THE JOURNEY OF SHEIRA HART

7 | Apparently, You Can't Die Twice

I blinked twice, trying to consider what the hell am I seeing.

“What on earth are you doing?” I said and stared at Mikhael di Angelo standing in front of me, grinning widely.

He opened his arms wide as he said, “I am going to give you an exclusive tour of this city.”

“I don’t need a tour,” I said and was about to walk past him when he stopped me with his arm. He then scuttled in front of me.

“Are you sure about that?” He raised a brow.

“I don’t want to be seen with you,” I said and was about to walk away when he stepped in my way. “Do you want to die twice, di Angelo? I can definitely make that happen.” I glared at him and he just gave me a grin.

“Oh come on, isn’t it too late for that?” He gestured towards the people around us and I could see them watching us, whispering to each other. “In their eyes, we’re exclusively dating.” He leaned to whisper on my ear and I pushed him away as fast as I could.

“This is all your fault.” I dabbed my finger on his chest and he just grinned. The nerve!

“Stop grinning!”

“Be thankful I’m only grinning while you just threatened to kill me few minutes ago!”

“Because you’re annoying.” I huffed and glared at him. And that’s when I noticed that people now have their full attention on us.

“You’re giving them something to talk about. You should really cooperate and just go with the flow.” He jerked his thumb behind him. “So let’s go on a tour.”

I looked at what he was wearing. “Looking like that?” He looked like a Christmas tree. He was wearing a hat with a star on top of it. His shirt and pants were green and it has red, yellow, and blue ornaments.

“Why? I am a tour guide.”

“And tour guides wear that?”

“Let’s not talk about my outfit and let’s just get on with the tour, shall we?”

It was hard not to kick in the face. I rolled my eyes and started walking and he just followed.

“I assume you’ve seen the Rainbow of Dreams?”

I looked at him and furrowed my brows. “That dust-made rainbow? Is that it?”

“Dust-made—“ He heaved a sigh. “Those aren’t dust. Those are dreams.”

“Dreams that turned to dust,” I said and ignored his exasperated sigh.

“They’re not—fine, whatever. Since you’ve seen that, that’s the last part of our tour today.” 

“Exciting,” I answered blandly hoping to break his excited spirits but it didn’t. I groaned inwardly.

“You’ve seen the Arbor, too. That’s how we first met.” He winked at me and I grit my teeth as he knows exactly how to piss me off. I can’t imagine being on the other side with this guy. I am not sure if I can last without me throwing him off the bridge or drowning him in a pond or a river.

“You look like you’re ready to kill me any moment now.” He gave me a doubtful look before he pointed to a park where we could see kids and adults doing their business. “That’s the Central Park. Nothing special there. But it’s indeed beautiful to take a walk there at night. We should take some sometime.”

“Another wink di Angelo and I am going to rip your eyes off,” I said in gritted teeth and he just shrugged.

“Anyway, up ahead, we’ll be seeing the fountain of life.”

“Hm. That’s ironic.”

“What is?” he asked.

“Fountain of life in a place full of dead people.”

He stopped walking and faced me. “What’s your definition of life, Sheira?”

I was taken aback by his sudden question and his look changed. He became…serious.

I gestured my hand and looked around. “This. Aren’t we here because we’re dead?”

He chuckled and started walking. “Life didn’t stop for us, you know.”

I don’t have any intention to have this kind of talk with him so I didn’t say anything. But he doesn’t plan to stop. “We’re still here, walking in a beautiful city. Talking, laughing, enjoying a cup of coffee, learning—that’s what living is, isn’t it?”

I stopped walking and he must have noticed it that he stopped walking and looked at me. “Living for me is to be with my family no matter how I sometimes hate them. Living for me is to be at my home, not in this unknown city. Living for me is to talk to my friends and my family, laughing with them, enjoying cup of coffee with them, and learning with them.” I sauntered closer to him. “I am not living here. For them, I am already dead. I already died the moment I woke up here.”

He just looked at me. He looked like he wants to say another word but decided not to. I heard him sigh. “Here we are,” he said and I looked at what’s behind him.

Marvelous was an understatement. The fountain was gigantic. The water is as clear as the waters I’ve seen below that dust-made rainbow. The waters were enclosed in an elegant looking marble. The fountain wasn’t round or square—in fact, I don’t clearly see what shape it was. And the more I stared at it, the more I see how clear the water was that it was sparkling under the buttery sunshine.

Other people were there too. Marveling at the sight of the fountain.

“The water sprouts out of those tiny pipes underwater. It’s just a cycle there. Like life itself.”

I scoff. “It’s not a cycle pal. You live, you die, and that’s it. End of story.”

“No. You live, you die, and you live again.”

 I looked at him and saw him looking longingly at the fountain. He must have felt I was staring that he blinked and looked at me. It was too late for me to look in another direction because he already caught me. But he just smiled, “Like this fountain, life is an abstract. We couldn’t clearly understand it at first but then eventually, as you look at it closely, you find the answer.”

I looked at the fountain. Really stared at it. And it was then that I made out a form out of it. But it was gone as soon as it came. The moment I blinked, it was back to being the complicated piece of marble.

“Is that why you weren’t inclined to find the reason of your death?” I said and he looked at me. “Thinking that living here isn’t so bad after all, is that why you don’t seem to feel the need to go to the other side and find out about it?”

