ONE WEEK

Chapter Two: The Angel

A few moments later, Cora woke with a pounding headache. She opened her eyes, but closed them right away, for she was greeted by a pure, white light. The next time she opened her eyes, she gave them time to focus in on a human head, body, and wings.

"Hello Cora, I'm your guardian angel."

Cora squeezed her eyes shut again. Angel? She must be crazy. What happened to the car? Where was Kyle?

"Cora.did you hear me? I said I'm your guardian angel. You had quite a bad accident, but you're here now, so it's all right. Well.sort of."

The Angel smiled slightly, and helped Cora up to her feet. She was in what seemed to be a gigantic pool of light, expanding vastly from side to side. Upwards, the light became gold. The angel laughed.

"I see you look up. In case you were wondering, that's heaven." Cora's eyes widened at these words.

"Am I going to heaven?"

The angel grimaced. "Well.currently that's not the plan. Erm.why don't you look down."

Cora furrowed her eyebrows, puzzled, but looked down anyway. She was absolutely shocked with what she saw! Just below her feet the white light ended, and an immense amount of darkness and fire shot in every direction, expanding on for eternity. She looked back up at the Angel, now with a sharp glare upon her face.

"Are you trying to tell me I'm going to Hell? You know Mr. Angel man, I can have you arrested for this, I'm sure of it! My daddy owns a police station!" Cora shouted.

The Angel laughed. "Calm down, dear girl. I'm not trying to make you go to Hell, though I can't say I wouldn't enjoy the look on Satan's face when he has to take care of a pain like you. I'm here to make sure you don't go to Hell. It's a terrible place.trust me. B-but you can't go to Heaven, either."

Cora looked down to the pit of darkness and fire again. Was this all some terrible joke? No...there was a car crash and she died. She actually died...this was terrible! And now there was some Angel telling her she wasn't going to Hell, but she couldn't go to Heaven either.

"What do you mean, I can't go to heaven? Why can't I? I find myself to be the perfect material for going to Heaven! It's...people who're poor and diseased and have no fashion sense that don't belong there!" This brought up a round of cynical laughter from the Angel.

"And you actually believe this...I'm sorry Cora, but you were doomed for Hell ever since you were born. Luckily, however, I'm doing you're great great grandmother a favor by giving you a second chance."

Cora scowled. "Second chance? What do you mean a second chance?"

"I'll send you back to Earth for one week, and one week only. If you improve your ways and realize the true importance of life, you will wake up safe and sound in the Hospital that you body is currently residing at. But if you fail...I have no choice but to send you to Hell."

"So all I have to do is go back and do all this charitable stuff and be nice for a week, and then I can still be alive?"

The Angel shook his head and sighed. "If at the end of one week, you come back here without three certain things...then you will live a life in Hell forever."

"What three things?"

"When I see you back here in one week, you must be humble..."

"Okay, Humble is easy."

"You must be truthful..."

"Truthful, got it."

"And you must give love, and receive love in return." said the Angel, spreading his wings as he began to fly upwards to heaven.

"Love?" Cora said, pausing thoughtfully to look up at him. "Humble, truthful, and love. Sounds easy enough."

"Good...I'll see you in a week."