Chapter 12: Floor of heaven
P O V: Jonah Brett
Wine & Music I know that place well. Spent many days of my youth there, that stage my sister is standing on with our cousin Kay. that's where I met my best friend Caj we call it lucky green because the paint is so old it chips, it looks about ready to give out, yet it never did it remained strong. Many battle of the bands were won there.
My eyes scan the room so many of my loved ones are gathered there tonight all to honor Billy. My family they tried to be everything to us, they were to me at least in my time on earth all eleven years. They were my world, my rock. My mom Clover my sun she always made me feel shiny new and loved like the promise of a new day. She never went a day without a smile a positive quote of the day.
Now she's clutching dad's arm crying she never use to cry in public she always had us keep up a positive face. She would tell us to sing when we felt sad so no one knew how much they hurt us. She was strong even in the thick of our family's storms.
Now she's the thunder she's scaring me, breaking my heart at the same time. I can hear the venom in her words as they escape her lips. "Sylvie is our daughter." No Mom she's not and you know this! She'll always be mom to me, but then I am dead, I have no real chance to escape to find my real parents Sylvie does. She can be the one to uncover this scandal to bring peace to a family torn apart by our families lies.
This is harder than I thought I never imagined I would get to be in a room with my whole family ever again not since the last time twenty-eight years ago at my own funeral. I still remember it the church where Sylvie sang, her voice soared like an angel. At the graveside when mom broke down screaming crying. I was there by their side they never knew it, well most of them didn't Sylvie it was different she felt it, she saw me, I know she did. We're twins, we have that connection.
I like to think my presence gave her strength it gives me peace. Now here I am watching her time has been generous to her. She's beautiful her hair curling around her neck, her checks rosy filled with laughter happiness. She's grown of course that's what people who get to live do, they grow up. She's developed now, I remember how she use to complain because she didn't have breasts at eleven, mom would always say be patient darlin' you'll grow them when the good lord is ready for them to be grown. Well I guess the lord felt ready because she has them now. "Okay this is creepy dude she's your sister."
Everyone use to tell us for fraternal twins of different genders we looked identical. She would roll her eyes and I would laugh shove her teasing her because she was so underdeveloped she looked like a boy. I wish I could take those times back and tell her she was beautiful. I knew she would grow up to be a gorgeous women, even as a kid she was striking. Now she really is beautiful I'm jealous in a way she got to do the one thing I always longed to do.
Grow up.
I never got to see the world, graduate high school go away to college, experience a first kiss. Find my dreams, follow my passion, time ripped it all away from me. Away from my family they'll never be the same now dad he use to laugh throw us up in the air make us afraid of being dropped he never did of course. Dad's always catch their kids. Now he's angry his eyes are dark stormy he's on defense, he knows the storm is coming. He should he helped create it. He's strong though like a sailor who's ready to weather any storm at sea. He has no idea how brutal this storm is going to get though how rocky these waters are going to become. See I have an advantage now in my new Shadow one no one down there has. I can see the future, I don't need a crystal ball. Or fake powers for show to make money off unsuspecting gullible people. I am an angel we're our own brand of superhero's after all we are God's chosen few. We are the ones who give up the most when we die, we give up our future's.
So god rewards us chosen few those who were leaders down on earth we become leaders up here. He calls us his little Cods; Children of God. We get to watch over those who we left behind, we get to help them in their most desperate stages, but we also have a mission we are the angels who watch over the children who hurt.
"Hey buddy what's going on?" I smile at my friend Ryan he was the one who greeted me when I first came to heaven. A fellow warrior on earth he became my guide here in the heavens. "It's a good thing most of your family are first responders buddy because this is about to be your family's 9.1.1." I nod solemnly at him his smile is infectious as much here as it was on earth. "Yeah they will need the strength, I'm glad their here tonight together, this place holds special memories for all of us,"
"Nice gift the lord gives us kids/ soldiers huh? Must angels lose their earthly memories when they gain their heavenly wings, nope not us we get to keep ours."
"Yeah what's your favorite memory Ry-man?" He thinks about it for a minute before he smiles snapping his fingers. "Being at home with my mom and sister watching TV arguing over the better TV shows, just being together."
"What's yours man?" I motion to the image below us "Endless nights of singing my heart out, no words can describe the amazing feeling that moving people with you vocals can bring to the soul."
"No fights went on down there mom and dad were my biggest fans cheering for me, for Sylvie, for Kayla. I hate how after I died they stopped coming to support Kayla and Sylvie, they were so amazing they deserved the support just as much as I had."
"not your fault man."
"Isn't it Ry? Didn't you feel the same whenever your illness took away attention from Andrea?"
"Well my death destroyed my family, my sister suffered the most."
"You didn't ask to die man, if Sylvie could hear ya now what would she say?" Laughing I roll my eyes "She'd say my ego has grown as huge as my wings."
"Maybe she's right man."
