Paradise

Chapter 5

        I sat in silence, staring at Joseph... er, Caleb... for a few moments. I couldn't comprehend. What in the world had he just told me? I was so beyond confused. "Wait..." I looked back at the tombstone with his name on it. "How is that even possible?"

        Caleb exhaled, realizing that I wasn't totally freaking out. On the outside anyway. "I've been sent down specifically to help close this case. I am what I would be had I lived more than a day. This body... I never had the chance to have much of a body. This is the greatest gift I could ever receive. I get to come down to Earth and experience what life is."

        I took a step back, still in shock. "I don't understand."

        "It's hard to explain. But think about everything I've told you. I said I was there at the accident. I said we were family. I said that these people here, Celia and Daniel, still watch over me. I hold the key to the gate, and I said it was given to me by the people who sent me here. Avery, does it make any sense?"

        "No, I'm sorry, it doesn't. This is impossible."

        Caleb took a slow breath. "In all of the foster homes you have gone to, none has taught you anything about God, have they?" I shook my head, and he continued. "With God, nothing is impossible, Avery. Yes, this is extreme. This bypasses all mortal laws. But I'm standing in front of you right now. You've felt me, you know I'm real. You need to trust me."

        I glanced over at the gate in which we entered the cemetery. "Maybe we should call it a night, Caleb. It's getting late."

        He looked up at the sky, now growing dark, and nodded. "Do you want me to walk you home?"

        I shrugged, and we left. I let him walk me home, but we did so in silence. When we arrived and I turned to walk up the driveway, he took my arm. "Avery, I'm not going to ask you to believe me. This is huge, and it's such a strange concept I'm sure. Just think about it, okay? Let it sink in. We'll talk tomorrow." I nodded, bid him farewell, and walked inside.

        Angela smiled at me when I came in. "How was your walk?" I just shrugged, and she continued, "You don't look very well. Are you feeling alright?"

        I looked up at her. "My dinner is just settling weird, I guess. I think I'm going to turn in early. Sleep will probably do me good."

        Angela nodded. "Let me know if you need anything." I nodded in return and went into my room.

        I got ready for bed, then turned out the lights and lay down. I just stared up at the dark ceiling, trying to take in everything that Caleb had told me.

        Next thing I knew, I was walking through a white and gold hallway. Doors lined the walls, most of them closed. A few were cracked open, but I couldn't see anything inside. After a hundred yards or so, I heard a voice behind me. "Avery, is that you?" I turned around and saw a beautiful woman with curly dark hair and warm eyes smiling at me. Next to her stood a handsome man. When they saw my face, both broke into huge smiles and walked toward me, throwing their arms around me when they arrived. "Avery, I've been waiting for you!"

        The man immediately jumped in with, "In the best way possible."

        I stepped back and looked at them. "Who are you? Where am I? What happened to me?"

        The woman's smile didn't even fade as she began to speak. "Avery, you don't remember me? I guess it's been so many years now. My name is Celia, I'm your mother. This is your father, Dan. And you've met your brother now, I see." A couple doors down the hall, Caleb's head poked out. He smiled and waved at me.