"Come in," she whispered, her bright red lips curving into a mysterious smile.

  I hesitated, my eyes darting around to take in the huge doorway and what lay beyond it. The unknown.

  Although the doorway itself was as clear as day, what came after looked strangely fuzzy and unclear. Even so, the bright lights streaming from the doorway beckoned invitingly, almost like a secret waiting to be told. If only I would step inside...

  "Come on," she said again, an unidentifiable emotion crossing her smooth face.

  As quickly as it had appeared, the rare flash of emotion had disappeared without a trace, leaving me feeling more confused than ever.

  Slowly, she reached out a pale hand towards me, blood red fingernails gleaming.

  "Come in," she repeated, her hand now inches away from the thin line that separated us. The same line that separated the light and the dark.

  I stared at her face, warm beneath the glow of the soft light that illuminated her. Doubtfully, I placed my hand in hers, allowing her to pull me in, towards the light. Her hand sent a surge of energy into my body, cold from standing in the snow that covered every inch of the city.

  The light was so close now. So close that if I reached my hand out, I could touch it. But I stopped myself, knowing, somehow, that if I waited, the light would approve. Knowing, that if I could hold myself back for just a moment more, the light would accept me and embrace me as its own.

  And so I waited, waited for the moment that I would finally be enveloped by the light.

  It's so close now. So close...

Taking a deep breath, I plunged into the light.