Angel of Death by Lydia Hub (elon musk reading list txt) 📕

PREFACE

What happens to us after we die? Every one wants to know. Some say we go to heaven or hell depending on how we act and treat other people. Others say we’re re-incarnated as animals. Personally, I believed we’re re-incarnated as new babies, that we get to live again with a new family and new friends. My best friend Danika, she believes that people go to heaven and live at their happiest age for the rest of time with their loved ones. She believes that even animals get to go to heaven. In a way she’s right. There is a heaven, good people go there and exist happily ever after. But for those that have done wrong there is no hell, no devil. They are simply doomed, doomed to walk the Earth till they redeem their souls. Me, I’m stuck, stuck as the angel of death till I find a way to redeem my soul.

But how do you make up for killing your self?

CHAPTER ONE

When I killed myself I wasn’t thinking about how my death would effect everyone else in my life. I wasn’t thinking about how Dani would react when I pulled the trigger, or even how it effect my family. I was thinking about myself. I was thinking about how scared I was of growing up. Maybe shooting myself in the head, after my college graduation wasn’t a great idea, but it’s too late for ‘what if’s’, it’s too late to get it all back. I would give anything to have my life back. Life is full of regrets, every one knows that but who would think that the afterlife is full of regrets too. Don’t we get enough pain and sorrow during our time as humans? Do we really need it after we’ve died? There are so many unanswered questions. Of course there is one question that I know the answer to. ‘Do I wish I’d never shot myself?’ that one’s easy and pretty obvious.
That night I had sat in my car for two hours, I wrote notes to my parents, my sister, and Dani. I told Dani that we would see each other again, that she would be okay without me, and I really hoped it was true. I hoped I would go to heaven and exist at my happiest age, waiting for her. But that’s not what happened, I didn’t go to heaven. After I shot myself I saw ‘the light’ but it’s not white it’s a strange blue mist. When I step into it I felt warm and happy but only for a moment, soon I’m cold and there’s a breeze on my face. When the breeze stops and the mist settles I’m standing in an empty field. I bring my hand to the right side of my head and am surprised when I don’t find a huge bleeding, bullet hole. A dark figure steps out of the trees, their face hidden in the shadow of their hooded cloak. They are a good a foot taller than my own 6’2” and dark, curly hair pokes out of their hood.
“Emma Olivia Peterson.” The figure’s voice is loud and commanding.
“Yes.” I say, I pull my hand away from my head, distracted by the figure.
“What have you done?” The question startles me but I answer anyway.
“I killed myself, at least I think I did.”
“Why?”
“I was afraid of growing up?” My statement comes out as a question.
“Every one is afraid of growing up, most of them don’t kill them selves!” The voice is louder and angry.
“Umm... sorry?”
“You threw your life away!” The figure bellows.
“You can’t kill me I’m already dead.” I say poking the air between us.
“I can do a lot worse.”
“Who or what are you?” I ask trying to make out it’s face I see is a strong, angular noes. It ignores my question. “Am I going to heaven or what?”
“You are most definitely not going to heaven. They have big plans for you.” The figure says looking up at the sky. When I let my eyes follow the sky opens and fat rain drops fall.
“What kinds of plans?” I ask warily. Lowering my eyes from the sky and back to where it’s face should be.
“You ask too many questions.” It states, sounding tired. “Let’s go, we don’t have forever.” It leads the way into the woods, pace brisk. It doesn’t follow a trail but walks in a way that shows it knows where it’s going.
“So what’s your name?” I ask trying to keep up.
“You don’t need to know my name.”
“Well I’m going to call you F then.” I say with a giggle.
“Why? What’s F stand for?”
“Figure.” I state, matter o’ factly “I could call you DF for Dark Figure.”
“I prefer F.”
“F it is then.” I say poking F’s arm.
“Don’t touch me!” F snaps suddenly. It stops quickly and faces me with what I’m guessing is a glare.
“Jeez, calm down.” I talk a deep breath and stuff my hand in my pockets. “So are you a girl or a guy?”
“Don’t you ever shut up?” F says as he starts walking again.
“No. Answer my question.” I say, trying again to make out F’s face.
“What do you think?”
“Guy.” I say cautiously, afraid F will snap again.
“Okay.”
“That’s not an answer.” I say playfully.
