The Chapel

Chapter 3: Wake Up

The next morning, I woke up to the voice whispering, "Maxwell, arise. It's time."

I opened my eyes and—SHIT I WAS AN HOUR LATE TO SCHOOL. I frantically got my things ready and sped to school in my car.

"You couldn't have woken me up sooner?" I sarcastically asked the voice.

I thought I heard a faint chuckle in response and an overpowering wave of love overcame me. "I tried," it said.

That was the first time I tried speaking to it.

~~~~~~

As I approached the high school, the homeless man sat up and smiled. "You're late."

"Yeah, I know." I pushed through the entrance gates and made my way to class.

"Maxwell, you're late." Mr. Paul was my English teacher. (I referenced him earlier, remember)? He was a laid-back guy, down to earth. Overall, he was a good guy. My favorite teacher all semester.

"Sorry, Mr. Paul. Traffic." I answered, plopping down my homework. The kids around me began to giggle.

"One hour and 30 minutes- late kind of traffic? I don't think so," Mr. Paul smiled maybe to soften the blow that I would be reprimanded for this eventually. I tried to smile in return, but that itself was difficult.

Midway through class the voice began repeating my name again. When that school day ended, I had had enough.

When I was home, after cooking dinner for my aunt, I began to debate this. I was so close to being an orphan and now this? What even was this? Was it a joke? I don't know how this would be pulled off if it was a joke, but it's not impossible. Maybe it was a group effort.

"Stop," I said to it. "Stop," I whispered.

It went quiet for a moment before whispering back to me, "Maxwell, go to the chapel tomorrow."

"The chapel?" I thought aloud. "You mean the rusted, dirty, gross chapel across from the high school? No one's even there anymore. Why would I go there?"

A wave of love once again overcame me, but I was left with nothing.