by Aron Lewes
School for Spirits – Chapter Two
AS SOON AS AMBER TOUCHES my arm, we shoot into the sky. You know that feeling you get when you go down a roller coaster, and your stomach does a little tumble? That's exactly how I feel right now, but we're going up instead of down.
At the beginning of our ascent, we're engulfed in a blur of white, warm light. The light gradually changes color, from white to gold.
“Amber!” I gasp. “Amber, where are we going?”
“You'll see. Just try to stay calm, Leigh.” Amber gently squeezes my shoulders. To be honest, I wish she'd squeeze me the entire time. I keep thinking I'm going to slip through her fingers and fall to my death—which is a silly thought, since I'm dead already.
A few seconds later, we're drifting up a golden elevator shaft, where we pass some of the most enormous quartz crystals I've ever seen in my life. The crystals make a high-pitched, reverberating sound as we glide up the shaft.
When the elevator shaft ends, we're suddenly soaring through space. Everywhere I look, I'm surrounded by endless oceans of stars. In the distance, I can see smoky nebulas in every imaginable color. It's a beautiful sight, but I'm more scared than awed.
Amber must sense my fear, because she suddenly says, “Don't be afraid. Just relax. We're nearly there.”
At the end of our journey through space, I find myself in Heaven. Literal Heaven. Seriously, this is exactly how I've always imagined it. It's storybook Heaven. When Amber and I finally stop flying, our feet touch down on a blanket of woolly white clouds. Flocks of doves are swirling around us. I'm surrounded by towering gold pillars, and at the top of each pillar, there's a meditating angel. Unlike Amber, these angels have wings. I feel a little dizzy when I look up at them, so I grab Amber's arm to steady myself.
“Are you alright?” she asks.
“Uh-huh. I'm just feeling a little woozy, I guess.”
“That's alright. That happens to many people when they reach Home for the first time,” Amber tells me. “The flight can be overwhelming to one's senses.”
“Uh... yeah. I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed.” Not too far in the distance, I see a silver-white castle with massive, soaring spires. It looks kind of like the castle in Disneyland, which is probably a lame way to describe it, but that's the best comparison my muddled mind can make. Or maybe it looks a little bit like Valhalla from the Thor movies? Either way, it's a pretty awesome sight.
“You're looking at your new dormitory,” Amber calmly informs me.
Unlike her, I'm anything but calm. “The castle? Seriously?”
“Indeed. I'm sure you'll find it quite agreeable.” Amber gently caresses my shoulder as she steers me in the direction of the fairytale castle. “You've arrived at a good time, by the way. School begins tomorrow.”
“Wait, what? School?” I shriek. Amber's news hits me like a punch in the gut. Not having to go to school was going to be one of death's best perks.
“Indeed. But it's nothing like school as you know it.” When we reach the castle's towering gate, it opens automatically for us. “There won't be endless notes and pop quizzes, but you will be tested.”
“Great...” I groan. “I love tests.”
“It's fun, I promise! Well... most of the time, it's fun.” A tiny giggle slips from Amber's lips as she escorts me down the castle's violet hallways.
“This is... really weird,” I murmur.
“You'll get used to it.”
“Yeah... I'm not sure I will,” I politely object. “Does everyone have an experience like this when they get to Heaven, or is mine unique?”
“Oh, yes. Everyone has a similar experience... although... most souls aren't quite so lonely.” Amber's plum-colored lips dip into a pout. “Most are greeted by their departed loved ones, which, as you might guess, is quite comforting. When I passed away, my mother came to greet me, and it was a beautiful reunion. Unfortunately—or fortunately, perhaps—you never lost anyone. There was a great-great-grandfather who expressed an interest in meeting you. I should warn you, though... he's nearly the same age as you, so it might be strange.”
“My great-great-grandfather died young?”
“Oh, yes. He was only eighteen,” Amber shares the information with a pitying sigh. “A young soul coming Home is always an unfortunate thing. You have so much more to learn, and you often require more guidance than most.”
I shake my head at her remark. “I don't think I'll need that much guidance. A lot of people said I was pretty wise for my age.”
“Good. I hope they're correct.” When we reach our destination, Amber throws out an arm, halting my advance. “We're here.”
“Where's here?” I ask.
Amber directs my attention a plain, white door. “This is it. This is your new room. If it's not to your liking, you're welcome to tell me. You'll have a roommate, of course. We've been looking for an appropriate roommate for Alyx for the last three days, and I think you'll be perfect. We usually try to pair up spirits of a similar age.”
Before I can ask any questions about my new roommate, Amber throws open the door. When I peek inside, I see a young girl with earbuds. It takes me a few seconds to process that. How does she have earbuds in Heaven? Her hair is short, blue and shaved on the sides, and she's got tons of tattoos and piercings. In other words, she looks much cooler than me.
