Almost There

Kiari Bunch
Humanities 1 - Breanna Furlong
October 20, 2016
Day 1
My name is Ava. Ava Queen. I am dead. Well, not exactly dead. Thats a lie, I am totally
dead. That sucks. Who is going to feed my cat? I already know no one is going to miss me. I
was orphaned a young age-- 7 to be exact. I had a dead father and a mother that abandoned me.
The only people I had were my foster parents-- I didnt really like them -- and hoard fake
friends. I cant move on as some people say. I am stuck between Heaven and Hell. I was told
-- by a very firm man-- that will not permitted into the afterlife until I tie up loose ends aka
community service-- Oh, and I have to do my civic duty and then meet with my biggest fear.
The man, ( who I later found out is my guardian named Isaac) told me that even though I didnt
have many unresolved issues in my tragically short life - I am only 15- in order to enter the gates
of heaven I must cleanse my spirit. Ha! What does that even mean? I get it I had problems , but
not enough that I have to stick around the living. He then proceeded to hand he a gold envelope.
Anyhow I should start with how I died. I was minding my own business, walking home from
school when BOOM! My world erupted in a supernova of pain and blinding white light. I was hit
by a car. A car.. the tragic downfall of the great, beautiful, and all powerful Ava Queen was a
car. Next thing I know Im waking up in office building -- an office with plain gray walls and
people in the same ugly gray suits (women and men) -- sitting in cubicles answering phones. A
huge, bald man-- Isaac-- approached me, and said in a deep voice that rivaled a train horn, Are
you Ava Queen?
Day 2
I see a boy staring off into the distance on a park bench-- I know him -- Kyle, I think -Yeah, Kyle Nelson. We were friends -- I remember now. We got into a stupid argument because
someone said he liked me. I told him that we couldnt be friends anymore because I couldnt be
seen with someone like him. The next day at school when he showed, people made fun of him. I
had started rumors about him like how he used poop to wash his hair. We called him names
like man-hands and bigfoot. Everyone - and I mean everyone- - caught on and made fun of him.
All throughout middle school he was made fun of. I was the only one what know what was
really going on with him-- his family was homeless. After his mom lost her job, started to get
bad. Him and his 4 other sibling had to go live with his grandparents while his parents worked
themselves to the bone. He had to walk 2 miles to school everyday and had to take care of his
siblings. He always had holes in his clothes because his parents couldnt afford new ones for
him. I was so mean to him. I had to apologize. I sat next to him on the bench. How did this
whole communicating with the dead thing work? Do i just start talking to him or?--- kyle? It
me ava. Im dead, so I cant cause you anymore trouble. he turns around startled-- and yelps-as soon as I see his I word vomit. Kyle, you probably dont remember me, but I really hurt you
and Im sorry. And before you, Im not just talking to you because I want to go to heaven, well
actually I kinda am but that's not the point. Anyway because Im a terrible person. He stares at
me like Im a two headed monster that just did a magic trick. He turns around but finally he
speaks. I hated you for the longest. You ruined my social life. I was under constant stress and
you, my other friend and school were my release. Then you ripped it away. Since we moved

away, dad has gotten a better job and mom now works an elementary school. as an afterthought
he said, But since you are dead it doesnt matter anymore. Thank you for dying. we sit in
silence for a while. I know that I will never be able to fix what I did but I will forever be sorry.
more silence. how come you arent freaked out that you are talking to a ghost? I asked. oh I
always knew ghost were real so I sort of not freaked out by the idea because it is awesome it
is kinda awesome I replied.
Day 3
The letter said that this house would be where my next task is. I stood in front of an ugly
yellow house with a broken fence and dead yard. Abandoned toys littered the dead grass. The sun
it the house perfectly..you could see the clear decay. Now or never, I said to myself as I
open the splintered gate and up the defeated path to the front of the house Its disgusting here,
I said aloud as I let myself in. I looked around. Now that I look around, it is not as bad as it is
inside as it is outside. It was kind of familiar actually. I felt watching me. she came up behind
me. Out of nowhere-- walking on air. My tasks are not finish yet i said, barely above a
whisper, terror gripping my insides as tight as a babys fist. The thing, replied, in a voice that
echoed - a thousand voice all saying the same thing. Rest in peace. no. No.. NO I
turned around- and stopped and stared at my worst enemy. It was a girl. She was tall, with eyes
that seemed to hold a storm in the gray irises. Dyed red hair stood out against her cinnamon
skin. It was me. I was it. SHe echoed, Why do you keep fighting me? I dont understand. We
are the same yet you run from me. I am the part of you that feels emotion, the part of you you
lock away. Why do you hide me? I dont know I said. I guess you scare me. I dont want to
be scared. you will always be scared, even when you are dead. She said. I get that know. I
said. Good. She said.
Day 4
Now that I faced my fear, I felt like I could do anything. My last obstacle was a Tessa
Nicholas.. My mother. She sits on a couch holding a picture a picture of me. I remember
that photo-- it was taken at my 8th grade promotion. It looks like she is crying, but I know that
cant be right. If she cared so badly that she was crying, she would have never abandoned me. I
go over and stand over her and wait until she stops crying. She looks up and starts to cry even
harder. Im dreaming about my dead daughter. she wailed. Why do you leave? WHy didnt
you come back? I blurt after an uncomfortable amount of silence. I never wanted to leave you,
but after your dad died I felt that I wasnt good enough. she told me. But that wasnt your
choice! Did you ever think about me? I yelled at her. She looked extremely sad at that moment.
do you think that I didnt think about you? I thought about you everyday. I wanted to find you,
but I am a failure as a mother. she said. All my anger disappeared. I know what you thought
you did was best, but I love you and I forgive you. I told her. She them proceeded to half tackle
me and half hug me. She cried on my shoulder for what seemed like hours before she looked at
me and said, I have always loved you. Im sorry that I felt you. I love you mom. I said. We
then spent the next few hours catching up on the past 8 years.
Day 5
I was back at the office building-- I dont even know how I got here. One minute I was
walking away from my mother and here I am. Isaac approaches me, big as ever but now not as
scary as he was before. Lets go, his train voice booms throughout the mostly quiet office

building. He leads me to a huge yellow door and out steps my father. Surrounded by white light,
he looks sort of like an angel-- dressed in plaid. He opens the door more to reveal a paradise,
complete with everything I have ever wanted. I heard you are a troublemaker, like father, like
daughter He laughs-- I missed that sound. Come on, that dog you had, Tracy is waiting for
you. And, with not a glance back, I walking through the door and into eternity.