Saturday Morning

Little did I know, as I walked into the shopping mall, what was going to happen to me that fateful Saturday morning.

My heart was still pounding hard for what had happened on my way to the mall; when the accident occurred. It wasn’t entirely my fault though I admit that I’d never paid any attention to where I was going.

As I was crossing the road towards the mall, a car that was driven by a drunken man went past the red light and zoomed straight at me. Fortunately, the car didn’t hit me; it only grazed me, but the wind did push me down and gave me a little scratch on my arm.

I breathed heavily inside the mall with pale face. I took a bottle filled with fresh water that I always carried everywhere I go from my bag-pack and took a few gulps to calm nerve. I looked at my reflection from one of the mirror of the store and saw that my face was still pale. I didn’t care much about it though.

I gussied up a bit and walked past the crowd that was going towards the exit. I was supposed to meet my friends here, and we were going to talk about our prom night before I moved to Australia to continue my studies there as a photographer. Kate and Ashley were the ones who suggested the ideas.

“You should at least enjoy our school’s prom night before you go.” They said it together as usual. It was pretty cool to talk at the same time when you are twins.

Kate and Ashley were always suggested cool and fun ideas that made my life in high school quite enjoyable, which was different from what I had expected. (I always thought that high school was very boring).

Everyone at school were looking forward to this prom night as soon as they knew that the twins were the ones who prepared it. A lot of the students volunteered to help us and here I am in the mall, going to talk with them about their plans.

My watch pointed 2 o’clock, hmm . . . 15 minutes early for our “teen meeting”. To kill time, I decided to go window shopping instead so I started walking around and looked at the cute and interesting things displayed at the windows. I always wanted to buy a lot of things, but I couldn’t be greedy ‘cause I didn’t have plenty of money with me.

When I was window shopping, I almost hit a guy because I wasn’t looking. Well, at least that’s what I thought. I didn’t feel hitting that guy but I’m really sure he was in front of me and if I’m not mistaken . . . . I think I went through him. And when I said through him, I really meant ‘through’ him. Like a ghost.

I stood quite a long time, staring at the guy that I went through. I still couldn’t believe what just happened. Suddenly, I shuddered and got Goosebumps. Something bad must’ve happened.

I blinked and found out that it still 2:00. That’s weird. The watch was broken. I’m pretty sure it was still working on my way here. I was about to bring it to the repair shop when my phone rang.

Panicking, I picked up my phone. It was from Ashley.

“Hello? Joan? Is it you?”

“What’s up Ash?” I answered the phone, tried to sound casual.

“Hello? Jo, where are you?”

“Don’t worry, I’m on my way.”

“Hellooo . . . Jo? Are you there? I can’t hear you.” Her voice sounded irritated.

“What do you mean you can’t hear me?”

Without realizing it, I walked passed the entrance where I came from. There was a huge crowd there and the sound of ambulance’s siren. I came closer to have a good look at it, with the phone still pressed on my ear.

There was a police line surrounding a certain area. Probably where the accident had occurred, I thought. I moved closer, a person ran trough me out of nowhere and this time, I’m really sure that she did go through me.

Suddenly, a thought stroked me like a lightning from inside. I walked as fast as I could. I didn’t have the energy to run and my steps were slow and heavy. I did not want to see the truth that is beyond the police line but I did saw it and it was true.

The answer to everything I had experienced today was clear. Why’d that guy could went through me, why’d my face stayed pale, why’d my friend could not hear my voice. The answer was lying in front of me. It lied still on the road with blood around it. It had the same clothes, bag, and watch that I wear today and it had my face.

“I’m dead.”

Ashley’s voice was not heard anymore. I stood there, looking at my dead body that was covered by blood. A few meters from it was the car with the drunken man, crashing at the electricity pole. The car’s windows were shattered to small pieces.

That was the car. That was the car that went pass the red light. That was the car that I thought only grazed me. But I was wrong. The car took away my life. I died that time without realizing it, and I walked inside the mall as a ghost.

The moment when my mind went blank probably was the sign that I had died completely. I couldn’t return to my body. I cannot resurrect. I’m . . . . . lost.

Tear went down my cheek. Now, I’m afraid. I’ve heard stories about people going to hell when they sinned and going to heaven when they received God but I had never received God before. I was afraid that I might go to hell. I couldn’t imagine living in hell. I just couldn’t.

And as my eyes went blurry, I whispered something.

“God, I’m sorry. Please forgive me. I wanna be with You. Don’t leave me alone. Please.”

I remembered a verse from the bible. My mom used to pray for me before I went to bed. It was a nice verse. And as if I was reading it from the Bible, I recited the verse.

“Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.” (1)

. . . . . a long pause . . . Nothing happened

Darkness was starting to surround me. I feel the cold coming at me, gripping me tight; not letting me go. I guess it was too late. I’m going to hell after all. Nothing I do now can change anything. I can’t go to heaven. I’d been left alone.

I’m . . . forgotten.

Suddenly, warmth emerged from behind me. I turned and saw a light. It was coming towards me. That light was the source of the warmth and it cleared the darkness away. I heard someone’s voice from inside the light, calling me. The voice was gentle, and forgiving. Although I hadn’t heard it before, I know it was the voice of God calling me from heaven.

“You have called My Name and you have been saved for I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.” (2)

Without hesitating, I walked inside the light to another world where I know I can live in peace, in heaven, with God.

The last word I remembered to be said was,

“Thank you, Lord.”

1 (Psalm 51:9-10)

2 (John 14:6-7)

AN: This story is a fiction. It’s not possible to have your sin forgiven after you’re dead. You can only do it when you’re still alive. So this story sorta shows what will happen if you repent and if you don’t. If you don’t, you’ll be stuck in darkness, or worse, hell. If you repent, then I guess you’ll be going to heaven after all.

But don’t you just repent and think “oh I’m safe so guess I don’t have to worry bout sin anymore, hahaha!!” and have fun…NO!! It’s never that simple. You gotta work hard!! Dude!!

So anyways,all I gotta say is . . . . make sure you won’t be to late to ask forgiveness.