I rubbed my eyes, not sure exactly what I was seeing at first. I was in a room the size of a mansion, it seemed, and none of it was familiar to me. I had no idea how I got there, but I felt like I was there for a reason. Turning in a full circle to examine the walls of the large room, I began to grow nervous. Every wall was lined with swords of all sizes and shapes, and they all looked dangerously sharp. I was fascinated, though, at what I was seeing. There were large, magnificent swords that looked like they should have belonged to a King. There were small, rugged daggers that were probably used for skinning rabbits. And there were plain-looking, but sharp, swords; obviously meant for common peasants, should they decide to join in war.


I stood there for several minutes taking it all in. A feeling of curiosity overtook the nervous feeling, as I noticed that two swords were missing on one wall. I didn’t know how I knew that they were missing, seeing as how I was unfamiliar with the room, but I didn’t think of that long. Suddenly, comprehension filled my lungs as if it were air, and my chest tightened when I saw my two very best friends at the other end of the room, holding the missing swords. They were laughing and joking and admiring their swords, and I knew that they hadn’t seen me, yet. I took a step towards them, to see what they were doing, when I heard Amanda laugh and point her sharp sword at Drake. I stopped, wanting to yell at her that she shouldn’t point a sword at him, but for some reason, I couldn’t make a sound.


“Hah, I could beat you in a sword fight any day! I have brothers.” I heard her say, as she poked him with her sword. He laughed.


Then they started fighting. It was all in fun, I knew, but I was scared for them. Did they not understand that the swords were sharp? Didn’t they know that they could hurt themselves? Without thinking, I rushed forward. Finally finding my voice, I yelled at them. Neither of them even acknowledged that they heard my cries. I stopped a few feet away from their whirling swords, breathless. Somehow, the ginourmous room seemed even larger when I was running across it. After I had caught my breath, I started screaming at them to listen to me, and to put the swords down. I screamed until I was hoarse. Still, I received a glance from neither of them.


I glared. I knew not what else to do! I racked my brain, trying to find a way to make them listen to me. I knew that someone was going to get hurt, I just knew it! I felt extreme annoyance that they couldn’t understand that. All they did was laugh and swing their swords toward each other as if they were feathers. I felt dizzy, and somehow I started rushing forward once again. I leaped into the middle of their fight, demanding that they acknowledge my presence. I saw nothing but flashes of silver and gold as I tried to physically stop them from killing each other. I grabbed hold of Drake’s leg, and he finally felt me. He swung around surprised and, forgetting his sword for a moment, let it slide right through my neck.


Everything moved in slow motion. I saw the look of horror on his face; saw the fear in his eyes, as the sword moved towards my head, seemingly on its own. Amanda’s mouth flung open as she saw what was happening, as well. I wanted to laugh at them, tell them that I had been trying to tell them that they were being foolish. I felt the cold metal slide through my neck, and I still wanted to laugh. They looked so horrified. Why, losing my head didn’t even hurt! I had always thought that dying would be painful but, in fact, I didn’t even realize when my head rolled off my shoulders. To my soulish self, I was still whole.


Things began to change around me, swirling in a blinding motion of colors. Thoughts of what Heaven would be like flashed in my mind, and I smiled. I was ready to go experience eternal paradise; I could only wonder how long it would take. I felt curious, wondering if it would be seconds or hours. The swirling colors didn’t even make me dizzy; my mind seemed to be perfectly clear. As it was, it took only a few seconds for the swirling to stop, and I found myself in a sort of receptionist’s office. I was confused, but only until I saw the two doors. One was large and red, and had the word “HELL” painted on it in black. The other door was a little smaller, but it was gold and had the word “HEAVEN” painted in elegant while letters on it. I started walking, dazed, toward the door that said “HEAVEN”. I felt like my face was lit up like the sun, my smile was so wide.


I had almost reached the shining gold door, when I was stopped by the “receptionist”. I hadn’t seen her, but now she was standing in front of the bright door. She didn’t talk much; all she said was,


“Go back. Your place in there isn’t ready, yet.”


At first, a keen disappointment clouded my eyes, but then things began to change rapidly, once again, and I had no time to dwell on what would happen next. My surroundings changed around me, but the colors weren’t swirling as they had been the first time. I was walking, too, instead of just moving forward. I couldn’t make my feet stop moving on my own, but they were moving.


When my feet did stop moving at last, I found myself outside. The breeze was cool, and the sun was shining brightly. It was a beautiful day, why were all those people dressed in black? That was when I realized that I was at a funeral. Somehow, I knew that it was mine. I was at my own funeral! There, in the front, I saw Drake and Amanda. I approached them, and they turned around. Shock. I saw it on their faces. A happy shock. They saw me! I was alive.


That was when I awoke.