Chapter 1 - Tragedy Needs Healing

It wasnighttime and a man and a woman were laughing while driving home from an officeparty.  They had so much fun dancing andtalking and this pleasure was carried to the car.  The road was desolate, save for the fewpeople trying to make their way home from a long, hard day at work. The man andthe woman recollected the experiences that they had at the party with eachother.
 
Woman: “Wowhoney that was a great party. I can’t remember the last time I had that muchfun!”
 
Man: “I know.Usually the parties we hold at my office are boring, but they sure did overexceed my expectations tonight.”
 
Woman: “Anddid you notice how your boss was being so friendly to you? Someone’s getting araise.”
 
She winkedand smiled and the man shook his head in disagreement. He looked over to thewoman in the passenger seat.
 
Man: “No Idon’t think that was his intention. I think he just wanted to get to know allof the employees that practically run his company for him.”
 
They bothlaughed at the truth of the man’s statement.
 
Suddenly acar sped around the corner.  When theheadlights caught the attention of the woman through her peripheral vision, shelet out a cry of terror.
 
Woman:“Honey!! Watch out!”
 
The manlooked in front of him and saw a car coming straight towards them.  He noticed too late…he was unable to swerveaway from the other car and they collided head-on.
 
When themomentum of both cars came to a stop, the couple’s car had flipped and landedupside down.  Broken glass was scattered aroundthe scene. There was no movement in the car of the couple. The driver of theother car recovered from the shock and stumbled out. Under the rays of the dimstreetlight, he bumped into a civilian that was observing the scene. Wordsapparently were exchanged between the two men, but thedriver started to runaway in extreme confusion.
 
Sirensflashed. The paramedics retrieved two bodies from the ruins in the center ofthe intersection.

That night, the phone rang in a suburban household. A girl walked down thestairs slowly. She appeared to be about seventeen.  The ringing of the phone ceased when shepicked up the receiver.

Girl: “H-Hello…?”
 
She wasrubbing her eyes to wipe away the sleepiness that had come over her.

There was a man on the other line. His voice was deep, but difficult to hearbecause of the commotion that was in the background.

Man: “Are you the daughter of a Mr. and Mrs. Yamaguchi?”

Girl: “Yes, those are my parents.”

Man: “I am Sergeant Takahashi of the Tokyo Police Department.  I called because there has been a terribleaccident involving your parents.”

Girl: “What! Are they all right? What happened?”

Man: “According to witnesses that we interviewed, your parents were in theircar when a highly intoxicated man swerved around the corner which triggered ahead on collision. The drunk driver had already escaped by the time theparamedics and police arrived.”
 
Girl: “Ohmy God…what happened to my parents?”
 
She said asher voice trembled with fear of what she was about to hear.
 
Man:"Your parents were…”
 
He wasreluctant to finish his sentence. The anxiety built within the girl.
 
Man: “Theywere…killed instantly. I’m really sorry to have to tell you this.”

The words processed in her brain and she felt an enormous pressure against herchest as if a large weight had come down crushing the life out of her. Everyfiber of her being grew weak. She unclenched the grip she held over the phone.It fell in, what seemed to be. slow motion and hit the floor hard.
 
Girl: “NOOO!! Mom…Dad…”
 
She wepthysterically on the wooden floor of her living room.

A week later, she and her aunt attended the funeral of her beloved parents. Thegirl had never seen sunshine ever since that night. It was as if a dark cloud had been pulled over her world. The caskets were aboveground and pictures of her mother and father were placedon top of them with flowers arranged around them. All the people attending hadtears streaming from their eyes.  Thegirl sat in a chair staring at the coffins. Tears rolled down her cheeksnon-stop. The priest delivered a sermon in remembrance of the girl’s parentsand as the people began to leave, they paid their respects to the mother andfather and gave their condolences to the girl. She continued to stare at thepictures of her parents when the rain began to fall. Her aunt touched hershoulder gently.

Aunt: “Come on, let’s go.”

The girl nodded and looked at the grave one last time as the coffins were lowered into the ground. She followed her aunt towardsthe car. The girl’s aunt put her arm around the girl’s shoulder. Her aunt heldher close under the umbrella to shade her from the rain. They got in the carand drove off. The girl’s stare was fixated on the raindrops sliding down thecar window.
 
Theyfinally arrived at the house after what seemed to be an endless ride. The girlwalked in alone ahead of her aunt with her head pointing down towards theflooded pathway that led towards the front of the house. She walked slowly upthe stairs and when her aunt walked in. she placed the car keys on the sidetable and watched as the girl solemnly walked into her room. The door shut andthe aunt let out a sad sigh. The girl fell to the floor and yelled at the topof her lungs.

