The InBetween

Four Child Deaths (Miguel's POV)

Miguel and Connie watched in despair as Tyrone sank back into the river. The two slowed to a stop as they watched in horror when their friend's head never re-surfaced. Miguel grabbed the girl's arm and pulled her along. "C'mon! We have to find them!"

Their chase was cut short when a figure with wings landed in their path. The children gasped and stumbled back at the stranger's sudden appearance. She raised her arms in surrender "Easy kiddos. I come in peace." The stranger had golden brown skin with brunette hair tied into a long, low and slightly loose ponytail. She wore a sleeveless white gown that covered her feet. Her dark brown eyes showed sympathy and compassion for the little strangers in front of her.

Miguel was more focused on her wings. White feathers all make-shifted these life-sized wings that seemed taller than the girl herself. Connie slowly pointed at a golden ring floating above the woman's head. The woman nodded like she could read Connie's mind. "Yes, I am an angel. You might wanna follow me."

Miguel was beyond lost. "What is an ANGEL doing at wither woods?"

The angel shook her head as she grabbed the boy and girl by their hands, practically pulling them away from the river that drowned their friends. "I'll explain once I bring you home."

"Home is actually that way." Connie corrected, pointing at the direction of the rapidly moving river. 

"Not anymore." The angel said, keeping her eyes forward. Miguel wasn't entirely sure he could trust her. She seemed nice, looked nice (not that it mattered but smelled REALLY nice), but he knew stranger danger when he saw it.

"Hang on a second." The boy said, jerking his hand back. "How do we know you're a REAL angel? That halo could just be an illusion or something."

The angel had her eyes on him one moment, next they were past him and full of rage. Connie's were following the woman's, full of fear. The stranger spread her enormous, ethereal wings and soared above the boy's head. Miguel watched her float over him and unleash a bright, blue blast from the palm of her hands. The ray of power zapped right toward a pitch black blob Miguel didn't even know was there. It disintegrated almost instantly, leaving shreds of shadow behind to slither away in fear.

The children stared at the dark leftovers in terror before turning their attention back to the angel. She just smiled and shrugged like this was an average occurrence. "My name's Destiny by the way. Hope that's 'angel' enough for you. Now come with me."

The pair of kids glanced at each other. Connie just smirked in a "well she showed you" kind of way. Miguel rolled his eyes and reminded himself how this was all Connie's fault. If she hadn't dissed his dancing he wouldn't have had to try fight her, and Jacob and Tyrone wouldn't have had to-

"Jacob and Tyrone!" Miguel pulled his hand away from Destiny again. "They got swept away by the river! You're an angel you have to save them!" How could he forget his best friends like that?

"I will." Destiny said calmly. "But I need to save you two first. That shadow-imp was dangerously close to getting you, ya know?"

Shadow-imp?  Miguel thought. He had no time for follow-up questions as he was suddenly swept up by the woman. She carried both him and Connie in either arm as she spread her wings again. "Hang on!" was her only warning before launching into the air, wind hitting the three like bricks. She didn't travel far or wide but Miguel got a good full-scale look at the river behind them. It looked calmer from afar, yet a lot darker and more murky.

They arrived at their destination within minutes, and what they saw was something neither Miguel nor Connie could comprehend. Deep within the withering woods, were pearly white stairs with gem patterns on them leading up to the clouds. Destiny laughed at the children's bewildered expressions. "Come on!" she said, hurrying up the stairs herself. Connie put one foot on the stairs and it almost looked like it glowed for a second. "They know your here now," Destiny said "So now we can't turn back. Come on!"

"Who knows I'm here?" Connie asked, lifting her second foot to the higher step, slowly ascending these steps like they were made of fragile glass. Miguel looked back to the direction of the river. How he wished Tyrone and Jacob could see this, Tyrone would probably challenge him and Jacob to a race and call it off halfway through when he runs out of breath. "My friends though." Miguel called out in a meek voice that even surprised him.