I heard him sigh. “Partly. And besides, why would I want to see how I died?”

“You’re scared,” I said and I think I hit the base as he looked at me. But surprisingly, his face was just calm. As is he has long accepted it.

“I am. Who isn’t?” He chuckled and then pointed at me. “Right, you’re the only one here I met so far who is so driven to find out how on earth she died.”

“So what?”

“That just means you’re in denial, Sheira. Despite your talks on being dead once you’re here, you’re still denying that you have left your family and your friends.”

I didn’t say anything. I remained silent. Partly because he might be right. And partly because I don’t know what else to say. Despite all the things I’ve seen and the all the things I’ve discovered, I still couldn’t believe I am in the afterlife. I want to see my family. Maybe…maybe if I see them, just the four of them, I’d be able to accept and live peacefully in the Afterlife. I just needed closure.

“Is there nothing else you want to show me? I should get back and tell Mr. Grim I’m ready to go to the other side tomorrow.” I was about to walk away when he stepped on my way again, spreading his arms, not letting me pass through.

“We’re not yet done, Sheira sweetie.”

“I already told you my name so drop the sweetie and I will drown you in that fountain.”

He blinked. “I don’t think I’d drown there.”

“You will if you don’t step aside.”

But he just waved a dismissive hand and grabbed both my shoulders and turned me to the other direction. Before I could even protest, he was already pushing me gently, urging me to walk.

“We still have lots of places to visit, my lady. And besides, this is your last day on the Afterlife. At least make it special.”

“Spending my time alone would be something that would make this special. Not a tour with you.”

“Ugh. How can you resist my charms?”

I halted on my feet and looked at him over my shoulders. “Simply because you’re not charming enough.”

The moment I said it, he looked like he wanted to protest but decided to close his mouth. I smirked. Glad to know he’s wise enough not to protest.

The walk towards the Ardor bridge was silent as I was busy admiring the whole place all over again. The leaves were still covering the whole place and the Ardor tree was far ahead, standing proud and tall. I saw some people walking opposite our direction and judging from how disoriented they look, I can tell they’re Newlanders.

I heard Mikhael whistled as he watched the Newlanders passed us, looking around the place. They might be wondering where on earth they are.

“You’re all dead,” I said causing them to look at me, confused. Mikhael just gave me an unbelievable look before his eyes widened when he saw something behind me.

Or rather someone.

“Nice to find you here with your…boyfriend.”

Mr. Grim was walking towards us. His hair looked different but then I realized it was because he didn’t tie it.

“He is not my boyfriend,” I said with enough bite but he just ignored me. “He’s my companion to the other side. You said I can go once I have a companion, right?”

He just eyed Mikhael and then to me. “Of course. You can start your trip anytime you’re ready.” He walked past us towards where the gigantic tree us. Probably picking another soul.

“Do you think the Grim Reaper knew how he died?”

I heard him scoff. “I heard he didn’t die. He was just here. Since the beginning of time.” Mikhael looked at me. “Next stop is the Rainbow of dreams.”

“Why is it called Rainbow of Dreams again?”

“The souls here, they have dreams before they died. They took it with them and now it’s on the rainbow of dreams.”

I didn’t really understand what it meant and I didn’t ask further. I don’t want him to think I am interested so I just followed him to where Raph brought me before. And from afar, I could already see the tip of the rainbow. I didn’t notice the first time but now, I could clearly see it. We reached the narrow bridge. It was the second time I’ve seen it but I still couldn’t help but marvel at the rainbow and the clear water below. I reached to get some rainbow dust on my palms. I closed my palm and felt the dust drifting away from my grasp. I scoffed. Just like how these same dreams slipped from the souls in this world. Quite a harsh way to remind them of it. That they can’t do anything about their dreams now because they’re dead. They’re souls and all they can do is stay here and just watch it flow in the rainbow. That they can touch it but not really hold it. I think this place is hell in a way.

“Stand here to see it better,” I heard Mikhael say and I looked at him. He was standing on the edge of the bridge.

“That’s dangerous.”

He just laughed. “Try it!”

There was more hesitation in me but I did what he said, anyway. I reached for his hand and maneuvered myself over the edge next to him. I looked down and I hitched a breath when I saw the water flowing below. If it were on the other side, jumping from this height would mean certain death. Before I knew it, I was clutching Mikhael’s arms, begging him to take me down. But the bastard was just laughing and telling me it’s alright.

Look, I know I am dead. I know I am already a soul. But who knows what happens if I fall from this height!

“It’s fine. You’re fine,” Mikhael kept saying even though I could barely hear him.

“Sheira,” he called but I was just closing my eyes. I felt him cupped my cheek and I didn’t dare protest or move as one wrong move would surely get me freefalling. “Sheira, open your eyes,” he said and I shook my head.

“Get me down, asshole.” I heard him chuckle.

“I told you it’s fine.” I could feel him so near to me that I opened my eyes and took a step back which I instantly regretted because I almost slip. I clung into his arm and glared at him when he laughed.

“Get me down!”

He just shrugged. “You climbed all the way here. Might as well seize the moment.”

“What do you mean?” I started feeling more nervous than ever.

“In the Afterlife, Sheira sweetie, we don’t die,” he said and tapped my nose. “We fly.” He gave me a smirk and kicked my back, causing me to fall down the bridge.