Different Yet The Same

Chapter Eleven

-Spark-

"Up? Down? Caleb what the hell are you talking about?"

He chuckles, "That's exactly what I'm talking about."

"Wait...you mean..." I trail off, glancing at the ground...and what lay underneath.

"You also mean..." I continue, staring up past the clouds above.

"Yes. That's exactly what I mean." He says.

I stare at him. Eyes bulging. What is he talking about?

Hell? Heaven? They're...real?

"Okay Caleb." I say, pointing a finger menacingly at him. "You've got some explaining to do."

He laughs at me, "Don't I know it. Don't I know it."

"Well..." I say, but he simply shakes his head.

"I'm not going to give away everything, that'd spoil the fun." He says, his voice deep and mysterious.

"Are you kidding me!" I bellow. He laughs.

"You always did have a temper." He chuckles, "Although it's nothing compared to Ember."

"What are you talking about Caleb..." I say, my voice strong and fierce.

"I'm talking about you." He says walking towards me, "I'm also talking about your wretched sister."

Wretched?

"She's just getting in the way. She's nothing. Worthless." He smiles, tracing his finger down the side of my face. "Unlike you. Once she's gone you'll have everything you've ever wanted." He chuckles.

"Gone? What do you m-mean gone?" I stutter.

"Gone. Obliterated. Killed." He says bluntly.

I look at him, eyes narrowing, he chuckles and starts to walk away.

My anger drives me forward and I pull him back to face me, I don't hesitate in slapping him as hard as I can across his smug looking face.

"What was that for!?" he screams, clutching the side of his face that is becoming a beet red.

"Don't you ever...ever. Threaten to kill her again or so help me that slap will feel like nothing compared to what I'll do to you." I growl.

"Don't you understand!" He barks. "We have to kill her, just like they think they have to kill you."

"Kill me!?" I scream, it all seems so unbelievable.

"Yes. Kill you. I promise you though, that will not happen, we'll get to her before they get to you." He vows.

"Get to her? Caleb you better start making sense right now or so help me I will lose it!" I screech.

"Fine. You're right." he says quietly. "Just listen okay? Everything will make sense eventually, I promise." he says to me, turning back into that best friend I've known all my life.

I can't help but trust him.

Even if it may not be the best decision.

"Okay, okay." I say giving myself time to calm down. "Start talking and I'll listen."

He walks over to me and grabs my hand. "That's not the way things work." He chuckles, "You learn from experience, so listen, I'll ask again, up or down?"

I stare at him, wide eyed.

I should choose Heaven right? Anyone would. Everyone wants to go there, rather than the other place.

Then I think of something.

He said Ember is in one of these places? Which one? Surely angles wouldn't kidnap her, but demons would. So I should go to Hell.

Wait...no, that'd be stupid, I'd surely die.

I glance up at Caleb, who's waiting impatiently.

What do I do?

"Okay. I've made my decision." I say.

"Finally." he huffs.

"We're going up." I say with confidence.

"Nice choice." He smiles and takes me to the top of the nearest hill.

"Alright. Now stand right here." he says as he positions me in the middle of a large circle he's drawn in the grass.

I do as I'm told and wait for further instruction.

As soon as I'm positioned he comes and stands in front of me, slightly to the right.

He pulls out two metal objects from his pants waistband, that look like knives but the blade is a vibrating gold.

Then he makes a sweeping motion in the air, chanting a few words as he does in a language I've never heard.

Then he stops, and the world is in an eerie silence until all at once a loud crack like lightening pierces through the air, and the area where Caleb had just cut with his knives glows the same gold as the knives tips.

Without hesitating he goes to walk through the glowing light, but stops, turns back to me and holds out his hand.

I hesitate...

Then I confidently take his hand and he pulls me into Heaven.