"i'm dead?"

he woke up. he realized he was detached from all the earthly realities. from the traffic. the exams. the naggers. the debts.

it was dark. gloomy... and sad.

"i'm dead?" he asked.

no one replied. all he heard was an echo of his own voice.

and then, he realized,  he could fly.

so, he flew as fast as he can until the wind triggered his glands to jerk some tears.

and he saw a light. and came upon it. and then, he saw Him.

"uhmm, Im dead?", he asked

"Yes, son, you didn't wake up today. Like Rico Yan, dude"

"But, I don't want it yet"

"I'm afraid half your conscience wished for it. And sometimes you wished you'd never wake up again. So here it is." God said.

"Damn. so, where am I? is this heaven?"

"not yet. before going there, we still have something to talk about"

"what is it?"

"follow me"

then God walked through what looked like an iMax theatre, playing a life on the 8-storey high screen. the life seemed so real. he can even touch it, and feel it, and smell it. and he doesnt have to wear the 3D glasses like what they do in SM.

the scenes were familiar. it was on first person point of view. there was a FLASH

and a baby was crying. for the first time receiving  tiny photons of light in his tiny little eyes. gooey placental fluid on his limbs. and the smiling faces of his tita, then his dad... hours later, her mom awake. and he heard them say, "he's soo worth it" then FLASH

a 4year old boy was holding a basketball playing with his younger 3 year-old brother. he banged the ball to his glasses. and his brother cried. and he hugged him. and they played again together and then, FLASH

he was at the hospital. waiting in the room with this two brothers and a lot of relatives. and his auntie came inside the room. "it's a girl", she said, "finally. and we'll name her, Pia"... and everybody was happy, finally, a girl. then FLASH

he was going to school. they were using the ambulance to bring him to school. he asked his dad to drop him where nobody could see him. "why son? are you ashamed of an ambulance bringing you to school? are you ashamed of me?".. and he said, "Yes." then FLASH

he cornered her on a dimly lit part of the school. it was lunch break. they hid beside the dark hallway of the second floor. and then they kissed. it was his first kiss. then FLASH

he was playing in the basketball championships. then FLASH he was playing another one a year later. he both lost to it... then FLASH

together with 190+ students, they were singing their graduation song.. then FLASH he entered college, then FLASH he was dissecting a frog then FLASH he passed BioLab then FLASH

sitting at Alpadi Antipolo, hearing the songs of his life, reading his life-long letters and some love letters. he just made a commitment that changed his life. and he breathed in all the gratitude, the blessings, the life that surrounded him... and then FLASH

the two of them were on the beach... under the starry sky, and the pink clouds, the bright moon, the cold breeze of wind, and the pounding of the waves, they kissed. and a forever later... FLASH

he was defending their thesis FLASH he graduated FLASH he entered medschool FLASH the Friday Nights at DWTL, the two chairs, one candle, one blindfold, one cross and one shout.. and FLASH

and God paused it. "Quite a life you got there, Kid"

"Wow. Never thought i've been through all that"

"And you served your purpose well."

"I guess so. I've had a lot of friends. a lot of people. a lot of lives i met. 'we are all part of eveyone we meet', that's what my highschool teacher told me"

"I told her to tell you." and God paused, and went back,"So here's what will I say to you, Son" he said, in a slightly loudened voice.

and the iMax theatre vanished. out came all the angels of the Heavens, and all the departed souls gathered around, smiling on Him, his departed relatives nearest to him, there came the clear blue sky, and the pure white clouds, and the Golden gate of Heaven.

He was Home with God. He was One with God. and God said...

"My dear, beloved, son. Would you like to continue your life on Earth? or would you like to come Home with Me?"

he looked around. and thought. and thought for a while, the whole congregation of Heaven waiting for him, and he said...

"It's a good life, Lord. and thank you for giving me a great life...

...but still, there's still a lot for me to be. I am still going to be a doctor...
i want to save lives, make people happy, cure them, inspire them,
i want to feel the warmth of the blood that will save anothers',
i want to hold a freshly born baby out of the mother's womb. full of joy, full of gratitude, full of life
i want to feel the priceles Thank Yous like what my Dad always receives. The respect, the dignity, and the name he put a mark on the hearts of many.
i still have to pass Biochem, Neuro and all the other subjects life has to offer.
i want to cheer my Subsec every event we have.
i want to share my stories to my Higschool friends, and treat them if time will come.
i want to see my siblings and cousins graduate, and see our lives to success
i still want to watch the sunsets at Zambales
and i want to Love my family more, cause i've always been proud of them.

and i want to Love. to Love till it hurts. to Love till it hurts more. and to Love till it hurts no more

i am still to find the Girl with the Same Hearbeat as Mine. the same S1 and S2 sound of course without S3 and S4, loudest at the 5th Left intercostal space.

i am still to discover the great potential this 140+ IQ can do.
I am still to discover Who I Really Am.

and when I'm done with all of that, then I know you'll be prouder"

God smiled. And gave him a hug. "Very well, son. I'll send you back. Don't worry, I'll never leave you, i cannot leave you, i will always send you angels... Basta Ikaw"

then the whole of Heaven's entourage were cheering on him. Clapping their hands, smiling at him... and the angels surrounded him, so did his departed relatives. and all he felt was nothing but pure Joy, Truth, and Love. and a deep warm feeling of gratitude...

and then it was January 3, 7 AM,
he was late for his NeuroAnatomy Lecture...

and Karl Erjon Edejer woke up with a start.