Growing In the Cold

Tea Please

Your View
We came across a tea party. Maria led us over to it. Once we had gotten close a calm voice said,
"It is good to see you Maria."
I looked behind us and saw two glimmering eyes stare back. A lady dressed all in black with white gloves approached us. Maria smiled at her and said,
"It's good to see you too Dee." Dee nodded and took a seat at the head of the table. Zane sat on one side of her while Maria sat on the other. I sat across from Dee.
Once we each had a cup of tea, I ventured to ask,
"So where are we exactly? Maria, you said this isn't the next world and not the living one, but..."
"It is neither child," Dee stated. Maria, seeing my questioning look then said,
"We are in a realm between the two worlds. This place is like a border or neutral area between the two."
"So why are we here?" I asked. Maria looked a bit anxious, she looked at Dee. Zane coughed, grabbing Dee's attention. Dee sighed,
"If you two will not explain then it seems that I truly do have no choice. To put it simply..." She set down her cup and pierced me those eyes. "You, child," she motioned to me, "Are here because something unnatural interfered with your life leading to your untimely demise." She then picked the cup back up, taking a sip.
It felt like I just took a punch to the gut.
"I... I died...?" I said in shock.
"Indeed. As we speak, you are lying in a hospital bed with the doctors confirming your time of death." She looked up from her cup to see the look of shock on my face, while hers stayed absolutely calm. "Look in the tea if you do not believe me."
We all turned our attention to the tea. I was horrified. I saw a sheet being placed over my body by some nurses, a doctor looking at a clock while saying what time it was. The view changed to the doctor's clipboard. On it was a... a...
A death certificate.
While my hand trembled, I placed the cup down. I felt my hands being grabbed I looked up. Maria had grabbed one hand while Zane had grabbed the other. They both gave me a reassuring smile.
"Oi, Dee," Zane said turning his head to face Dee. She looked at him with a blank look on her face. "You're leaving something out aren't you." Upon hearing this we all turned to look at her.
"Excellent powers of observation," she stated. Wiping her mouth with a napkin she then said, "Indeed, I have left something out."
"What is it?" Maria asked. Dee flicked her wrist in the air and a book appeared out of no where. She proceeded to open it. After flipping through some pages she stopped and said,
"Do you remember how I said something unnatural interfered with your life?"
"Yes..." I answered. "What does that have to do with this?" She looked up from the book.
"Everything. You are aware that the one who hit you with a car was a personification of a country, correct?" She said. I nodded.
"Belarus..." I heard Zane growl at the name. Dee merely nodded. The book began presenting an image of a group of people separated from a large one.
"It is a rule that countries can not interfere with mortals since they are not only immortal, but not even human." She motioned to the smaller group. "However," she zoomed in on the smaller group. I immediately recognized several as the ones who I was friendly with. Eventually she stopped on the one of Belarus. I shivered with fear.
"This one, has broken that rule by being quite responsible for your death. Due to this you will be given a choice." Dee stated.
"What kind of choice?" I asked.
"You may either move on to the next world with your friends," she motioned to Maria and Zane, "Or return to the realm of the living."
"This sounds too good to be true." Zane said. Maria shot him a scolding look before turning to Dee.
"Are there going to be any problems with returning?" Maria asked. Dee looked down into her tea. She sighed.
"If you go back you will be in a good deal of pain, not only from the wounds you received, but from dying itself. You will also have a shortened lifespan, and your health will most likely be on the fragile side. The choice is yours, and yours alone." She answered.
I gulped. Dee stood up from the table. Her back to us she then said,
"But you would be able to return to the person who waits for you..." I looked up. The book had now been replaced by a scythe while her body became cloaked in a black hood and cape.
Silence fell over the group. I sat for quite some time thinking. I closed my eyes and thought.
Should I go? Would it make me happy? Would it make the others happy?
I looked at the tea. My eyes widened. I immediately stood up. Maria and Zane followed suit. Dee merely glanced over her shoulder.
"It appears you have decided." With that Dee raised her scythe, causing two portals to appear. Dee turned to us and said,
"I hope you find happiness with the choice you have made, for there are no do overs." She turned around and walked through one portal which closed behind her.
We stood there for quite some time. Eventually I walked over to Zane and Maria and hugged them.
"Thank you two... for everything." They hugged me back.
"We'll go with you all the way." Zane said as tears streamed down his face.
"Agreed." Maria said wiping some tears from her face.
Holding hands we walked to the portal. I closed my eyes and took a deep breathe. I walked forward into the swirling portal.


A/N: Can't wait to write the next chapter :) So don't think this is over, not by a long shot.