Jesses lifeless body hung in the water. He was 13, and never really got over Leslie's death, and what was more, after a year, they had moved away, so he never managed to return to Terabithia, and all Leslie created, fell to ruin. Now he ran away from home, and after little thought, took his own life in the river, that had so mercilessly took Leslie's aswell.
Everything went dark. Time stood still. For days uncounted it stood still. In such a place there was no existence, no time, no emotion, no sense, absolutely nothing.
Then suddenly, Jesse heard a drop, a single drop, onto water it seemed.
Jesse's eyes shot open. There was darkness all about him, with the exception of two torches on the walls. He seemed to be in a great arch or hall of some sort. He was on one side, and on the other, was a great oaken door, tall and strong. Betwixt him and the oaken doors, was a man. He was clad in some strange garb. The man had light brown skin, and a white beard and hair, that showed traces of black.
"Hello." said the man in a kindly, voice.
"Hi..." said Jesse, quite shocked, and he had every right to be, for he had every memory afore his coming to the halls.
"You had a live unspent ahead of you, why did you, then, so knowingly take this gift which I gave you, son?" he said.
Jesse's eyes widened, and he swayed. "t-To see Leslie, is she here, sir?"
"Very foolish of you, Leslie is here, and there, and everywhere else for that matter. But that was a brave thing to do all the same, Jesse." said God.
Anger and sadness swelled up inside him. He forgot about hell and the rest of it, to hell with it! He thought.
"Why'd she have to die! Why did she have to go. What did she ever do? Leslie was an angel! Just because she didn't believe in you!?" he shouted through his sobs. Jesse swayed slightly. He sank to the ground, leaning against the wall of the hall.
God crouched and comforted him, like a father to his son. "That girl has changed you, you weren't n like this before, when I choose your nature. But death, I never wanted death, but he had to stay, because to strip someone of his doom, that luxury I got rid of long ago, for balance sake. She did not go to hell, and neither wilt you, Jesse."
Jesse looked up. "Then what will happen to us, will we go to heaven, or back to earth, or somewhere else."
The Lord pondered for a second, then said "Yea, I think so. But there is a test you must pass. You will arrive asleep, on the day Leslie died. You will have the same choice, and even so, you will still have a way to go. If you make the right choices, and with a little speed, you may save her, and your life will continue in a different strip of woven time. If not, you will have to live the rest of your life, in guilt and sadness for failing a second 't worry though! You will have a faint memory in your head. And yes, Jesse, Leslie was an angel. Walk through those doors and it will all begin."
And they got up, Jesse wiped his face of tears, and walked slowly towards the oaken doors, scared in every step. Before turning in, he asked "Was Terabithia real, or just imagination."
"Oh, it was imagination, and love. But why on earth should that mean it's not real?"