Falling from Heaven Hurts like Hell

Chapter 1: Heaven

     First thing first, there are no pearly white gates. There are no little cupids fluttering around playing lyres, nor are there golden sidewalks or a parade of all your ancestors lined up to greet you. No, it's a lot like the waiting room of a blindingly white hospital.

     I can't imagine how I look, my jeans and baby blue blouse are stained with blood and I can only imagine the rats nest my hair must look like, my forehead caked with the dried crimson. I've been sitting in this waiting room for God knows how long. Pun intended. Just as I was starting to dose off I hear my name called out from the overly perky woman behind the counter.

     Throwing my self out of the chair I walk to the desk and slouch against the counter without a trace of the grace I'd had in my past life.

     "The entry council will see you now," She said with a flash of her perfect smile.

     She pointed me down the hall and then returned to her seat to deal with the rest of the awaiting ghouls.

      Taking a breath I pushed open the solid oak door with the golden plaque and entered the hearing. Atop the raised platform sat three very dignified looking people, the one sitting in the center had a gavel resting next to his right hand and was seated slightly in front of the other two. I was motioned to sit in the large chair positioned in the center of the circular room.

     "Are you or are you not Lauren Ruth Smith?" The woman to the left asked.

     "I am," I stated.

     "And how did you die?"

      Isn't God supposed to be all knowing? Whatever, this is why I was captain of the debate club- I cringe remembering my less than satisfactory life.

     "I was in a car accident. I had been driving home from the library when another car ran the stop sign and crashed head on into my side, I di-" I took a shaky breath as the reality of this all sunk in. I'm dead. I'll never go to college, I'll never get that solo in the church choir I'd been working for, I'll never kiss a-- Oh what the hell am I saying, I've seen how pathetic my life was and my plans weren't going to make it any better. "I died on impact," I finished with a stony voice.

     The man with a crinkly face that sat to the right flipped through a manila folder before taking his glasses of and focusing his eyes on me.

     "You were a model citizen, and never once committed a sin, I do believe the heavenly community would benefit from your being here. I hereby grant you your wings and the job of Guardian Angel." The old man decided.

     "Agreed. Welcome to Heaven and be good my dear," With that the center man struck his gavel and its sound resounded through me.

     I felt a warmth growing in the pit of my stomach and it slowly spread through out my entirety before encompassing my body in a glowing light. I watched my shadow as two new limbs grew from my back, my wings. 

     The woman smiled warmly down at me and gestured to another door across the room, "Take a look for yourself."

      On shaking legs I made my way out of the court and into the next room, it was a wardrobe and when I turned to the mirror I understood why, I was stark naked.

     However, that wasn't the part of the reflection that shocked me the most. The girl in the mirror looked like me, but better. The unruly straw colored hair I'd dealt with my whole life seemed to have grown about a foot and now hung down to my waist in cascading gold waves. My skin was flawless and made me look like some porcelain doll, my lips looked fuller, and my curves had been accentuated, but what intrigued me the most were the eyes- my eyes. My once plain brown eyes now held an electrifying blue hue. And wings, good lord I had wings. I reached my fingers up to touch them, to make sure they were really there, soft as silk and the color of clouds they spanned up and out from my petite frame.

     I slowly unfolded the wings and watched in awe as they stretched out from my back and a small smirk spread across my cherry lips.

                            I may look good but there's no way I'm going to be good again.