"Owen, what's going on?" Bret asked. "Am I in-."
"What's the last thing you remember…before you got here?" Owen asked.
Bret thought for a moment. "I was at breakfast with Shawn, Hunter, and Brian."
"OK." Owen said. "Lets start there."
"You wanted to see us sir." David Otunga said as he and a few other security agents entered Hunter's office. Hunter let go of Brian and got off the couch. He walked over to Otunga.
"Yes, I want you to search Wade Barrett and Justin Gabriel's rooms. It has come to my attention that they were seen doing some… suspicious things."
David nodded. "OK, I'll take these men and start the search, I'll report back to you when everything is done, majesty." David bowed respectively and left.
"So when are we starting the search?" One agent asked Dave. Dave looked at him.
"In a few minutes, I have to run to the agents office and get something, wait for me in the lounge." David said and walked down the hall, in the opposite direction. Once he was in the clear of all people and security cameras, he pulled out his cellphone and called a private number.
"Hey Wade, we have a situation…clean out your room and Justin's room…I was assigned by the king to come search you guys…someone is on to us, I can only give you guys five minutes…there's nothing in you guy's rooms…OK, we'll I'm searching Justin's first then you…OK bye."
"At breakfast." Owen started. "What do you remember doing?"
"Eating." Bret stated bluntly and Owen rolled his eyes. Even in purgatory, Bret was so difficult.
"Bret, what else?" Owen asked.
Bret thought for a moment. "I was joking with Shawn…I drunk his juice, got him all riled up then I can't remember." Bret said. "What's going on?"
Owen looked at the kids. "Should I tell him or make him suffer some more?"
"I think you should tell him everything." The little girl said and Owen nodded. He couldn't say no to her. She was just so cute. Owen turned back to Bret.
Justin looked up at the door when he heard a knock. It must be David.
"I'll get it." Justin told his roommate, Michael McGillicutty. Justin got up and answered the came face to face with David.
"Dave, what's up?" Justin acted surprised.
"We have orders to search your room?"
"Oh, Ok." Justin said and stepped out of the way, letting Dave and the other agents in. Michael looked up.
"What's going on?" He asked.
"We have to search your room?" Dave answered.
"Oh, well look in whatever you like of mine." Michael said before rolling over and falling back into his nap. He had nothing to hid and was worried about anything.
After searching the room for an hour, all of the agents came up empty handed so they all filed out. Dave was the last one to leave, he turned around and gave Justin a nod. He had done good work.
They then went to Wade's room and gave him the same treatment but came up empty handed as well. As they left, Wade gave Dave a thumbs up and Dave nodded. Everything was still fine, even if the plan was a bit off course.
"At breakfast, you drank Shawn's juice." Owen started. "Shawn's juice was laced with poison…you became poisoned after you drank."
Bret's eyes widen. "So, I'm dead and this is heaven?"
"Yes…No." Owen sighed. "No, this is not heaven. This is purgatory, the space in between heaven and hell, and you're not technically dead but you're not technically alive either...look I don't know how to explain it OK." Owen said and huffed. Bret rolled his eyes. Owen always gets frustrated over nothing.
"You were suppose to die." Owen started again. "You see, myself, mom, and dad, we were all waiting at the gate for you but then plans changed."
"How so?"
"Shawn is a very devout Christian and once you went into your coma started praying like no other." Owen explained and Bret smiled. "The Big Man Upstairs was very touched by this but at the same time he and his son have a job to do. They were very torn and didn't know what to do. They wanted to bring you into the kingdom that is Heaven but they didn't want Shawn to be miserable. So, I'm here to tell you that you have a decision to make." Owen played his hand on Bret's shoulder.
"You can go that way." Owen pointed to the bright light. "And ascend into the kingdom of heaven."
"Why are you talking like that?" Bret asked.
"Shut up, I'm trying to be serious." Owen retorted and rolled his eyes. "Or you can go back that way, to your earthly kingdom and be with Shawn."
Owen looked in Bret's eyes. "It's up to you."
"We found nothing, your majesties." Dave reported to Hunter and Brian. Hunter shook his head.
"OK, Thanks." Hunter waved David off and he left. "Damn." Hunter swore. "I can't convicted them without hard evidence. I can't get them on he say she say...I knew we should have installed cameras by the dumpsters."
"A mistake that we are learning from." Brian said. "I don't even care about who put those contraceptives in our food, as long as we find who poisoned Bret then I'll be happy." Brian said honestly. "I miss Bret."
"I do too." Hunter said. "And don't worry baby. We'll find them if it's the last thing I do."
"They have been questioning us and searching our stuff." Wade told Sunny via telephone. "Someone must have seen us."
"How would they see you? Where did you meet?" Sunny asked.
"Out back, by the dumpsters."
"Are there any cameras back there?"
"No."
"Then no one saw you." Sunny answered. "He's probably searching everyone, starting with higher up servants and working his way down the tier."
"I hope you're right." Wade said. "I don't want to have to kill anyone else."
"How is Bret?" Sunny asked. She feared for his life.
"Same, they are starting to lose hope."
"If I lose him." Sunny growled. "You'll lose Justin…an eye for an eye." Sunny hung up the phone. She really hoped Bret woke up. She really didn't want to have to kill Justin…but she would.
Bret looked at Owen. His choice? Heaven would be nice. He would get to see his mom and dad and spend time with his brother. He would have his family again but Shawn was his family and he loved Shawn. He hadn't even done half things he wanted to do with and to Shawn. He loved his parents and Owen but he had to go back. He had to be with Shawn. Shawn would be miserable without him and heaven wouldn't be as fun without Shawn. He would be just as miserable.
"Don't take this the wrong way." Bret started. "But I have to go back to Shawn."
Owen smiled. "I knew you'd make the right choice." Owen pulled Bret in for a hug. He let go and stepped back. "I'll see you and Shawn in about fifty or sixty years."
"Maybe longer." Bret said and Owen chuckled.
Bret turned to the kids and dropped down on his knees so he was at their level.
"I had funny with you guys, even when you guys attacked me." Bret said.
"Yeah, sorry about that." The middle boy replied.
"Well, I have to go now. I'll see you guys." Bret said, not knowing if he would ever see those kids again.
"We'll see you." The middle boy and the little girl said.
"And you'll see me real soon." The oldest boy said and gave a smirk.
Bret stood up and shook his head. What the hell was that suppose to mean?
Owen laughed at the confused look on Bret's face. God, his brother was so slow sometimes.
Bret waved at all of them before walking off into the darkness and away from the bright shining light and back to Shawn's arms.
Bret gradually opened his eyes as they adjusted to the light in the room. The first thing he saw was the white title on the ceiling. He looked around and saw the IV drip and the heart monitor. He turned to his other side and saw Shawn, well the back of Shawn's head. He was reciting what sounded like prayers. Bret tried to say his name but because his throat was so dry it came out as a whisper and Shawn was so deep in prayer that he couldn't here him.
After a few tries, Bret had managed to lift up his arm. He moved it and placed his hand on the back of Shawn's head.
Shawn was quickly broken out of his prayer when he felt the hand on his head. He looked up and looked right into Bret's eyes and Bret smiled. Bret was awake. Bret was alive. Shawn gasped and his eyes shone with tears as he was so overcome with emotion. He was so happy that all he could say was,
"Bret."
Thanks 4 Reading
YoominC16