Chapter Text
Kate Pryde opened her eyes to nothing. Bright, not-quite blue sky above; land made of white, transparent sand below. Her feet were bare, and everything felt rather singular. No colors, no sound, nothing.
She looked at her hands, flipping them over to see her palms and knuckles. Normal - her skin was clearer than ever. She felt her hair. Just as springy as when she’d… gone to sleep last.
Kate tugged some locks of her hair down to examine the chestnut curls. When was the last time she’d gone to sleep? And where was her home?
She turned around, examining the never-ending nothingness, and saw a golden structure in the distance. Tall, gleaming in a sunlight that came from no sun.
Kate walked towards it, feeling hazy with confusion, but knowing this was the direction she had to go.
She walked, realizing that the sand she walked on wasn’t sand at all - she couldn’t feel anything on her feet. She was standing on air. A cool draft rushed by, but otherwise, there was nothing. And she realized, she’d never had the feeling of nothing touching her in her life. Always something - her feet on the ground, back on the bed, clothes, anything.
A look down at the thought confirmed that, yes, she was missing her clothes too. But she had little thought to anything but getting to the golden spot in the distance, the one thing that broke the singularity of this vision.
As she got closer, the sands tilted up an incline, and the structure became clear. A huge gate, so tall it could fit a cruise ship. The pickets weren’t straight lines of metal, but rather made to look like the vines of a huge plant. The gate posts disappeared into the clear sand, fading into nothingness somewhere Kate couldn’t see.
She walked up, examining each part of it, looking back to the empty void behind her. What was in the other direction?
But her mind told her to look back towards the gate, and so she did. And when she did, the gate opened, the doors swinging away from each other soundlessly. Kate walked over and touched the side of one; metal, the same temperature as her hand. Nothing out of place.
Through the gate was more cloud and void. Kate walked towards it, wondering if she should simply walk in this direction until she got home. There was nothing over there, though. Where was she going?
Home?
Where was she?
But her legs moved before she could finish thinking. Her foot landed inside the gate just as she turned back to try to figure out where her home was. Home, the little condo with the coffee shop next to it and the great view of the city skyline. And, yes, her name was Katherine Pryde, from Chicago, now a New Yorker, and–
Sound bloomed in front of her. Buildings rose around her vision, white marble-ish structures like what could be found in ancient greece. Vines of single-toned green creeped around the buildings. The bushes, trees, and flowers were the same green, and every flower had white pedals.
Hundreds of people strolled about, light chatter and little laughs, walking with hair perfectly done and white sort of toga outfits. They were blouses and skirts, the men too, cinched at the waist with a wrap.
Kate blushed furiously and looked down at her body, only to find that she wore the same outfit as everyone else. It simply appeared on her.
The buildings followed straight roads. She looked back, but the golden gate was gone. All that was there was more of the white-built city.
Up in the pale sky people with wings were soaring about. They flew in pairs, mostly.
Kate followed the road and listened to the polite chatter of people around her, not sure if she should speak aloud, trepidation in her body. This was not America, that’s all she knew. Every city in America would have at least a few littered bottles and fast food bags laying about, as much as she loved her home.
People jittered about, paying no mind to her. Kitty turned around a corner, suddenly concerned about being able to backtrack - everything looked exactly the same, and she had no sense of where she’d been. She’d always been a bit easy to confuse her sense of direction, but this was far worse than normal.
She kept a straight line and walked until she saw an opening with a white fountain, benches, and boxes filled with more white-pedaled flowers. It was a small plaza.
A woman with tan skin and two perfect braids of black hair sat on the bench, watching the fountain guzzle clear water that had a golden tint to it. The stranger was silent, but looked peaceful. Kate walked towards her and sat on the same bench.
“Hi,” Kate said, smiling politely. “Sorry to bother.”
“You’re fine,” the woman soothed immediately, returning the smile. “What’s your name?”
“Kate,” she answered.
“I’m Dani. Nice to meet you.”
Kate nodded politely, taking the handshake the other woman offered.
