Lush Life

Chapter 3: Where do We go when We don't die?

"No Mk, Stop drowning"

"I see it in your eyes, I can see it. Don't go south like I did"

"Don't... Don't push off the world."

Matthew Kruise was falling down a black hole, looking up at a swirling dark cloud as he listened to a voice he'd known for half of his life. A voice echoing words he'd heard before.

Words that pierced his soul.

"Everyone needs companions. "

"Don't be a weeping willow now... Don't tell dad either, we'll meet again. "

He closed his eyes. The beginning of all his dreams were more of reminisces implanted in his subconscious, with characters that always had a glow of dark purple within their very essence.

Another voice came.

"Why didn't you tell us he planned leaving? "

"Can't... fix... a broken... "

Suddenly everything faded to a mix of monochrome reminisces; The end of the First phase.

He opened his eyes, he was standing at the door of the garage. A familiar figure walked up to him. Suddenly he felt small, just as young as he was when it happened, everything seemed the same as when it had happened except it was daytime. A bright dazzling type of light that seemed to drown the air out was the source of daylight, it felt bright but not hot. A light that seemed like it would blind if it brightened any further. The figure walked closer, he was smiling brightly. Then he spoke.

"Mk, what's up?"

"I'm.. "

"Lost? "

"Yeah, I'd say so..."

"I know, I always knew. I always saw it in your eyes, but then you know what comes next. "

"I don't think so."

"But you feel so... "

"I do, like something's about to... "

"End. "

"Yeah, I just don't know what is. "

"Your past, Matthew... Me... Let go of it, let go of the crisis, let go of the confinement. "

"I... I can't. It's like... too much has happened to be able to go out into the world, like... I can live and mix well with everyone but I don't want to be a part of everyone, like there's no time or need to be a part of it, even though... "

"Even though there is. "

"Yeah, even though there is. "

Matthew bent his head, he could feel tears gathering at the corner of his eyes, threatening to start a waterfall down his face.

"You can let go, you can expand your world and own alot. But you first need to face the world with an open chest. And it seems... " The figure beamed at him, "you feel you need to find out what really happened, what happened to me. "

"Yeah. " Matthew raised his head, "where are you now? "

"But it isn't worth it Mk, for what it's worth the truth is grisly. I'm gone so I'm gone. I'm in your hearts, that's what matters. "

"You didn't answer my question. "

The figure smiled, then rolled his hand through his hair. "People obsess over the question of "Where do we go at the end?", "What happens to us when we're gone?", "What is the After like?" and forget "'Where do we go when we haven't come to the end yet?', don't you think?"

"I know. Current life journeys and projects meant to be achieved before the start of the inevitable end whose end is not known are forgotten in pursuit of the question of a paradise-promise of an after or eternity. But still, it's an inescapable aspect of human curiosity which I'm now guessing..." Matthew looked directly in what was supposed to be the eyes but was a mere darkened part of the face of the dream figure inspite of the brightness of the atmosphere, "should not be answered definitely, huh?"

The male figure nodded with a knowing expression on his face.

Matthew out his hand in his pockets, "and dad? What about him? "

The figure smiled, "I let everything about that go before the crash Mk."

Suddenly a car pulled up on the street.

"That's my cue, Mk. Now," the figure landed a hand on Matthew's shoulder, "take real care of yourself and remember, closing up tighter only deepens the cracks. You won't see me for a longg time, I won't lie. You know Kruises have a problem with not being direct."

Matthew smiled at the stated fact, "yeah we do Mikael."

"Except mum. "

"Except mum, " Matthew concurred, laughing. "It's the same car... "

Suddenly the figure's countenance changed then he smiled once more. "Time for me to go Mk, remember; let go. Hold on to only the important things. Take care of everyone now Mkee, you're the man." The figure, Michael then winked and turned to leave.

"That jacket, you always wore it. What is it really about?" Matthew inquired, looking at the grey leather jacket with the image of a bird of prey sewn onto it, etched widely on the rear.

"You'll find out on the road to your purpose Mk. You've got one as well."

Matthew suddenly noticed the jacket on him. This one however was black and he couldn't check out the engraved image at the back of it, although he had a very sure feeling there was one there.

Mikael got in the car and Matthew could see a figure was inside as well. He walked to the car, it was a convertible. He looked at the two occupants.

"I'm driving, cakes. " the lady told Michael who smiled at her.

