SELINA

Selina watched her lifeless body from afar. She wondered how it all ended. Her life had been short and full of misery not untill she was knocked down by a car.

Selina had grown up in an average family. She had an elder sister named Mitchell and a younger brother named Juan.

The Cortez family was a happy and united family. They enjoyed peace untill death took their father Andre Cortez. That was when the family trauma started.

They lost their balance as a family and everything fell in.

Selina was just eight when her father died. She had to go through school without a father. She wished her father could be there for her but he wasn't.

Mrs Cortez had to struggle to provide for her children and this drive her to prostitution.

The negativity around Mrs Cortez influenced the children in such a way that they involved themselves in illegal acts so they would make ends meet.

All this while they prayed to The Author for His help but none came so they all gave up hope on Him.

Selina grew up in her own world. She carved out a world of her own from the one the Author put her in. She lived a silent life watching all that was going on but not involving herself. She grew up into a very beautiful lady, got a respectful job and lived her life in safety - or so she thought. At the age of 20, Selina got her apartment and thus moved out of her family's house where her family were wasting themselves and that was where she met Andrew the man who ruined her life.

Andrew was Selina's neighbor and close friend. Over the time. Their friendship developed into love and they planned to get married only for Andrew to dump Selina in the day of the wedding.

That almost killed Selina. She was emotionaly traumatized for the rest of her life.

She tried reaching the Author but it all felt like her prayers were blocked.

All was terrible for Selina and she endured till the day she died.

The day she died, She was trying to cross to get other side of the road. She didn't inspect the road througly before crossing.

A car out of nowhere lifted her from her from the floor and she landed with a terrible clash which killed her instantly.

Selina tried to get the attention of the people around but she couldn't. They ignored her like she wasn't even there.

Whenever she tried to touch them, she just went through them like smoke.

Selina didn't understand what was going on. It was like she was invincible to others.

Suddenly, she started floating upwards like an invincible force was carrying her. She tried all she could to stay down but she couldn't. She kept going up till she passed the clouds. She continued upwards straight towards the stars.

Selina found herself in a beautiful garden. The place was filled with peace and beauty. She looked round for anybody but she saw none.

Where was she?

Selina had forgotten about all that had happened to her in Earth. All her sorrows seemed to have passed away.

The place couldn't be described with words. Trees of different kind filled the place

Had she made it to Heaven? She asked herself. Why would a sinner like her make Heaven, she had read in the book where the Author said Heaven is for the righteous only.

"Do you like this place?" a voice asked from behind.

Selina turned to see who it was and she saw a blonde man with silver hair and huge golden wings.

"Who are you? " Selina asked him while scanning him with her eyes.

"I am Shemuel, one of the glorious sons of the Author. " He said.

"what is this place?" She asked him again.

"This is paradise, an eternal place for wearied souls like you." Shemuel replied

"Can I see the Author?" She asked.

"No, even I have not seen him."

"Then how do you know he exists?" she asked him.

"Faith!" He replied."What you humans lack."

"So we should serve a Creator whom no one has seen? Sorry but isn't that the same with Idolatry?"

"The Senior sons of the Author have seen him."

"But you haven't." She queried him. "That's fascinating."

"Why do you wish to see him?"

"So I can ask him to explain why he let my life be a terrible one." She replied. "For the fun of watching it all?"

"The Author writes in mysterious ways." He replied before disappearing.

Selina looked round her, all the joy was gone now and reality had dawned on her. She needed to get out of here.

Selina strolled round paradise, looking for a possible escape route. She couldn't stay there anymore. She noticed some places guided by the sons of the Author.

Selina couldn't help but notice a large gathering of souls like an announcement was being passed to them.

A man approached Selina. "who are you?"

Selina replied. "I am Selina."

"I have been watching you and I know you have been searching for something. What is that? "

Selina looked at the man Wondering if she could trust him.

"I do not know you, so I can't tell you."

"Then it's something illegal, let me help you. " the man spoke. "please."

"I need a way out of here."

The man scoffed. "So you are trying to escape paradise?"

"Are you helping me or not?"

The man was silent.

"I knew it." Then she walked away.

Selina found herself in a room furnished with gold.

"Where am I?" She asked herself.

"A safe place. " A voice replied.

She turned her back and saw the man seated on a chair.

"Whatever we say here can't be heard by the Author's sons. "

"So you will help me." She said.

"About that, escaping from paradise would make you a fugitive and everything that the Author gave life will seek you including the Author's sons."

"Just do it." Selina replied. All she could think about was leaving Paradise. She couldn't or rather didn't see the consequences.

"Very well, " The man drew a circle on the table. He took a leaf which glowed and sliced it. He cut himself and let the blood drip on the circle. He chanted some things."

"Like every other thing created by the Author, Paradise also is flawed. " he put the sliced leave in the circle and it started spinning. Selina was shocked at what she was seeing.

"Time to go." the man said.

Selina found herself standing in he middle of a busy road. A car driver saw her and tried to avoid hitting her and thus ran into a moving truck.

The man got out of the car but Selina was nowhere to be found