Illusions of Trust

Chapter 25: Who are you?

Chapter 25:

Pain throbbed like a heartbeat behind my eyes as light hollowed out the darkness around me.

"Wake up." A soft voice whispers in my ear and I feel something warm and soft press against me. My eyes flutter as I push through the haze to see what's around me. Colors I have never seen before float around me like a blowing breeze. It's clean, it's soft, and it's perfect.

I feel whole here.

I can't find words to accurately describe this place. It seems to go on forever and yet it stops at just the most perfect day. It's bewitching, enchanting, kind of like a fairy tale, I guess. It's beautiful, stunning, and breath-taking.

No. It's much more than that, but there are no words that can give this place any justice. Words can't convey the beauty and serenity of this place. I finally, after what seems like an eternity, feel whole. Nothing drags me down, nothing worries me, nothing can harm me here.

My eyes catch on a floating feather that drifts and twirls down towards me.

I catch it in my outstretched hand, amazed at the texture and feeling of it.

"Do you know where you are?" A voice asks to my left. I turn, stunned by the beautiful woman who sits next to me. Her long dark hair contrasts with the silky white robe she wears. The light from all around us seems to cast on her in a way that makes her appear to have dove wings spread behind her back.

"Heaven?" I joke as I run my hand across the ground. It's not quite grass but I can't tell what it is . . .

"Yes." Her angelic voice sings to me. My hand stops rubbing the ground as I take everything in.

"Am I dead?" I wonder, kind of shocked that my life ended so quickly, but not sad. In fact, no bad emotion fills me. It's like I am constantly in a good place.

"No, you are not dead." She whispers back to me.

I look back over at her, the feeling of familiarity washing me in a warm haze.

"Do I . . . know you?" I wonder aloud as I stare into her dark golden eyes.

"Yes." She whispers and I pick up on that little glimmer of emotion that runs through those golden depths. "I suppose you do."

"Who are you?" Although the answer is already known.

She's my mother.

"I am the arch angel, Michaela." She says and the light seems to grow brighter as she looks me right in the eyes. "And you are my daughter."

Whoa . . . Whoa . . . what? My what? She, this angel, is my mom?

"Uh . . ." I'm at a loss for words. "You're . . . my-"

"It's complicated." She explains. "But I called you up here because it seems that your destiny has been set in motion. God's plan for you has begun. Are you ready to accept the task that stands before you?"

Oh man. Not another destiny. "I don't suppose I can say no, can I?"

She laughs and everything seems to warm with the infectious sound. "I am glad that you have grown to be such a strong willed young woman." A darker, sadder look passes across her breath-taking face. "I am sorry that I have not been there like I should have. . . I could not influence your growth." She says as she reaches a shaking hand towards me and caresses my cheek. "But I am glad to see that you have grown into such an amazing and independent adult. I am quite proud."

Tears begin to pour from my eyes as I stare at her. The words stick in my throat, choking me as I fight to find something to say. Something akin to anger begins to boil through me as I realize that this, this is the woman who left me. However, I can't quite reach that burning feeling within me. It almost feels like all my negative emotions are being suppressed.