"You're real!"

I widened my eyes, staring at the winged being in front of me. They were glowing, albeit a little inconsistently. One could even say they were fickling. A disturbance in their mood, maybe.

"You're dead." They said.

I opened my mouth, but in that moment did not know how to respond. I glanced back at my body; it laid there on the hospital bed, thank God with a piece of cloth covering its face. I felt more attached to it than I would have imagined, but probably less than everyone else would have believed. I hoped it would get cremated. Really didn't like the idea of my former shell rotting somewhere.

"I'm sorry." The angel said. Their voice was a bit monotonous, yet I could feel the regret. It broke my heart a little.

"No, no. It wasn't your fault. I chose to save someone and ended up dying, that was on me." I tried to comfort them.

"I should have checked the surroundings... I should have predicted your action..." My (former) guardian angel muttered to themselves, this time sounding rather compulsive. I was concerned. I was a bit of a perfectionist when I was alive, guess I knew where I got it from now...

I opened my arms, asking to hug. The angel gazed at me for a few seconds. Their face glowed like a lightbulb, but I could still make out their facial features. I found it precious that I finally knew what they looked like. The angel took a step forward and gave me a hug.

"You did well. Thank you." I said, feeling nothing but bliss.

"Same to you." Their voice was gentle and warm.

"What comes next?" I lifted my face and asked. "Where do I have to go?"

"A Reaper should come in a bit." The angel let go of me. "They'll bring you to the Netherworld, where all the human souls go. May we meet again in your next life."

"I don't want a next life. Erek." I said, calling the angel by name. It was an odd feeling, knowing someone's name without ever being told. I shook my head, sighing. "You know I want something else."

"Yes, and I'm not going to advocate that." Erek spoke sternly. "I'm an angel, mind you."

"My angel. My brother. My best friend. My self!" I pleaded. "Then you know! Please just tell me, is He real? Are my dreams as real as you?"

"I can't comment on that." Erek looked very troubled. "I have to guide you, and can only guide you, towards the higher order."

"But Erek, for what? I love a demon!"

"A fraction of your ordeals, no more." Uttered Erek, but they stared at me and they felt the angst in me. Erek sighed:

"I cannot see you off to where the Most High does not touch. You make your choice, but you will walk alone. I cannot tell you what you will encounter, if anything you believe in is actually real, or how to survive on your own. I cannot save you there."

I looked at their glowing face.

"I know."

"...Have I given you too much liberty? Too much inspiration?" Erek sounded saddened.

"You gave me a good heart, and that's everything." I smiled.

I hugged Erek again before they told me how to get to somewhere else instead of Irkalla.

"I will never forget you." I told them.

"But you will." Erek said. "You will forget a lot of things. You will have to. But remember, you've always had good faith. And don't fall into the Abyss."

Erek told me that again as we waved goodbye. Don't fall into the Abyss. They said. And be happy. Be finally happy, in hell.

I shouted back. I will.