• Valerie grew up alone in a hateful world with an abusive father and no mother.

    Friends? Nope.

    Teachers? They could care less.

    Neighbors? They just closed their blinds and ignored her cries for help.

    One day there was a knock at her shabby, wooden door. Valerie timidly opened it expecting another set of kids yelling and throwing things at her claiming she was a witch. She looked up through the door that was opened just wide enough to peer through. There she saw a handsome man about her age with the most gorgeous blue eyes.

    “I’m sorry. You have the wrong house.” She muttered silently and began to shut the door. “No, Valerie, I do not.” The beautiful stranger boldly stated. Valerie stared in amazement by this unusual outburst.

    Am I dreaming? I must be! She thought to herself.

    “Valerie, I need to have a word with you!” she lingered skeptically before answering. Could this possibly be a trap?

    He began anyways. “We love you and know what you are going through. We watch you every day and night. You are still here to this day because we thought it was the best choice for you but things are still not changing and you deserve so much more. We have prepared you a place and hope you will accept our offer.”

    She stood there dumbfounded. “I… I….. I don’t understand. What you’re offering is something I would certainly take in a second, but something so wonderful is never possible for someone as horrid as me.”

    The stranger had expected her resistance so he was not taken aback by this. “So you accept then?”

    “Yes. If only it were possible to leave this place.” She sighed.

    He smiled to himself as if he was in on a joke. “See you soon, Valerie.” And in the blink of an eye he was gone.

    Down the block Valerie heard sirens going off. Oh no, not again. By now she was standing completely outside thinking someone had set fire to another house realizing to late that it wasn’t a fire truck. There was a loud sound, almost like a shot being fired, and then a slight pain in her head. Everything went black and just as fast as the darkness came, also came the wondrous light.

    She stood back up, and looked around. There were people all around. Suddenly there was a familiar face. He was smiling at her with his beautiful blue eyes sparkling like no other. Valerie could feel herself smiling back not knowing why. “I told you I would see you soon” He said as he walked, or floated it seemed, over to where she was standing.

    A rush of relief came over Valerie as she realized what happened and where she was. “Thank you” she whispered gallantly.

    “But wait, isn’t your life supposed to flash by your eyes when you die?” she asked.

    “Normally, yes.” He replied,”But we didn’t want you to suffer anymore than you needed to before coming here. Watching what has all happened to you would have caused too much pain.”

    After that they stood there listening to the angels singing softly in the background for what seemed like an eternity.