The Heavens

Every night at midnight, the purple clouds came out to dance with the blushing sky. This was how he saw the world when he dreamt. Jed would day dream and see the world how he wanted it. An escape from the harsh world. He was twenty four and should have outgrown his imagination by now, yet it seemed to grow every day. When he was a young boy he had dared his twin brother to swim across the pond and back. His brother drowned and he could not forgive himself. Armed with his plush toy he walked to the pond imagining what dreams his brother must be having. Was he in heaven? Did angels lift him up and feed him with honey kisses like in fairy tales? Jed sat on a rock by the pond. He laid the plush toy near the pond and recited a prayer. He then closed his eyes.

He awoke at the sound of thunder. Suddenly the purple clouds parted and a spirit emerged from the opening. Petrified, he stared at the spirit not even believing what he was seeing. However, the spirit beckoned him. He stood up and stared. The spirit sang a melody to him, one that calmed his fast beating heart. He wondered for a moment if he was dreaming. Still anxious at what he was seeing, he tried to move closer but found himself rooted to the spot. After a few still moments of inhaling the beautiful music from the spirit, he felt his body being lifted up into the air.

He felt a calm breeze as he soared up into the sky. The scintillating clouds emitted a beautiful light he had never seen before. The light seemed to irradiate a type of calming energy. He ceased to feel anxious and allowed whatever force to drift him upwards. At last he reached the sky where these illuminating clouds were. That was when he saw the figure of a boy. After looking closer, he recognized that was his deceased twin brother, Ted. Jed, not believing what he was seeing, pinched himself. He still felt a huge burden on him. He felt responsible for Ted’s death. Eyeing Ted carefully, Jed muttered an inaudible hello.

His deceased twin brother looked at Jed with his youthful eyes. He stated he had been watching Jed for nearly a decade. He had witnessed that Jed never seemed to smile and forgive himself. Ted assured his brother that he was being taken care of well and that the fault of his mortal life was not on Jed. He stated that anybody who knew what lied after death for an innocent child was so much better than the riches of the world. As Jed had been forced to live in misery for nearly a decade, Ted had sent the angels to allow him a short time in the heavens.

Jed was consumed by emotions, the strongest emotion being relief. After all these years of denying himself pleasure and feeling guilt, he felt like a ton of bricks had been lifted off his chest. However, having conditioned himself with natural pessimism, he also was very suspicious. What if this was a ploy for vengeance? He pondered this thought. Ted meanwhile eyed him and opened his small hand. In the palm of his hand was a tiny capsule. Ted said that if Jed swallowed this pill, he would be able to pass a barrier into the heavens. He said the barrier was impervious to anyone who did not take the pill. Jed asked if he could have time to think about this, to which his brother said he had to decide then. Jed outstretched his hands and grabbed the pill. He brought it to his mouth and swallowed.