From Heaven Ch 03

I thought for a moment. "Well, perhaps the beginning – of your world, I mean – would be a good place to start."

Tim settled more comfortably into his pillow, and looked at me expectantly.

"When we arrived," I began, "everything was dark – I'd never been anywhere without light before, it was really strange.

"Then suddenly there was light again – so bright it was dazzling. We moved a little closer, and I couldn't help giving a gasp of wonder. Against the blackness, like a jewel on velvet, hung a blue-green ball, spinning slowly."

I paused. "I knew even then that it would be a wonderful place. I drew closer again, and I could feel the air beginning to tease my wings. I let myself fall, the air slowing me, then I glided, the moist air cool against my face."

I smiled, remembering. "When I landed, there was already grass, and the trees were in full leaf. I heard the rushing of wings, and looked up, astonished by the sky full of so many kinds of birds. I was tempted to join them, then I felt the ground shake as a huge herd of animals – buffalo, I think – rushed past.

"The stars were coming out, and I watched them for a while, amusing myself seeing shapes in the constellations. Then something remarkable; a glow on the horizon, then a huge orb rising. I watched open-mouthed as the landscape was drenched in a silvery light, each blade of grass distinct.

"I heard the sound of singing begin, and I added my voice, as my sheer joy in this new world overwhelmed me."

I looked across at Tim, and he nodded sleepily. I smiled, and dimmed the glow in the room to let him rest.

When the first light of dawn filtered in through the window, Tim opened his eyes.

"I really enjoyed last night," he said.

I nodded. "There's more to tell – maybe tonight we can carry on. But don't you have to be at work today?"

He nodded, sitting up reluctantly. "Give me a minute..."

I smiled, and got to my feet, going out of the door and downstairs.

After a few minutes, Tim came down, dressed, his hair damp from the shower, looking more awake. He poured a bowl of cereal, and I listened to the crackling as he ate.

"Are you coming with me today?" he asked.

I nodded. "Just in case of earthquakes, careless drivers, falling jumbo jets, the usual."

Tim grinned, finishing his cereal. "Actually, it's very reassuring."

He got up from the table. "I'll get going then. If the day's uneventful, I'll see you back here."

I watched him get into the car, then as he drove off I followed in the normal way. As Tim sat down at his desk, I was already in my chosen corner, and I watched as he checked email, went through papers, drank his first coffee of the day.

A few minutes later he got up and went through to the outer office. I quickly walked to his desk, and picked up the pen he'd been using, putting it back in the desk drawer. Tim returned, and as he sat down I saw him frown in puzzlement, looking round his desk and lifting his papers to check under them. He opened one drawer, then another, retrieving his pen.

He looked up, and spoke into the empty air. "Very funny – thought you were supposed to be keeping me out of trouble, not causing mischief."

From the outer office I heard the voice of his secretary. "Did you say something, Mr Smith?"

"No," called Tim. "Just muttering to myself about this last email from Marshall."

I let myself fade into visibility for a moment, grinning, then faded out again.

Tim rolled his eyes. "Now I know where Lewis Carroll got the Cheshire Cat from."

The rest of the day passed without incident – I watched Tim eat his lunchtime sandwich, wondering if I'd like ham salad – and I followed Tim home, letting him find me as usual in the kitchen.

He came in grinning broadly. "Actually I quite like knowing you're there – I don't really mind the odd trick."

He sat down opposite me. "How about I take you out for dinner?"

I smiled. "I'd like that."

"I'll go and change," he said. He paused. "We'll be going somewhere fairly formal – do you, ah, think your dress could be a little longer?"

I raised my eyebrows. "I'll see what I can do." While he was upstairs, I reached out my senses to the colour supplement of the newspaper Tim had bought on the way back from the office, viewing the pictures in my mind.

When Tim returned, I was standing in the living room, and I smiled, turning slowly. "What do you think?"

He blinked. "Wow – that's a more dramatic change than I expected."

I'd kept the feathery quality of my dress, but the style was now off the shoulder, and the hem swept around my ankles.

