Death. That was the thing that had consumed me in the darkness. Death and all its glory. I saw a bright light before me and I started to slowly walk towards it. I saw my grandma there, ready with open arms, with a big grin on her face. "It's good to see you, dear," she said as I got closer. I began to run towards her and crashed into her arms. She wrapped them around me tightly. "It's not your time yet though, baby." I looked up at her with billions of questions racing through my mind and she pressed her hand against my forehead, and I was back. Back in the mortal world, surrounded by my family with tear-filled eyes.
My mother jumped up and kissed my face. She held me to her and sobbed into my hair. "My sweet baby!" she yelled over and over again. I clung onto her arms and nuzzled my face into her neck, taking in the familiarity.
"I saw Grandma, Mom," I said shakily. She pulled away from me, holding my face in her hands.
"You saw Grandma, Haley?" I nodded my head.
"I saw the light too, Mom, but I'm here now, and that's all that matters." She looked so shaken and...broken, like she would have fallen apart if I had died. Her grip was tight on my hands and she looked as fragile as a porcelain doll, but she forced a smile, acting like everything was going to be okay. The doctor came into the room carrying a clipboard, his face grim.
"I'm sorry about your loss-" he trailed off when he saw me. He cleared his throat and gave a kind smile. "My apoligies, I must have the wrong room." He turned on his heel and hurried from the room. I looked around for Mikey, wondering where he was.
"Where's Mikey?" I asked as I noticed that my father was missing too. My mother touched my shoulder comfortingly.
"He was deployed, honey...and your father just went outside to give him the news," she said. She turned to my grandpa. "Dad, will you tell him to bring the phone here?" He nodded his head as he rose to his feet and left the room without another word. My dad rushing back in and he took me into his arms, the phone digging into my shoulder. He kissed the top of my head.
"Oh my god, my sweet baby," he said into my hair. I could hear someone talking on the other line of the phone.
"Dad, I think someone is taking to you," I said into his shoulder. He shot back and pressed the phone into his ear.
"Sorry, Mikey, I was wrong. She's fine now. Yeah...yeah I don't believe it either and she's sitting in front of me! Do you want to talk to her?" He nodded his head and he held his phone out to me. "He wants to talk to you." I nodded my head as I took it from him and I pressed the phone into my ear.
"Hey, Mikey," I said weakly.
"Hey, Hales, how are you feeling?" I shrugged my shoulders.
"I've been better."
"I was so worried about you...Dad said...he said that...you died," his voice was starting to crack. I nodded my head and rubbed my temple.
"Yeah...yeah I was for a little bit, but I'm fine now, Mike. Really I am." I could hear him sniffling on the other line. "Mike, please don't cry. Everything's okay now."
"I know...I know they are, Hale, but I didn't want to go...and I don't want you to go either."
"Mikey, I am fine, really. I promise." Mikey and I were on the phone for another half an hour, before he had to go. I was tired and the doctors wouldn't let me go home. They were wanting to make sure that I was okay before they released me.