“Uhm,” Kate looked over at the waterfall, feeling a bit afraid. Who didn’t know where they were? This felt so bizarre to even ask. “Not to be weird, but… where are we?”
“Heaven,” Dani answered. Kate’s eyebrows raised.
“Heaven?” She whispered. “How?”
Dani’s eyes peered at her, looking Kate up and down, appraising her attitude. No doubt Kate looked like a regular, with everyone wearing the same outfit.
“Your soul comes here when you die, provided you were a pious person on Earth.”
Kate’s throat hurt. Dead?
“Did you just get here?” Dani asked. Kate shook her head. She almost felt as if she could cry, but the pain was quickly rescinding in her throat, and the sting in her eyes immediately went away, all of her senses dulling. It was like someone had put numbing cream on her emotions.
“I guess so,” Kate answered. “How did I die?”
“I don’t know anyone who knows,” Dani answered. Kate bit her lip.
“How do you not know? Wouldn’t you want to know?”
“I’ve never…” Dani’s own eyebrows scrunched then. “I’ve never thought too hard about it, I guess.”
“Ok,” Kate shook her head. “Well, where did that gate go? I need to leave.”
Dani giggled then, politely covering her mouth with her hand. “Leave? Heaven?”
“I don’t belong here.”
Dani held a hand up to Kate’s forehead, feeling her temperature, and Kate idly wondered if the common cold invaded even Heaven itself, before a dulling woosh covered her thoughts again.
“Yes you do. If you stand up and walk for a little while, you’ll find your home. You’ll feel it when you get there,” Dani said. “I could leave in any direction and walk for just a few minutes and I’ll be at mine.”
Kate shook her head, focusing on her irritation, ignoring the soothing sounds of the waterfall and the chuckling around her.
“No, Dani. You don’t understand,” she said. “I don’t belong here. When I died, I was supposed to go to Hell.”
–
19 Years Ago
–
Kitty’s head stung. She wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol, or the booming music, or the shouting and cheering around her. There were flashing colored lights throughout the room that certainly weren’t helping.
She’d planned on staying until the campus cops came and busted everyone back to their dorms, but she might dip out early this time.
She set her solo cup down on a table, peering over at a folding table in the corner that still had some pizza and breadsticks out. Food - food was good. Kitty walked over, politely weaving through the crowds of people laughing and shouting in their circles. She grabbed two, feeling their oily surfaces covered with sprinkled parmesan, and walked back over to grab her drink.
When she did, a pale hand with perfectly trimmed nails covered it.
“Somebody must have taught you about leaving drinks unattended at parties.”
Kitty peered at the hand, then looked up at the woman it belonged to. Blonde hair, perfectly straightened. Full lips, clear skin, eyes with metallic blue irises. Her nose was slim and everything was aligned to the golden ratio itself. There was not a lick about her that wasn’t perfect.
“Whoa– hi. Very… hi,” Kitty’s head throbbed. The stranger smiled, tilted her head, and looked Kitty up and down quickly.
“Do you have a ride home? Someone you can call?” The woman asked.
“U-uh,” Kitty stuttered, trying to peel her eyes off the woman. And damn, the crop top, her toned stomach, holy… mother…
“I can call my roommate,” Kitty decided. The girl nodded.
“C’mon, follow me to the kitchen. There’s water bottles there,” she held out her hand. Kitty flushed and grabbed it. She’d only recently started to realize just how pretty women were, but this one in particular, wow. She let herself be led through the crowd.
The kitchen had a big box light on the ceiling turned on, giving it the feeling of an island in the sea of flashing colors and darkness around it.
Kitty leaned against the countertop, feeling the edge dig against her lower back while she twisted off the plastic cap of a chilled water bottle. She gulped it down quickly, the cold stinging her throat. The mystery lady leaned towards Kitty, eyes boring into her, hands against the counter on each side of her, boxing her in.
She looked up at the ceiling, hoping the ice cold water was flushing out the blush on her face. She kept drinking so she wouldn’t have to look back down.
Unfortunately, water bottles ran out.
The blonde girl took the empty plastic from her, scrunching it and throwing it behind her shoulder into the sink.
