A Dream Beyond Death

Chapter 3

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I stared at Fred. It can't be Fred. It just can't.

"P-Prove it!" I demanded. "Prove that you're Fred!"

'Fred' chuckled before saying, "Does Ra ring a bell?"

My eyes widened. "Oh my God! Fred!"

In case you were wondering what 'Ra' was, it was Fred's special nickname for me. Sometimes, he can't be bothered to say two syllables so instead, he made up a name with one.

Fred mock scowled. "Don't use the Lord's name in vain." But I knew he was being serious about it too.

"You're an angel!" I exclaimed in shock. "How?!"

Fred pretended to think. "Well, first, I was a nice person when I was alive. Then I died. I stayed in the world for a while and looked after another ghost. My unfinished task was done." When he saw my face, he laughed nervously and continued on a more serious note. "I was chosen to be one, Aura. I was surprised myself. I thought I was only going to become a saint... Don't look at me like that. A saint is anyone who goes to heaven. Anyway, they turned me into a guardian angel instead."

I frowned at him. "Why aren't you guarding that person now?"

"Ah... Well, he's dead." I stared at him with wide eyes. Fred quickly added, "He did not die because I wasn't watching him carefully, sheesh! He died since he had leukemia. He's a saint now."

Still partly in disbelief, I onlynodded. "I see... Well, why are you here?"

If Fred was still the Fred I remembered, he would just stare at me and say, "Come again?"

He did.

"Come again?"

Yup, he's still the same Fred.

"Scatterbrain," I muttered in exasperation. However, I could not disguise the fondness in my voice. "Well?"

Fred took a deep breath before looking very seriously at me. He took my shoulders and looked straight into my eyes.

"Aura, I'm giving you a choice. Would you rather stay stuck here forever or work to become an angel?"

I have to tell you... my brain took a few seconds to register what he just said. Twenty seconds later, when it finally did, it was fortunate that I was dead so no one heard my scream.

"WHAT?!" I yelled at him. "What do you mean by I can work to become an angel?!"

"Exactly as I worded it," Fred told me firmly. "I asked my superior up there how I could help you. That was what he suggested."

"Why can't I be a saint?" I asked, confused and still shocked. "Why an angel?"

Fred shook his head. "You cannot be a saint. If you became a saint, you can never descend - ever - again. Since you already became a ghost, you are tied to this world. At least, if you were an angel, especially a guardian angel, you can still descend."

I understood that bit. So I can be an angel?

"What do you mean by I have to work for it?" I asked. "What kind of work?"

"Good deeds," Fred answered. "Obviously, that would take longer. There are other ways. I'm just not sure exactly what. The superiors would know."

"So you have to take me to your superiors?" I asked. Fred nodded.

I had to think about it. You must think I'm crazy to not choose being an angel. I mean, who would want to stay stuck, lonely and alone in the world? Not I, that's for sure! But...

What kind of work do I have to do? What if I have to fight demons or something? THAT is a very scary thought!

"Can I think about this?" I asked timidly. Fred nodded with a grin.

"Sure Ra. Call my name when you've decided. Make sure you say my surname. You have no idea how many Freds there are up there!" With that, he became a ball of light. The ball then flew up to the sky and as suddenly as he came, he was gone.

It was getting dark so I tried teleporting as far as I could. I was sad to say that it was only a couple of blocks away. Compared to someone who's alive, that's amazing. But compared to someone like Fred, it was nothing.

I finally got back to the mansion after four tries of teleportation. As soon as I appeared in my room, I almost jumped out of my skin.

"Where have you been?"

I quickly spun around and my heart stopped. The room was still dark with only the light of the moon shining through the window. However, there was a dark spot beside the window and in that dark spot, staring straight at me, were bright golden eyes with cat-like pupils. Just golden eyes without a face or a body.

I swear I almost fainted.

"W-Who are you?" I asked, fear eating at me. The golden eyes disappeared and I could only assume that whoever owned them blinked. The person who stepped out from the shadows and into the light was none other than Damon!

"It's just me, Aura," he said with a smile. "You suddenly disappeared while I was walking home. I was very worried. Where have you been?"

I sighed with relief. The pupils must have been my imagination.

I need sleep!

Well... Not really but you know what I mean.

"I-I took a stroll in the park," I lied. "I'm sorry if I worried you."

Damon walked over to me. Ever so gently, he took my chin between his fingers and looked softly down at me.

"You're very bad at it," he informed me. I looked up at him in surprise.

"At what?" I asked.

"Lying."

I stared at him in shock. Was it obvious or did he already know me well?Pulling away from him, I crawled on my bed and sat on it. I looked back at him over my shoulder and asked 'it'.

"Would you rather be a ghost forever or work to be an angel?"

Damon was obviously caught by surprise by my question. He stared at me, eyes wide. If circumstances had been different, I would've laughed at his face. But I had to admit that on him, the wide-eyed look was simply adorable.

"You were made an offer by an angel?" he said questioningly. I was surprised he knew angels would contact the dead but I nodded. Damon's soft look returned and against the moonlight...

If I had a breath, I surely would have lost it.

...So beautiful...

"It's your choice, Aura," he told me. "If you stay here, you can find what you really want-" I won't... "-but if you become an angel, you can make your existence worthwhile."

I nodded. I understood what he was trying to say. If I wanted to make my existence mean something...

"Thank you, Damon," I said, smiling up at him. "I'll think about this really carefully."

Damon was silent for a while before walking towards me. Bending over, he tenderly touched my cheek as I stared up into those golden-brown eyes.

"Be careful," he said gently but there was no mistaking the warning in those undertones. He then left.

I stared at the door for a long time before snapping out of it. This is going to be a big decision...

Be an angel and try to do good for the world?

Or stay here and be with the Crosses, who have given me a new family...

But they will die. And I will be left alone eventually.

I lied down on my bed. This issue needed careful thinking.

This is my afterlife we're talking about.

But...

Can I really leave this family? Already, I have grown accustomed to Chris and Chrissy... And I completely adore Dior and Dominy...

And Damon... Damon...

I pressed my right hand against my chest, over my heart. No one has been kind to me in a while... Back in my old school...

I may be over thirty but in reality, I still have the heart of the girl who died years ago. Time held no meaning for me anymore so in a way, I don't really age.

So is this me having a crush on a boy who is much younger than me?

"Damon..."

He can see me...

"Damon..."

He can touch me...

"Damon..."

But in the end...

"I... I-I think..."

...In the end, he will grow wrinkly and die and I would be left alone again.

"I think..."

Oh to cry... To feel tears again...

I will never say it. Love... This desire that goes beyond death...

Even if I become an angel, would I be happy?

A/N: Woah! That took ages! I actually had the chapter for months now but I couldn't finish it properly for some reason. Thanks for the reviews!

Aneedegorarose - Thanks! I hope you like this chapter too!

kitty-mao-mao - Well now you know why Fred is back. Why do you think him coming back will make it easier for her to fall in love? Anyway, I hope you like this chapter!

Serason - Thank you! Sorry if this chapter took so long! Enjoy!

Goddess Hannah - Aww, you love my ideas? Thanks! I am glad that you like my stories and that you have given me your longest review! Cookies for you! (baked by Devon and the Scharden brothers. LOL!)

asiandork - Erm... 'Coz I'm evil? LOL! Just kidding! For suspense, I suppose. It'll get my readers to actually review. Hahaha!

saraine - Aww, thanks! Well, Damon appears in this chapter and there's quite a bit of dialogue.

Ashitara - But I'm busyness... I will update them... one by one... eventually... But please be patient! Meanwhile, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Thanks peeps!

Yram Hael Neeltah