Heaven's Will

Where Aldrin went

WHERE ALDRIN WENT

The moment Aldrin opened his eyes, he knew he was lost. He was standing in a vast field of nothingness.

Inilibot nya ang kanyang mga mata. Nakatanaw siya ng bundok sa di kalayuan.

On top of it was a golden gate.

Ang dami nyang tanong sa kanyang utak.

Nasaan siya? Ano ang lugar na ito? Paano siya napunta rito?

Perhaps if he reached the gate, he could find someone there who could answer his questions. So he ran. He ran and ran and ran some more. But how is it possible that no matter how fast his legs moved, he was still in the same spot?

He heard someone call his name. He turned and found himself face to face with a peculiar man. The man was wearing matching white shirt and pants.

"Who are you?" tanong niya. Nginitian siya nito at tinapik sa balikat.

"I'm Julian. I'm an angel. And this?" He raised his arms. "This is the in between."

"Niloloko mo ba ako? Where am I and what am I doing here?" He was confused. Bewildered, even.

Napahalukipkip si Julian. "Hindi kita binibiro, Aldrin. And to answer your question as to why you're here... It's because you're dead. You're dead Aldrin, you hear me?"

Aldrin furrowed his brows. Him? Dead? How could that be? He's very much alive and he could feel it! Why was this man, who he doesn't even know, pulling pranks on him?

"I'm sorry, but there must be a mistake." Naguguluhan si Aldrin. Nasaan ba siya at bakit kung ano anong kalokohan ang sinasabi ng lalaking ito? Hindi kaya ay takas ito sa mental kaya ito nakaputi?

"That's what they all say. God doesn't make mistakes, Aldrin. Believe me, I know. Do you want to know how you died? Do you want to witness your own death? Are you brave enough to believe?"

Hindi pa rin siya naniniwala. Imposibleng patay na siya. He looked down and moved his hands, and then his feet. He touched the skin of his face and felt how warm it was.

Julian offered his hand, reluctant, Aldrin took it.

The scene rippled.

Suddenly, they were on a road. They saw a black car approaching. A black car that looked exactly like the one he owned.

He blinked. And the next thing he knew, they were on the car's backseat. His heart was beating rapidly. He leaned over to see who was in the driver's seat.

Aldrin saw himself.

How could this be? How could he be just a mere onlooker?

Tumingin siya sa kabilang upuan. He saw a girl sleeping peacefully. Nakita niya ang sarili niyang ngumiti rito at hinaplos ang buhok nito.

Cyrelle. He thought. His voice wouldnt work in the vision. All he could do was watch. He looked towards Julian and the angel just nodded.

All of a sudden there was a blinding light and a loud screeching of tires. Nagising si Cyrelle at agad na tumili ito. Aldrin saw himself covering Cyrelle's body with his own.

"I love you, Cy." Those were his last words.

Just before the car hit them, the scene shifted again.

They were inside a hospital room. Again, he saw himself. He was lying on the hospital bed. Kung ano ano ang mga nakakabit sa katawan niya at may benda sa ulo at leeg niya.

A machine beeped nearby.

He saw her again.

Cyrelle was sitting beside the bed and she looked thinner than he remembered. There were dark circles under her puffy and bloodshot eyes. Even then, she still looked beautiful to him.

She was holding his hand. She said, "I love you, Aldrin."

A loud ear-splitting sound filled the room. Aldrin saw the panic and terror flash in Cyrelle's face in that moment. He looked at the machine and noticed the red line. This is it, this is his own death happening before his own eyes.

"No! No, no! Aldrin, please, no! Don't do this! Please, stay with me!" She sobbed uncontrollably. Inalog-alog nito ang walang buhay niyang katawan.

"Aldrin, gising!This is not a good joke! You can't die on me! I refuse... Please, I refuse to allow you to die!" Tears were running down her cheeks. Aldrin felt his own eyes water as he watched her sob over his death.

Gusto niyang yakapin ito, patahanin, at sabihing magiging okay lang ang lahat. Pero hindi nya magawa. Maya-maya ay dumating na ang mga doktor.

