Saturday Morning Funnies

This is an excerpt from one of the very first short stories I ever finished. It's called "Niles to Go."

Donna Clark knew she was dead. She knew the instant the wheels slid on the slick pavement and the car swerved into the oncoming traffic. The thundering crash was deafening, but Donna felt little pain. It all happened so quickly. There was sudden impact of the steering wheel, then everything was blackness.

When her vision cleared, she found herself standing at the entrance of a tunnel. The ceiling was low and the walls felt damp. It was dark and there was a close, musty smell in the air. Donna crinkled her nose at the odor. This wasn't what she had expected. But ahead, she could see a light. She smiled. Just as she had read in that book Life After Death, she thought, hiking up her torn skirt, there it wathe light at the end.

With one hand on the cool stone wall, Donna made her way up the sloping tunnel. Without hesitation, she stepped into the light. She found herself standing under a hot sun. Sand stung her face, as a strong wind attempted to untangle the tight braid that held her hair away from her round face. Heat made sweat prickle under her armpits. Looking out across the open desert, she saw a figure approaching.

Putting up a hand to shield her eyes from the sun, she watched him glide easily across the sand. His skin was a black as night. That surprised her. All the pictures Donna had ever seen of angels showed them as white and very, very blonde.