"Gorgeous," he pronounced. We walked out to the car, and as usual he held the door for me.

We set off, and after a few minutes Tim pointed to lights in the distance. "There's the restaurant."

We pulled into the car park, and walked towards the lighted doorway. The maitre'd approached, and we were quickly seated.

Tim turned to me. "Would it be all right if I ordered champagne for us?"

I smiled. "Something new again – I'd like that."

The bottle arrived, in a bucket of ice, and Tim poured for us. As I sipped, the bubbles went up my nose, and I sneezed. "It tickles."

I picked up the menu, and glanced at Tim. "Choose something for me?"

He nodded, and when the waiter came over, Tim ordered for both of us. When our meal arrived, I took a bite. "Mm, this is good." Tim relaxed. "I wasn't sure if you'd like it."

As we ate, we listened to the quiet playing of the pianist, and I said, "I like music – it reminds me of, well, where I come from."

Tim nodded. "I know you can only tell me so much – I'm looking forward to tonight's bedtime story."

I put down my fork, and Tim said, "Dessert?"

I nodded, and Tim caught the waiter's attention. The sweet trolley arrived, and I looked with fascination at the range of desserts on offer.

"Help me out here, Tim," I said. "I'm really having trouble choosing."

Tim grinned, and said, "Try the chocolate profiteroles."

The waiter placed a bowl in front of me, and Tim reached for the cream jug. "Just a little."

I nodded, and watched as he poured. I picked up my spoon and started to eat. "Mm," I said, "I've never had anything quite like this before."

When we'd finished our meal, Tim drove us back to the house. "I'll see you upstairs," he said.

I waited a few minutes, then walked up the stairs, opening Tim's bedroom door and going in.

He raised his eyebrows. "You kept the dress."

I smiled. "I could tell from your face that you liked it."

I sat down in my usual chair, and Tim said, "So what do you have for me tonight?"

I hesitated. "Tim, you know that something went wrong after the wonderful beginning I described?"

He nodded. "I wondered if you were going to talk about that."

I shook my head. "None of us were there. The first we knew about it was when a guard was posted – I had to ask what a sword was."

"The next time we came to see your world, it was a very different place. Dark, covered with clouds.

"But there was still something remarkable going on. I watched the animals, one here, one there, lifting up their heads as though they heard some kind of call. I followed them, so many, all coming together, and the birds. Then they were all shut in, and the rain started."

I shuddered. "It was awful. The water rising, everything fighting to reach high ground, then covered. The most horrible part was the birds – they just flew round and round, looking for somewhere to land. When they were exhausted, they just tumbled to the surface of the water, floated there, dying."

I stopped, lifting my hand to my face, feeling wetness.

Tim looked across at me. "Are you OK?"

"I don't understand," I said. "What's happening?"

"Come over here," he said. I went and sat on the bed by him, and Tim took my hand.

"Do you not cry?" he asked softly. I shook my head. "Not before."

He traced one finger down the wetness on my face. "Maybe being here is changing you."

I hesitated. "I didn't think that was possible, but maybe you're right."

Tim squeezed my hand. "Well, here's the deal. You look after me, like you do, and I'll look after you. Just tell me when you feel something you don't understand."

I nodded. "Do you want to sleep now?"

Tim smiled. "Think so. But you can stay there if you like."

He settled more comfortably, his fingers still twined in mine, and after a few minutes I heard his breathing slow. I watched through a gap in the curtains as the stars turned through their nightly course, listening to Tim's heartbeat, and it seemed only a short time before the first rays of the sun reached into the room.

The next day began pretty much as usual, Tim and I making our way to the office. But I could tell Tim had something on his mind, and I held back on any of the usual playful tricks I'd use to remind him of my unseen presence.

When we arrived back home, Tim prepared a meal for us, and as we began to eat he said, "You don't have to come with me, but... today would have been our wedding anniversary. I always visit Sarah's grave."

I took a deep breath. "I'd like to come, if you'd be OK with that."

