To Eternity and Beyond

PROLOGUE

A creepy cold arose from the earth and the whole night was queerly lit by a bright full moon, thick mist pervading the grave-silent atmosphere. Wrapped in the darkness of her room with penetrating moonbeams, Cassie was plunged into a deep, dead sleep.
Just then, her eyes flashed opened mysteriously filled with light but envisioning only darkness. Looking up straight, while she still lay on the bed, she could feel she was strangely being lifted up slowly. Shocked, she turned her sight downwards beside her. She discovered she was eerily floating in the air still in a lying position as though she was levitating, and to a terrifying surprise, she could see a body her own body still lying beneath her.
Fright was piercing her heart and she could see that her body beneath her appeared lifeless. What was happening? Was she dreaming? Was she still sleeping or . . . had she died? She felt completely confused and troubled. No doubt she’d just left her body. What was going to happen now? She tried descending in order to sink into her body back but it was impossible. She only flailed her hands and legs in vain, as she still remained levitating.
Just then, she felt an enormous force turn her downwards as if to land on her feet on the floor away from her bed. But she was only turned into a standing position her legs did not touch the ground. She was still levitating. She looked downwards on her bed beside her. Her carcass still lay there, appearing frozen in death, wrapped in mist and darkness with a frightening appearance. Cassie felt hot tears rolling out of her eyes. Could she be dead just like that? What caused it? She didn’t want to accept that fact.
At the next instant, she felt the enormous force driving her forwards vehemently as if to push her against the wall that was in front of her. She shielded her face with her hands as she closed rapidly towards the wall only to discover that she mysteriously passed through it as if it was an ordinary cloud. The force kept on driving her forward while she passed through all the corridors, rooms, walls and doors ahead of her until she got out of the building.
Immediately, the force drove her out of the whole compound then into solitary town through streets and alleyways at a very great speed, even faster than cars. By the time she reached a particular street, the force stopped her abruptly. She looked around her practically shivering with fright and confusion and with tears coursing down her cheeks.
To her amazement, she was seeing strange-looking creatures and beings like eerie monkeys, imps and snakes, all over the streets and towns talking to themselves and moving all about just like people do during the day. A greater horror engulfed her. These were things that couldnt be seen with the natural eyes, but yet they were all overall over the streets. The night oozed a creepy cold with silence and there was no human being found around.
After a while, Cassie could feel the force lifting her again and then shoot her upwards making her ascend so fast above all the towns, swiftly passing the clouds and even completely out of the whole Earths sphere. The Earth receded downwards from her like a decreasing ball and she could see all the clouds, oceans and land just below.
She kept on ascending still, passing the moon and having a frighteningly clearer sight of some planets, asteroids, sun and stars too. All along her heart was pounding heavily as she screamed with horror. She was praying this was a dream but of course, appeared too real to be one. She had previously wondered about and wished for the experience of travelling swiftly, all over, like Barry Allen, the Flash. Now she knew this was more than her call. She didnt want it anyway.
The force kept on lifting Cassie swiftly until soon, she was being driven forward even while still being lifted up. This was even faster again, all her senses and body became dead numb and she felt she was travelling faster than light—travelling at trillions of miles in seconds! She kept on passing distant planetary bodies, asteroids, eerie-looking entities like floating saucer space crafts and flying creatures, gaseous streaks and particles, totally streaming through infinite galaxies of the dark space.
At the next breath, she landed into a large room from nowhere and then was stopped abruptly. Strangely, the impact of the abrupt stop didnt topple her to the floor, but instead she remained on her feet, standing on the floor now.
She started panting profusely immediately while she remained frightened, looking round the room she found herself in. She could feel her heart pounding so fast as though it were about to burst. This was the greatest horror ever in her life. The tears surged from her eyes. Where am I? Where am I?
Just over from a distance behind her, a man began walking towards her and so she turned backwards to face him still laden with confusion. He was tall, about six feet, wearing a gleaming white cloak, had a beautifully-styled sandy brown hair, light-skinned and very handsome and had piercing-looking eyes. No doubt, he was must have been an angel whod come to unfortunately judge a dead mortal like her.
He got to where she was who still shivering with fright Dont be afraid, Cassie, he said putting one hand on her shoulder.
Cassie almost swallowed her throat appalled by what she was seeing. So Im  already dead, yeah? she asked tearfully permeated with an immense terror.
Well, er, technically, no! the man answered smiling.
“Im not? So whats all this?! she screamed angrily feeling being pranked on.
Your desires are being granted, he said warmly with an amazing smile that made him even more handsome.
My desires? For what? I thought Im  dead! she said as her heart began decelerating now though still panting.
Not at all. Just want to make you see what you desired. If you look down there, he said pointing below, youd see your bodys still living.
Cassie looked down at where he was pointing and amazingly could see her room below on Earth with her body on her bed still tossing and turningalive! It was as if she was looking at it through a strange giant magnifying glass. Feeling an iota of gladness, she smiled wiping her tears. I see.
Youve desired to know so much and travel through time. But we want to show you something even greater, he said emphatically. We want to show you Eternity.
Eternity? A wave of fear brushed over her heart and shock over face. Thousands of thoughts flooded her mind. It would be very scary seeing all of eternityexperiencing pasts, present, futures, worlds, galaxies, deep realms that pass Earthly realms, she thought. That could also mean shed remain there forever, not returning again to Earth, spending all her life to experience this so-called eternity.
“Im  very scared, she admitted. Looking down, she could see her bodythough asleep on her bedactually writhing vigorously with her face expressing an intense fright.
Dont worry, Cassie. All these would be just in a moment. He assured knowing her thoughts.
Really? Cassie asked feeling way pacified to take the offer. After all, this is what shed wished for since she was very young. It would be rarer than gold and would completely change the course of her life. She took in a deep breath and exhaled. This is what Ive really longed for.
I know that, the man said gently. But now I ask you: are you ready to travel through Eternity?