“Did you call your roommate?” She asked. Kitty stammered. That’s right, she needed to call.
“O-oh, Taylor. Right,” She shoved her hand in her pocket. Pressed through the contacts until she found the number. Called, phone shoved against one ear and her finger in the other to try to block out the screaming and loud music. The blonde stayed right in her spot, hands on each side, keeping Kitty trapped.
It rang, three, four, five times. Taylor didn’t answer, and the robot’s voice came on instead, telling her to leave a voicemail.
“She didn’t answer,” Kitty said. The blonde’s face didn’t move. Kitty wasn’t sure if she should be intimidated or aroused with how close she was.
“Nobody else?”
“I can try… hold on. I can get on the train, actually. I’m…” Kitty suddenly stood straight up. “I’m okay. Thank you… what’s your name?”
“Don’t worry about that. Take my hands,” the stranger said. Kitty blushed furiously, looking down at the two hands the stranger held forward. She reached out and grasped both of them.
Kitty’s heart beat with enough pressure it could start a new industrial revolution. The blonde leaned towards her.
“Close your eyes,” she hummed into Kitty’s ear. Kitty licked her lips and complied. And then, the woman tugged her forward.
Kitty’s feet stumbled while she followed the motion, but the blonde held her tightly so she’d stay upright. Immediately, everything sounded quiet. No music, no voices, nothing. She opened her eyes, bewildered at the sight of her very own bedroom. The blonde was still here, their hands together.
She was twirled around until her calves hit her mattress and she was forced to sit on it.
“Ok, wait, wait. We were just…” Kitty shook her head. “We were just at Roberto’s house. The game… we just won the football game, and–”
“Go to bed, okay? Get some rest,” the blonde kneeled on one knee, looking up at Kitty with those gorgeous eyes.
“No, hold on,” she stared at the woman. “How did we get here?”
“Magic,” the blonde said simply.
“Be real with me,” Kitty demanded.
“I am,” the woman brushed her fingers through Kitty’s curling hair, pushing it back behind her ear.
“No way. I didn’t tell you my address or anything,” Kitty pouted. She knew she didn’t, because she still hadn’t memorized it herself since she moved in. She needed to drink more water. And some of that electrolyte stuff Taylor swore by, too. And she needed to eat, still.
“Like I said, magic,” the blonde said.
Kitty examined the woman knelt before her. Her heart thrummed wildly again when she realized just how the blonde was nestled between her thighs, having to tilt her head up to see Kitty. She couldn’t help herself from running her fingers against golden hair and combing it back.
Well, it certainly hadn’t been off the table to hook up tonight. She’d never thought in a million years that such a gorgeous woman would bother with her, though.
“You’re pretty,” Kitty sighed. The woman bit her lip and looked down, chuckling.
“Thank you,” the woman answered. She put her hand on Kitty’s knee, sliding it around until she could grip the plump of Kitty’s thigh. “Oh, I wish you were sober enough.”
“Then you…” Kitty started, but the blonde stood up and stepped away, leaving Kitty sat on the bed, dazed. She turned towards the door, hand on the knob. It was dark, the only light coming in from the nightlight Kitty kept plugged into the wall. The blonde was leaving.
“Hey, don’t! Come here, for just a second,” Kitty demanded. “Come here. Come over here.”
Kitty could see hand still on the door and a soft smile on her lips. She shook her head. But she came back, standing above Kitty. Kitty reached out and grabbed the blonde’s hand in both of hers.
“You can’t just leave like that,” Kitty said. “Stay, or at least give me your number.”
Hell, she might as well shoot her shot. The alcohol would make her ask whether she wanted to be bashful or not.
“I can’t,” the blonde tilted her head to the side, reaching her free hand up to stroke knuckles across Kitty’s jaw. “Trust me… I’m out tonight for some fun. It’s hard for me to walk away from this.”
“I’m saying you don’t have to,” Kitty tugged at her hand.
“I don’t think you can walk in a straight line,” the stranger said. Kitty stood up and flicked the stranger’s shoulder, strolling dramatically to the far side of her tiny dorm room. She held up a finger and pointed it at the stranger.
