I remember turning to our friends, Mitchell and Jennifer. They were leaning against the bumper of Georgie’s car, kissing. He touched my cheekbone, bringing my attention back to him.

     “You got a little too much sun today.”

     “Well, we won’t need to worry about that for long. Do you see the fog coming in, darling?”

     “Mitchell!” He called to his best friend and pointed to the Pacific. “Let’s pack up. If we leave now, we can make it back to The Valley before we get socked in.”

     A frenzy followed as we shoved towels, blankets, and picnic baskets into the trunk.

     I didn’t notice right away that I’d forgotten my sweater lying in the sand. I didn’t notice that until a little later. But now, the sun was setting, and the fingers of fog were grasping at the car. We weren’t going to make it to The Valley.

     About thirty minutes later, we drove in darkness, wrapped in a thick, impenetrable fog. By then, I'd realized my mistake and was shivering under George’s arm, between the bucket seats. It wasn’t very comfortable on my bottom, but it was a little warmer!

     I was beginning to doze when a bright flash of light brought me awake. I wish I had slept through the cacophony of breaking glass and crumbling steel. The loud noise was immediately followed by pain. It was excruciating, and it radiated out from my center.

     I remember watching as Mitchell’s and Jennifer’s bodies flew over our heads, and I thought to myself that I was so glad they were safe. I felt Georgie's hand grasp mine as the pain in my belly began to fade and the darkness came. There was no more sound, except a soft hum which came from the bright light ahead of me. I walked toward it.

     It would be cliché of me to say that I was floating down a long hallway, and it wasn’t altogether accurate. The path was for sure a passage, but it felt more like a tunnel made of light rather than filled by it. Whatever. Unless you’ve seen it, travelled it, you wouldn’t understand. The light was so bright that it should have been painful, but it wasn’t. It pierced into my brain, but it was more like being filled up with a thick, warm light, which was quite pleasant.

     As I drew closer to the source, the mesmerizing hum became more defined. I was now hearing voices, whispers that called me by names I did not recognize. Except one that is. Patricia. That was me, after all. I turned my head to the voice that spoke my name, and then down as my feet touched down upon a soft but firm floor. Nothing seemed to make sense here.

     As I looked up from the floor, I was caught off guard as a vision of my deceased mother stood before me. She hadn’t aged a single day and might even have gone backwards to a more youthful age.

     “Patty.” She wrapped ethereal arms around me, and I don’t believe I’ve ever felt a love so pure.

     The hum of voices faded into a soft combination of bells, violins, and singing as my mother and I began to walk. I’m not sure how long we talked, but I don’t remember much, only that when we reached a lavender door which glowed softly with a different sort of light, I knew I was dead.

     “How does this happen?” I asked my mother as we continued to walk, only now, we walked up this seemingly endless staircase. And then we were walking down, and then up again.

     “Well, your body stopped its essential functions, and your soul came back home.” My mother said with a quirk to her lips.

     “Funny,” I rolled my eyes, “What I mean is, I thought there was nothing after. That’s what Daddy always told me. ‘Death is the end. The afterlife is just a hoax to get people to go to church.’ That’s what he always said.”

     “I know he did. I used to say the same thing… Until I died.” She gestured with her arms to the scenery around us. “But I was wrong. We both were.”

     “It’s so beautiful here.”

     “It is. And you haven’t even seen the best parts yet.” She smiled at me so gently.

     We continued up again until we came to a landing which opened out to a beautiful meadow of soft grasses and flowers, dotted with full shade trees. I stopped with an awed smile.

     “Come, darling, we have an appointment. You can come back here whenever you like.”

     “Is there a God, like the churches say, Mom?” I hadn’t followed her, standing my ground. I had far too many questions to just keep walking.

     “Well… without going into too much detail, no. Not like the churches say. That is all I can tell you for now, Patricia. You will learn more when we get to our appointment.” She called me to follow again with a wave of her hand.

     My mind was racing. This only left me with more questions. No God? Does that mean there’s no Devil? This is impossible.

While my mind was racing, so was our journey, I think. We were approaching a low and rounded building. This must be where our appointment was.

     “Patricia is here to see Her.” Mother was speaking to an empty room.

     “There’s no one here, Mother,” I whispered.

     Mother only smiled.

     I wondered who she had been referring to as “Her”. Was there another woman I would need to speak with to learn about this place and why I was here? I jumped as a voice spoke softly behind me.

     “Welcome, Patricia. She will see you now.” She smiled at my mother. Thank you, Savannah. We will take it from here.”

     My mother squeezed my shoulders with a smile and let this woman take my hand, leading me away.

     I only panicked a little bit when she walked me through the wall and into a softly lit chamber decorated in darker jewel tones. It was a rest for my eyes, and everything seemed to sparkle.

     I was settled on a small pile of soft pillows and told to be comfortable. “She will be with you momentarily.”

     “Who is She? Doesn’t She have a name?” I asked as I finally settled.

     “She has many names, Patricia. As does He. But you won’t meet Him until later.”

     “This is insane. You know that, right?”

     “It would be normal for you to think so right now. Everything will become clear to you soon. For now, relax and have a bite to eat while you wait.” She walked away in silence.

     I’m not sure how long I waited. Time seems to pass oddly here. After a while, I started to feel a slight tingle in and on my entire body. My ears began to softly ring, although not like when I was alive. It was kind of like a soft whistle. Maybe more like a hum? Whatever it was, it made me feel like I’d had just a little too much to drink. Had I been drugged?

     I rubbed my eyes, and when I opened them, I was sitting across from the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Her skin was naturally golden, as if kissed by the sun, and her hair was a rich, but vibrant auburn with sun-kissed streaks.

     “Welcome home, my daughter.” She spoke in musical tones, filled with ancient rhythms.

     “Daughter?” I asked.

     “I am She, who is the mother of all things. I give life to all that has, or ever will, exist. Her voice was so melodic and true.

     “So, you are mother to all people?”

     “I am Mother to all the universe. Everything has my breath within it. Everything was given a spark from my hearth.”

     “God is a woman?”

     The air shimmered before me, and when I blinked, a man sat before me. My eyes grew wide, and He smiled.

     “We are All we are, Patricia. We are female and male. We are life, as well as death. We keep the balance in all things.” The shimmer came again, and She was back.

     I was confused only for another moment, but then peace settled over me like a warm blanket. I knew this was where I belonged. I knew this was where I began and where I would return with each ending. I talked with Her for what felt like hours. I learned things I hadn’t known in life, things I would need soon when I returned to the living.

     THE COLD CAME like a slap on my bare, wet skin, and I screamed loudly before I was wrapped in a soft blanket and tightly wrapped. The woman looked into my eyes, and a tear slid down her cheek as she spoke, “Emmalynn.”

     “Mother,” I thought.