Several hours later…
Sean leaped up, his heart rate elevated. What happened? Where is Samantha? He looked at the red chest, still there awaiting his hands to touch it. I thought I was going to pass out. He looked out the window the stars illuminating the night sky. The clock on the wall said 3 a.m. My head hurts.
Sean glanced over at the stove. The hardware was historic in nature. He saw a pot sitting there. Shifting his feet over the bed he stumbled to the counter top. He opened the cabinet and saw several flavors of tea and coffee. Samantha did her research.They have my favorite coffee here, which is vanilla bean. They also have milk tea which I enjoyed many times with Tabatha.
Tabatha, where is she? Sean started to feel sick again, tears flowing down his face. Goddess, where are you? Where is my love? Sean tried to feel happy, but he missed the love of his life. He wanted to hold her in his hands. He wanted to feel her touch… be inside her. I guess I can't do anything about it now.
He made his tea a little bit different from other people. He boiled the water with the teabags in it. Many people thought he was weird for this, but he found it to be the best way to pull all the flavor of the teabags.
Sean's eyes traced every detail in the room. The curtains were purple in color. There was carpet in the kitchen, and the floor was cobblestone. They look like they were made of silver and gold. He looked around, and he saw pictures of himself from when he was on Earth. He noticed Samantha behind him.
She was always there with me. I need to think. They said I have training coming up.
What am I going to fight with? Who's going to train me? Sean looked at a strange little doll. It looked like something out of a cartoon from years ago. Walking closer, he observed the wings that were red in color. Its eyes were narrow, and a smile was plastered underneath the doll's nose.
"You have a message," a female voice said.
A message at this time in the morning—they must be watching me. That thing is creepy. Sean backed up a little bit from the doll. It looked a little bit like Samantha but not real.
Sean pressed his hands on the red button on the doll's hand. A voice spoke up.
"You are to report to the Dreamweaver training facility at 7 a.m. A package will be delivered at 6:30 in the morning with everything you need. Come dressed and ready to train. Your new destiny starts now. Please remember The Void is awaiting you if you do not put in your best effort."
The Void! Where all the souls go to be tortured. I'd rather not go there.
The kettle on the stove started to steam a bit. Opening another cabinet revealed various cups, including one he had as a young child with a cat on it. He always found cats fascinating. The way they hunt and the way they could be innocent yet savage at the same time.
I guess this place isn't too bad. It's going to take some getting used to, though. Sean poured himself a cup of tea. Reaching over to the small bowl beside him, he poured the sugar into the cup, giving it a slight stir. Glancing around the room, the oversized chair made of velvet beckoned him.
I miss you, mom and dad. I miss you, Tabatha. Sean began crying; tears fell into his tea. What the hell is this place? I'm not a fighter; I'm not a demon killer. I'm a jerk, a loser, an underachiever my whole life, and they say I must go and help people when I cannot even help myself. Does the Goddess Anastasia offer redemption and salvation? Am I even worth it? Will Samantha desert believe me?
Sean sat there in silence, sipping his tea. Samantha says I'm worth it. I wonder how Goddess Anastasia made the angels. They have to get made right. The questions continue to race through Sean's mind as he began to drift off to sleep again.