Pandemonium

Chapter 12: Magic

Chapter 12: Magic

JAMES'S POV:

I felt the cage start to drop before I heard Pan talking.

I couldn't make out what he was saying, but in that spilt second before I hit the ground, I saw Kat's horror stricken face looking back at me.

And then the world went dark, and the light was no more.

I never expected death to be peaceful. I mean, people tell you that, so you're not afraid, but in truth? I didn't think it would be.

But it is.

As soon as I squeezed my eyes shut, I felt an unfamiliar warmth surround me. And after a moment or two in the darkness, a light, brighter than anything I'd ever seen made the insides of my eyelids turn red.

I opened my eyes and was surprised to find myself back at my home, in London.

Confused, I stood up and started looking around.

It was quiet. Not an eerie quiet but... a calm one.

I walked inside my house and saw Father sleeping in his recliner.

"Father?" I say.

But he didn't respond to me.

"What's going on?" I say aloud.

Out of the corner of my eye, a saw a flash of white light from outside.

I ran to the backyard and searched for the source of the light.

The light was floating in the middle of the air. Levitating smoothly.

But within seconds that light morphed and changed and dimmed down, until I saw a woman in a brilliantly white gown standing in front of me.

"M-mother?" I choked.

"Hello James" she said sweetly.

My body trembling I asked,

"W-what's going on? Where am I ? Wait, am I . . . dead?"

Regretfully she nodded her head.

"You have passed into the in between realm."

"The what?" I asked.

"Your body is dead, but your soul has not yet gone into the spirit world. And so, for now, you remain here until you decide which way to go."

"What do you mean?" I replied.

She held out her hand, palm up, encouraging me to take it.

I slid my hand into hers and she whispered,

"Close your eyes".

I did. And then I felt a sudden temperature change.

"Open" my mother sudden.

We were now back at Pan's campsite.

Kat was in the middle leaning over someone under a brown cloth.

I think that someone is me.

"Why are we here? " I ask my mother.

Seeing my body like that is making me uncomfortable.

"Just listen" is all she says.

Then I hear Kat's meek voice through her occasional sob.