I had a very weird feeling when I woke up that morning. But I never thought about what was REALLY going to happen that day. It was kinda scary for me, having those kinds of thoughts.

You never wake up in the morning saying "I'm gonna die". I had that strange feeling with me, I mean I'm just 16. Who's ready to die at that age?? And also I'm an only child, no sisters or brothers so it would be kinda sad for my parents, too........... I didn't want to die.......... But I did.

I went to school as usual. Nothing special happened.... Well, I just got a B on science.... But nothing really incredible, 'till the bell rang..... You know that when a bell rings an angel get its wings? Well, this time someone took mine off......

I was walking sooo fast on the sidewalk 'cause I needed to get home early to get ready for a date. I crossed to the front sidewalk, I was sooooooo close to my house and I felt a wind that pushed me away. My chest hurted soooo much..... I couldn't breath.... Everytime I remember that the same feeling of needing a big, deep breath comes to me...... I was soo confused.... I saw my mom and dad crying next to me..... I was feeling soo bad and just wanted to stand up, run and leave all that crowd behind, but I couldn't.... I felt such an emptiness inside....... That little thing that kept my body working stopped, right there, and from that moment on nothing was the same........

I was in such a dark place, I couldn't hear anything else...... I was soooooo scared 'cause I've heard of a lot of people who had come back from death, that they saw a tunnel with a big and beautiful light........ But I wasn't able to see it, so I was alone in that creepy, dark, and silence place.......... I could hardly feel my body standing there.... All the place was sooo strange....... I was cold and scared, I just wanted to be back at home .... So in some kind of a desperate act I fell on my knees crying and crying and I prayed sooooo loud, "Our Father...." I wanted God to hear me... I really needed his help.... I was.... I felt forgotten by every body and everything..... When, suddenly, in the most deep darkness a light appeared, so bright and beautiful...... I wanted to run to it but my legs didn't answer me..... Then a shape took form,a human being,well, that was what I thought.... It was Andrew...the Angel of Death...... He walked to me with the brightest smile and was the sweetest sight I've ever seen..

He went down to where I was.... He wrapped me in his arms and said "Hey, I know you're scared......I'll be with you all the way.... There's nothing to be afraid of," and he smiled.

"Where are we going?" I tried to ask between my tears.

He softly answered, "To a place in such peace, with no worries, just lots of love and of course the most important love of all... the love of our Father.... I guess I heard you praying minutes ago and it sounded like you felt lonely here..... You're never alone, God's with you and he loves you..."

My body froze..... "Am- am I dead???" I asked so scared..

"I guess so.... That's why you're here," he said.

Then I asked him where I was and he said that we were in some kind of a waiting room and I asked him why it was so dark and scary......

"Hold on" he said, and the whole room turned into the most incredible forest I've ever seen....... "Is this better ??" he asked me.

"Yes" I said.

Then while we were walking through the forest, the most awful sensation came to me........ My parents......

I told him "I can't die.... No, I can't.... I can't leave my parents alone in such deep pain...... no... please.... plea..pl-.", "Shhhhhh, watch this," he said. And we were on the street again and I saw myself on the ground bleeding almost under a car and a lot of people all around me.... Also my parents crying so much and I saw this very pretty lady with this cute Irish accent near my parents...

"She's an angel, too.... Her name is Monica, she's very sweet and she'll be with them all the time that will be necesary" Andrew said........ In that moment I realized that I was DEAD!! All inside me was dead.... my emotions and feelings... dead... I still had that silence inside me.... I missed my heart beating so much.......

We were back in the forest...... I started crying very hard... I gave to God so many reason for me to be alive..... I cried and cried and prayed and prayed........ I didn't want to be there in that minute... I'd rather be down there with my people.......

Then Andrew came and said to me, "I talked to God and I mean, this shouldn't be this way.... You're not ready yet.... God knows how long your parents waited for you to be born and you have no brothers or sisters 'cause you're special.... They didn't need more..... You're going back down there" and he smiled.

"Really?????!!!!!!" I asked.

"Sure," he said and I jumped to his arms and I hugged him soooo tight.... I was going back......

"Can I ask you something???" I told him.

"Sure what is it??" He said with a curious face.

"When I die.... I mean really DEAD...... Can you be my Angel of Death?? And pick me up that day??" I said very shy. His eyes turned so bright and tender and he said, "You bet." He kissed my forehead and he and the forest had gone.

I heard the voices again and suddenly all inside me was shaking and I had an echo..... a heatbeat....and another one...... and one after the last ..... I was back...... I opened my eyes and I saw a lot of people there and Monica....

She came a little closer to me and said with a wide smile and touching my face with her hand, "Welcome Back, Javi... See you, take care."

I smiled with her... She knew my little secret............... "I'm back" I thought...."Thank God I am....."

Then they took me to the hospital to evaluate me, God put the wings back on me....... I was alive again ...... alive ....

By Javiera Moore

Any comments?? Feel free to drop me a line at miss_wings_tbaa@yahoo.com.