Fall To Flames

Chapter 26

Whitney's POV

My eyes fluttered open to a warm white light. The room was large and empty. No smells, no noise, just empty. Something about it was peaceful, serene even. There was no pain, I wasn't scared, I wasn't anxious.

I'm not entirely sure I'm not dead. I never pictured death like this. I never really had thoughts on death or an afterlife. I was a woman of science so I thought when it was over that it was nothing on the other side, nothing else beyond darkness.

"Hello?" I called out my voice echoing through the emptiness.

A clicking on the back wall caught my attention causing me to spin around. A bright light cast a glow though a now open door. Footsteps made my pulse quicken. When a man walked through the door my breath caught in my throat.

Standing before me in tweed dress slacks and brown leather shoes was someone I'd never thought I'd see ever again. Pops. His gray hair was neatly combed; he had a soft gray stubble running over his jaw. Those striking green eyes with wrinkles around them looked the same as they always had.

"Pops?" My voice rasped out tears pricking my eyes, a small smile breaking over my face. 

"Ah my little Poppy." She smiled, holding his arms open for a hug.

My feet pulled me forward to him and my heart soured at the nickname he always used for me. He always called my poppy my grandmother's favorite flower and because my red hair reminded him of the scarlet flower. I found myself being pulled into his warm embrace. The scent of cedar and cigars filled my nose and gave me a peaceful reminder of home.

"Pops I'm so sorry." I choked out no longer holding back my tears.

"My sweet girl you have nothing to be sorry about." He reassured me by kissing the top of my head.

"I wasn't at your funeral, I didn't talk to you. You must have thought awful things." I cried into his matching tweed vest.

"Whitney, I knew you were fighting an unbelievably hard battle. I in no way faulted you for that." His calming tone soothed me some as I pulled back to face him.

"Am I dead?" I questioned not knowing the answer would cause me pain or ease my anxiety.

"No you are what I like to refer to as in between. You see there is a choice you'll have to make soon. Come with me to the other side and go peacefully or fight like hell and return back to your family." He answered, leaving me with more questions than answers.

"That's one hell of choice." I chuckled dryly.

"Yes it is my dear but I know you'll make the correct one." He smiled at me, a glimmer of hope pooling in his weathered face.

"So there is an afterlife?" I asked now, reeling from this new revelation.

"Yes, of the sorts. Not like heaven and hell but something different.  I can't divulge all the secrets." He gave me a warm smile putting me further at ease. "You are in a bit of a predicament my girl."

"Yeah I guess I am." My mind kept tugging back at the awful memories of being locked in that box. Trying to keep calm the first two days not to give him the satisfaction of begging for my life. However I inevitably gave in clawing, screaming and kicking until my body gave out.

"Even with everything you seemed happy with him." Pops observed out loud speaking of Declan. My heart pinged with a slight sadness thinking about him.

"I was for a moment. He cared, at least I think he did. But maybe he's better off without me." I trailed off not wanting to think about how he was reacting.