PHASE 0: AUDITIONS

Applicant #37: Are You My Guardian Angel?

APPLICANT #37: ARE YOU MY GUARDIAN ANGEL?

When Allison Adams awoke that day, two things immediately registered in her mind - the first was that she felt more alive than ever and the other was that she was alone.

For the first time in her ten years of existence, there was no parent standing over her head, no stone-faced maids fretting about in her room, and no white-coats telling her what to do.

She smiled at the last one.

"You're awake?" a voice said from beside her.

Maybe not completely alone.

She looked to her left and saw an old woman. And by old, she meant really old, because her skin was all wrinkly and tight and her hair was grey.

She looked kind.

But there was something about her that bothered Allison - it was her eyes.

They were pure black.

Sitting down from her mount of pillows, Allison also realized something that completely escaped her notice. She was -

"Would you like some chocolates, sweetheart?" the woman asked.

Allison stared at her.

"Mama said I shouldn't take candies from strangers," she said defiantly. But that was only part of the reason.

The woman simply smiled and asked, "Did the white-coats say that, too?"

She gasped. "How did you know?"

"I've been watching you, Allison," she says. "You called for me last night, remember?"

But Allison couldn't remember.

In fact, the only thing she remembers from last night was shouting and screaming and crying.

Tears welled up in her eyes and she tried hard not to let them fall

The old woman touched her hand. "It's okay to cry, Allison."

So she did. Allison cried. For whatever reason, she couldn't remember. But her heart felt heavy. It felt like a thousand thorns were pricking her skin all at once. She hated that feeling. The white-coats always made her feel that way and not even her parents could stop them.

"I hate this," she whispered. "I don't wanna be here."

"But you're no longer here, Allison."

And the woman was right.

Somewhere in her crying, Allison didn't realize that her room somehow changed and that she was standing in an amusement park - someplace she only saw on TV.

There were rollercoasters and carousels, spinning teacups and bump cars, giant gun games and humongous bears. There was something sweet in the air and she ran to follow the scent until, in front of her, stood a man swirling and twirling a pink thread until it grew and grew to a massive pink cotton. She marveled at the sight and at the sweet scent that invaded her nose. When the man saw her, he stopped what he was doing and looked at her in the eye.

Allison felt scared.

Was she in trouble?

But the man only smiled and handed the candy to her.

"Welcome aboard, Allison," he said. "Here's some cotton candy."

But Allison hesitated.

Her mother said -

"It's alright, sweetheart." It was the old woman she found in her room. "No one's going to hurt you here. And that's candy. It's not bitter like the ones you drink at home."

Being extremely careful, she took it in her hand, then slowly to her mouth.

It melted.

Sweet savory goodness filled her senses and one bite after another, she couldn't help but continue eating. The old woman was right, it was sweet. They were unlike the bitter candies her mother forced her to take.

The old woman only chuckled and led her to the center of the park.

"You've always dreamed of going here, didn't you, sweetheart?"

Allison didn't mind the nickname. It was something her mother always called her - well, when she wasn't a crying mess.

"How did you know?" she asked.

"I know a lot of things about you," the woman replied. "Now go have fun, Allison. I'll be here until you're done."

"But mama -" Allison wanted to protest but the old lady held up a hand.

"Your mother would definitely want this," she said. "She would be happy that you're happy like this." And with those words, Allison's eyes lit up.

So she ran - ran like she never ran before.

She didn't test the waters, didn't check to see if her breath would catch in her throat.

She rode horses and rollercoasters, felt like she was flying and falling, and it felt like life couldn't get any better than that.

She was in her own wonderland - living in her own fairytale of happiness and bliss.

She was in a land where no parents would cry over her like she was already dead, where no maids would fret about in her room, and where no white-coats would stick their needles on her and get her blood and force her to take bitter candies that didn't taste like candy at all.

She felt free.

But freedom always had a price.

When Allison was done playing, she ran back to the old woman who stood as still as when she left her. The woman smiled.

"Are you done playing, sweetheart? Are you ready to leave?"

But Allison answered her question with a question of her own.

"Can I ask you something?" she said. Albeit surprised, the old woman nodded. "Are you my guardian angel?"

The old woman laughed. "Far from it, sweetheart; I am a psychopomp - " but when she realized the confusion that painted Allison's face, she hastily added " but you can call me an angel. I am no different from what they are in the human realm."

Allison still didn't understand what she meant but when the old woman reached out her hand to her, she took it without hesitation.

"Now come. There are still places for you to see - lands that your heart longed for but never had the chance to go to," the old woman whispered.

Was there really any reason to doubt someone who would grant her dreams?

Was there really any reason not to live the life she had always hoped to live?

Was it wrong to choose death over a dying life?