"MOMMY"
"MOMMY" I hear a child crying. The sound Echoing through the debris and ash. I can't feel or move my body, and my head hurts. My half open eyes ached as I opened them.
I feel a hot sticky sensation under my head as it trickles out from underneath. 'Is it blood', I thought to myself. I couldn't remember what happened between now and earlier, but I tried. Before I could remember though I heard a big,
"BOOM"
The bang left my already throbbing head spinning, and all I could see was blank, not even white or black, just blank. Then I could see a black figure walking towards me, getting closer and closer until I could make it out to be a boy about the same age as a 4 year old wearing a Smokey grey vest with a black long sleeve airy shirt, with black shorts, and a cape draped over his whole back.
The most notable thing about him was his face which was just like a dolls, and sparkling large gold colored eyes that looked surreal and sharp. He had slit pupils that looked as if he was cut out of a novel, and had the most pure white hair that you couldn't even find in snow.
"Who are you?" The boy asked. I didn't reply, I was too consumed by his appearance. I finally snapped out of my spell and said "Where am I?," the little boy looked at me with a annoyed expression. "can you not understand English you little poopy head!" He shouted.
I was taken back by the little boys rudeness, though it was a bit cute.
" I asked who you were first!' The little Boy said. "fine, my name is…" I paused. Why can't I recall my name? Was my impact with the floor that hard? Or was it that it's just a part of being dead? I asked myself. "I don't remember" i said. "Well what kind of numnut doesnt remember their own name?"
The little boy said. At that moment I noticed something under his cape that had been draped over his shoulders and lower back.
"What's under your cape?" I asked pointing my finger towards his back. He looked at his cape and shook his head as he said "My mommy told me not to show anyone" he answered. "Is it that big of a secret?" I asked. He shook his head yes with enthusiasm.
"Do you know where your mommy is…." I asked. "My name is Oliver!! Don't forget it!, and yes! My mommy's at home sleeping." He said with some sass. "Mommy is very sick and she hasn't woken up in a very long time, but she should wake up soon!" Oliver said.
"How long has your mom been asleep for?" I asked. "I think it's been four days." Oliver replied. I paused. Four whole days!? How could anyone survive that long by themselves. "Have you eaten?" I said.
"Yeah! I ate some berrys from the tree a couple of hours ago!" He replied with enthusiasm. "What did they look like?" I asked. "Well, they were very black, and the leaves behind it looked like a star and it was very sweet." He said with a smiley face. I thought for a second, and it came to me. Oh my god, he ate Deadly nightshade.
Deadly nightshade is a very dangerous berry that has star shapes with the leaves behind it, and is very sweet which is bad because just eating a few can kill a grown adult.
I realized then and there that this place is a cross over, from life to death. And this little tiny boy that looked no bigger than a 4 year old died.
I looked at him with sadness. "What's wrong all of a sudden?" He asked. I didn't know how to reply, so I simply told him the truth. "Oliver. What you just told me is that you ate a very very poisonous berry, that kills people… I think you died."
His beautiful eyes widened and he took a step back. "What did you… did you say i died?" His eyes started to collect tears as he shouted "YOUR WRONG, I DIDN'T DIE" "sniff, sniff. "Your wrong" he said in a trembling voice. "How will I look after my mommy now?" "Sniff."
The sight of the beautiful boy crying and trying to make sense of it tugged at my heart, but I tried to stifle it down. What this boy needs right now is an adult, not a crying companion.
After a while when the crying stopped and I tried to sooth him by telling him that his mommy was waiting for him up in heaven, he finally calmed down. "Thank you kind stranger." He whispered. He looked up at nothing for a few minutes and finally looked towards me.
"Is my mommy really waiting for me?" He asked. "Of course she is." I answered. "Why?" He asked "Well that's silly, it's because she loves you the most in the world!" I said.
"In the whole entire world?" He asked. " Yes the whole entire world, even more!" I answered. "Wow, that's a lot." He replied "Yeah… it is." I looked up at nothing and tought how nice it would be to have a family.
Suddenly the little boy gasped and grabbed his hand. "What's wrong!?" I said. "My hand, it's disappearing!" He replied. I kneeled and took his hand into my own. His hand was becoming translucent and tiny golden flakes were chipping off and floating up.
"Does it hurt at all?" I asked. Oliver looked panicked. "What's happening to me?" He looked up into my eyes with a scared look in his face. His arm was now almost completely gone. "Shhhh, Shhhh it's okay" I soothed. I grabbed the back of his head gently yet forcefully as I put it on my shoulder preventing him from looking at what was happening to him.
He started gently weeping again. "It's okay Oliver, Im here. Shhhh, your going to go to mommy now. Mommy is so worried for you, but now she'll see you!" Silence ensued.
"Am I dying now?" He asked. I couldn't reply, I was worried he'd hear my voice shake. I pulled his body from mine, but not his head so I could look. Now almost all of his body was gone, his neck was the only thing I could see but I could still feel his body.
"It's okay. I'm fine now!" Oliver said with fake confidence. He looked up at my eyes. Thank you for looking out for me, even though we are strangers." He said.
I smiled. "We aren't strangers. We're friends, remember!" I said. He looked surprised, then he broke into a laugh. Then he looked up into my eyes with a very happy gaze. "Thank you, Oliver!" Then he vanished into a puff of golden shards before my own eyes…