No, not Without Billy!
I woke up, covered in a fog of turquoise-white and maroon-gold. I could remember me and Billy, my crazy pit-bull, were walking a lonely mountain track. The unruffled breezy clouds perched on my skin, I nipped them in my imagination. They felt as nothing I’ve ever touched or tasted, just an epitome of immaculate flamboyance…every fine thing I’ve never imagined. A floor as soft and creamy as milk ice-cream, and yet as hard and glistening as sand-snow. A colourful fruity florae, so whimsical and beyond my comprehension.
I moved closer to the ravishing fruity floras, and they perfumed of a blend of vanilla and the other uninvented flavor. I plucked a fruit, offered to my mouth, and… wow! I went on to two more rounds. Contemplated a third round when I heard a voice:
“Congratulation on your induction, dear one."
I looked to whence the voice came, a magnificent gate stood before me, in sparkling gold.
“This is heaven?” I’d wondered.
Then I beheld a bold inscription—“welcome home son,," and this answered my curiosity.
Remembering that only dead people see heaven, I snapped out of wondering at once, and stepped backward. My heart raced so hard that I could hear it galloping and rumbling with both fear and excitement.
“Welcome home Darling! You made it!”
The voice was closer this time. Sweet and resonant.
A human figure appeared. It was no man or woman. So fiery, I don’t know how to describe.
“Greetings, Mista… Miss…” I stammered.
“Never mind, dear one. In heaven, there’s no title.We’re equal before the Almighty. Welcome home.”
“Home?”
“Yeah. You made heaven! Hurray!”
“Heaven? Am I…?”
“Dead? You mean? Oh, you’re not dead dear one.You transited to eternal glory. I’m your guardian angel.”
“You mean I’m dead?”
“Oh, you don’t remember… A park of wolves attacked your troublesome dog. You had chances to run and save yourself, But you didn’t run. You stood by your friend, you died fighting to defend your friend. It was an ultimate test, and you passed.”
“And Billy?”
“No, he couldn’t make it. Your love was only enough to bring you here, but not enough to save his life.”
“That means he’s dead?”
“Yes”
“Oh, Billy… where’s he?”
“Weep not, son, Billy has played his role in your life.Come now, let me show you your place”.
“Not without Billy!"
“But Billy neither has a spirit nor a soul”
“No! Dogs have souls, like you and me. Dogs love, laugh, and even cry, for pain or for pleasure. Dogs even dream too. Billy had a nightmare the other night. So why don’t they have souls”
“Son, it’s only a mystery—only the Creator can answer that. Even the devil fears God, yet he’s the most ungodly being in the universe. Come now, it’s time to complete your transition, Your reward awaits.”
“No! Not without Billy! You said Billy and me always stood by each other through the good, the bad and the ugly?”
“Yes, dear one, you were inseparable”
“So why can’t I enjoy heaven with him as well?”
The angel paused, and then said:
“Dear one, are you sure this is what you want?”
“Yes! I want to be with Billy!”
“Then so be it”The angel replied.
***
I saw another white bed adjacent mine.Thereon laid another boy of around my age, also in blue johnny. He’s all wired up with drips and bandages. I tried to sit up, but a sharp pain pierced my wrist, I looked to inspect my wrist, then I found it wired like the boy’s.Then I realized I couldn’t move my neck as well. Mum sat beside me, staring into my eyes reassuringly.
“Ahrrr… I can’t move? What happened?”
“Relax son, it was a miracle. I thought I'd lost you.”
“How did I end up here, mum?”
I whined, my masculinity fading to unbearable pains.
“You’ve been out for days, darling. Some boys tried rapping the girl next door, you played super hero, almost got yourself killed, the bastards shot you in the belly. It was by miracle the bullets missed your vitals.”
“And Billy?”
“Oh, dear Billy? Billy died fighting them off you.”
“Noo! I want Billy back mum!”
“Son, I miss Billy too. But we can always buy another dog.”
"Yes mum, of course we can always buy another dog, but can we always find another Billy?"
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