Kevin turned to Celeste. They were standing in a field that was surrounded by a light fog. It was almost as if he was dreaming.
"Why do I feel so strange?," he asked, blinking a few times.
"Because....you've reached the last step. You're stuck midcenter. Now you have to decide what you want to do. Are you ready to leave? Your friends... your family....the music?," she asked, standing a few feet from him. The meadow was so nice and warm...he wanted to keep walking. He noticed a rainbow in the distance.
"Is this heaven?," he asked.She laughed softly,but shook her head.
"No...not even close. But this is just as peaceful....Kevin,there isn't enough time. You have to decide. Close your eyes....remember everything that just happened. Let your heart decide where to take you from here."
He saw the world around him begin to swirl. Like magic, she was gone. He was standing in that same spot,as a voice beckoned him over his shoulder.
"Kevin," he could've picked out that voice, and that face from the center of a crowded room. His breath caught in his throat. His father was the same as he'd seen him in his last days.Kevin's eyes welled up with tears,as he stood,frozen to that spot.
"No....," he whispered softly. It was almost like an illusion...like his father had developed from the fog that surrounded him.Protected him. He felt his heart skip a beat as his father gave him a soft smile.
"Kevin," she whispered. He turned to look at her,and his father vanished. "Your one wish has been granted. The whole time I was here with you,he was the one thing you thought of....now you can go home," she said, wiping tears from her own eyes.
"Which way is home?," he asked. She laughed again,and kissed him gently on the cheek."Haven't I taught you anything?,"
"Home....," she put her hand over his chest, where she could feel his heart beat," is right here."

Kevin felt himself falling.....as if he was drifting off into a deep sleep... he heard the loud humming noise in the back of his mind as she whispered her last goodbye.....and in his dream,he saw his father's face smiling back at him.....then he saw the two little boys,running across an open field.... he saw himself onstage, with Brian and the other boys....he saw his mother's face as she called out to him.....he felt his heart quicken as he saw the light fading away.....

"No! No! Help him!," she cried out. Brian pulled himself off the chair,and walked towards the door.
"He's breathing! Oh my Lord,he's BREATHING!," he watched as Kevin's mother screamed,and threw her arms around Denise McLean as both women burst into tears.
"He's.....alive?," Nick asked,incredulously.
"Alive?!? Of course he's alive!!," Mrs.Richardson cried,turning to Brian. As his own eyes filled with tears, she put her arms around him,"he came back to us," she whispered. He could only nod.
The hall erupted with shouts as the doctor's cried out in victory. After fighting for nearly ten minutes and almost ready to give up,they brought him back. The boys gathered around his bed, as Kevin's face twitched. He opened his eyes,blinking as he focused on the group standing around him. When he saw the other guys smiling down at him,his own face broke into a tired smile.
"Kev,man...welcome back!," AJ said. Kevin reached up and gave him a very weak handshake, and Brian laughed as Nick put his arm around him.
"You could sleep through a hurricane,man!," Nick joked. Brian elbowed him in the ribcage,causing Nick to guffaw as Kevin laughed quietly. He could see her face in the distance,and she smiled as she turned to walk away.
"He was dreamin' about some girl...no question...look at that cheesy smile on his face!," Brian said. Kevin blushed, but his cousin only grinned at him. He was glad to be back.

PREVIEW FOR "VOICES THAT CARRY":

Brian heard her voice in a distant room. As he quickened his step, he turned to find a mousy-haired little girl grabbing a bag of chips from the shelf. She took off running as he cried out for somebody to stop her. As he reached out to grab her jacket, her icy blue eyes met his own.
"Please....don't hurt me,mister," she begged. He didn't know who she was....but at such a young age,she had a very beautiful voice. Who was she?

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