Girl: “WHY GOD?! Why did you take them? Now what am Isupposed to do huh?! Answer me that! What am Isupposed to do…help me…”
 
Her plea was cut short by the ever-rushing sobs coming from deepwithin her.

Through the clouds in the heavens, a man in a white robe examines thecircumstances. He watched the girl cry and he felt the pain that was in herheart in his own. He called in his secretary.

Man: “Would you send Sam in here please.”

Secretary: “Of course sir.”

The large double doors creaked as a young man entered.  He looked as if he were about the same age asthe girl as he slowly came into view. He wore a white suit with white shoes andas he walked closer to the man, his spiky brown hair, slightly pushed forward,gleamed in the divine light of the room. His eyes twinkled with an innocent,blue brilliance.

Boy: “You wanted to see me sir?”

Man: “Sam, come here and tell me what you see.”

The man pointed toward a wall that took the shape of a feathery cloud. Samwalked over and peered into the cloud wall where there was the sight of a girlcrying on her bedroom floor.

Sam: “I see a girl crying…what happened to her?”

Man: “Her parents lost their lives in a car accident. She islost right now, Sam. I need you to help her. She could use yourguidance.”

Sam nodded in concurrence to the man’s suggestion.
 
Sam:  “Yes, of course sir.”

Man: “Go now.”

Sam left the office and transported to the house. Sitting in a tree close tothe girl’s room, he peered through the window and saw the grief stricken girl.

Sam: “Aww….It pains me to see people like this.”

He disappeared and materialized inside the room. He put his arms around thegirl and embraced her tenderly.

Sam: “It’ll be ok. Don’t cry.”

Realizing a strange person had suddenly placed his arms around her, the girl’seyes enlarged and she let out a piercing shriek.

Sam fell over as the girl jumped to her feet and stepped away from him.

Girl: “Who…who are you?”
 
Herstuttering was generated by panic.
Sam stoodup and brushed himself off. The girl continued to stare at him with her hand onher mouth, still in shock.

Sam walked closer to her and smiled.
 
Sam: “I’mSam, your guardian angel.”

Girl: “My…what?”

Sam: “Your guardian angel. I’m here to help you.”

Girl: “My…my guardian…angel?”
 
Sam nodded.The girl crossed her arms and her words unexpectedly seemed to be filled with pride more than fear.
 
Girl: “Idon’t need your help. I can get by on my own, thank you very much.”

Sam: “Oh, then when you said, ‘What am I supposed to do, help me’, I supposeyou were just blabbering random words right?”

Girl: “You…heard that?”

Sam: “Yes Megan, I heard that.”

Megan: “How do you-“

Sam: “Know your name? I’m your guardian angel,remember. I know everything about you.”

Megan: “Well even if you are my guardian angel, I still don’t need your help. Iwas just saying things to cope with my loss. That’s all.”

Sam’s eyebrow rose with disbelief upon hearing what Megan said.
 
Sam: “Really… “
 
Megan: “Yes, really.”
 
Sam: “Wellif that’s the case then I’ll leave.”

Megan: “Sorry to have wasted your time, Sam.”

Sam: “Ok then, I’m leaving.”

Megan: “Ok good-bye.”

Sam: “I’m going now. Sure you don’t need anything?”

Megan: “Yes Sam, I’m sure. You can leave now.”

Sam: “If you need me don’t hesitate to call.”

Megan: “I won’t Sam. Good-bye!”
Theresonance of her voice was portrayed by annoyance.

Megan’s aunt had heard the scream from before and she now heard Megan talkingto someone. She walked up the stairs briskly and opened the bedroom door.

Aunt: “Megan, are you all right what happened? Who were you talking to?”

Megan: “Oh, nothing major happened. I was just talking to Sam.”

Her aunt was confused when she looked around the room because she didn’t see any other being besides herself and Megan.
 
Aunt: “AndSam is…?”

Megan: “My guardian angel.”

Megan expressed her remark nonchalantly, expecting her aunt to know exactlywhat she was talking about.
 
Aunt: “Your…guardian angel?”
 
She replieddoubtfully.
 
Megan:“Yea, he’s right over-“
 
She turnedaround only to reveal an empty space where Sam had been standing.

Aunt: “Who now?”

Megan glanced around the room searching frantically for the boy that had beenin her room just recently.
 
Megan: “Hewas here a minute ago! I swear!”
 
She beganto search her entire room. She looked under her bed, behind the curtains, and inher closet. Her search ended without success.
 
Megan:“Where did he go?!”

