Chapter 9- Guiding Light

(A/N- I'm not really religious but I wrote this for an ex-boyfriend whom I'm still friends with to this day.)

☄Guiding Light☄

I stood on a road split into two, both equally unknown to me and scary. Behind me lay the ashes of what used to be the house I had lived in- people were excavating it for any survivors. I had watched from the sidelines as only one body was pulled from the rubble. It wasn't clear who it was, but someone had died there.

I walked away, no one seeing the dust brush off me and onto the gravel below. No one heard the crunch of my footsteps, and no one looked as I left. I reached an old church, and sat down at the pews, closing my eyes and crossing my fingers to pray that no one else would be harmed. 

When I opened my eyes, I found a man smiling down upon me, his hands resting on the pew. His eyes were unlike anything I'd ever seen- a storm on their own. He was different, I could tell.

He reached a hand out to me, and said a few words. "I heard your prayer."

I looked up at him curiously, wondering why he would say such a thing. Was I mumbling my silent prayer by accident?

"I don't understand what you mean…." I trail off.

"Let's just say I'm here to guide you." He said, beaming.

"Guide me where?" I question.

"You know… Heaven. I'm one of God's angels, and you're about to become one… if you come with me." The man blinked, as if what he said was natural and rehearsed.

" Don't know why, but I have a feeling you're lying to me in some way." I retort.

"Does an angel ever lie?" He frowns at me.

"I really don't know, because you're the first I've supposedly ever met. That is… If you really are an angel."

The man blinked, then extended a pair of wings that were unseen until now. He didn't seem upset with me, rather disappointed.

"Do you believe me now?" he asked.

My eyes widen in amazement, and I just nod. He reaches his hand back down to me. I take it with uneasy arms, still unsure but not as much.

"If you're taking me to Heaven- does that mean I'm dead?" I whisper.

"No, not yet. You can change things. I'm just here to show you're on the right path if you want to go."

"Change things?" I tilt my head.

"If you stay, you'd live through so much pain, but be rewarded with a high location in Heaven. Life would be living Hell, but you would change the world with the actions you would do." the man sighed.

"And if I go with you?" I ask.

"That would be your choice, to stay or go with me." the man shrugged his shoulders.

I pull my hand away from his. "I'm going to stay. Others are put first rather than myself. I would go through Hell for the world, and all those on it. You understand this, don't you?" I say.

The man nods. "I understand, for I was once like you. Then, I sacrificed myself to redeem the sins of the people. And after all that, my Father took me in with welcome arms knowing the journey I had gone through for him. Here, on this world, I am known well for my sacrifice. I healed the sick and fed the hungry, never caring about myself."

"I know who you are… The son of God himself." My face turns red for a moment as I think of how rude I was moments ago.

"Yes, but that does not matter right now. Are you staying here of going with me?"

"I'm sorry, but I'm staying" I say confidently.

"Very well then…" He said, nodding. A sparkle came to his eyes as he waved his fingers, and then we were both gone.

I found myself in a white room, different clothes than what I was wearing earlier. My entire body was sore, and I couldn't remember what from. I blink several times before turning my body.

"She's awake!" Someone shouts, and I'm swarmed by a dozen people.

"Ugh." I groan, clearly exhausted.

"How did you survive?" A voice asked me.

"I- I didn't. God gave me a beam of guidance, and I came back. My future is here, to change the world for the better, no matter what the cost to me. I chose to live. And God complied." I mutter.

"She's a miracle…"

Three days after I found myself in the newspapers everywhere in town, my title being ' Modern Day Jessabelle', Jessabelle being the genderbend name of the Son of God. I just rolled my eyes, and walked past the church close to my house- or what used to be my house. The rubble was settled now, my wounds bandaged and still throbbing somewhat from the memories of what happened. I could still see the eyes of Jesus looking down at me as I silently prayed, still feel the touch of his hands as he helped me up.

I sat at the pew where the ghost me had met him, and said a silent prayer of thanks up to God for giving me the choice rather than just taking me from life.

Someone tapped my shoulder, and I looked up. It was a young teen about my age, his eyes a golden amber. He smiled gently, and asked me a question.

"You come here often?" he said.

"No- just started coming here recently." I respond.

"Oh. Because I thought I saw you three days ago, praying in this exact same spot. Then you were gone- like a ghost. I'm glad I wasn't seeing things that day." The boy smiled at me gently.

"Yeah, I was here three days ago. Just after the accident. I came here to pray no one else was hurt, and God's messenger came to me and gave me a choice between the easy way to Heaven or the hard way." I whisper.

"You chose the easy way?" He asked.

"No. I chose what I was meant to do. I chose the path that was the most rewarding to others rather than me, and that meant life."

The boy tilted his head. "I think you made a brave choice. The true path to Heaven is never easy, you have to earn your way there. I'm glad you chose to stay, because if you didn't, we would have never met."

My day perks up a little. "True. Will you pray with me?" I pat the place next to me as I scoot over.

"I'd love to." The boy said. He crossed his fingers ad bowed his head, then looking up at me. "What are we praying about?"

A smile comes to my face as I answer his question with all honesty. "We're praying for a beam of guidance for all those in need of it…"

And with that, both the boy and I pray to the God above, knowing he's watching us right now, and forever with us no matter when or where. God is the beam of guidance, a beacon to Heaven. He is home for all those that believe, and I am one of those that will do whatever it takes to help those find Heaven. God bless those who guide the ones that share, and God bless the ones that care.