Meet Me in the Purple Garden

Every night at midnight, the purple clouds came out to dance with the blushing sky. I knew that by waiting until my nerves had settled down, I would be able to rest comfortably. I had been reluctant to go to bed because of the excitement of going down two floors in the sitting room. The noise of glasses clanking and high-pitched voices mixed with distant laughter would keep me up till morning.

The family gathered every year on All Hallows' Eve for a huge celebration honoring the lives of our ancestors. I had decided to sit this one out and have a small celebration. Since I am the youngest of my three siblings, I was the one who stayed in the attic every time we visited the ranch.

It was colder than most parts of the house, probably because a few of my relatives had passed on there or the hole in the roof. That is what my sister would tell me. She just wanted me to feel scared to sleep in the attic alone; I rather enjoyed the quiet.

The furniture set up in this room had been collected from many of the elders, kind of a storage space, I'll say, but it did give it style and was rich in culture from around the world.

The bed was a twin bed solid oak frame with huge bedposts, and the mattress was the most appealing thing about staying in the attic. My family made sure whoever stayed in the attic would sleep comfortably if they ever got any sleep with all the strange things that happened here.

My aunt Linda had choked to death on a pea on her last stay here, and my uncle Roger died of natural causes at age 35 in the same bed I am sleeping in tonight.

One more strange and unusual death, and this house will have a triple homicide on its listing. What a perfect night to see if I would be added to that list. I was determined to have a clear path to the other side if I were the house's next victim.

I had gathered all the tools I needed to celebrate with my ancestors. Their spirits were said to be seen wandering around the staircase headed to the attic on any given night, so I expected them to join me this night made just for them.

It took a week for my aunt's favorite candies to be sent over from Mexico, and I was excited to present them to her. I decorated the round table with candles, flowers, and my aunt and uncle's favorite food and drink items ready for them when they arrived.

As the clock stroke 3 am, I was snuggled into bed, ready to drift into the sky with the purple clouds. The air was calm as the scent of lavender overwhelmed the room, and the candle lights flickering was the only shadows on the wall as my eyes were so heavy.

Finally closing and I drifted off to sleep. As I slipped into the REM stages of deep sleep, counting the colored spots under my eyelids, I felt the urge to open my eyes. I reached for my glasses but could not seem to find them.

In the distance, I saw a glowing light fluttering around in the distance. I strained my vision, and it was a human body with wings curious about me as I was them.

I refrained from any sudden movement as I didn't want to startle my new watcher from a distance. I wondered if this could be a messenger to take me to see my aunt and uncle on this sacred night.

I stumbled to put my nightdress on. The beautiful glowing object was leading me down the stairwell. I followed curiously to the garden stopping at the rose bush I planted as a kid. I sat down on the cold earth with a curious mind and sincere intentions of learning everything I could.

I felt a hand touch my shoulder. I was not frightened by the tiny uncut fingernails I saw because I knew my aunt had kept her nails that way for many years. I turned to my left, and in a purple flowing satin gown was my aunt, beautiful as she was the day she died.

A light shone down from the purple clouds onto her silver hair, illuminating her wrinkled face and inviting smile. An overwhelming urge to hug her came over me, but as I reached out, she was no longer there.

Was this a dream, I wondered, and if so, could I enter it lucidly to interact with her? I called for my dog, knowing it would open up the world so I could see her and interact on the level I had hoped for this morning.

The sky opened as I touched her collar and brought her close. As I looked up to the sky filled with purple clouds, it started to rain. This was no ordinary of the wet variety but feathers.

Feathers started falling onto my forehead, and I felt the softness on my skin. I closed my eyes to enjoy the feeling of that tiny uncut fingernailed hand gently touching my shoulder.

She was there and for real this time. So I knew that this night was perfect for me here to visit, and I now knew that my welcoming gifts were honored, and I was blessed with her presence.

As the fluttering winged human danced in the distance, my aunt and I sat in the garden and talked. We talked about my life and what I had been working on. She always had an opinion of my work.

I listened attentively, knowing I would not see her till next year. I made a mental note of things I needed to work on and let go of to meet my potential. Our visit was grand and comforting in every way I could have imagined.

I was so eager to see her I didn't notice that it was starting to get light outside. I knew my time was short now, so I intensely asked her how heaven was. She told me we do not go to heaven. We go to the earth, and our heaven is there.

Do not fear death but welcome it because you will be returned to your natural state. Live your life on earth to the fullest and most redeemable, and I promise you you will see heaven.

As the blue sky was overwhelmed with the sun, I no longer saw her beautiful purple gown flowing in the crisp air. She was gone, but I was still awake and alert on a new day in the garden.

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