Heaven Sent

• Ashlea Sampson, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2014

She caught up to the light and was then engulfed by a warm feeling that swam through her body from head to toe, did this mean she was going to Heaven? After all she had done this option seemed doubtful but there was still some hope. She closed her eyes and let the feeling engulf her. The warmth was calm and comforting like the sun on a summers day with a light wind whispering through the air. She hadn't realized that she had been moved until she suddenly felt the warmth stop abruptly and was quickly replaced by hot humid air. It was uncomfortable and sticky, oh how she wished she didn't let the tumor win, it had bothered her how she’d just given up, but what’s done is done. She sighed to herself and opened her sapphire eyes taking in the landscape around her. Everything was white, the floors, the ceiling, if there was one. The roof was so high up, and so far she could see no walls. The sterile area she had found herself in seem to go on forever. Except for one thing; a small black blotch in the middle of this desolate place. That blotch was a small round table, no taller than her mid-thigh and holding two chalices. One black, the other gold. As she grew closer and closer to the table she saw the contents each chalice held. The black one held a liquid that appeared to be much like wine, but she could clearly see, that was not what it held, the liquid bubbled and sizzled as though the chalice was boiling on a hot-plate. Whilst the gold chalice was much more subtle as it seemed by appearance to only be water, but had a scent of flowers in the spring. If she were meant to choose she wouldn't know which one she would pick. Suddenly in a blinding flash a faceless man stood in front of her with pure white wings made of feathers; he was an angel. “Child,” he spoke his voice quiet and gentle, “you have been given a choice; either eternal punishment or eternal peace. I will not tell which cup to drink, all I will say is that to drink your sins will earn you passage, whilst to ignore them would mean torture and forever punishment in hell. Now you have forever to choose so don’t be too hasty with your decision.” He whispered the last part. Without warning she made a grab for the black chalice and watched as the angels face dropped. She knew she had picked up the one-way ticket to hell, she didn't deserve heaven. The angel nodded his head knowingly then disappeared. Quickly, so she could not back out she downed the contents of the chalice and fell to the ground.


“You passed, enjoy eternal happiness Child” Someone whispered as she fell into a happy, painless sleep free of demons and punishment. This was her heaven sent blessing.