| 1 | Awakenings.
The light is blinding.
So much that she can feel it burn through her eyelids and enter right through her retinas as it forces her to wake up and open her eyes.
She is lying on her back on a carpet of smooth and soft green grass underneath her. A groan escapes her lips as she slowly opens her eyes and looks up at the beautiful blue sky, shining down on her and making her skin appear as if it is glowing. She frowns slightly before she slowly sits up and places her hand on her head, feeling a little dizzy as she slowly stands up from the ground and looks around in confusion. She notices that she is in some kind of meadow, long stretches of green land going on and on for miles, beautiful bushes of coloured flowers laid across the landscape.
She looks down at her body and notices that she is in a different set of clothes, dressed in all white, her white blazer going on top of a white top and white pants, as clean as the day they were bought, her hair clean and wavy, free of mud and snow. She frowns slightly as she notices that her previous wounds had healed and her skin is back to normal, no dark veins in sight, both her legs did not have seismic holes in them.
“What the…” She mutters to herself as she stares at herself in confusion.
"You are awake." A voice says, causing Mackenzie to jump in fright and move away, completely startled. She turns and looks at a woman, dressed in a long-sleeved fuzzy white sweater and light blue denim jeans. She has on a few bangles on her wrists, her hair a long, rich dark brown hair, let down and falling onto her back as a few strands fell in front of her and piercing blue eyes, very similar Mackenzie’s.
She stares at Mackenzie with a warming smile, it almost feels motherly, and Mackenzie feels herself begin to calm down.
"Who are you? Where the hell am I and how did I get here?" She questions, still looking around at her surreal surroundings.
The woman stares at Mackenzie sadly as her smile begins to fall.
“You do not remember?” The woman asks sadly as she remains in the same spot.
“Remember what…?” Mackenzie trails off before she faces forward as all that happened came rushing in. Everyone she ever cared about, was killed right in front of her. Nate, Miles, Shannon, Andrea, Ethan, Brett, Zach, Kaitlyn... most of her friends. They were slaughter right in front of her before that monster Aron killed her as well.
"Shit... No, no... Nate… Miles…” She shakes her head as she feels tears in her eyes, starting to cry as she places a hand over her mouth.
"No need for that kind of language." The woman scolds her softly. Mackenzie frowns at her and her as she continues to stare back at Mackenzie with concern.
"It's okay Mackenzie, you're in a safe place." She says and turns her body slightly. "Walk with me." The woman requests and turns around, walking towards a large tree. Mackenzie hesitantly walks over and follows after the woman, continuing to glance around the meadow.
"How do you know my name…?" She asks, as she jogs forward and catches up to the woman.
"I know all your names." The woman responds as she looks up into the tree. It has to be the largest tree Mackenzie has ever laid eyes on, possibly 50 feet tall in the air with wide branches stretching out for what seemed like forever, covered in millions of deep green leaves.
"H-how do you..." Mackenzie trails off, looking around her for the second time.
"I died… I, I remember dying… so is this the afterlife?” Mackenzie questions anxiously as she stares at the woman who has her back turned towards Mackenzie.
"...In a way." The woman answers, her eyes focusing on something behind Mackenzie, her smile widening.
"Ah, it seems like your friends have found their way here." She says, making Mackenzie frown again before she turns around. She looks around before her breath hitches as her eyes land on a group of people making their way towards her. She recognizes them in an instant. They too looked extremely confused as they look around, dressed in all white, all their injuries gone as well. They are okay… They are alive…
All of them.
