Highway

Prologue

It all happened a few years back. I was standing on a bridge, watching the sun set for the last time. How I knew that ? I didn't, I felt it. The sun was dissolving into the ocean, the water was sparkling and one could just hear the sound of birds, chirping their melancholic songs.

I felt that my life was over. I knew I wasn't going to see the sunrise the next day.

My heartbeat got faster and faster, and I wasn't able to breathe properly, so hard to breathe through my mouth.

On one side of the bridge was a dense forest. On the other side was a clearing, where my house was. I generally lived alone, but sometimes my grandson visited me from across the globe.

A tear trickled its way down my cheek, letting go its clutches on my skin when it reached my chin. I could feel the pain in my heart. This was it. The time had come.

I walked slowly. My left leg was paralyzed, so my stick took its thankless burden. I finally reached my humble one-storied abode.

I flung my stick on the couch with some bit of my remaining strength, and sat on my chair.

I closed my eyes, crossed my arms and tried to relax, for all it was worth. I could feel my heart slowing down every moment. My heart was slowly crawling to a stop inside me, but for once, I didn't want to let go of life. For the first time in my life, I was sorry for not being a better person.

Five......four......three.....two.....one.....I opened my eyes and could only see darkness all around. I was floating; and couldn't see anything, anyone.

The darkness was complete, yet I could see myself, as if there were some source of illumination, but....no.

It was cold, I felt my chest for my heart, but rather than its steady ticking, I was met with silence. I started to feel numb, all over my body.

My body started to shrink, I looked at my hands, the wrinkles were melting away as if I was getting younger. I could move my leg now, it felt no longer in a paralysis.

There was a sudden rise of temperature surrounding me, as though I had been kept on a furnace. I opened my mouth to try to hear my voice, and started crying.

I cried for everything I did, regretted, cherished or missed. I cried my heart out.

All of a sudden, I could see brightness. Brightness, gaining on me. It came closer every second, it made my eyes burn.

'I'm sorry', I shouted. 'Sorry for everything, kill me, now'.

I wanted to die after all that pain and suffering. And I truly deserved it. I closed my eyes to prepare for the end.

Suddenly, I felt nothing. I opened my eyes, there was nothing but the darkness that surrounded me before.

Then there was a heavenly voice ,'You didn't beg for your life like others. You tried to face the consequence that was to happen'.

I looked here and there, but no one was to be seen. 'Who are you ?', I asked.

'The universe, and I know you were not a good person in your life, I can smell that', said the voice, as it echoed into the darkness. 'I hereby, want you to learn the meaning of life'.

'I don't understand', I said, still confused.

'You will !', shouted the voice, and the darkness turned into a white light surrounding me.

I blacked out. I felt happy, as if positiveness was around me. I felt like a bird, flying in the open bright sky and opened my eyes.

I found myself in some blue bubble of some kind of aura, which moved through green valleys filled with countless trees.

Then there were the waterfalls which made hundreds of small rainbows at the place they splashed to.

The birds were pink in color and the sky was bright blue. The clouds - perfectly symmetrical at uniform positions.

The bubble speeded up and a city emerged at the horizon. I fell back due to the speed and felt nothing but headache and blacked out again.

I woke up, lying in soft fluffy grass with my face upwards to the sky.

'Tell me when you're ready', said the same voice that talked to me before.

I stood up, energetic, I felt like a twenty year old. My body was flexible again, ther was no more pain - physically or mentally.

A bus stood in front of me. It was a school bus, but it had Highway written on it.

There were many people who seemed to be twenty years, like me.

'Ready ?', asked the voice.

'For what ?' I asked.

'For the journey of - Highway', said the voice. 'If yes, walk in'.

'Just, come on in', said a girl, looking at me from the window.

I walked inside the bus, there were countless people inside it, now starting at me. Only one seat was vacant, beside the girl who just called me.

'Sit', said the girl and I sat beside her. 'Hi, my name is Emily. Emily Anderson'.

She gestured her hand for a shake hand. I held her hand.

I hesitated and said ,'I'm Daniel Montgomery'.

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First chapter ends here. Leave a like and comment and press that 'Add to Library' button to stay tuned.