“It is now.” F says turning his head towards me.
“What does that mean?”
“It means we’re almost there.”
“Well F, I hope your a guy because that’s what you are to me.” He groans and puts his hand to his face.
“I’m a guy. Okay? Happy?” I think I hear a smile in his voice but I can’t tell for sure.
“Very.” I say smiling.
“Why?”
“I thought you said we were almost there.”
“Your not getting out of my question.” He says as we come to a stop in front of a huge blue castle. The same cool, blue mist from ‘the light’ swirls around us. Only now it smells like peppermint, I take a deep breath and choke as the smell becomes too strong. “You okay?” F’s hand pats my back gently.
“I’ll be fine.” I wait for the burn in my noes to stop before I take another breath.
“You’ll get used to it. Eventually you won’t even notice it anymore.” It pats my back again. “You good?”
“I’m not going to die.” I say laughing.
“Don’t make jokes about that.” F looks at me with what I can only guess is a stern look.
“Sorry.” I say staring at F. He’s watching the door to the castle though, so I do the same. When my eyes touch the door, it opens suddenly. A short man with short grey hair comes through the door. He’s wearing a robe the same color as the mist.
“Wow, Fisher doesn’t talk to anyone.” The man says smiling. “You must be special.”
“I don’t want to be special.” I answer flatly. My mood goes from happy to irritated the second I see the short, little man.
“Okay, now I get why he likes you.” The man laughs. Fisher and I don’t say anything, so the man talks again. “Okay, so I’m Octavius, I’ll be your guide and teacher for the next few days.”
“You have plans for me.” I state flatly.
“Yes.” Octavius eyes Fisher. “Follow me.” The inside of the castle is painted with different shades of blue, the floor, the ceiling, even the lights.
“What’s with all the blue?” I ask suddenly.
“There’s one every day.” Fisher grumbles.
“Yeah, and you were one too.” Octavius says in a warning tone.
“I didn’t ask as many questions as she does.”
“Really?” Octavius says still walking in front of Fisher and I. “‘Who are you? Where am I? What’s your name? Where’s that door go? Why do I have to wear this robe?’” Octavius mimics Fisher’s voice perfectly and I laugh at Fisher’s aggravated expression?
“She asked me if I was a guy or a girl.”
“I can here you, you know.” I say glaring at Fisher.
“Can you blame her? You always have that hood up so no one can see your face.” Octavius says ignoring me.
“He wouldn’t even tell me his name.” I blurt, desperate to be part of the conversation.
“Haven’t you been spoken to about that?”
“She called me F.” Fisher retorts.
“She’s just like you when you got here.” Octavius laughs. “Okay, this is you quarters. You have a bathroom and sitting room. No food is permitted out of the dining hall, so no kitchen, and your bed is right in there.”
“Wait, wait, wait.” I say putting my hands out in front of me, signaling for him to stop talking. “We have to eat? What happens if we don’t?”
“See? She asks a lot of questions.” Fisher says pointing an accusing finger at me.
“Would you give it a rest already?” Octavius snaps at Fisher. “Technically we don’t have to eat but if you don’t you function slower, mostly it’s just out of habit.” He says to me ignoring Fisher’s glare. “Come along we don’t have forever.” He leads us out of my quarters. “So Fisher’s room is right across from yours and I’m just down there.” He points down the hall.
“Okay.”
“You need to change into your robe now.” Octavius pushes me back into my room. “So we’ll wait for you out here.”

I find a blue robe hanging on the door to my bathroom, which is also blue. It’s made of a soft fabric that I’ve never seen before. Golden swirls are sown into the fabric in a design so hypnotizing that before I know it I’m lost in the dizzying pattern. I have to open and close my eyes before I can concentrate enough to take off my clothes and replace them with the robe. I shove my own dirty clothes under the bed, then straiten the robe. I’m distracted several more times by the robe on my way back to the door. When I open my door Fisher has disappeared and Octavius is bashing his fist agains the door opposite mine.
“Come on Fisher! We have to much too do today, we don’t have time for this!” Octavius yells smashing the door again.
“What’s going on?” I ask, stepping up next to Octavius.
“He does this every now and then. I don’t know why.” He punches the door again. “Maybe he does it just to piss me off!” He yells so Fisher can hear him.
“Calm down.” Fisher says opening the door just as Octavius throws his entire body agains it. I laugh as he stumbles then falls to the ground.