When we'd finished eating, we set off in the car. After a short drive, Tim turned in through the iron gates and stopped the engine. I looked out at the cemetery, seeing the carefully-tended graves in rows among the green grass.

"So many people..." I said, my mind struggling again with the horror of this thing called death.

We got out of the car, and I followed Tim along a curving path. He glanced across at one of the older graves, a lichen-covered statue watching over it from a nearby plinth, then looked at me. "Not much of a resemblance," he said.

I nodded, recognising his attempt at humour. After a few more yards he stopped, standing silently before a simply-cut stone.

I read the inscription. "Sarah, beloved wife and mother, taken from us September 2008. 'I go to prepare a place for you, that where I am, there you may also be'."

I put my hand on Tim's shoulder. "It's true."

He turned, puzzlement in his eyes. "What's true?"

I pointed. "The inscription – there is a place. I've seen it..."

He took my hand, his grip so tight it would have been painful. "Ariel?"

"Yes?"

"Can you tell me...?"

I shook my head. "I'm sorry."

I brightened. "But I can tell you more about what's going to happen – that's no secret. Tonight?" Tim nodded. "Let's go home."

We walked back to the car and Tim drove us back to the house, neither of us speaking.

When we arrived, Tim made coffee for us, and I sipped mine, getting used to the strong, almost bitter flavour.

"Won't this keep you awake?" I asked, remembering something I'd heard.

Tim smiled. "For a while, maybe. But I want to make sure I don't miss the end of what you have for me tonight. See you up there?"

This time when I went upstairs, I sat down on the bed, and reached out my hand to take Tim's.

"It was a while before we visited again," I began. "I didn't get to see how it really started, though I was there when we sang – I still remember the look on those shepherds' faces.

"We were there on and off for a few years, mostly at the end. At first it was amazing – the things that happened. But then it turned nasty. I was there that last night, it was so frustrating, knowing we could have stopped it if we'd been allowed."

I fell silent, and Tim squeezed my hand. After a few moments I took a deep breath and carried on.

"When everything went black, I couldn't help remembering the dark skies, the rain, the birds. I know there was the rainbow before, but this time I really thought it was the end."

Tim forced a smile. "But everyone knows the next part."

I shook my head. "We really didn't know that it would come out that way, though. I'm not surprised that some of them couldn't believe it either."

"But it was true," Tim said hesitantly.

I nodded. "Yes."

"So you promised to tell me what comes next," Tim reminded me.

"I don't know when," I said slowly, "but –"

I hesitated, trying to remember. "Your history – the end of your last big war – you remember when all those soldiers landed. There were beaches?"

Tim nodded. "But I don't see...?"

"That's what it'll be like," I said. "It won't all be over straight away – even I don't understand everything that's going to happen – but afterwards, there's that place. I can't tell you much, but... it makes everything all right. The pain, the tears, everything – it makes it all right."

I looked across at him, not surprised to see tears running down his face. I reached out to touch the wetness, then a strange sensation ran through me as Tim took my hand and pressed my fingers lightly to his lips.

"I'm sorry," he said, letting go of my hand almost guiltily.

"It's OK," I said softly. "Do you want me to stay again?"

He nodded. "I know I'd miss you now if you went." When he opened his eyes in the morning, I smiled. "Did you sleep well?"

He nodded. "I had the strangest dream, though."

"Tell me," I said, smiling.

"There was a garden," he began, "surrounded by a hedge. In the garden was a tree – but somehow the tree was you."

I raised my eyebrows. "And then?"

"At first it was like spring – the tree had new leaves, really green and fresh. Then summer came, and the tree turned its leaves to the sun, taking in the light.

"I watched, and after a while I saw that the tree had fruit, ripening. Then it must have been autumn, the leaves starting to turn, gorgeous colours."

Tim smiled wistfully. "Then I woke up. I wanted to stay there, it felt so peaceful."

I squeezed his hand. "I'm sure it means something, we'll just have to wait and see what happens."

Tim nodded thoughtfully. "Anyway, time I got ready for work."