The Garden of Eden

I watched as the doctor plunged a needle into the patient's hand. The injection was slow and steady. The patient was unconscious. She was a young lady. She had cuts and bruises everywhere. I overheard the doctors saying she had been in an accident! Three doctors operated on her. I didn't understand what they were doing, but I knew; if they failed, she would die!

I watched silently through the glass of the operation theatre, as the doctors operated on her. Blood was everywhere! I did not like seeing blood. I turned around and walked towards the couch behind me and sat down. There was no one around. I rested my head on the couch and closed my eyes.

I saw myself running through a beautiful garden. All types of flowers grew around me. The sky was blue as ever and the sun shorn bright! That was when I saw him. He stood there turned away from me, looking at the clear blue sky. I walked towards my husband and held his shoulder. He turned to face me.

He looked as handsome as the first day I had met him. If I didn't know better I would have said he looked younger, but I knew that was impossible. Just yesterday we had celebrated 10 years of our life together. I stared at his handsome face remembering how much we had enjoyed. We had gone out for a movie and then had gone dancing. We were out till past midnight. I smiled.

"Rick," I whispered his name.
"What are you doing here, Jen?" He asked.
"I came looking for you," I replied.
Rick shook his head. "You shouldn't be here." He said.
I was confused. "Why?" I asked.
Rick looked into my eyes and gave me a painful smile. "You know why." He said, as he pulled me towards him and hugged me tight.

I tried to remember as I hugged him. Where was I? Was this a dream? I remembered the hospital. I was watching an operation and then I had walked towards the couch! Maybe I had fallen asleep! Yes, that must be it! I shut my eyes as I held on to Rick. He didn't move or say a word, but hugged me silently. That's when I saw it. A bright light speeding towards me!

"No!" I screamed as I opened my eyes! I looked around. Rick was gone! The garden had disappeared. I was back in the hospital, sitting on the couch. I panicked! I stood up and ran back towards the operation theatre and stood near the glass. That was when I noticed it! The patient was slightly light skinned with long black hair. Her face had blood all over it, but I knew who she was! A tear escaped my eye as I realised who I was staring at. She was me!

I remembered it all! It was our anniversary. Rick and I had gone partying. We had had a few drinks. I wanted to take a cab but Rick had insisted he was good enough to drive. We had come half the distance, and that's when a truck had come out of nowhere and hit us! Rick! Where was he?

I ran out of the operation theatre to the main hospital wards. I ran from room to room searching. Rick was nowhere to be found! Finally I had nowhere to look, except the morgue! Tears rolled down my cheeks as I feared the worst. Rick was no longer alive! I walked slowly towards the morgue. A new body had just arrived, and a few nurses were examining it. I walked closer. It was Rick.

"They were in an accident." I heard one nurse say to the other.
"They?" The other asked.
"His wife was there too. He died on the spot, but the wife is still alive. She's being operated on right now!"

Rick had died on the spot! I was devastated. I slowly made my way back towards the operation theatre. As I peered through the glass I realised that the operation was almost done. The patient was starting to breathe again on her own; I was starting to breathe. No! I said to myself. I refuse to be alive without him; without Rick! I wiped my tears and looked back at my body that lay on the operation table. I looked around. Earlier there had been three doctors working on me but now, I saw a fourth figure.

He was not a doctor. It was a dark shadow lurking around my body. The reaper? Angel of death? I blinked and looked again. He had his back turned to me. I couldn't see his face but then, he spoke.

"If I look you in the eye you will die," he said. "But right now I can cure you. You will be drawn back into your body."
"I don't want to live," I said. "If you are going to send me back, I want Rick back too!"
"That's impossible," he said. "He was too broken; even for me to fix."
"Then I've made my decision!" I said.

The dark figure turned towards me. I looked towards him, as I felt the power slowly drain out of me. Finally, I looked him in the eye. The last thought I remember was seeing his big yellow eyes; before shutting my own eyes, and starting to drift away.

I opened my eyes. I was back in the garden. Rick was still hugging me tight! I pulled back and looked into his eyes.

"I am staying!" I said.
Rick smiled at me. "You are beautiful as the first day I met you!" he said.
"And you are the most handsome man I have ever seen!" I replied, smiling.

The pain was gone, the scars had disappeared; the shadow was no longer there. The beauty had returned; the love of my life was standing next to me! I looked up at the clear blue sky.

"Thank you!" I whispered. This was much better than everything I'd ever had!

