The InBetween

Twenty-Four Hours Ago (Miguel's POV)

Miguel turned over in agony as his stomach turned with him. He was light-headed, his vision was blurred and doubled, and he could barely stand without bumping into someone. A muffled voice rang in his ear. "Woah, easy now." 

Miguel saw two Connies' grab his arms before losing balance herself. The two fell onto the clouds completely dazed. Miguel saw a pair of Jacobs' and Tyrones' follow their lead.

Now the four kids just lay on the clouds of heaven, too tired and motion-sick to do anything but stare at the clear skies above them and limply point at any angels flying by. Now Miguel knew Life was not exaggerating about the major motion-sickness. With teleportation like THAT, Miguel would much rather walk everywhere else, thank you very much.

The kids stayed in peaceful silence for a while until Tyrone rolled on his stomach and started writing in his new book. "What're you up to there, Ty?" Jacob asked.

"Chapter one of Tyrone Bedell's memoir: 'Lookin' like hell cause I just got back.' " 

"You're starting that ALREADY?" Connie asked.

"Hey, I need to write it while the details are still fresh in my head."

"Who's going to see this memoir? You're already dead. Unless you can publish books here about your life NOBODY's going to read about your afterlife."

Miguel turned to face Connie "Listen, Con-"

"Not 'Con.' Just 'Connie' please."

"Listen Connie. Since you are gonna be friends with us, you need to learn to look on the bright side a little more. Loosen up. And learn who Kesha is."

"Pessimism doesn't roll with us too well." Tyrone added.

Connie looked confused, so Miguel began explaining what exactly pessimism meant.

"No, I know that," She cut off "Did you just say we're FRIENDS?"

Miguel got nervous. Was she still mad at them for killing her? Most likely, she only did this for closure. She would never want to be friends with him. 

"I mean, only if you want to," he backtracked "You saved our butts back there."

"And what you did to Chaos was hilarious." Tyrone chuckled.

"Gory, graphic, and so needlessly violent..." Jacob added "But yes, hilarious."

Connie just shrugged and looked back up again. Even with her face turned, Miguel could see a clear, wide, genuine smile on her face.

"It suits her" He thought.

GRRRRRRRRRRRR.

Miguel shot up thinking some sort of bear mutant had followed them, but no. The source of the growling came from Jacob's belly.

"Sorry." Jacob said before a growl echoed from Tyrone.

"I haven't eaten in however long we've been dead! I didn't think you could still get hungry when you're dead."

"You can if your afterlife so far has literally been hell." Connie explained.

"Ugh, I miss my ma's chicken stew." Tyrone complained.

"I miss my mother in general." Jacob agreed.

"That's kind of why I brought us here specifically. These clouds aren't just for lying on." Miguel had them all roll onto their stomachs. He pulled the clouds apart and right there was a clear image of the Earth. As they zoomed, things got more and more familiar. "This helps you look down on your loved ones," Miguel added "So you don't miss them too much. Plus, you can see how they're doing until they join us up here."

The zooming halted at a morbid image. Jacob's face went pale. Tyrone gasped and covered his mouth. Connie looked away for a minute, as if she were trying not to cry. Miguel just froze, unable to react to the  haunting sight before them.

"She was found in the river twenty-four hours ago," The doctor explained. "The bullet wounds are definitely infected, but somehow it hasn't spread to her brain yet..."

"What does that mean?" Connie's uncle asked.

"It means until we can be certain nothing important like the heart hasn't been infected, she is to be kept in this coma."

"Oh my god..." Her uncle fell to his knees beside an unresponsive Connie "This is all my fault. I should have searched harder, I should have contacted classmates..."

"Hey," Kaylee placed a comforting hand on her Uncle's shoulder "She's not dead. She's in a coma. Plus she's the most persistent, stubborn kid I've ever worked with, she'll wake up."

Her Uncle sniffled "How are the other three?"

"The boys are in comas, too. It's crazy almost. Their heartbeats- along with Connie's- are in perfect sync. Anyway, if you want to see them, their families are in the rooms just next door."

"Thank you."

The vision followed the adults to the hallway. Where we were greeted with Terry and Fiona (Connie's would be foster parents) Miguel's mother and brother, Tyrone's parents and Jacob's whole family arguing.

"You said he was in his room!" Jacob's goth sister yelled at her mother "You are so wrapped up in your own head you can't realize when something's clearly wrong!"

"Oh, don't act like you noticed!" The mum snapped back "If we had it your way Jacob would be missing for years! Remember the central mall out of town?"

"That wasn't just me!" The goth yelled back.

"Violet! Grace! Please!" Jacob's dad was stressing about keeping the tots in check. He turned his attention back to them "Don't mind your mother and sister. Jacob is taking a NAP. Got it?"

"Did I turn him into sleeping beauty with my magic?" one with low pigtails asked.

"No Henrietta."

"Did I?" One with higher pigtails asked "Because if someone goes in and kisses him, maybe he'll-"

"Nobody is kissing him, Henna. But don't worry. He is okay. He is gonna be okay."

"Don't make promises like that, Rick." Grace said, causing the twins to panic and cry.

"God mum, now look what you've done!" The goth - Violet said "Can't you retain a little hope?"

"Don't use the Lord's name in vain!" Grace nagged, starting another big outburst poor Rick had to clean up.

Tyrone's parents were mainly just watching the show, holding each other while whispering sweet but empty re-assurances that their son would be okay. "Mari-Posa," Tyrone's mum said "You said they were sleeping over."

"I had just assumed that," Miguel's mum seemed to be taking it the worst of all. The woman was shaking in her eldest son's arms "I just thought, he said he'd be home late...Oh Carlos! I should've sent you out to get him!" 

Carlos brought his mama in for another hug as she wept for her youngest "Oh, mi hijo!"

The vision closed off on a few doctors rallying the families out into a different room to grieve together. After that, Miguel slowly brought out his hand and pulled the clouds back together. The four were awfully silent for a while until Miguel asked: "So, who's up for a half-baked, poorly executed plan on how to get back to life?"

"I am." Tyrone, Jacob and Connie said in unison. A growl of ferocious hunger came from everybody's belly now.

Miguel smiled "Alright. But first: My place, dinner. I have some refreshments you are going to LOVE."