A pair of caramel brown eyes fluttered open to the harshness of the room. The shades were wide open, allowing the sun to shine through the large, floor to ceiling windows. With a groan, she rolled over to try and shield her gentle eyes. Why had she left the curtains open? It was very unlike her. Somehow, the sun managed to infiltrate her barrier of pillow. With another moan she rolled over to face the opposite direction. Finding she could not avoid the sun’s jovial rays, she resigned herself to get up.

She had been born Rebecca Lynn Erin McCauley and was confirmed Rebecca Lynn Erin Catherine McCauley. She went by Rebecca Lynn now. It was hard enough to sign her full name without the confirmation name tossed into the mix.

Today was not going to be a good day, she could just tell. The sun was shining too brightly, permeating every open crevice of her apartment. Her head hurt and she hadn’t even been drinking the night before. In fact, she’d not left her apartment at all the night before. She’d been moping around, not feeling up to doing anything productive. She walked into the bathroom and examined herself in the mirror above the sink. Her cheeks were pale and her forehead was blotchy. She ran her tongue over her lips, feeling the roughness of the cracks that littered them.

“God I look horrible,” she scoffed at her reflection, glaring at her unattractiveness.

She turned away from the mirror and pulled off her pajamas. Turning on the shower, she climbed in and let the heat soak into her. For some reason showers always relaxed her and cleared her head if she wasn’t feeling quite right. But today, it just served to make her more miserable. She couldn’t get the water the right temperature. With a loud huff she stepped out and wrapped a towel around herself. Returning to her room, she rummaged through her drawers to find something to wear. She finally decided on a pair of navy blue sweatpants and a blank and blue sweater.

She made her way into the small kitchen area and spotted a book and a paper sitting atop the cover. The red pen mark glared at her, taunting her. She moved closer and her gaze fell on the dreaded number, 63. She was a third year law student and she’d failed one of her biggest papers of the semester. She needed to pass this course in order to graduate in the spring. She’d spent two straight weeks researching, writing and revising that paper. How Doctor Mensal could fail her was beyond her. She’d gone home and sobbed into several pillowcases that afternoon. Seeing the despicable mark again sent her into yet a deeper fit of unhappiness.

“This day can’t possibly get any worse,” she grumbled to herself as she scooped up her things, grabbed her keys from the counter, and headed out of her living space to class.

Rebecca Lynn walked back through the door of her apartment, about ready to collapse. She’d been wrong that morning. Her day had gone from bad to worse. She’d been late to her first class due to traffic and had forgotten about a test scheduled for that day. In her frustration she’d run a stop sign and it had been her ‘good fortune’ to get pulled over for it. She threw her keys, bag and ticket onto the counter and slumped down into her chair.

“Why does life have to suck so damn much,” she moaned, rubbing her throbbing temples with the heels of her hands.

“I didn’t ask for all of this you know!” she shouted towards the ceiling, aiming her rant at some unseen force.

Suddenly, her stomach interrupted her argue with the ceiling. She’d neglected to eat anything all day. Sighing, she stood and moved to the cabinets above the stove. Pulling one door open, she found an empty cereal box and a package of brownie mix. Moving to her right she found a bag of stale potato chips and a granola bar.

“I give up!” she cried out, slamming the cabinet door closed.

Angrily Rebecca Lynn stalked back to where her bag lay and pulled out a piece of paper and pen. Breathing hard, she began to write.

To whoever finds this,

Life is too much. It’s a constant bad day, going from bad to worse to hell. Mom, Dad and Michelle, I hope you can forgive me. See you in the next life.

Love, Rebecca Lynn

She tore the sheet of paper from the notebook and laid it on the table. Not caring anymore, she left the pen beside the note and searched her apartment for the perfect means to the end. Finally she decided kitchen cutlery would be her best choice. She moved in slow motion towards the drawer that held the knives. She reached out her left hand to pull open the drawer, her soft eyes looking expectantly at the contents. She reached her free hand in and pulled out a slender blade.

“Here’s goes nothing,” she whispered to the silent, dense air around her.

She didn’t make any movements for several minutes. She simply stood there in her small kitchen and stared at the silver blade in her hands. Was this really what she wanted to do? She would graduate in May with her law degree and would be able to start her law firm like she’d dreamed of since she was 8 years old. But life was weighing too heavy on her. This was how it had to be. She began to bring the blade towards her chest.

“Are you sure you want to do that?” came a male voice.

Rebecca Lynn gasped in shock and fear as she spun around, somehow keeping the knife poised above her breastplate. Standing in her kitchen was a tall man with shoulder length dark red hair and beautiful green eyes. He wore a long trench coat and black pants underneath. His hands presently rested in the pockets of his coat.

“Who are you?” Rebecca Lynn stammered, backing away from the stranger.

“You can call me Jeb. Now put the knife down Rebecca Lynn,” the man said, pulling his hands out from his pockets. His fingers were long and slender.

“How did you get into my kitchen?” she squeaked out, her knees slamming together out of fear.

“And how do you know my name!” she added fiercely.

“I will answer all of your questions I promise,” Jeb said softly, taking a step towards the 24-year-old law student.

“Get the hell away from me,” she snapped, her hands quivering closer to her body.

“Please Rebecca Lynn. Just put the knife down,” Jeb coaxed, reaching a hand towards her.

“No,” she managed to rasp out.

“Think of everyone that will be affected by this decision; your parents, your sister. Not to mention all of the people you will help in the future and the husband, children and grandchildren you’ll have,” Jeb said firmly, taking the knife from her.

She stood stock still for a moment, not noticing the trickle of blood running down her palm from where she tried to hold onto the object. Her caramel colored eyes latched on his green ones and her mouth fell open.

“How…how do you know all of this?” she asked, her voice suddenly hoarse.

“Just trust me Rebecca Lynn. Everything will make sense as long as you trust me,” Jeb articulated, setting the knife on the counter, out of her reach.

“Are you like the Angel of Death or something?” she blurted suddenly.

“No,” he answered shortly.

“Then what are you?” she continued, wrapping her bleeding hand in the sleeve of her sweater.

“I guess you could call me the Angel of Second Chances,” he replied.

“I’m here to show you all you will miss out on in your life if you go through with this. To show you just how many people your death would affect,” he explained further.

“I..I don’t know. How do I know you aren’t some insane stalker-rapist-murderer?” she blurted, her cheeks immediately flushing scarlet in embarrassment.

“I am not going to hurt you Rebecca Lynn. I just want to help you make the right decision. If you go through with this, it cannot be undone. You realize that don’t you?” he said, finally coming to rest one of his long fingered hands on her shoulder.

“Yes. But what do I have to live for when the world won’t cut me a break. It won’t leave me alone. It just keeps taunting me,” she said, shivering under his gentle touch.

“You have so much to live for. Let me just show you,” he said, lifting her fallen chin with his other hand so that their eyes met.

“Alright,” she murmured almost inaudibly.

“Here, take my hand,” he instructed, backing up enough to stretch out his hand to her.

She took it tentatively. Her eyes widened instantly. She saw her kitchen begin to melt away around her. She let out a gasp as she felt the floor disappear. She clutched to Jeb with all her might. Yet she didn’t fall. She felt his arms encircle her nonetheless and she thought she heard him whisper comforting words in her ear. She finally felt solid ground beneath her feet and opened her eyes. She hadn’t been aware that she had closed them. They were standing in front of a small white church.

“Come on. Let’s get started,” he said, gesturing to the front doors of the edifice before they began to walk towards it to enter.