The first thing I saw, were stars... Shooting stars. Millions of them, racing through the portal of darkness. It was the most beautiful site to behold. Shimmering emerald, magenta and crimson lights emitted from those stars, were entwining themselves to form one body of intricate rainbow lights, while others zipped towards the 'end' - which was currently blocked from my view.
Where was I? I just stood there, gaping at the splendour of it all...
This was curious. Was it another dream? Recently, this so-called place had frequently visited my dreams, or my unconscious state of mind. I wonder...
Under some unknown impulse, I reached forward and attempted to grab a single shooting star. I missed, and it shot past me, teasing me for my sluggishness. Groaning, I rolled my eyes as it disappeared into the distance.
Whatever, I could always try again.
So I did. I lunged forwards this time, and clapped down my fingers on a passing star, before securing tight between my palms. HA! GOTCHA!
The star was still bright, very bright, which reminded me of a car on a great load of fuel. It was one of the newest and brightest stars here. Perhaps it was my imagination, but it seemed to be struggling, struggling vigorously in my grasp.
"LET ME GO!" A young girl's voice yelled from the star. "LET ME GO THE BEYOND!"
"What?" I asked, surprised and interested. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"I'm dead. And I would like my soul to rest in peace," the star whispered in melancholy.
"You're dead?"
The star agreed. "I just died very recently. I'm a soul. I think this is the earliest stage of death. The limbo. LET ME GO! I need to pass it!"
I was puzzled. "Is everyone here dead?"
"Yes," the voice whispered sadly. "See those bright stars? We are all newly dead souls, racing towards the beyond, where we can forever rest in peace."
"So the brighter the star... the more recent the person's death?" I figured, completely entralled.
"I guess," the star said. "I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTIONS SO LET ME GO!"
"Wait." This was all very interesting, but I had to know something. "One last thing. Why am I here?"
"I'm just a poor dead soul," the star pouted from beneath my palms. "How do expect me to know? You look rather alive to me, poking your nose into businesses which are not yours. Now let me head on to the BEYOND!"
"I didn't ask to be here!" I snapped, angry now. "So am I dead?"
The star seemed to be staring right at me. "No, I don't think so," she said, awed. "Your soul is too bright... I think you're alive..."
"So means I can go back?" I asked excitedly. "I can... well, be alive?"
"I suppose," the star drawled boredly. "If you don't trespass too far into the territory of the dead."
And as the star said that, I could feel my surroundings slowly sifting, slowly changing. Even though I hadn't a clue what was really going on, somehow, deep within me, I knew I was returning to the 'Realm of the Alive' where I truly belonged. Yes, I was going back! Finally! I didn't fancy living among the newly dead any longer.
The star apparently felt it too, because it got frantic, thrashing under my grip.
"LET ME GO, QUICK! DON'T BRING ME BACK TO THE WORLD! I DON'T WANT TO LIVE AGAIN! I WANT TO BE FREE IN THE BEYOND!" It yelled.
"You mean I can do that?" I asked befuddled.
The star appeared both urgent and uncertain. "I... think so... You seem capable... I don't know... I am not too 'into' death yet, I suppose.... But the fact that you're here and alive is a pretty great feat already."
"Wow, if I could bring you back alive..."
"DON"T YOU DARE!" The soul screamed a blood curdling cry. "LET ME GO ON MY JOURNEY NOW!"
This conversation had thoroughly shaken me up. So apparently, I had suddenly entered 'Death's Realm' in which the dead had to take before they reached this peaceful place called the 'Beyond'. And according to the star, I had a choice whether to bring her back to the Living, or free her and let her carry on to the Beyond. It would be amazing! If what she said was truly reliable, then perhaps I could bring all sorts of people back from the dead! I could stop my loved ones from dying if I caught them!
I was scared, but curiosity got the better of me.
And suddenly, I didn't feel like freeing this star anymore. I felt like experimenting. I felt like replenishing her life, and letting her start anew.
My surroundings were shifting again, even more, at a greater scale. Soon, I would be back where I was, a normal teenager, in a normal school, with a normal sister and a normal mom.
But before that, I had one decision to make. A decision which would surely affect my life in many ways.
Free the soul or not to free?
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