“Watch. Watch this, okay?” Kitty grinned mischievously.
The blonde was fully smiling now. She’d folded her arms and leaned on one leg.
“My full attention,” she answered.
Kitty got her one foot in front, and immediately fell upon trying to bring the heel of her other foot towards her toes. The line test had never seen such an abysmal attempt.
Hands caught her and brought her back to the bed. She giggled loudly, leaning into the arms holding her. Her laughter wasn’t alone.
This time, the blonde laid her down and found a throw blanket to slide over her. Kitty snuggled into it. She felt a hand brush through her hair a few more times. Her stomach was starting to churn, and she knew she’d feel it in the morning.
“Hold on, I need to brush my teeth,” Kitty whispered.
“Here,” the blonde said. Kitty opened her eyes. The blonde nodded towards her bedside table. A bottle of nuclear blue mouthwash, a glass of water, and her breadsticks were all neatly set up on it.
“Oh, my breadsticks!” Kitty gushed, shooting her hands out to grab one. She’d forgotten about them since they’d… magic ’d their way back to her room. The blonde stood up and walked towards her bedroom door. “Thank God. What kind of evil person would steal my breadsticks?”
“Not even a demon would,” the blonde said. The door squeaked open, shut, and she was gone.
–
Present Day
–
Douglas Ramsey stared at a purple lake.
He wasn’t sure how he found this place when he did. The first time, it had been on a whim. He’d been a technical child, incredibly curious and committed to learning every bit and piece of any object placed in front of him. Of course, he wouldn’t remember that, wouldn’t remember the accolades he won in his time on earth for his research, wouldn’t remember the patents registered to him, wouldn’t remember the computer language he designed and wrote.
All of that virulent curiosity in humanity had, in eternity, only given him enough to sometimes find this lake.
He wasn’t quite sure when he slept, nor woke, nor saw the park and chatted with the neighbors. But now and again, he was sure he wanted to see the lake, and luckily, if he followed one of the roads in Heaven’s domain far enough, eventually the buildings disappeared and only the white cloud-like sand remained. And then, some time after, the purple lake would appear.
Doug was sure if he walked for about five minutes he could get around its circumference, but he never bothered, so long as he could see the water. The streets of his home had a lot of white, and sometimes he could catch green from foliage and gold from the angels’ armor. And everyone had their hair, so black, yellow, brown, orange - these were all colors he could see sometimes. But purple? He wasn’t sure where else he could get purple besides this lake.
He didn’t often remember to miss the colors, but when he did, he thought maybe there was more he was missing besides purple.
Doug sat cross legged at the edge of the ebbing water. He pushed a finger in, and while it felt cold and wet inside, as soon as he withdrew, his hand was dry.
And he watched it, knowing soon he’d find himself accidentally walking home and forgetting about purple again.
Time ebbed, and just as Doug’s feet were deciding it was time to leave, bubbles started popping on the surface of the purple lake, a few feet from where he sat. A dash of fear poked his heart, but it faded away just as quickly, leaving him to watch the bubbles wordlessly. He’d never seen bubbles at this lake.
A black clawed hand shot out of the water and yanked Doug’s forearm like he was prey in a wolf’s jaw. Doug screamed. He was pulled forward, his arm tugged into the water until his nose touched the liquid.
In front of his eyes, the head of a woman with horns stuck out. From her nose down was underwater, but what Doug could see struck fear in his soul. This time, the dulling feeling that washed over him wasn’t enough to quell the raw emotion.
“Help!!!” Doug yelled as loud as he could. The woman had ruby red horns. Red, that was another color he hadn’t seen since he’d last remembered. When had he seen red? And red eyes peered right at him, just a foot from his face. If all he could see was her straight-cut blonde bangs and hair, she’d look normal.
“You have something of mine, angel,” a voice hissed through the water. “Where is Katherine Anne Pryde?”
But Doug, aided by a fear so strong he’s sure he’d never felt anything before this, yanked his hand from the demon’s grasp, scrambled away, and ran without looking back.