Paradise: Birds Fly at Sunrise

Chapter Seven: Paradise

Again, it's not perfect guys, still in the process of editing! But enjoy :)

CHAPTER SEVEN: Paradise

Beyond the door was not what I was expecting, even though I wasn’t really sure what I was anticipating in the first place. I found myself stepping onto narrow pathway, made up of thousands of coloured stones and gems – some as small as pinheads, others as large as my palms, and in a medley of colours, shiny and matt and translucent. They made up the entire floor, walls and curved ceiling, twenty feet above us. The corridor was lined with yet more doors, all completely different: the frames were different heights, shapes, sizes, colours, on different angles.

It was amazing to walk along. The room was dimly lit by the glow of gems here and there, some faint, others bright. Not many were luminous consistently, but there was always enough colour to light the pathway.

“This way,” Kaston said, leading me along the corridor. “Remember where our door is and what it looks like in case you need to come back without me.”

I looked back at the door we’d come through – the reverse side was the same as the other door from before: the brown, green and blue one. I figured that that door would always lead to Earth. I knew I wouldn’t forget it –there was just a feel to it that felt like home.

“Why would I have to come back without you?” I asked as we walked.

“In case we get separated,” he said, but he wouldn’t look at me, he just stared ahead. There was something he wasn’t telling me. “If for some reason we get split up, run straight back here, okay? Go through the door and wait for me on the other side. Don’t talk to anyone on the way and don’t let anybody see which door you go through, or else they could follow you.”

I stopped walking. My footsteps stopped echoing and Kaston turned to see why. “What’s wrong?” he frowned.

“You’re lying to me.” I accused.

“No, I’m not.”

“Maybe not lying, but you’re not telling the truth. Why would I have to come back without you? Tell me.”

I stared him down until he gave in. “Because you could end up in danger. If my brother finds me or there’s any other trouble, you have to run. I can hold them back long enough for you to get away safety.”

“No way.” I protested. “There is no way I’d leave you and save myself, you know I could never do that.”

“You’ll have to. Promise me, or we go back home right now.”

“That’s not -”

“It’s perfectly fair, Vi. Now promise me. Please.”

I couldn’t say no. I knew he’d take me back to Earth. “Fine.” I spat reluctantly. He pulled my face back around and forced me to look at him. His eyes were pleading and sad, like he really hated making me agree. I knew he just cared about me being safe. I sighed. “Okay, I promise.” I said softly, though I wasn’t convinced I’d stick to it.

“Thank you.”

He smiled gently and we carried on walking for about a minute, passing dozens of weird and wonderful doors.

“You’ll get your first look at Paradise just through there.” Kaston announced. He pointed to an enormous archway in the wall to the right of us, just ahead. Bright light was shining through at an angle and reflecting off the crystals, creating dazzling arcs of colour. I was blinded for the first few moments in the light, but after a few blinks, my eyes adjusted.

Needless to say, it was beautiful. We were high up in what seemed to be the side of a cliff, looking down on the town from the side. Creamy yellow bricks made up a wide path that ran through the centre of town, lined by shops on either side. The rest of the town seemed to flow from that main pathway, branching out into streets of smaller houses, built simply but each decorated with its own creative flourish.