“Alyx!” Amber calls to her in a singsong voice. “Alyx Keating, we finally found a roommate for you!”
Alyx pops the buds from her ears and takes a few seconds to assess me. After a long pause, she eventually says, “Cool.”
“Her name's Leigh.” Amber gives me a gentle push through the doorway. “You girls are the same age, so I'm sure you'll get along great!”
Oh, Amber. Really? For an angel, she seems pretty naive. Being the same age as someone doesn't make you instant friends. Alyx is probably going to think I'm a huge geek.
“I'm very busy,” Amber tells me as I saunter into my new room, “but I'll be back later to tell you more. You and Alyx should get to know each other. Remember... always be kind!” Amber's smile stretches as her gaze snaps back and forth between me and my new roommate. “Goodbye, girls!”
When the door closes, my stomach drops. Now we have the awkward responsibility of trying to get to know each other.
“So, uh... what are you listening to?” I try to make conversation with her. She's listening to her music on some kind of divine iPad. It looks like she's holding a piece of square, white light.
“My favorite band. Regal Crimson,” Alyx says.
I've never heard of them, but I don't tell her that. They're probably popular, so I don't want to look like an idiot. I just nod and say, “Cool.” After a short pause, I ask a question that's been gnawing at me since I entered this room. “So, like... you can listen to music in the afterlife?”
“Oh, yeah. Totally. You can even watch tv and shit.” Alyx points to a big, white screen in the corner of the room. “I've been catching up on all my favorite shows for a few days now. It's been an epic binge. I have zero responsibilities. It's awesome.”
“Yeah. It sounds awesome,” I agree.
“I don't know if you'll have as much time to kill, though. We have school tomorrow.”
“Yeah...” I sigh. “That's what I've heard.” I decide to ask another question, and I don't know if this one's appropriate or not. “So, um... how did you die?”
“Suicide.” Alyx answers my question with a shrug, as if it's not a big deal. “I shot myself in the head with my dad's gun.”
“Uh... wow.” My reaction makes me cringe, but what else was I supposed to say? “Do you regret it?”
“No. Not really. My dad was an ass, so I'm glad to get away. Besides, it's not so bad here.” Alyx sticks one bud in her ear, as if to suggest our conversation is nearing its end. “How did you die?”
“I got hit by a couple of idiots in a truck.”
“Oh, shit. That's not good,” Alyx attempts sympathy. “So... are you pretty bumm
ed about it?”
“Well, I'm definitely not happy.” I glance around our shared bedroom, which is already wallpapered in Regal Crimson posters. I guess Alyx is a pretty rabid fan.
“Seriously, it's not so bad!” my roommate tries to reassure me. “There's a lot to like. Seriously, the food is amaaaay-zing!”
“There's food?” I ask. I didn't think my intestines would still require sustenance.
“Oh, yeah. I mean... you don't need to eat, but you can if you want to. It's not paradise without pizza, am I right?” As we chat, Alyx starts bobbing her head to Regal Crimson, which she's currently blasting into a single ear. I hope she doesn't ask what music I like. If I tell her I like classical, I'll solidify my position as a total nerd.
“You can get pizza? For real?” I have a lot of questions. I hope she's not too annoyed. So far, she seems friendly enough.
“Oh yeah. You can get all kinds of toppings, too.” Alyx chuckles at my shocked expression. “Oh my god, wait until you try the chocolate here! It... is... insane.”
I'd love to have some chocolate right now. If Heaven chocolate is even better than chocolate back home, at least I have one reason to get excited.
Still—amazing chocolate hardly makes up for the fact that I won't be seeing my family anymore.
Until I can hug my little sister again, my sadness won't go away.
Also by Aron Lewes
Cinderella & Dragons
After Cinderella
Sleeping Beauty Is Just Not That Into You
The Wicked Witch's Prince
First Contact
Little Alien on the Prairie
Little Alien Enslaved
My Lady Robin Hood
Lady of Locksley
A Sheriff's Redemption
The Lion Returns
Spirit School
School for Spirits: A Dead Girl and a Samurai
School for Spirits: Final Test
School for Spirits: Rebel Archangel
School For Spirits: Angel of Death
School For Spirits: Archangel Undercover
School for Spirits: Almost an Archangel
School for Spirits: Earth Angel (Coming Soon)
The Black Knight Chronicles
The Darkest Knight
The Laziest Mage
The Bloodiest Daughter
The Darker Ages
The Darker Ages
The Darker Ages 2: Rebirth
The Darker Ages 3: Retribution
The Fox and the Assassin
Vixen's Chosen
Vixen's Magic
Vixen's Challenge
Standalone
Cinderella & Dragons
The Darker Ages: The Complete Series
Aurora Abroad
The Black Knight Chronicles: The Complete Series
Machine Girl
The Ghost of Redemption (A School for Spirits Story) (Coming Soon)