Hang In There, Jolene

who ate the baby?

Jolene woke up with a start, almost colliding sideways into poor Naomi. Elliot was at the steering wheel - because apparently, it doesn't matter if you're underage and drive when you're dead.

There was a searing pain in Jolene's head, and she couldn't be more annoyed at the fact that even dead people had to suffer from headaches.

Amir, who saw that she was now awake, quickly prodded her with his long finger.

"What?" Jolene sighed. She had given up on asking them for peace after Grandpa had sung along to an hour straight to Frank Sinatra's hits, sprinkled with all the low and high notes. Jolene was sure the cacophony would even make the dead climb out of their graves and make him shut up.

Amir agitatedly tapped the glossy red and blue cover of the manual that the ticked off policeman had given - thrown - at them earlier, his face all shades of red with excitement. Sometimes Jolene was worried that he would spontaneously combust with all his nervous energy.

"This guide says that there are resorts and bars for the dead," Amir said, his face shining with the radiance of a thousand suns.

Naomi yawned as she turned in her sleep and rested her tiny head on Jolene's shoulder, her silky hair falling in strands across it, half hugging her. A rush of emotions ran through her which she couldn't quite explain.

"Okay, but that is cool," Elliot said, whistling appreciatively.

"No, school is cool too. You aren't old enough for bars," Jolene said, before she could stop herself. Elliot threw her a sour look as Grandpa heartily laughed.

"I guess I'm not the only old person here," he good - naturedly said, as Jolene threw him a sour look that successfully rivalled Elliot's.

"Give me that," Jolene said, reaching for the manual. There it said, in white font against blood red pages (this was the product of tomfoolery and poor publishing choices) If you ever get bored on the eternal voyage of afterlife, do not lose heart, old friend!

Lose heart? Shakespeare in Heaven needed to stop with his puns.

You don't have to look too far! Just wish for it, and all your dreams will come true (no actually not, there's a list of places below).

Jolene thought Shakespeare's writing had deteriorated in Heaven, or perhaps he was just having a field day writing all these manuals and guides, because there were one fifty pages at least in the "A Guide To Heaven".

Jolene absentmindedly thumbed through the index when a particular title caught her eye. The Reason You're Suffering From Headaches. Her interest piqued, Jolene quickly flicked to page one twenty.

"Jolene, stop hogging it," Amir whined, but Jolene was far too deep into exploring this peculiar guide.

If you're suffering from annoying, harassing headaches, here's the reason - someone close to you is missing you! So, if someone back home really misses you (or if your enemy is just commemorating your death with a glass of wine), then chances are you're having a headache.

Jolene gawked at the words for a few seconds, as if intent on memorizing them all, imprinting them into her skull. Who would miss her, out of all people?

Noah.

"Stop - stop the car please," Jolene said, her voice urgent. Bile rose in her throat, even though it wasn't possible. Jolene almost smacked the left side of Elliot's face, making him try to stop the car.