Wishes from Heaven

Life can take us through different paths from time to time. Today we could be happy, but one second could change our entire life. We could go from a great life to no life. That is exactly what happened to me. One year ago, on my wedding day I was so sure I would spend all eternity with my beloved husband, Ben. I embraced his love as I took my oath at the altar, as I said "I do." At that time I didn't know what God had planned for us that it would be so different from what we had planned for ourselves. But life had changed in a way that I had never imagined. Life had separated us in a way I had never thought.

We were happy for three months after marriage. I woke up every morning, prepared a nice cup of tea for Ben, and we got ready to go to work. Ben drove me to work, and once he dropped me off he would drive himself to work. Our way back home was the same. He picked me up from office on his way home. I loved Ben more than ever. He was the best husband anyone could ever ask for, and he loved me dearly. But unfortunately fate had come in between us.

It was a nice sunny Saturday. We were tired of a week of hard work. Ben and I had decided to take a trip to the south. I didn't know my life would end that day when Ben pulled the car out of the garage. He drove, with me seated on his left, chatting and laughing as we always do. I was so happy I had found him. He made my life complete. Suddenly out of the blue I felt something wrong was going to happen. Ben took a turn and suddenly I looked out of the window. A bus was speeding towards us. I screamed. Ben lost control of the car as the bus crashed at me. The car was pushed out of the way, spinning.

"Ben," I whispered. I felt my heart beat rising and my breath tightening. Blood was dripping down my forehead.

"Rachel, I'm here honey," Ben held my hand tightly. I knew he was stuck in his seat and he could not move towards me. Then, everything went black.

I watched Ben open his eyes. The doctor was right beside him. Thank God! Ben had severe injuries but he had survived the accident. He would get better. I sat beside him on his bed and tried to hold his hand, but I couldn't. My hand passed right through his hand. I understood everything at once and a tear escaped my eye. God had called me. From the corner of my eye I saw a black figure standing behind me. I turned to look at him. He was dressed in full black but he was glowing. An angel, I understood. He was the angel of death, and he had come for me. My beloved husband survived the crash, but I had to go. I had not survived. I had died.

Ever since I had left him that day I had constantly watched over him. I had turned into his guardian angel. I had invisibly followed him everywhere he went. I had looked after him. It had crushed me to watch him cry sometimes in the middle of the night screaming out my name. "Rachel!" he screamed one night as he dreamt our accident. I could see his dream and feel his pain. It hurt me too. I didn't like to watch him suffer.

Today it was our first wedding anniversary, and I was not with Ben. Tragically I had to leave him alone in this world. I watched Ben get out of bed early morning and go to church. He prayed for me. It made me feel good. He had lighted few candles in my name. He had asked God to look after me wherever I was. He had told God that he still loves me and forever will. It was our anniversary; I wanted to give him something. I wanted to give him a big hug. I wanted to give him a kiss and say I love you, and for that I needed permission. I needed God's permission to make myself visible to Ben just one time.

I watched Ben get home. He took a wash and came to our bedroom. I was sitting on the bed. Ben looked at me and his eyes went wide.

"Rachel," he said. I smiled. He could see me. Thank you God for giving me this chance. I prayed silently.

"Ben," I said, as I ran towards him and hugged him. "Happy anniversary darling!"

I watched as a tear curled up in Ben's eyes. He blinked it away and forced a smile. He needed me, I knew. But God had only given me five minutes.

"Ben, I know I'm not around anymore. But I want you to be happy. I want you to enjoy your life." I said.

"I need you Rachel," He said.

"I know," I said. "But I will always be with you. I have always been with you. Ever since the day of the accident I have followed you everywhere." I said. "It's just that you could never see me."

"I can see you now," he said. "Stay with me Rachel."

"I can’t Ben," I said. "I only have five minutes to be visible. Then I have to go back."

"I love you Rachel," Ben said. We hugged.

"I know," I said. "I love you too."

I moved away. Ben stared at me as I faded away into the thin air. I watched him cry silently. I was invisible again. But I felt good. I know Ben was feeling better too. It was our anniversary and God had let us meet one last time.

"Happy anniversary darling!" I whispered again as I disappeared back into heaven.

The deepest sacrifice

"I will fight for you if I have to! He can't hurt you no more!" Keith screamed as he held Jessica's hand. He pulled her closer towards him, and kissed her. Slight tears curled up in Jessica's eyes. She blinked it away before it escaped. She pulled back to look at Keith's handsome face staring down at her.

