Oleander

Death

My mind looms at the thought of death. Who would've imagined this is how I go? I was just trying to ride my bike to school when I went around the curve Momma always tells me to go slow around, then boom my bike slides right down the cliff. Now I'm stuck in a field of poison ivy and flowers.

I look down at my broken leg and almost puke at the thought of my foot being turned in a odd direction. Woah, I'm in so much pain. Taking the chance I try to lift myself up but then I scream out in agony when I realize not only are one of my legs are broken, but both of them are.

"Fuck!" I scream out as I try once again to sit up.

Now crying, I finally give up the attempts of moving as I fall back down on the poison ivy. I have came to the decision that this is how I go. At this point I become really itchy and really aggravated.

How long have I been down here?

I think of all the times my momma, sisters and I came riding our dirt bikes down this way and not once did anyone fall. A tear slides down my cheek as I realize this may be the last time memory that I have on this planet

At this point my ochre colored skin is turning red as I lay in this field of death. I take a leaf out of my now matted fro and look at it. How can something so innocent cause me this much pain. 

I'm tired.

Giving up my fight I finally rest my eyes and think of how my family will probably laugh at How I died. I smile because I don't have enough energy to move anymore. I can barely breathe, As I take my last few breathe all I can think about is the pain.

'Hopefully someone finds me. ' I think to myself as I go into the darkness.

———— ————

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I feel peaceful.
I feel happy .
I feel good.

"Oleander, oleander come on open your eyes. I'm here to take you home."

"Home?"

My eyes snap open as I see a tall women hovering over me. My hand immediately goes up in defense.

"Ah! Is that how you treat the lady who just saved your life?" She says as she catches my wrist.

"Huh what are yo-" 

Oh my God! I almost died. I shoot up from the position I was in. Thousand of thoughts race through my mind as I take in my surroundings and remember my near death experience.

"I'm so sorry but Whe-, where am I?" I say with a broken voice.

"Well honey, your dead." She says with a big grin.

"What you mean I'm dead?!" in a panic. I instantly go to cover my mouth but she busts out laughing.

"Well someone has a bad attitude." She laughs as she falls down to the grown beside me. She turns her head and stares at me. I'm normally good with eye contact but right now she's just creep-in me out. "I mean you died when you fell off that cliff." She point to the cliff above us.

I look down at my legs and remember how bent and broken they were. Their no longer in pain and everything feels fine. All the rashes are gone and I can breathe.

Did I die?

"If I died what do you mean, you saved my life." I say as I get up. She follows and says " the earth decided to keep you. My job was just to put life back into you, but you have the decision to either go into the afterlife with me." She smiles. "Or go back home to earothe." 

"I wanna go back home. And what is earothe?"

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry last time I've been to you dimension was awhile ago. I believe you call your dimension earth now."

"My dimension?"

"No time to explain, have you decided to come with me or not." She says with that big grin again.

She's seriously creepy

"No! I don't know you!" I stated firmly

"You do know me! You just don't remember " She says and pouts.

"Huh?"

I take her in. She's tall with dark rich skin, Her hair is curly but is placed neatly in a head wrap, She has flowers in it. Her face is round but sharp. She looks like a goddess.

"Listen, I don't mean to be rude but you saying some crazy stuff right now! How do you expect me to react. Where the hell am I at anyways. If this isn't earth?"

"This is my home dimension that you're in. I'm the light that takes you to your next home. Some call me their guardian angel, but I go by many names."

I look around and see I'm still in the exact spot I was in. I jump up out of the poison ivy but she tells me it's not going to harm me.

Everything seems much more colorful and peaceful though. I don't hear the busy road that's close by, nor do I hear the usual loud animals cheeping, but something is different there's a pond that wasn't here before. I look over and see that the water is baby blue with millions of fish in it and I immediately become effectuated with it. I move over to the pond as I take in the beautiful place.

I can tell this isn't my home, but I've never seen it this beautiful before. I reach down below me to feel the soft cool water touch my skin but all I can think about is home.

"So basically your my angel?"

"Something like that, yes." She giggles nervously.  "Normally I'll be in my other form. Which your people describe as a light, but you were so injured I knew it would've taken all my energy to fix you if I stayed that way."

We stare at each other until I make the decision to look the other way. She moves closer to me and places her hand on-top of mine. I can't help but to feel a chill when she does that, but I still look the other way. "I understand that this is all confusing, but Mother Earth chose you. A lot of people don't even get the chose to choose life or death. That means your special Oleander. You can't make this decision forever though. The more you stay in this dimension the more your body decays on the other side. So what do you say Oleander? Will you choose to stay with me." 

I'm forced to look at her again, but this time her expression has changed. She's looks sad, like she already knows my answer, for a second I think maybe I should stay It must get lonely being here by yourself, But all I'm thinking about are my sisters and my mom. I can't abounded them like that, especially if the chose is mine.

"I wanna go back to earth to my dimension." I say firmly. Her face falls but she nods.

"Well if you insist on going back. I cannot hold you here, but I will say this. Your life will no longer be the same. The earth chose you." She says.

"What do you mean exactly when you say the earth chose me? Chose me for what?"

"You will have to find out for yourself my love, but I can tell you this. She allowed the toxins from the ivy to give your dead body life instead of death, but I'm talking to much now we shall meet again soon."  She comes over and embraces me with a hug. As she touches me I feel a chill again. I look up at her and she looks down at me. "I'll miss you and this time try to remember me" she kisses me on the lips and with that my body collapses and everything goes dark.