Glass

Golden Objects

Vanessa is here.

Vanessa is here.

She pulls her black hair onto her shoulders, looking at me blankly.

"But... you... we've already met... and..." I stumble over my words as I backpedal, shock taking over my body.

"Not really, I just pulled you into a mind space."

I let my mouth fall open. "What?"

"Right, I told you it was like limbo. That white space, you know? It's sort of the in between for heaven and hell."

I shake my head. "But, how? I mean how are you... but..."

"It doesn't matter." Vanessa reaches down and rips off one of Toby's shoes. She pulls out the sole, then takes out a flat, golden circle. "Okay, that's all we need. Could you guide us out of here, please?" She asks, addressing Mr. Smiley.

He nods and turns away from us. "Follow."

I start to move after him but stop. "Wait." I look back at Toby. "We can't leave him like this." My voice is shaking. How is she here?

Vanessa purses her lips and nods. She steps forwards and nods at me. "You get his legs." I hold my breath as I pick up his legs, trying my best not to pass out as I see his dead eyes roll onto mine. We slowly lower him into the makeshift grave, and Mr. Smiley makes quick work of covering his body with dirt.

I stand at the end of the grave. The smell is still sitting in the air. "He didn't deserve this," I whisper.

Vanessa doesn't make eye contact as she walks past me. "I know."

I'm surprised to hear the softness in her voice.

We make our way across the zone, and then suddenly we stop. I watch as Mr. Smiley pushes a long, black hand into his mouth, stretching it all the way into his stomach. I gag. He pulls out a golden orb, then tosses it onto the ground. A door appears in a flash of light, and he shoves open the door.

"Wait, I've seen that before!" I gasp and point at where the orb used to be. "In the glass zone, when we tried to escape, I almost grabbed it..."

And then I see something shiny out of the corner of my eye.

It's not like the glass shards, it's... golden. It's bright yellow, and it sparkles like the sun.

The key! I turn away from Lu and reach for it. Just as I'm about to grab it, a band of white light stretches across my hand. I look up to see the door is open.

"It's like a key. It opens the doors from inside each zone." Vanessa says, stepping into the hallway on the other side.

I follow and jump as the door slams shut behind us. I turn to see that Mr. Smiley is gone.

"Leave him, he'll probably be destroyed for good if he even tries to come in here." Vanessa waves her hand dismissively.

I stare at her, unable to decide if I'm confused or angry. "How are you here?"

"Same way Toby got here. I sent myself down. Although this is the afterlife, so I suppose there isn't an up or down." She looks down apprehensively at the door to the square room. "I suppose we should go in, no?"

I step back as she turns toward me, grabbing my arms and looking into my eyes.

"Listen. You need to take this..." Vanessa reaches into her pocket and takes out the golden circle. She places it in my hand. "...and use it to get out of here. I'll stall him. Once he realizes what we're doing, he'll put up a fight."

I shake my head. "But I don't want to go with you. I don't trust you."

Vanessa groans in frustration and sinks to the floor, leaning against the wall. "Sit. I have something you need to hear, and you'll want to be sitting down for this."

I slowly join her on the floor. "Okay..." What if she lies? How am I supposed to believe her?

"Lu killed Toby."

Author's Note:

DUN DUN DUNN!!!!!

There you go, that's my big reveal of the day XD

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