One of the biggest and most important questions in everyone’s life is one we still don’t have an answer for. What happens after we die? Are we sent to Heaven or Hell? Reincarnation? There are even theories out there that suggest we never really die, that we go to a different dimension and we live a life there and repeat over and over again. Movies have us believing that it could be any number of different possibilities. Should we take the red pill or the green pill? Is there a brilliant white light at the end of the tunnel? Here’s the story of one moment who is beginning to find out just where he goes when his time is up.
Lucas Bradley was a simple man living in a simple town. He was one of the few people who were lucky enough to find his true love in High School and it lasted. From there he went on to college, for business management, graduated near the top of his class, and from there he got a loan to open up his own book store with a loan from his father in law. Which he was able to pay back by the time he was 25.
His wife turned out to be none other than his High School sweetheart, now named Scarlet Bradley. She was never to get the grades that Lucas seemed to get so effortlessly, but her dreams were a little smaller than his so that was ok in her eyes. She went to college after High School, and obtained her Master’s in Education alongside Lucas, as he was starting up his book store business. While Lucas seemed to spend all of his waking hours either working in the bookstore, or reading books Scarlet enjoyed only having to work in the mornings and loved her summers off so she could be there for support whenever the business seemed to go down.
In High School Scarlet was never the popular type, not because no one liked her but simply because she did not care to. She was of average height for a girl as she graduated. She had red hair, and the brightest green eyes anyone would ever see. Her haired as always the perfect length just under her shoulder blades and almost always worn down. That is what attracted Lucas to her in the first place. He always described her as someone who could look gorgeous without having to try very hard.
Like far too many guys in this day and age, Lucas of course wanted to keep himself reasonably presentable, but he was never one to obsess over exercising, or at times even coming his dark brown hair. If you were to see these two walking on the beach hand in hand, it would be hard for you not to wonder how a guy who looked like he did was able to get a girl as stunning as that. Lucas’ personal grooming skills helped him get a rugged look that some women seemed to like. He was about the same height as Scarlet, which was a little short for his age. What helped Lucas was the fact that he was genuinely the last nice guy in the world. He would open doors for anyone when he was at the fuel station, and almost always paid for the people behind him in a fast food drive thru. All these things and more are what drew Scarlet to him.
Even now, when they are both done with school, and are starting to make a name for themselves, you can’t help but notice just how in love these two are. Lucas seemed to have it all. They were also good Christians who believed this life was only the beginning and when they leave this place they will be forever in Heaven or Home.
It was a typical Sunday morning in the Bradley household. Scarlet woke up hours before Lucas did, went down stairs, started the coffee for the both of them, and then made pancakes for their every week Sunday breakfast. The smell of coffee and pancakes was always enough to get Lucas out of bed.
Lucas tended to wear the same shirt and shorts to bed every night, which secretly disgusted Scarlet, but to Lucas it was just being smart. Why change clothes every night when all you do is sleep in them? He got out of bed and stretched and yawned and then followed in Scarlet’s steps and walked downstairs to the kitchen.
“Good morning sleepy,” Scarlet said with a smile, “Gosh, I hope I didn’t wake you all these pancakes and coffee.” She waved her hand Vana White style, with a smile.
“Man o man do I sure love you,” Lucas said, “You know one of these days I’m going to get up before you and make you breakfast.” He knew it would never happen.
Scarlet rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless. She also knew it would never happen.
Their house was big enough to have a dining room, and a rather large kitchen. In that kitchen they had a breakfast nook, a dark brown one, in the corner where they spent their Sunday morning breakfasts. They both sat down and began to talk about their plans for the day.
“So,” Lucas began, “What kind of adventures do you have for our Sunday fun day this week?”
“Oh Lucas I knew you would forget,” she said.
Lucas looked at her across the table and tried to be cute about it, “Of course I didn’t forget,” he said, “I just can’t seem to think right now because I’m so lost in your green eyes.”
“Oh shut it,” she said cutely, “That line hardly worked when we were in High School, do you really think it is going to work now? She finished eating and gathered up her plate and took it to the sink without another word.
Lucas slowly got up from his seat and walked over to her and put his arms around her, “Hey,” he whispered, “You know I have clean up because you made breakfast, and you’re right I did forget, but whatever it is you go do it, and I’ll be find here watching football.”
“You’re lucky my weakness is a man who is not afraid to do dishes,” she said, which of course Lucas knew.
“Anyway,” she said, “I just have to go to the school for a few hours to help set up for our end of the year program.”
Now Lucas remembered.
“Yeah,” he said, “you win, no go upstairs and get ready I’ll finish these up.
So Scarlet did just that. She knew that she didn’t need to be in her normal teacher attire so she grabbed a t-shirt and jeans, ran back down, kissed Lucas goodbye as he was finishing up drying the dishes and told him she loved him.
Lucas never imagined that would be the last time that he would see Scarlet alive on this Earth.
To be continued…
The Lyons Den 