Is This the Afterlife? (Old Version)

The Refuge

Dustin helped me up into a sitting position. He removed the rope that wrapped around me and pulled me out of that dark, deserted place.

"Come on," said the African dude. He and Dustin helped me up to my feet. The girl was making a three-sixty look.

"We're good so far," she said. I shook my head. WTH?! Dustin took my hand.

"We're not safe yet," he said. Then he followed his friends with me behind.

"How aren't we safe-" then came more howls. This time, there was more than two hounds. More like six or eight.

"Crap!" the girl yelled. Dustin let go of my hand and let me get in front of him.

"Shena," Dustin said, "you and Mikey get Natalie out of here." Shena waited for me and then ran behind me. Mikey followed.

"What will happen to Dustin," I yelled back to Shena.

"He'll be fine. We need to get you to the refuge, before they catch you." She then took off in front of me. We ran through a park, until we came across a road. I stopped as a car was coming by. Shena didn't know I stopped and Mikey was a too far away and who knows what happened to Dustin. I shield myself ready for the impact and- nothing happened. I felt the car, but it felt like a mist. I looked behind me to see the car still going it's normal speed.

"Come on," said Mikey. He grabbed my are and we kept running until I saw a church. Shena was already there with the door opened motioning us in.

"You're almost safe," she said. I ran right by her. What I saw next was very surprising. There inside the church were more people. Some looked old and tiresome. Others looked young and ragged. I put my hands to my ghostly knees.

"You'll be safe here," Shena patted me on the back. I nodded and pulled myself up. I looked back to see Mikey slammed the door shut as Dustin dove into the church. It was dark out so who knows what time is it. Then everything got quiet. Everyone around me started to hush each other. I was about to say something, but Shena put a finger to her mouth.

I watched as Mikey went to a wall and put his ear to it. We all waited until he pulled from the wall and said "All cleared." Everyone began to relax and went back to their business. I sat down on one of the benches. I put my head to my hands. I felt someone sit down beside me and he started to rub my back.

"You'll be ok," Dustin said. Shena pulled away from the window she was looking at.

"Why did they come after her?" she asked Dustin. Dustin shrugged.

"Who knows." Mikey came back with blankets on his arms. Dustin took one and put one around me. Even though I was ghostly I could feel the warmth from the blanket. I felt glad I was back in my world. Shena sat next to me with a blanket as well. She moved her black hair to one side. She grabbed my wrist.

"She becoming more-" she never finish her sentence.

"She'll be on her way soon. I say she has probably three to four days left," said Mikey.

"Three to four days of what?" I said kind of rude.

"To get back to your body," said Dustin. He rubbed my arm. I shook my head.

"I been through a dark place, been almost taken down by shadows, tackled by hounds, and seen my dead family members face to face after who knows how long. What the heck is going on." They all looked at each other not knowing what to say.

"That dark place you were just at," said Dustin, "is the only way to get back here. On earth. When you die and don't go up to, you know what, then you end up there." Shena nodded.