Tragedy comes just like autumn. You may know it is on its way...

but you will never know when it will reach you...

You may be able to see the clouds rolling in...

But you’ll never know how bad the storm will be....

It doesn’t ask for permission, it doesn’t warn you of its arrival, it doesn’t even bother to tell you when it will leave you...

It just strikes, hard and fast without warning, washing away the little warmth of summer you still had in your grasp with a string of misfortunate events that happen continuously, with no end...

These unexpected blows that come with the turning of the season, seem like a curse from some cosmic being lavishing in your torment. The all knowing all powerful being laughs as they take your once boring and mundane slice of happiness, and strips it all away...

And then...

Seemingly overnight... You’ve become a depressed man in his mid twenties standing on the edge of a skyscraper...

It’s certainly a long way down from here... But this autumn storm, this horrible string of life events, it seems longer than this 50 story jump...

No...

By comparison, this jump will be short; a small window of pain that will lead me to the next life, a new life, a life of peace, a life where I will see them again....

A life…

In Outer Heaven…

I remember the first time I head heard of that name

No…

It was the first time I remembered giving a damn about that name...

I had heard it many times before, but on that day, was when I first started caring...

4 years ago…

“What are we seeing here?” A man with a microphone said, pointing it at a police officer. The officer stood resolutely in front of a school that had been taped off and encircled by police.

Lucius was watching T.V as he downed the breakfast his mother had made for him. Quickly finishing his plate, he reached for his brother's trying to snag a sausage from it.

“Lucius! That's not for you! Stop stealing your little brother's food!” His mother yelled.

“Hehe, he was out all night last night, he’s probably not going to wake up until 11 anyway!” Lucius said, taking a bite out of the sausage.

“We are looking at one of the most massive suicides to date” The officer said. “25 of the schools teenagers took there lives earlier this morning each with a suicide note claiming they want to reach Outer Heaven. We’ve seen suicides but this is unprecedented, apparently over 200 kids across this region of Japan all took their lives today, the day after midterm results were posted. It seems as though those who were in the bottom 20% of the school committed suicide all at the same time. That makes nearly 500 suicides this month! This is starting to get out of hand.”

The T.V shifted its view back to the news anchor sitting at a desk. As she took center stage a small video of a man with dreadlocks played in the background.

“Outer Heaven, a cult started about 6 months ago by Adam Revala, a man who jumped off the Tokyo skytree proclaiming to be a god from another world.” A news anchor said

“Join me and leave this world,” The man with dreadlocks said “Outer Heaven, a paradise beyond earth's mortal suffering awaits you. Just as one event can turn your life into misery, the same way it can change it for the better. Outer Heaven is the answer to the plague that is human suffering.” A clip of Adam Revala said.

“Since his suicide, Japan has seen almost 10,000 deaths associated with a suicide note claiming to be a reach for Outer Heaven. The majority of them being young teenagers and older seniors. Is this the end of Japan? How can we stop a cult that has a dead leader? Is the world so cruel that people want to escape it? The government is starting to do a mass surveillance program, trying to figure out just how exactly these suicides are happening, and they may have an answer, more news on this at 9.”

“Turn that bullshit off!” Lucius yelled.

“It’s not bullshit! It's news! It's the reality of whats happening to our country!” His mother yelled

“Heh, anyone who decides to take their life is an idiot for believing that mumbo jumbo! And look here the media is just giving it more coverage! The suicides will only go up from here!”

“But people need to be aware! Not everyone is a spoiled kid like you! Born a genius who has everything! Some people are struggling so hard that suicide seems like a great option.”

“Weak!” Lucius said.

“What?”

“If you ask me they’re all just weak! They aren’t strong enough to deal with reality, so they take their lives hoping for a new life! It makes me sick!”

“Lucius… I know your still hurt about your fathers death, but that doesn’t mean”

“Father was a coward! Just like all these people are! Anyone who dies for this nonsense is better off not on this planet! Good riddance to these dumbass kids!” Lucius screamed.

“Lucius...” His mother said sighing

“All that yelling makes me hungry! I'm taking a bit more from this plate hehe sorry Lucas” He said digging into his brother's omelette.

Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!

All of a sudden, Lucius didn’t feel like finishing his omelette. It was as if some sick feeling, some daunting apprehension had come over him. It was almost as if he regretted eating all of the food on his brother's plate, but he didnt know why.

“Hello?” His mother said answering the phone.

CLANK!

His mother dropped her phone and fell to her knees grabbing her chest. As she leaned over in pain tears flooded from her eyes.

“Mother are you alright?” Lucius said running over to her.

“Lu.. LUUUUCAAASSS!” She screamed.

Lucius looked at his mother and then to the T.V screen, and again that sick feeling came over him.

“No that's impossible! That’s not even Lucas’s school! There must be some kind of mistake!”

“They said they’ve identified his body! They found his necklace on him!”

“The Pi necklace I gave him to remember the number? There’s no way!”

“200 kids across the nation of Japan all took their lives today,” Lucius remembered from the broadcast.

“Whyyy! WHYYY LUCASS WHY!” His mother cried

“Thats impossible! Lucas has straight A’s right? He’s a genius! Just like me! I can’t believe this! I’ll go into his room and get a test score right now! They must have made a mistake!”

Lucius ran up the stairs and barged into his brother's room. As soon as he opened the door he found a note lying on his bed.

"Lucas..." Lucius said picking up the torn notebook page. The handwriting was scribbled across the page, showing signs of extreme duress from his brother.

“Lucius... mother… I’m sorry...

I couldn't become the genius you wanted me to be… I… I cheated on everything. Me along with a bunch of other kids got caught today… I couldn’t face you… I could never tell you how much of a failure I was… I’m sorry….please don’t hate me… I know how you feel about Outer Heaven… Maybe I really do deserve to die...maybe in the next life… I will become a better person…

-Lucas

Lucius gripped the note and crumpled it into his hands as a tear ran from his eye.

“Lucas…” Lucius cried “I.. I didn’t mean it… I didn't mean any of it.."

He broke down into a fit of tears sobbing all over his brother's bed.

"Its me... I failed you, brother..."

(Back to present)

What is this?

It's as if all of my life's memories flashing before my eyes. All of my cherished times, all of my regrets…

Is this what she felt?

No

She must have felt something completely different. But in her final moments… I wonder, did she cling to me…

Did she… call for me?

Did she….

Cry for me?

None of that matters now...

Nothing matters now...

A life without her and Lucas is meaningless...

Mother, I’m sorry but I’m going to do the thing I promised I would never do...

I’ve placed the brand on my arm in blood. I’ve waited until the first rays of the sun. It’s time for me to leave this world.

Outer Heaven the kingdom of light awaits me.