Chapter 1:
I stood. I was in a completely white room with absolutely nothing in it. I was utterly alone. Was I dead? Was this some kind of sick after life? The thought of being alone, even when I was dead, made me tremble. Then I heard a voice from behind me and I turned towards it shakingly looking straight into yet another mirror. It was huge and I hated looking at my hideous reflection standing in it. I was dressed all in white. Yes, I must definitely be dead. I hated wearing white I thought to myself. The voice spoke up again louder because I was unable to understand it the first time.
"What do you see Jack?" The voice had said in a strong calming tone.
What did he mean what did i see? I saw me, Jack Rilley, same old Jack Rilley I've lived with my entire life. Yes I was wearing white, which was extremely rare. I still looked the same? Same deep hazel eyes and dark brown hair I had genetically received from my mother but the facial structure of my father. I wasn't scrawney, but i wasn't a huge football player either. I was just an average 17 year old. Though I thought i was dead, nothing about my appearance had changed at all.
"I see me." I said timidly not knowing the right words to say.
I was so confused, this idea of an afterlife frightened me. I hated being alone; now I was dead and alone, well besides the voice speaking to me.
"Look closer Jack, acknowledged what's on the inside, dig deep." The voice spoke to me in powerful, more serious tone.
The words shocked me. They reminded me of my father, who was wise. He was very well educated and a great lawyer. I had gotten my smarts from him, I was a straight A student and I loved to read. Reading took me to a whole other world, or at least thats what it felt like when i read. Reading helped me cope with the death of my parents. They had died in a car accident almost 4 years ago. The thought of them made me want to cry.
After their death my grandpa William took me in. He was my best friend and i trusted him with everything. He died about a year ago. I've been living with no family ever since.
"I see a sad, lonely, creature wondering why my life was so messed up." I spoke up.
"What would you like to see when you look into the mirror Jack?"
I thought about it to myself for what seemed like forever. Truth was I wanted to be someone special, to have something great happen to me. I nearly whispered when I said, "I want to see... I want to see someone significant and someone who can truly be happy."
Just then a masculine, tall, man stepped out from behind the nothingness of the mirror. He had Charcoal black hair that was graying in area to show his matured age. He had some wrinkles around his face and his eyes were almost a brilliant golden-brown color. He was of course was wearing all white, everything in this damn place was white. At least I was no longer physically alone.
"Hello Jack, my name is Edward," he said giving me a genuine smile. "I'm your overseer."
My eyes started to water because i was in utter shock and so confused. "whaa-" I started to stutter before Edward had interrupted my confusion by saying "Jack, I've been watching you your whole life. Through all the good times and the bad. I watched you grow up happily with your family, and the hardships you endured with the unfortunate fate of losing them, everyone who loved you."
With his words reminding me of both my younger siblings being taken from me too soon; and my parents and grandpa who I had once been so happy with. My body began to shake and tears finally began to fall down my face.
Seeing my reaction Edward quickly, in a very soothing tone said "My role as overseer, Jack, is to simply watch over you and the decisions you make. I had nothing to do with what Destiny had in store for your family. Believe me when i say this, Jack Rilley, it will all work out soon, everything happens for a reason."
"S-s-soon?" i said stuttering "Excuse me Edward, but aren't i dead?" My word were filled with confusion and sass, which may or may not have sounded rude, but i didn't care.
"Jack" he called much more seriously. "What do you think your purpose in life was?"
Great... more questions, i thought to myself. "I-I don't know" i said truthfully. I hadn't understood what he meant, I honestly didn't think my life had a purpose.
Edward had seemingly read my mind because the next word to come out of his mouth shocked me. "Exactly, Jack. You have not found your purpose yet that's why we are sending you back. But this time you won't be alone."
I stumbled back a step letting my hands rest on top of my forehead, my eye brows furrow and my jaw dropped in shock of processing what Edward had just told me.
