Chapter 1
This was a normal day for me. I had just finished my shift at the local Blockbuster. It was close by my apartment so there was no need for me to take my car. I had walked there and now I'm walking back. The work wasn't tiring, so a little walk didn't hurt.
The sun had already set since it was well past eight, casting the world around me into darkness. A few streetlights here and there illuminated the streets but they were hardly enough to lift the gloom. As I walked on the sidewalks, a few cars sped past me every once in a while their headlights flashing.
It wasn't exactly cold outside but it wasn't warm either. So all I had on was a small jacket to guard against the wind. Just the kind of weather to be expected from a Michigan April. A normal day in all respects.
Until the streetlights started flashing.
Was a power outage coming?
I thought to myself. If the lights went out, I'd be left completely in the dark. No lights at all with which to guide my path. The cloudy skies blocked out hopes for moonlight. I was worried. Not for my life since the city I lived in barely had any crime, but rather that I would become lost or trip and hurt myself.
But the lights didn't go out. All they did was pulse at steady beat. Like a massive electrical heartbeat.
Strange
. Soon though it stopped and the streetlights returned to normal. Nothing to worry about. And just like that it was out of my mind. I was almost home. Just one more block until food. Just one more street crossing until my hunger was satiated. The thoughts of a warm TV dinner occupying my mind, I set out to cross the street.
The roar of a car sounded to my left. I turned my head to look and saw headlights rushing towards me.
FUCK!
Time slowed. A thump and I was airborne. I must've been hit. There was no pain. Only a sense of vertigo as I flew through the air. The sound of wind in my ears accompanied by the distant screech of a car braking hard.
There were no thoughts in my mind, only mild regret that I didn't really do anything with my life and already it was over. I had graduated from college but getting into post-grad was much more difficult than I had anticipated. I was rejected again and again. Now I was just doing minimum wage work to pay for my living expenses until I could figure out what to do with my life. I couldn't decide ... and now there was no need to. It was almost a relief. No more worries, no more stresses, no more disappointments. It was the end. And my slate was being wiped clean.
But fuck, was it going to hurt!
Too quickly, I was falling. The concrete filled my vision and rushed up to meet me. Another thump and I was back on the ground. Still no pain.
Maybe it wouldn't hurt that much
. Truly a godsend.
As I lay there on the ground, my vision blurring and my senses dulling, footsteps sounded in the distance. Even though I could barely see, I still noticed the feet coming at me from the car. They wore heels. Great. I was killed by a woman driver. I never believed those kinds of statistics ... until now. Well, no matter. It was getting darker. Everything was fading.
Was there an afterlife?
A final thought and nothing else ...
... Suddenly, a blinding light filled my vision.
Oh cool, there really is a heaven.
An unbearable pain followed.
SHIT! I didn't know heaven hurt this much.
Then I heard bones snapping accompanied by even more pain. Then a gentle shaking and someone yelling at me.
"Oh God, oh God, oh God. Please wake up! You can't be dead!"
Who the hell was screaming at me?
It sounded like a woman.
Maybe an angel came to pick me up. But wait ... an angel wouldn't be saying things like that.
I realized that I could move again. So I opened my eyes and my vision slowly returned. It
was
a woman crouching over me. Not an angel though. Still she was an attractive brunette, bordering almost on supermodel looks, at least from what I could tell in the headlights of her car. Large brown almond-shaped eyes set in a heart-shaped face and slightly pouty lips. Her short hair was straight, flowing downwards and straight into my eyes.
Ouch
.
"Ah what the hell!" I shouted. I sat up in a rush ... and almost smashed my forehead into her face. Fortunately, she was fast enough to avoid injury.
She recoiled in shock. "OH MY GOD! You're alive! Oh thank God. I'm not going to go to jail." So that's what she was worried about. Understandable, I suppose.
"Dammit! You fucking hit me with your car!" Oh yeah, I was angry alright.
"Sorry, but you walked into the middle of the street. And I had a green light. I guess I just didn't see you," she responded. I looked up as she was dusting herself off and noticed that her eyes shone wet with unshed tears. That took the heat from my fire. I could just imagine the fear and stress going through her mind.
Dammit.
I knew it was unintentional and well, I guess I wasn't paying attention so it was kind of my fault. "Are you hurt? I mean, you flew really far," she continued as she reached out to lend me a hand.
"Huh ... uhhh ..." I paused a second to look over myself. "Apparently not. Weird." That really
was