'Til Death, Part 1: Haley's Journey

            Sam stood at the top of the church. His suit felt tight and the butterflies filling his stomach didn’t make it any easier. A solitary bead of sweat dribbled down his check. A flowing melody that was to symbolise the end of Sam’s old life and the start of a new one began to play. He saw his one true love make her way down the aisle. Her father on her right, holding her arm with a tight, nervous grip. She stood before him and he stared at her beautiful face. Her plump luscious lips coated with cherry red lipstick, cheeks dabbed with blush and eyes surrounded by a dark mascara that made their pale blue colour shine brightly. He saw an alien expression on her face. It must have been nerves. He took her hand and mouthed the words, “I love you”.

            The ceremony felt like it was taking an eternity. Each word that the priest mumbled made his heart beat faster as it meant he was getting nearer to the end. Nearer to the moment of truth. Then finally the moment came.

“Sam Whitmore, do you take Haley Robinson to be you lawfully wedded wife, until death do ye part?”

“I do.” Sam couldn’t help but let a tear of joy slip out.

*                                  *                                  *                                  *

            Sam stood at the top of the church. His suit felt tight and the butterflies filling his stomach didn’t make it any easier. A solitary tear dibbled down his cheek. A sombre melody that represented the end on Haley’s life and the beginning of a new one began to play. He saw his once true love make her way down the aisle. Her father to her right, her brother to her left and four others behind them holding her up with a tight grip. She lay before him now and he stared into her once beautiful face. Her lips were thinning and starting to dry out, her cheeks a pale white and her gorgeous blue eyes hidden behind her eyelids. He saw an alien expression on her face. It was a look of nothingness. He took her cold hand and whispered, “I love you.”

            The ceremony felt like an eternity. Each word that the priest mumbled made his heart grow warm with fond memories while still feeling hollow. The end finally came. His father in law approached him.

“Do you want to go get a drink so we can talk?”

“I do.” Sam could help but let a tear of sorrow slip out.

            Haley opened her eyes. There was a strange feeling of confusion within her. She figured she should be panicked but all there was, was tranquillity. Like reaching nirvana. She was surrounded by darkness. She tried to think. What was the last thing she could remember? She remembered the masked man approaching her. He had a knife. Then there was a few seconds of a sharp and intense pain. The knife was plunged into her side, shredding her insides. Looking around for any indication of what to do or where to go she saw a light. She decided to walk toward it. It only occurred to her when it was too late and she had already reached the light what was happening.

            The light enveloped her and she appeared in a bright open space. She had an odd sensation of floating like there was total nothingness around her. In the distance there was a set of golden bars. A journey to them felt as though it should have taken an hour but she was there within a few seconds. But in those seconds, flashbacks of Haley’s last moments began to flashback to her. She now remembered the mugging more clearly. She also had a vague recollection of being in hospital. Sam was by her side, clenching her hand. His lips were moving but she couldn’t hear or feel anything. Then it was just darkness until she re-awoke moments ago and went into the light.

            Once again she felt that odd sensation of confusion because her logical mind told her to be upset but there was just nothing but a calm acceptance. This was only perpetuated by the casualness of her greeting when she came across a bearded man standing beside a set of golden gates.

“You are Peter aren’t you?”

“Indeed I am my child. And who are you?”

“Haley, Haley Whitmore.”

St. Peter turned to reveal a marble podium which help a giant book he open it on a page somewhere near the mid-section and immediately found her.

“Haley Alexandria Robinson Whitmore. Born November eighteenth nineteen eight nine. Died July third two thousand and thirteen aged twenty three. Married to Sam Whitmore for fourteen months, no children. He has now been a widower for over a month now.”

“A month? But I’ve only been dead for a few minutes.”

“So it would seem. There is no easy way to explain this really but in its simplest terms time does not move in the same way here as it does during your mortal stage. It’s not linear and it’s not constant. “

Haley nodded in acceptance. She didn’t entirely understand it but if that’s the way it is then so be it.

“Now before you enter I must ask you a question. Are these gates an entrance or an exit?”

Haley seized up. She wasn’t expecting a question for the first time her mortal emotions were overpowering her tranquillity and worry set in. If she got this wrong would she be damned? Was it a trick question? It couldn’t have been, if it was a question that was possibly made by God then would he be so deceitful? God wouldn’t be like that. Then again she didn’t really know God. She knew she was overthinking this. She decided the best way to do this was to look into her soul and go with her instinct. She knew that’s what they wanted.

“An entrance.”

Peter smiled. “Very good my child. You looked deep within yourself and chose what you truly believe. You are ready to move forward.”

“What if I had said exit?”

“Then you would have been sent back. Those who are not ready, are simply not ready. Now come I must show you to heaven.”

Haley felt something drop in her stomach. She had the chance to go back to her old life to see her friends, her family and most importantly Sam. But she failed and now she may never see these people again. She wanted to change her answer but she knew it was too late. There was a swift breeze that engulfed her in pure whiteness. Now, she was gone forever.