Here he was staring at his lifeless body and their desperate attempts to revive him. "Do everything. Please, do everything." Cyrelle hugged herself and did not even attempt to hide the tears streaming down her face.

The doctors tried and tried, but to no avail. Hindi na siya nailigtas ng mga ito.

Cyrelle hugged his dead body tightly and sobbed in his chest. "Ayoko! Aldrin, hindi puwede! Hindi ako pumapayag! Come back! Please, please come back!"

Watching this scene broke his heart to smithereens. The doctor removed the tubes connected to his body. Cyrelle looked angry as she pushed the doctor away and tried to connect all the tubes back herself.

"Bakit niyo tinatanggal? Hindi pa siya patay! Aldrin is not yet dead!" Humahagulgol na sabi nito habang hawak ang dextrose at pilit na ibinabalik sa kamay niya. "He can't be!"

A look of sympathy flashed on the doctor's face. "I'm sorry, Miss. Ginawa namin ang lahat sa abot ng aming makakaya."

It was like in the movies. Except in the movies, it hurt a lot less.

"Please, make him live. Mga doktor kayo, huwag niyo siyang hayaang mawala sa akin..." She broke down. Palms on her face, she continued sobbing while calling Aldrin's name.

Hindi na kaya ni Aldrin. Ang sakit sakit nang makita si Cyrelle na ganito. Hindi niya na kaya. For the first time in the cruel vision, his voice returned.

"Enough."

Aldrin closed his eyes to block the tears. When he opened them, they were back in between.

A tear trickled across his cheek, and another, and another. He took a series of deep breaths to calm himself but it did not work. He could still feel the pain in his heart along with Cyrelle's anguish over his loss.

Julian approached and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Welcome to the afterlife. And this... is what death feels like." Julian smiled kindly. "C'mon, Drin. Time to explore heaven! This'll be fun."

Julian offered his hand and a look of uncertainty flashed on Aldrin's face.

"I can't." His eyes started to tear up again.

"Why not?"

"You saw her, right? You saw the girl that I love. I have to find a way to go back to Earth. I couldn't bear the thought that she's miserable because..."

"Because you died?" The angel supplied.

He looked down, pain evident on his face. "Yes. Julian, please. You have to help me. I'll beg if I have to."

"You belong here. This is where you're supposed to be."

"Please... She needs me." His voice broke.

"Sinabi ko na sayo, diba? I can't help you. Masyadong malaki ang hinihingi mo." Umiling ito sa kanya. Nanlulumong napaupo na lamang siya sa isang batong malaki sa tabi niya.

There was a moment of silence then...

"Julian?"

"Yes, Aldrin?"

"Have you.. have you ever been in love?" Julian was startled with his question but he answered.

"Once, when I was alive." Bumakas sa mukha ng anghel ang pangungulila ngunit pinilit nitong itago iyon.

"Do you remember what it feels like?" Tanong pa ni Aldrin.

"I do." The angel replied sadly as wistfulness flashed on his face while reminiscing.

Aldrin looked away. He sighed and started talking.

"To be in love with her is happiness like no other. I want to be with her, protect her and treasure her. She's the gift sent from above and she means the world to me." Aldrin swallowed. "I love her so bad."

Julian sighed. "Aldrin-"

"I'm willing to face the odds for her. Please, I just need a second chance." Julian seemed to be weighing his decision. Aldrin waited patiently even if the waiting was killing him. A few minutes have passed and he was almost sure his request would be denied when Julian sighed.

"I know how hard it is to be separated from the one you love." Napatingin lang ito sa malayo. "I sense the purest of intentions in your heart. I'll help you."

"but what?" Aldrin asked because he could already feel the 'but' from his sentence.

"But I must warn you. Your journey on Earth will not be easy. To be able to prove yourself worthy of a second chance, you will be put to a test. You must set things right even when you're faced with all the wrongs."

"If I succeed what happens then?" Aldrin's heart was pounding louder and faster now, waiting for the answer.

Julian faced him. "You will get your life back."