"Sylvie worked so hard though she came here everyday after I died just to practice she did it to honor me but it became a way for her to get her feelings out. Music became her escape when her body started to fail her, when she was too weak to dance, she could always play her guitar and sing."
She got good really good I use to be jealous when I first died because when I was alive she never took it seriously dance was her passion, music mine. She would always taking mom and dad's time away from me with her stupid dance, they had to drive her all over, leaving me with little help to get to my competitions. Now she's gotten really good she's stolen my thunder even without meaning to.
I forgive her now of course time does that it gave me time to think. To feel her pain, hear her fears. I hope she can forgive me for dying and leaving her alone. Would she even know me if she saw me now? It's been so long she's changed so much I've stayed the same little boy I was when I died. Would we be friends now? I laugh it's a weird trait I've always had when things became too serious I laugh even when others get uncomfortable.
Ryan rolls his eyes shoving me. "Look this is some messed up shit man, my family is a bunch of screwed up clusters of liars, either I laugh or I cry, I've done enough crying."
"There's no tears in heaven silly, so you have to laugh."
We look at each other and laugh, yet my heart breaks, I miss them, all of them no one more than my sister though. We shared a bond no one could understand not just because we are twins, but because we shared these illnesses, it's an invisible thread that binds us blood cell to bloodline.
I can feel her pain her fear, her tears, her joy, her heartbeat. She can't feel mine anymore because I am no longer living, if she really needs me though I can go to her, I can make sure she feels my presence. we're not allowed to abuse it though, it has to be for dire emergencies.
"It's almost time boys." Jesus whispers in our ears I know the storm is coming it still hurts; knowing I am the one who is about to unleash it on them. It has to be me though I am the one person who swore would always have her back, if I am not there with her through this, I fear she won't be able to weather it.
"Can I just hear one last song Jesus? One song of peace?"
His answer is silent God is a man of few words. I take it as a yes, so I close my eyes, I feel Ryan squeeze my shoulder. I wonder who he is thinking about, His mom? His sister? A special girl he left behind? He died at 18 older than I was, yet still too young.
Gone too soon
Sylvie's voice starts strong steady and beautiful. The lyrics I don't know this must be a new song. Her guitar playing is fabulous she's really worked hard to perfect it. She could be any one of those country singers on the radio. She's not though.
She's my sister, my twin and I am forever proud to call her my older sister. I listen to the lyrics with my ears but I feel them with my heart. They touch my soul. Music has that power.
"Life is a wide horizon stretched across
the miles and empty canvas full of possibilities."
They sound amazing I feel her pain she's talking about Billy of course they both are, but maybe just maybe she's remembering me. Does she though? It's been so long.
"Stir the sky, catch the wind
Rope the moon, pull it in, align the stars
Paint the dawn, make your mark before your gone, cut your path, crave your name
Cuz the night is yours to take, chase the stars, Raise your hands hold them high."
Yes sis a little higher we can almost high five, touch the sky feel the clouds, you would like it here sis, soon enough you will be with me. It's beautiful up here in heaven.
"Stir the sky."
Oh the sky's about to be stirred sis. Like you've never seen before. "You have the power son. I know it's hard son but you're not sending her into battle unarmed, your giving her brothers to help guide her, it won't take away your bloodline son you're just expanding it. Matt and Kelly are your earth hands till she meets you here in heaven til she takes your hand and enters our kingdom. There's time left though on earth, she hasn't completed her mission. Trust in me Jonah, I am the almighty the resurrection, the giver the taker of life."
"Never alone." I whisper "correct my child now you have a mission Jonah you have a new soul to greet a new warrior to help you in this mission. Go forth be their light."
I see my cousin enter heaven looking lost. Time has been good to him he's not the eight year old boy I remember standing at my graveside weeping. No now he is tall, he stands proud he salutes me as he enters. "At ease Solider you are safe, you are home." He's older yet he still has that boyish grin when he smiles, it reaches his eyes.
"So this is heaven cuz?"
"Yeah Billy this is heaven pretty cool huh?"
He looks around "Yeah."
"Welcome home Billy welcome to the reward for your sacrifice, eternal life. Let's get you more comfortable clothes. Are you ready for your wings?"
"What are you looking at" I close the imagine etched into the floor of heaven before he can see it. He's too new; it's too raw. This will come in time for now there is work to be done. It'll be a while before I can check in on Sylvie again but I put my trust in our father, he controls all he knows all he is the creator of life. He has his plans as mysterious as they are to me. I trust him. Now I have to be to Billy what Ryan was to me when I came home.
A brother. It pains me to leave my sister again but I know will be together soon til then I give her into the arms of our brothers. I will love and I will have no fear, because God is our savior and he will protect us all.
A/N: Lyrics to stir the sky belong to Jordyn Kenzie check out her videos on youtube channel/UCghXEuvQu385CDkNXibW4mA/videos
or IG here jordyn_kenzie/?hl=en as always thanks for the love. Who's ready for one Chicago tonight?
