One Step Outside

One normal day, on a normal bus ride, and a not so normal day. Eli experiences the inevitable we all soon do...

I sat in the wore down seat, watching as the droplets of water was racing down the bus window. I only had one thing on my mind.., her. My head continuously softly thudding against the bus window. "Today... Seems like it's never going to end" I muttered

"What's wrong with you Eli?" My cousin said while flicking my head.

"Nothing"

"Biggest lie I ever heard"

"Why does it matter anyways?"

A sudden jerk of the bus. Screaming. And glass busting. I woke up unaware of were I was. I couldn't get up, as if there was a anonymous force holding me down. I looked around to see the bus on its side. That put a chill through my spine. I tilted my head to see my cousin. I reach toward him with all off my force.

"Cody... Wake up...man don't do this to me" I pleaded. I continuously shoved him back and forth to wake him up. But I have noticed...he is dead. Tears filled my eyes I got up and looked down to see my sister. I reach toward her and shrugged her

"Eli, where am I?"

I quickly grabbed her

"Get outta here, run as fast as you can to help, I'm going to get these kids"

"Ok..."

She left. Worst fear has begun. The bus started to smoke. I grabbed multiple kids and shoved them through the bus exit. I ran toward the bus driver shaking her, then realized she had got killed from the impact. I ran out of the bus.

"I don't wanna die!" A kid yelled

"You're not going to! I promise!" I yelled watching everyone running up the steep hill.

"Faster!" I cried

"Faster! Faster! Faster!" we all got to the top

"Go follow that girl!" I pointed toward Zoey direction

I heard one large blast, I looked down the hill to see the bus has finally exploded. I ran behind the kids then suddenly I fell. I couldn't move. I turned to see my leg was gashed open releasing a dangerous amount of blood. I looked up at the clouds, which was blurring. Soon the trees were blurring then everything went black...

I woke up in a strange white environment. I stood up with no recollection of what just happened. Once I looked around color now filled up the white. I saw beautiful scenery, white and grey buildings appeared with bizarre but beautiful architecture. They were no roads, just white lanes. I was laying on beautiful green grass which blew it the wind as I walked to the buildings. I had no idea where I was or what I was doing. As I walked closer to the so called city I began seeing people walk along the white lanes, appearing to have normal conversations. I walked through the crowd of people to reach a space between two skyscrapers.

"Hi!" An anonymous voice called. I turned to see a girl with beautiful bleach blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and a thin body structure.

"Hi," I said confused

"Can you tell me why I'm here?"

"You've never been to Akila?" She asks surprised

"No I..." Before I could finished the sentence she grabbed my hand and took me farther into the city

"This place is beautiful!" She said excitedly

"You've got so much to see!"

I wanted to ask again but I was caught up in the beauty of this place and her. She took me through many skyscrapers and buildings till we got to a beautiful landscape with pure green grass swaying in the wind.

"Wow this place..." I said astonished

"Yeah! I told you! They are many places other than this city! Lands farther then the eyes can see!"

I sat there amused listing to the beautiful girl about this beautiful place.

We sat at a bench, one side facing the astonishing city and the other side facing the beautiful grass land. The sun began to set and the winds were calming.

"If you need me tomorrow meet here in the morning!" She said and handed me a brochure type paper.

"Okay" I said shyly. She smiled and began to walk away before I blurted out,

"What's your name?"

"Joli!" She smiled and walked away to the city. I looked at my hands as if it was a dream, but I was fully aware it wasn't. I didn't know what to do or where to go. I opened the paper she had gave me, it was filled with maps and only one short statement. And it read,

WELCOME TO AKILA!

The most beautiful place ever!

You are now in the FrankFort-

District

It had a map with a arrow pointing were I was. Still giving no reason why I was here. I folded up the piece of paper and put it in my back pocket and walked into the city were lights were very bright. I walked in to a very beautiful skyscraper that read "FrankFort Inn". I needed a place to stay so this was the place, but I had no money so my plan was to lie and then leave early in the morning.

"Hello sir and welcome to FrankFort Inn!" A women with orange hair greeted me

"I'm..I'm looking for a room" I stuttered

"Where would you like your room main top, middle, or the lower part of the building?"

I was always a sucker for heights

"Top?"

"Okay! Here are your keys for room 378! Enjoy the stay!" She reach me keys with no money questioning. I was astonished. I got into the elevator and went toward the top to room 378. I unlocked my room door and shut it behind me and looked at the window to the beautiful view, I saw the beautiful city and some grass land. I laid back on the comfortable bed. Today has been weird, so many questions need to be asked. But for now I'm loving this place. I slowly went to sleep. I woke up with the sun rays shining down on me. I got up and opened a dresser with a lot of clothes so I helped my self. I dressed up in khakis pants and a striped polo shirt. I went down to the lobby.

"Good morning!" The red hair lady exclaimed.

"Good morning!" I replied. I walked outside to the beautiful Akila. I walked through the city to the bench and waited for the beautiful blonde.

"Hi!" She says as she walks and sits beside me.

"Okay listen, I was in a bus accident and had a enormous gash in my leg and passed out and now I'm here. What am I doing here?" I finally got enough courage to ask. She looks at me with a little shock in her eyes.

"Uh... If I was you I'd go to the main hall in the middle of Akila to see what your fate was"

"So I can go back home?"

"Possibly" she said it as if she was hiding something.

"How far is it?"

"It's about 30 miles north... It's a big city. They should be a staircase leading down to a tunnel to a water fall, it'll give you your fate" she smiled slightly

"Okay I should be on my way!"

"Okay! Good luck! I hope I helped! She looked a little concerned but smiled and walked away. I got up and began walking north to the main hall of Akila. As I was walking over the first small hill the grass was smoothing and the temperature was satisfying. I keep walking looking around Akila.

"It's a fictional place it has to be..."

I thought to myself. It's one of those to good to be true scenarios. I keep walking and walking noticing I never get hungry here and this land is like walking on clouds. If I was back home I would've been tired, hungry, and my feet would be sore and irritable. I looked in the distance to see tall skyscrapers appearing as I got closer. As I got into the city people were rushing down the white lanes. Unlike FrankFort, the main hall was twice as enormous with double the population. I was walking some where that could be fake, but it was worth the walk. I passed some of the buildings. Some read 'Salon' and others were hotels. Just buildings to enjoy yourself in. I noticed stairs leading underground so I followed them. As I was walking down the stairs it began getting chilly. Unlike the rest of Akila the tunnel was made of stones. I got to the hallway and saw crystal clear water at the main end. Moss covered the stones leading to the water fall. I walked up to the water fall and waited not knowing what to do.

"What's my fate?" I yelled getting no response. I began thinking this was all a hoax, till the water turned wine red.

"Eli Thomas, your fate on earth was ended upon death" The waters turned clear everything faded and I fell. My stomach as dropped nothing seemed real. I have died. I got up and walked away back to Frankfort. Everything seemed dull. I got back to the bench. I saw the beautiful blonde sitting there. Color regained and I felt better when I saw her

"You gonna spend more time with me now?" She said smiling

"I guess...I guess I am" I softly smiled back.

I walked to the top of one of the many small hills. Wind was blowing. And Joli had laid beside me looking at the beautiful clouds. I looked over at Joli and slowly our heads, like magnets went to each other, our lips touch and I kissed her. This is my heaven. This is the after life. And I was loving every moment of it.