Suddenly a familiar feeling swept over him. "This is where it happens..." He whispered to himself, "Mikael... Mikael! Do you have to go, like finally go? "

Michael didn't even turn to face him, the car started. It was like they took no notice of his presence any longer.

"Mikael!"

The car took up speed, going out of sight in what seemed like seconds and Matt felt it. The atmosphere felt it too, it changed; turned darker. The crash had happened again but this time it was different. This time it was his crash. He was thrown up high, crashing into the sky as the sky became ground and ground sky.

"REMEMBER YOUR WINGS BEFORE YOU TOUCH THE GROUND!"

The End of the Second Phase and the start of an unknown one.

Matthew woke up breathing hard. The last words dancing in his head. He wasn't sweating, instead he felt really cold. His head felt heavy and woozy at the same time and his skin was ice cold. He turned to look out the window at the dawning sky, his feelings a mix of several that he couldn't pick out. One thing he knew for sure; Things would never be the same.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

"Your sister has refused to come out of her room Matt. If you'll be able to get some reason into her with your infamous way with words I'd be more than grateful. " Mrs Kruise's voice reached Matt across the dinner table. Matthew sighed as he stood up, "Not volunteering for that mother, not volunteering. "

Mrs Kruise sighed, "You all are just like your dad, too darn stubborn. "

Matthew snickered quietly. "Including Mikael? " He smirked at her.

An emotional storm ran across her face before drenching in a smile, "No, Michael was more like me." Matthew grabbed his bag, still smirking as he stood up, "Alright then. King's coming today right?"

"Yeah, he should be. " His mother rose from her chair, patting her bun as she did, "for some reason his dad wanted him to wait till today before flying in from Nigeria."

"Why? " Matthew asked, humorous confusion drawn on his face as he held the doorknob.

She gave a shrug smiling, her dark complexioned face glowing from the sunlight beginning to pour in from the window nearest to her, the same dark skin his sister had genetically taken. He looked at her, admiring her beauty. He smiled at her, "If I was to put you on a page woman, you'd be an 8."

"Oh really? " She responded, raising an eyebrow at him and smiling, "you should see me when I turn 40. "

"Which will be in a couple of years, which I don't count as a determining factor." He disagreed with her, announcing it with a smirk.

"Oh? Oya, let's see then. "

"Ehn, houya. "

"It's Oya, " his mum laughed "now off to school lil man. "

"Still counts as a good try." he turned to leave.

"Yeah right. That reminds me; you should go see your dad over the weekend. "

Matthew stopped at the spot, his back turned to the interior of the house. Mikael's words came to him like a cold breeze, "I let it go a long time before the crash..." He took a deep breath and suddenly his eyes caught sight of the light tower in the distance.

"Yeah, yeah sure thing."

* * * * * * * * * * * *

At N.O highschool everyone was busy with preparations for the Christmas party they were going to host the next week as they were accustomed to doing. The Principal had instructed them to still continue coming to school and continue making the preparations despite the fact that the school was supposed to be closed for the year already two days ago. All the students either felt cheated at the thought of being drawn into yet another "last day of school" or ecstatic about the upcoming party while some felt both. At least it was just two days more and this was the last.

Matthew and some few other students were assigned to work on the auditorium. The school was meant to close by 2pm since it was the "last day of school" for the term. This time it was for real, he hoped.

He looked at his watch; 1:50pm. He blew air from his mouth in exasperation, the prop wouldn't just fit into the side of the huge stage curtain.

Suddenly a crashing sound came from behind the curtain, some few students around rushed in to the spot to check out the source of the noise. He followed them. A student gave a small laugh at the sight, there on a fallen curtain was Lolita Washwalter writhing in pain.

"Woah, it's really serious Zachary, stop laughing. " Another voice came, it was a female student "Someone grab the first aid in the corner over there!"

After what seemed like minutes but was actually a long time they could finally get Lolita on her feet.

"Just great! Just... Great!! " came the voice of Zachary Anderson walking in from the hallway.

"What? What's that? " Peter Ashes asked.

"Maybe we were too engrossed in getting our fallen bird here up, or the noise of a thousand footsteps rushing down the halls were too quiet for us? I don't know, I don't know. But right now school's closed, like for real it's closed and we're locked in."

"What?!" Many voices uttered the same word at different pitches but with the same feeling of confusion and horror.