Destiny descended toward him and crouched to his level. "I know kid, I know."

Her voice was oddly comforting in the way where you just wanted to pour everything out to her. Which was what Miguel had to hold himself back from doing right now. He may be sad, but he is still the leader. "How are we going to save them? You still haven't told us anything." he asked, trying to sound stronger.

"I promise I'll tell you everything once we get up there." Destiny said "I have reason to believe your friends are in some sort of peril. If you stay and look for them you'll be in just as much danger. You HAVE to come with me. I promise, it'll be okay. And if you don't like the legwork, I'll carry you."

Destiny spoke with such a comforting eloquence, Miguel trusted her with his life right then and there. He chuckled at the thought of her carrying him again and at last agreed to take a step. The steps glowed and Miguel felt a wave of energy coming over him. A sudden excitement to climb these steps and see everyone. Who was everyone? He didn't know, but he was aching to meet them.

"Hey cONNie!" he used the same mocking voice, not because he was mad, it just made her mad which amused the boy. "If we can't fight, we'll race!"

Connie looked at him to see if he was serious before smirking "Whatever, you'll lose all the same."

The pair charged up the staircase with Destiny close behind. The stairs didn't have railings so she mostly trailed along hoping they wouldn't shove each other off the edge. Once they reached the skies, Miguel fully took in the view. Then he stopped as a realization hit him. This DEFINITELY wasn't the withering woods. THIS up high, he'd be able to see the neighborhood, heck the whole TOWN. It was all forest and none of it looked familiar. He saw a cliffside where the river spilled down and felt a pit in his stomach. Was THAT where Jacob and Tyrone ended up? Down a waterfall? Connie paid no mind to that, and continued her journey up the staircase. Destiny took Miguel's hand. "I know that looks bad, but they aren't down THERE. Please kiddo we're so close. Those things that took your friend won't hesitate to find you and the girl too."

Miguel squeezed Destiny's hand as the angel gently led him the rest of the way up. "If they're not at the bottom of a cliff, where are they?" Miguel asked. His eyes strayed from Destiny to the very top of the stairs. Any moment now they will have reached the top, never to see Jacob or Tyrone again. Despite these thoughts, bursts of excitement filled him too as they passed the clouds. They found themselves standing on clean solid stone as they were met with the grand, golden gates of utopia. On the other side was clean, soft green grass with a stone path trailed in the center of it. Like one of those central parks for walking your dog.

"I had no idea the local forest had THIS facility!" Connie said, walking toward the gates. The sun shined down hard on them, making them practically glow yet blind the three with its elegance. Destiny made her way to an empty podium beside the gates and took hold of her halo. Pressing it against some scanner on the podium it granted access to the three and they stood back as heaven was opened up to them.

With no second thought the pair of kids rushed through, noticing this path was on a hill, and below the hill was a mesmerizing shot of this new land. Destiny stood and watched the kids gasps of amazement as they took in the view. The land stretched on endlessly with clean fields, rolling hills, mountains and a few waterfalls coated it. Some patches of urban or forestall lifestyle could be seen. Some shops, a few treehouses in large pine trees were spotted and called out by Connie. Miguel pointed at a beach miles away they had to squint at to properly see. Little figures - real people, walked by and around these areas. Some were noticed flying over it either with their own wings or on a massive, magical dove. Destiny placed a gentle hand on both children's shoulders. "There's a lot more than what you're seeing right now. Believe me, A LOT more."

"How much more?" Connie asked eagerly.

"An eternity more." Destiny said, smiling at the girl.

Miguel paused his state of wonder and looked up at Destiny. "Is this...heaven?"

Destiny smiled and said cheerily "Indeed it is."

He frowned. Heaven is cool and all, but you only end up there if you're-

The reality hit him and Connie in unison. They stared up at Destiny, tears already forming in Connie's eyes. Destiny only nodded solemnly, like she was a doctor confirming to a family their loved one is dead.

Only in this case...

Miguel, Tyrone, Jacob and Connie were those loved ones.