The Path

I thought I heard an angel singing

I thought I heard an angel singing.

.

My eyes opened slowly. I could not focus on where I was, but I was positive I was listening to an angel singing. There was light, but I could not determine where it was coming from. It seemed to be coming from all around me.

I closed my eyes again and lay quietly, listening. I did not recognize the voice or the song or the language it was being sung in. But the voice. The angelic voice was hypnotic.

.

I felt tired, but there was no pain in my shoulder. I remembered the battle we had with the demons and I remembered getting shot.

I felt a tear roll down my cheek and I tasted the salt, as it hit my parched lips.

"Am I dead?"

I wasn't sure if I said the words aloud or just thought them.

.

The singing stopped for a moment. I lay as still as I could. I could feel someone or something near me. I caught a faint scent of vanilla.

The singing started again. The woman's voice was the most beautiful I had ever heard.

.

"Is this heaven?"

Again, I was not sure if I was thinking or speaking.

.

"Whisper?"

The woman's voice was now talking to me.

"Whisper, are you awake?"

.

I felt someone sit next to me. It had to be the angel. She was surely here to take me to the white room that Jenny had spoken of, many years ago.

A hand gently pushed my hair back.

"Whisper? Child, open your eyes."

.

"I am scared," I said quietly.

This time I knew I was speaking aloud.

.

"Why are you scared? You are safe here. Nothing can harm you here," the voice said.

.

My eyes were still closed.

"Is this the white room?" I asked.

There was silence for a moment.

.

"Well the walls are white, but there is plenty of color everywhere else."

.

I slowly opened my eyes. I could make out an outline of a figure. Slowly the colors came to me and I focused on the face.

"I know you."

.

The woman smiled and touched my cheek.

"Welcome back."

.

I struggled to sit up. She stood by the bed and helped me sit. She then arranged big, fluffy pillows behind me.

"Comfortable?"

.

I was shocked.

I watched as she poured some water from a pitcher on the night table. She passed the glass to me.