merely squeezed my hand a little and continued to follow Michael down the marble pathway beneath our feet and into the city of white and gold.
I could feel my heart thrumming wildly in my chest. I'd been let into Heaven, sure, but what next? How were they going to have me rePledge? What would they ask of me? Could I provide? If I couldn't, what would I do then?
As if sensing my anticipation, Grey leaned down and pressed his lips to the top of my head.
"I got you," he breathed softly against my hair.
And I knew he did.
HI! Hi I'm the worst. Sorry it's taken so long. Life's hectic. I have the same excuses as I did last time. I'm sorry. I didn't know studying abroad would be so insane timewise. Also I was sick this week and in Scotland last week, and I'll be in Greece next week!
HAHA guys my roommate right now- oh my goodness- I swear she is nuts. She blew through two bottles of wine in an HOUR and is now vomiting in our bathroom. Wish me luck. She also peed on our flatmates dishes because she wouldn't clean them- don't ask, I have no idea what was going through her head at that moment. Point is, I am living in a shithole right now so send help pls.
That's all from me. Love you all.
-TJ