Goodbye, sis! *Completed*

Chapter 14- Angels

Darkness is all I see. The thick, inky-ness of eternal shadow. I can't see a thing, not even my hand before my face. I feel things touching me, but not like last time. Not like the time when they were pulling at me, trying to tear my soul from my body. No, this time it was different. This time it was like they were trying to help me, to care for me.

Tender strokes grazed up and down my arms, as gentle fingers ran through my hair and caressed my skin. The room started to grow lighter, until it was a blinding white. Faceless shadows of nothingness surrounded me, whispering gentle words that carried through the air like the hissing of snakes, their voices airy as they muttered their secrets. "She's fading." They chorused in their angelic, yet unnerving rhyme. "We're losing her." The voices carried off, leaving an eerie silence behind them before the next time the shadows spoke. "Stay with us." They beckoned me, the transparent sheaths of black moving towards me, encircling me in their unbreakable ring. I felt a gentle push on my chest, and laughed nervously.

"What are you doing?" I asked softly, my voice betraying me as it quivered. Another pulse to my chest, this time slightly harder. "Seriously stop." Their voices began to pick up pace, as the shoves to my chest grew stronger and stronger, knocking me back a few steps. "We're losing her.", "Her BP's dropping.", "She's going.", "I need some help here!", "Stay with us.", "Don't leave yet." I pressed my hands to my chest, tears streaming down my face as I collapsed to the floor. "Stop it!" I scream as my body twists and contorts in pain from the pulses. The figures begin to stoop towards me, their hands reaching out trying to grab me. "We're losing her. Stay with me. We're losing her. Stay with me. We're losing her, losing her. Don't go yet, don't go yet. BP dropping, Bp dropping-" All at once, the voices stop and the shadows evaporate into thin air. The pulses on my chest continues, and I squint as the tears in my eyes make the blinding light intensify. The room falls silent, as my heartbeat and breathing slows and echoes around me, pounding in my ears. My mouth is slightly open as tears stream down my face from pain. I turn my head to my left, and reach out towards the figure walking towards me. "Help me." My voice cracks, the sound barely audible as the words were more a breath.

"Hush." A gentle voice rings around the place like someone had just tapped a crystal glass. The voice was soothing and familiar, and I felt my ragged breaths slow slightly as my eyelids droop a little. As she draws closer, I stare in awe at the beautiful girl. Long flowing locks of golden hair tumble down her back and shoulders in waves, shining and creating a beautiful light around her head. Her tall, slim figure is dressed in a long, elegant dress which gleams as though it's made from the finest silks. Her porcelain complexion makes her look like a Goddess and I can't help but feel safe with her. Zoey. She takes slow and careful steps towards me, almost like she's floating. My body continues to convulse and heave on the floor as I sob quietly. Once she reaches me, Zoey crouches down beside me, kneeling and resting my head in her lap. "Hush now, it'll all be okay." 

My lip trembles as I stare up at the face of my big sister. "Am I dead?"

She chuckles softly, running her fingers through my hair and down my cheeks. "You are in the space between death and life. You are not dead, but you aren't really alive either." 

I cry out as an even stronger pound on my chest knocks the air from my lungs. "Will I die?"

She smiles down at me, and shakes her head. "One day you will, but I am not ready for you yet. You still have a lot of life left to go."

"I miss you so much, I'm sorry I couldn't save you, I'm so sor-" Zoey cut me off by placing a slender finger against my lips and smiling warmly.

"I miss you too Ashley, and I'm glad I have a chance to say goodbye properly. You musn't hold onto the past any longer. You did all you could for me, and I can't stand to have to sit here watching you mope about instead of living. I love you very dearly Ash, but Heaven is not ready for you. You still have too much left to do. That is why I am about to send you back." She strokes my forehead softly as the pounding on my chest continues and I rasp for breath.