Her aunt looked at her with a bit of apprehension. She felt Megan’s forehead asif Megan had caught some sort of illness or was overstressed.

Aunt: “Sweetie, you’re a little warm, maybe you should rest for a bit. It’sbeen a hard day for you.”

Megan was exhausted from her frantic search so she decided to regain herstrength.
 
Megan: “Ithink it’ll be good to take a nap for a little while.”
 
She gotinto bed and pulled the covers over herself. Her aunt sat next to her andkissed her on the forehead.

Aunt: “Get some rest, honey.”

Megan smiled. Her aunt exited the room and shut the door. When the hingesstopped moving and the knob was undisturbed, Megan turned to lie on her backand placed her arm underneath her head. As she lay there staring at the ceiling, she began thinking about thecommotion that occurred earlier.
 
Megan: “Pft…If Sam is supposed to help me, why did he make it looklike I was crazy in front of my aunt?”

Suddenly a voice came from the other side of the room.
 
Sam: “Didyou call?”

He was sitting on top of Megan’s tall clothes dresser looking down at her withan optimistic, chaste smile upon his face. Megan sat up and peered through thedarkness towards the direction of the voice.
 
Megan: “Sam! No I did not call you!”

Sam: “Well I heard, ‘Sam’, and ‘help me’ in the same sentence so I just figuredyou needed me.”

Megan: “I don’t need you. I said, ‘If Sam is supposed to help me, why did hemake it look like I was crazy in front of my aunt?’”

Sam: “Oh, well then, do you still need my help?”

Megan: “No! Now go away, I’m trying to sleep.”

Sam: “Fine then, feel free to call anytime!”
 
He gave hisusual upbeat grin.

Megan: “Alright! Bye now!”

Sam raised his hand and gave a slight ‘see you’ type wave along with aflirtatious wink.

Megan sighed. She readjusted herself in her bed to make herself comfortable.When she closed her eyes, she fell asleep almost immediately because of fatigueand began to dream.  A vision of herparents the night of the accident appeared. They were dressed very elegantly,as is the dress code in order for them to attend a company party of herfather’s.

Mother: “Now Megan, be sure to go to bed on time.”

Megan: “I will, Mom.”

Father: “Not too late, we wouldn’t want you to be asleep all day tomorrow.We’re going to the lake bright and early.”

Megan: “Yes Dad. You two have fun now!”

She smiled and they each gave her a kiss on both sides of her cheeks. She knewshe was loved and was very grateful for having suchadoring parents.

Father and Mother: “Bye Megan! We love you!”

Megan: “Love you too! Bye!”
 
Megan wavedand shut the door, locking the dead bolt behind them.

Then the scene changed. It was an image of her mother and father in their car.They were laughing and her father was behind the wheel. A car swerved aroundthe corner and collided with her parents’ car. Megan was tossing and turning inher bed because of this horrible event that was playing out in her dream.
 
She mumbled,“Mom, Dad, no, NO!” Her screams became louder, “MOM! DAD!NO!”
 
She was awakened by the shock in a cold sweat and she wasbreathing vigorously. She needed comfort and for some reason the first personshe called to was Sam.

Megan: “Sam, SAM! Where are you? I need you!”

Sam appeared instantly upon hearing Megan’s call.

Sam: “Yes, you rang?”

He saw her breathing hard as the perspiration fell from her forehead. SeeingMegan like this, the tone of his voice went from cheerful to sympathetic.

Sam: “Aww, what’s the matter, what is it?”

He walked over to the bed and sat next to her. Megan began to weep. Sheremained silent.
 
Sam: “Comeon, you can tell me.
 
Meganlooked over to Sam and with that charming persona that he had, she felt safetelling him.

Megan: “I-I had a nightmare.”

Sam: “What of?”

Megan: “My parents, I saw them, I saw the accident. It was so horrible.”

She buried her head in Sam’s chest and held him tight. Sam was surprisedbecause not too long ago she seemed irritated by his presence. He wrapped hisarms around her, hoping to make her feel safe.

Sam: “It’s ok. Everything is ok now. I’m here with you so don’t worry.”
He said ina quiet voice. Megan’s head was still burrowed in hissuit jacket.

Megan: “Sam, don’t leave. Please stay with me, at least until I fall asleep.”

Sam: “Sure, of course I’ll stay. I’ll always be with you.”

Megan: “Thank…you…”
 
She driftedasleep in his arms. Sam smiled and gently kissed her on her head.

Sam: “Good night Megan. Sleep well.”

He softly placed her head on the pillow and draped the covers back over herbody. 
 
Hedisappeared.
 
 
 
 
 

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