The Last Unicorn Warrior

XXVI

I open my eyes and look around. I close my eyes due to the brightness of the place I am at. "Open your eyes, sweetie." I hear my mother's lovely voice say. I open my eyes, and I see her in a loose white gown. Once more, she shines brighter than the room. I look around the unfamiliar place.

"Am I dreaming once more?" I ask myself. I hear her laugh gently.

"No, this is happening." She answers me. I look at her gentle blue eyes. I stand up and hug her tightly.

"Mom." I softly say. I feel her hug me back.

"You are safe now." I hear her say. I let her go and give her a confused look.

"What do you mean?" I ask her.

She shakes her head softly. "You are almost with us." She tells me. I look at my chest to look for my wound. Tears fill my eyes.

"Am I dead?" I quietly ask her. She shakes her head.

"No, you're not dead—yet." She replies. I can't believe this is happening.

"What's keeping me from dying?" I question her. She motions me to look down. I look down to see myself on a white bed lying down. My body is deadly still as my skin blends in with the white blankets. I see Hazel holding my hand sitting at my bedside. Hades sits on a white chair with his head in his hands.

"They are keeping you grounded to the Earth." I hear my mother say. I look at my friends then back to my mother. Tears fall down my face.

"Am I going to stay here with everyone?" I ask her feeling hopeful. My mother gently smooths down my hair.

"I am afraid not." She tells me. I feel my heartbreaking.

"Why not? I'm ready to be with you all." I claim. She shakes her head.

"It is not your time yet." She shortly replies. "You need to go back and resume your young life." I shake my head.

"But I don't want to lose you again," I say with tears running down my face.

"We will always be with you, sweetie." She wipes away my tears. "But this chapter in your life has closed. Look at those poor souls." She says, indicating Hades and Hazel. I look at them once more. "They need you, just like you need them. Go back to them." I nod my head agreeing.

"They were there to help me when I was all alone." I look at them lovingly. "I need to go back to them."  I look back at my mother, who seems proud.

"We all are happier and at peace. Know that you made the correct choice. Your father and I are proud to call you our daughter. You are our strong little girl through our deaths, and other hardships you never gave up. You continued fighting even when you wanted to quit. Think of this as a rebirth. You are cleansed of all impurity. You are as pure as white." She kisses my forehead, tenderly. "We love you with every ounce of our souls." I hold her hands and look into her eyes. She nods slightly. I let go of her hands, and I feel myself fall gently.

------------------------------------------------------

I slowly open my eyes, and once more, I find myself in an unfamiliar room. All I can see is white. It makes me feel safe to see all this white. It reminds me of my childhood home. I can feel a warm hand holding mine, and I knew it was Hazel's hand. I look to my left, and I can see Hades asleep on the small chair. He looked uncomfortable. Feeling unable to get up, I squeeze Hazel's hand. I look up at the clean ceiling and hear her slowly wake up. She doesn't say anything or does anything. "Hazel..." I softly call her name.