Is This the Afterlife? (Old Version)

The Exit

5 minutes ago...

"How come you're here?" he asked me, but I was deep in my thought when he asked that. "How come you're here?" He asked even louder this time. I snapped my head to his. Even since he saved me, I had been thinking things through like where was I or how was that I'm not the only one, not to be unhappy or anything. He snapped his fingers in my face. I gave him a ghostly glare. He pulled back with his hands up in the air for defense.

"I'm here, because I was shot...in the head." I told him. He nodded. "My angel told me it wasn't my time, but gave me a chance to come back, so I took it. Then I ended up," I looked around, "here." He nodded again. Like he knew everything about this place. "So," he began, "I never got your name." I looked at him. "My name is Natalie." I told him. For some reason I couldn't tell him my real name. Natalie is just my middle name, but most people use it anyway, except my mom, Jade, and my angel. He gave me a smile, turned, and looked straight ahead. Ok. Is he trying to avoid me or something? That was what it looked like, after he saved me. I looked straight ahead as well and we just walked quietly for a couple of minutes.

Then I thought I heard a rustling noise, but ignored it and looked at Dustin. He was cute, but he was avoiding me. Is there something wrong with me? Then I heard the rustling noise again, but this time it was louder. "What is that?" I asked as I looked behind us. Something popped up on the trail behind us. It had dark shading like the shadows I met in the graveyard. When Dustin looked, he grabbed my hand once more and pushed me forward.

Now...

That was how we ended up running off the trail into the dark woods. Not my best option, but I rather not be near whatever that thing was. If Dustin had the nerve to push me, then something was not good. Not at all. Who knows how far we ran, but every time I turn around, that thing was coming, and it was catching up, fast. We ran past bushes, tall weeds, and other things that you see in woods that weren't taken care of. Dustin pushed me forward. "Run," he commanded, "and don't look back." I stood there dumbfounded and felt a little bit abandon. He and my angel were the only things that made this place not so bad. Now that he was gone, everything was so dark and cold. He looked back at me.

"RUN!" and that was when I took off. I didn't know where to go or anything, but I kept running. Every once in awhile I tripped, but picked up myself quickly, I didn't know close that thing was. I kept pushing away branches and bulldoze over the bushes. Then I reached a clearing. I stopped just in time. If I kept running I would have fell right into a huge crack. I looked down and saw more shadows. I ran back into the woods and hid behind a tree. I started to breathe hard. Then a hand covered my mouth and grabbed me around the waist.

"It's me," said Dustin. I then began to relax. He was about to let go, but covered my mouth. "Shhh..." He said, and I nodded in response. He slowly removed his hand from my mouth. I watched as he looked behind the tree. He grabbed my wrist.

"We need to leave, NOW." I pulled my arm back.

"Why," I demanded. I was tired of running in circles not knowing where I was going. He tried to grab me again and I slapped his hand.

"Tell me why," I said again. This was the second time I defied him.

"You're in grave danger and if you want to make it out alive, I suggest that you come with me." I looked at him.

"It's not like you know where you're going?" I said. He looked back at me.

"Well I at least know where the exit is." He said. He knew how to get out of this place. I ran next to him as he started to run away.

"So where is it?" He kept walking. I looked at him again. After about ten minutes I grabbed his arm and got in front of him. "Where is it?" He raised his hand and pointed. I turned around to see a door that looked like a portal. Everything else around it was just dark dead grass.

"Go," he pushed me forward. I stumbled. I landed on my knees and looked back at him.

"You're not coming?" He shook his head.

"This was for you and you only. Go to the exit. I have already put you in danger." With that said, he disappeared. Crap. Now I was on my own. I looked around. Nothing was suspicious, yet. I slowly made my way to the door. Then I heard the rumble sound again. I turned and looked, but nothing was there.

The one mistake I did was turning back, because the next thing I knew I was tackled by a...thing? I heard it growl as I tried to raise my head. Then I turned my head slightly to see another... thing? Just like the shadows, they were dark and... Dark. Then they both howled together. I covered my ears even though I was pinned down. I am not going to listen to these things howl. I looked back to the door and it started to close. Crap, again. I'll be stuck here under this thing forever! While they were howling, the thing managed to lose its pin on me and I took the chance to roll over and kicked it. It didn't do much, but it gave me chance to crawl away. When I got up I made a mistake and looked back. The thing that was on top of me was a hound and it was not alone.

The two hounds didn't worry me, but the shadow with a cloak did. The hounds slowly circled the shadow as it made its way to me. Now, supposedly I was to make it to the exit, but I didn't. Something about it made me stay. Then shadow removed its hood and its face was my... father.

"Don't run," he said. He reached out for me. "I'm here to protect you." He gave a reassuring smile. I knew it was an illusion, but it felt so real. I reach out with my ghostly hand. The hounds sat down watching and probably waiting to strike. I was probably five inches away, until something wrapped around my waist and pulled me. The force was so great that I was off the ground. The last thing I saw was the hounds coming at me, but the door shut before they ever made it.

I laid on the ground so lost and confused. That was the second time I saw my father's face after-then a familiar face appeared. "Welcome back," said Dustin, but he wasn't the only one. An African dude stood on top of me as well.

"How is she?" said a girl. Then another head popped into view. She had black hair, tan skin, and hazel eyes. "She'll be fine," said Dustin and helped me up.

"Where am I?" I asked. I looked around and everything seemed so normal and alive. Dustin smiled. "Welcome back to Earth," he said.

(Edited by Desseh)