Unranked

Chapter 16

"So this is Chicago..." I mumbled to myself.

People passed me without trying to kill me or figure out what I am. Just ordinary people staring at small worlds in their palms.

The world was still dark as the huge homes still reached for the sky blocking the light from...heaven? Maybe Alto. Now that I was on the surface, it actually hurt to look directly at it.

I wondered where I was supposed to go now. It wasn't like Jesus had given me a proper mission besides being stationed here. I assume that's what led me to just wander.

I turned away from the tall homes, the surface that mirrored the sky and followed the people. Some seemed in a hurry, others walked at a leisurely pace.

Just walk, Harry spoke, you're connected to this place.

Yeah obviously, I'm stationed here, I argued.

He didn't reply but he seemed pissed. Besides, while talking to my inner thing I had stopped to gaze over the reflective surface.

"Josh, is that you?" A voice asked. I turned, recognizing my old name.

I turned, looking for the source. "Yeah, I guess that is me."

"Oh man, it is you. Damn, I heard you died." A woman gushed as she ran over to me. Her hands grabbed at my body, clothes and face. "Wow, it is you."

Just like any other woman I had met in my short afterlife, she was beautiful. For one, she had the same colour irises, unlike Armaros, with rosy cheeks. It was cute how she seemed in a rush, her hair a different colour towards the ends.

"Sorry miss but mind letting go of my hair?" I politely asked, taking a step back from this invasion.

"Right of course you wouldn't remember me. It was what? Ten years ago?" She paused to consider the answer but then decided against it. "Anyway, my name is Julia. We used to go to preschool together? We attended the first year of highschool together too before you disappeared."

"Disappeared?" I thought for a moment. I knew this lady? "You mean di-"

Don't, Harry commanded, Remember you are an angel now. You can't go around telling people you're dead.

Right...

I looked down at my outfit, making sure that amongst everything Draco was still there.

"Cool sword btw, though why you're walking with it in broad daylight makes me wonder." She carried on, nonetheless.

I took a step back. Could you blame me? No one threw words at me at such a rapid pace before. My head ached as if the sight of this woman was harmful. Perhaps it's this highschool she spoke of?

Wait if we went to school together that would mean we have a past together and to me, a small past was more than I had at the moment.

I grabbed her shoulders. "You know me?"

She finally closed that mouth and stared deep within me. I felt something stirring, something other than Harry. The pain in my head flared up.

"Yeah, I know you."

I pulled her into me, crushing her against my chest. She was stiff for a while, but it didn't matter. Someone, something supposedly familiar but more importantly, answers.

"Okay, calm down there Josh. You're going to make me late for class." She said, nervously. I pulled away from the hug but still kept her in my grasp.

"Class? You come from Heaven too?"

She shook her head, laughing as if I had said something funny. "More like hell. Making me get up before nine should be punished."

"Where is the hell? Perhaps I could do something there to help?" I offered.

"Oh yeah, you should definitely come with. They allow day visitors but...I think you should get a change of clothes. It looks like your a monk or a silent brother."

"Sure but I don't really have…any clothes. " I didn't want to explain why I didn't have a home.

"No, I'm kidding. You could wear anything and look hot. Come, we better get a move on." She grabbed my hand, pulling me along.

She's not taking us to hell, Harry grumbled, You know that right?

What are you talking about, I scolded him. For some reason I was actually excited. What else could she be talking about? There's only one hell.

Your a dumbass, He fell silent. Finally, I can curse again. I'm warning you , Nine, if you want answers there are other ways. Not this random woman you just met.

"Oh," I pulled back, making her face me again. ", I go by Nine now."