Force throws me against the wheel. I hear the sound of crushing metal and shattering glass. I try to cover my ears but can’t move. My whole body aches. Then there is nothing.
I wake to a bright light. I expect to feel pain, but I don’t. I feel oddly peaceful. Am I dead? No. I can’t be dead. I sit up. I’m on a bed with white sheets. The walls of the small room are white. Brightly white. I look down. I’m wearing a white t-shirt, white cotton pants, and no shoes. The floors are white marble. Where am I? I stand. Where is Jane? She was with me in the car. No. No. No. My brown hair falls out of the ponytail. I couldn’t have killed my best friend. I look for an exit. If I can get out of this room, I can find her. There is no door. My breathing quickens. “Help! Help?” No answer. I close my eyes. This can’t be happening. Then a voice.
“It’s okay, Alice. You’re safe.”
I jump. An old woman stands in front of me.
“Where am I? How do you know my name?”
She sighs. Her dark eyes focus on me. “You were in a car crash. You are now in ‘Bliss.’ Your body on earth is non-responsive. You are here to sort this out.”
“I’m dead?”
“No. In a coma. Your friend is here too. Her condition is…delicate. Would you like to see her?”
“Yes.” I blink. We are in a hospital room. I see Jane’s lifeless body. Her long blond hair is sprawled around her bloody face. A monitor tracks her heart rate. I blink again and we are back in the white room. I feel myself crumple. “Why are we here again?”
“You weren’t responding well, Alice.”
“This is a dream. All of this. Not real.”
“You are partially correct.” Alexandra sits on the bed.
“Partially?”
“This is your reality now. When you wake up on earth you will leave Bliss.”
“With Jane?” I ask.
Alexandra looks down and shakes her head.
“She can’t die! I can save her,” I shriek. I pace across the cold floor.
“That is not your choice.”
“Then whose choice is it!”
“She does not take audiences.”
“Whoever she is, she does now. I want to speak to her. Take me to her.”
“You can’t. I can’t.”
“Yes I can! I can do whatever I want! And you’re not going to stop me.” I walk the perimeter of the room pushing the walls, blindly searching for an exit.
Alexandra grabs my shoulder. Her nails dig into my skin. I flinch. “You don’t understand. It’s forbidden.”
I snort. “Wow this all powerful being must have a huge ego.” I stare into her eyes. Her unyielding gaze frightens me. “Okay. Fine. I’ll do it myself. If you can pop in and out of rooms, then I can too.” I close my eyes tight and think, door.
“No! Don’t!”
I feel a gust of wind and open my eyes. I am in a lobby. Rough tile makes my bare feet cold. I can almost feel the concrete gargoyles along the sides of the wall staring into me. A woman stands at a circular desk staring at me with a friendly smile. “Hello. My name is Briana. How can I help you?” she says.
I look around the room. “Umm,” I try to force a smile. “Where am I?”

The woman looks suspicious, confused. “You are in the main building.”

“The main building of…” I shake my head. “Never mind. I need to talk to someone in charge.”

The woman glares. “What is your name?” A phone rings. “Excuse me.” She picks up the phone. The woman nods as a muffled voice speaks through the line. “I understand. Thank you.” She turns to me. “Follow me.”

Her black stilettoes click on the tile floor. We walk towards a door that I swear had not been there a second ago. She opens the door. We walk down a dark hall in silence.

We reach a large wooden door. “Go in when you’re ready.”

I can’t muster more than a nod. I take a deep breath and push the handle of the massive barrier. I step onto a white carpet with splotches of red leading to a throne where a woman with big dark curly hair sits. She wears red clothes and red rope sandals. “Come closer, Alice. I can’t see your pretty face from all the way over there, darling.”

I take confident strides to the woman. When I reach her, I cross my arms. “So you’re the ‘All Powerful One.’” I say with air quotations.

She smiles with her full red lips. “We are all equal on Bliss. I simply…” she tilts her head, “keep the balance.” She rises from her throne. The golden bangles on her wrist tinkle as she steps closer to me. She places her warm hand on my cheek. “Why are you here?”

I narrow my eyes. “I’m not sure. I don’t know where here is.”

“What do you want, Alice?”

“My friend Jane was with me in the crash. I want to take her home.”

“To earth.”

“Yes.”

“No, you’ve become a threat. Mortals like you cannot transport from place to place on your own.”

“I don’t need your blessing to leave. I transported once. I can do it again.”

I shut my eyes tight and try to summon Jane. I ball my hands into fists. The wind does not shake me. Shattering glass roars through the throne room. I hear a fading scream, “What have you done?”

My eyes shoot open. I’m in my car. I smell something metallic. Blood. I groan. The smell is overpowering. I hear sirens and see flashing lights. “Jane.” I say weakly. “Jane…” I listen for some sign of life. Anything. “Jane!” I shriek.

“Alice? You okay?” A weak voice answers.

Tears stream down my cheeks. “Yeah, we’re okay.”