Why didn't I meet him before? Jessica had often wondered. Where was he couple of years back when she really needed him? Jessica's memory flashed back to the first day she had met Keith. She was alone in a corner of the bar sipping a beer when he had walked towards her. By the first conversation itself they had really clicked. Jessica found that it was easier to talk to Keith about anything she wanted. They had spoken about various things and had a laugh together. It was after many years that Jessica had truly laughed from the heart. Her heart was full of pain, but she always managed to cover it up with a smile. However Keith could see her through. After a couple of beers together Jessica had stood up to leave.

"My husband will be looking for me," she had told Keith that night, and watched his expression change.

"You're married?" Keith said in utter disbelief. Jessica felt her heart burn but she had managed to stay calm. She was surprised when she saw Keith smile.

"What is it?" she asked.

"You're married to a man you don't love," he said. "You're not happy. You keep smiling but you have a heart full of pain."

"How can you say that?" Jessica had asked.

"Trust me!" Keith said. "I know! I can read people; their expressions; their reactions. And you are nothing but hurt deeply."

Jessica had not waited to respond. She had runaway as fast as she could. She knew that Keith was right. Her husband, Rob, was not the ideal lover. At first when they started going out they had been a happy couple but when things started to go wrong Jessica had figured out he was not the right one for her. She had tried to break up with him, and leave, but he had somehow managed to hold her back by threatening her. He had somehow managed to force her into marriage. Jessica hadn't had a choice but to marry him.

But now... She had met Keith out of the blue. A complete stranger who just happened to have a beer with her, and he knew more about her than anyone else. Maybe he knew her even more than she knew herself! Jessica had continued to keep in touch with Keith. They had met in the bar regularly and had their own conversations, sometimes happy conversations, sometimes about her pain, or about him and his own problems. Whatever they talked about Jessica finally felt that she was accepted for who she was. She was not forced into anything. With Keith around she felt like she was finally free to be herself.

One day when Keith walked into the bar Jessica had seen a slight shadow of pain written on his face. She was worried when Keith silently sat down beside her without his usually hyper mood. That night Keith had confessed that he was in love with her. He was in love with a Jessica, who was already married to Rob. Jessica had cried all night long after she had reached home. All her life she had been looking for a guy like Keith but when she finally found him, she was not in a position to accept him. She already belonged to someone else.

Eventually Jessica found herself tossing and turning in bed wondering how Keith was. She had found out that it was absolutely impossible to stay away from Keith. She knew she had to leave Rob. She decided that she would run away from home. She wouldn't tell Rob or Keith anything of where she was going. She would come back to Keith later, when the situation had calmed down. But before she left she needed to see Keith one last time.

That was when they had decided to meet in the park. Keith had kissed her, and Jessica had felt all her problems vanish into the thin air. Keith didn't want Rob to hurt her anymore. She knew that he felt for her and loved her.

After coming home that evening she decided to pack her bags. She had to do it before Rob came home from work. But her luck stood across her way. Just as she walked towards the door with the luggage in her hand the door opened, and her husband stood there, staring at her in his usual angry look.

"What exactly do you think you're doing?" he asked her as he locked the door behind him and walked towards her. Jessica opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. Run, a voice inside her spoke.

"I need to leave! I'm done with all your nonsense!" she shouted. Rob stared at her for a while and suddenly started laughing.

"You want to leave me?" He laughed. "Like I'd let you leave! You're not stepping out of the house!" She watched as Rob drew a gun out of him pocket.

"Where did u get that from?" Jessica asked, as her eyes widened.

"I bought it," he said. "Just when I found out about you and that filthy boyfriend of yours!" The fear in Jessica's heart rose as Rob pointed the gun right at her.

"Don't worry!" he said. "I have license and I am allowed to use it! So, any last words?"

Jessica closed her eyes. She could see Keith's handsome face, shattered with worry. She imagined him waiting for her in the bar. Her greatest fear was losing him, but she was ready. It was her fault. She had married the guy she couldn't love, and loved the guy she couldn't have! She was ready to die! She opened her eyes and tears started rolling down her cheeks.

"I'd rather die than live with you!" she said. "Shoot!"

Rob stared at her, surprised, but pleased with himself. He held on to the trigger and aimed at Jessica's forehead.

"Shoot!" Jessica screamed. "SHOOT!"

With a loud bang Rob pulled the trigger as he watched his wife fall down lifeless.