I wrap my arms around my legs; it's so cold here. Heaven was so warm, so unlike here. I'm in the Between, and I'd do anything to get out. I still have my angel wings, and try wrapping them around me, but they're too small. I'm sitting on the hard ground, hoping for something to change. I only want to be in heaven again.
In heaven, everyone fits in. Everyone has something they're good at. Whether that be cooking, singing, dancing, or rock climbing, everyone fits in. Except for me. I didn't want to die, what sixteen year old does? It's the peak of your teen years, and a drunk driver ruined it all. I remember pain, and a smoky white fog enveloping me. It was like breathing in sleep medicine, and being cradled gently. I remember waking up and seeing wings fluttering on my back, dressed in a long, white gown.
I had wondered around Heaven, looking for that special something, but to no avail. I didn't fit in, so I went to mischief. Putting spiders in the cooking groups flour, putting wax on the dancers floor, etc. The Council wasn't very happy with me for standing out, no one likes misfits. I was given a warning, but I didn't listen. I didn't know they would kick me out of Heaven.
They didn't send me to Hell, they're not that cruel. Instead, I'm sitting in the Between, waiting to be judged. I was here once before, but for a short amount of time, probably a day or so. I remember emptiness, white fog, slight chill, like now. But the longer you stay in the Between, the worse it gets. I can't see five feet in front of me, I haven't seen anything for miles, and I'm freezing to the bone. Nothing's changed for weeks, when will the council decide? Heaven and Hell are obviously enemies, and they fight to see who gets the soul. Now, Heaven is probably trying to decide if I'm worth it. Hell is probably waiting for the chance to sneak in and grab me. The only place that's worse than Between is Hell.
A small child is wandering through the fog, shivering. She sees me and walks quickly to me. "Are you an angel?" She whispers. I hesitate before nodding, I might not be for long. "Are you gonna take me to Heaven?" She asks.
"No, but someone probably will." I say, my voice shaking from the cold.
"My mommy says if I believe in God, I can go to Heaven." She says.
"She's right." I say, and the little girl sits next to me, and I wrap a wing around her, she needs it more than me. We sit in silence for a long time, then I see her drop. I look at the little girl in surprise, then I see an angel come. "Gabriel." I say, nodding. "Leila." He says, picking up the little girl. I see him fly back up, disappearing into the fog.
Gabriel is the messenger angel. He must have picked me up from Between as well. I sit, wondering if he'll take me too. I sit for countless hours, waiting for something to change, then it does. A swirl of white light, and I'm flown backwards. My wings break off, my gown disappears. Am I going to Hell? No, I shrink, and my hair falls off. Then, the world turns fuzzy.
I'm an infant, I'm on Earth. I'm alive. I feel arms wrap around me. I breath in little pants, in, out, in, out. "She's not crying, is she alright?" I hear a scared, young voice say. "She's fine, she's just reacting to the air differently. The world comes into focus, and I see three faces. Ones a nurse, ones a man, another's a woman. My parents. "What's her name?" I hear the female nurse say gently as she puts me in my new mothers arms. "Zoe. Zoe Eleanor Akia." My new father says, and kisses my new mothers head.
I'm so confused, why am I an infant, why am I on Earth? Most importantly, why am I alive again? I don't like being so helpless, not being able to speak, so I start to cry. My new mother, I hear the nurse call her Danniel, holds me tight. "Shhh Zoe, shhh." She says. Soon, I fall asleep on her shoulder. I have a dream, and the councils talking to me. "Leila, the council has decided to send you back to Earth. You are to try life again, and the council will decide if you are fit to come back to heaven." I start to protest, but they disappear, and I'm awake.
