Chapter 54

Falling. Deeper and deeper into a calm, silent abyss. Even in the dark, it was peaceful. There was no pain. Only this weightless, empty nothingness. Even when I found the bottom of the seemingly unending trench, I floated gently to my feet.

My feet touched a reflective shallow pool of water, but it didn’t feel wet. I looked up and saw two distinct opportunities in front of me. Light or dark. Two tunnels. One led to a bright illumination, and one was pitch black with the unknown.

“Hola, mija,” a voice said from next to me. It was a voice that I had only heard in my childhood. It had been so long. I turned to the side to see my papa waiting for me between the two pathways.

“Papa,” I greeted. “It has been so long.”

“Not long enough, mija,” papa replied. “What’re you doing here?”