A Race to the Heaven



‘What is the biggest mystery on Earth?’

'Nessie, Bermuda, Aliens, Ghosts, Pyramids or Magic? That's what most people will say, but I say that the most mysterious thing of all is DEATH!'

'Even the greatest people in history have faced death.'

'But the biggest mystery is: where do we go after facing it?'

'Heaven? Hell? Reincarnated? Or everything just ends?'

'No one knows the answer to that, not even famous scientists.'

'So the real question is: what happens when someone dies?'

Li Wei lay on the bed in his hospital room, staring out of the window.

'Death would make me lonely, won't it?' he thought.

He was fourteen. A frail boy in an urban city who had spent more time inside the white hospital room than outside in the world.

From the day he was born, his body had been weak. So weak that his attachment to this world felt thin, like it could snap at any moment.

His parents were dead. He had no siblings. He had spent more birthdays with nurses than with family. He was tired.

But even in this ugly, boring world, he still had a reason to stay.

He was waiting for someone.

His first and only friend, Jack Robinson.

Li Wei tried to nap, but he couldn't. He was waiting so desperately for his friend to arrive that he couldn't relax.

He kept looking at the door. A cold wind blew in through the window and made him shiver.

"Someone, close it..." he whispered, but his voice was too weak, he coughed.

Then the door handle turned.

Li Wei looked up at the door. It was Jack, standing there with a plastic bag in his hand, with a gentle smile.

Li Wei's face lit up. He tried to sit up to welcome him, but Jack gently pushed his shoulders back onto the bed.

"Whoa, bro. I'm not here to make you uncomfortable. I'm here to fulfill my promise, so just relax a bit."

Li Wei looked embarrassed. "I'm such a mess, aren't I?"

Jack just stared at him for a second and then chuckled.

Li Wei got a little angry.

"What's so funny?"

Jack tried to hold back his laugh.

"Sorry, sorry, How about lunch? I made it for you."

At that, Li Wei's anger melted. His stomach growled loudly. He blushed again.

Jack closed the window to stop the cold breeze, then opened the lunchbox. The delicious aroma of sandwiches filled the entire room, covering the usual smell of medicine and blood.

Li Wei lifted himself up and sat down to eat his meal. He coughed a little, but his mouth watered.

Jack took out an apple and carefully cut it into slices with a small knife, placing them on Li Wei's plate. Li Wei, who had eaten nothing but tasteless hospital food for days, ate like it was a feast.

Jack Robinson was fifteen. Tall, with a low-pitched voice and manners far too mature for his age. The only child of a rich family, he always wore the perfect mask his father had made for him.

On the other hand, Li Wei, who was short and pale, had dark circles under his eyes, even his hair had turned gray due to weakness.

"Won't your dad get mad if he finds out you're skipping classes to see me?"

Jack stopped peeling the apple. He faked a smile to make Li Wei feel better and put a finger on his lips.

"Yes. So we have to make sure he never finds out."

Li Wei's face fell.

"Oh yeah... my birthday is near. Can I make another request from my best friend?"

Jack froze when he heard that.

"Best friend?"

Li Wei looked hurt.

"We... we aren't?"

Jack looked at him, then softly placed his hand on Li Wei's head.

"Yes, you are. I will follow you even into the depths of hell!"

Li Wei shivered at the word 'hell'.

Jack realized what he said and quickly corrected himself.

"No, I mean heaven. You're so nice, I'm sure you'll end up in heaven. But me... I've done so many bad things, I don't think I'll end up there."

Li Wei's eyes filled with tears. He grabbed Jack's shoulder. Jack was stunned to see tears rolling down Li Wei's pale face onto the white blanket.

Jack panicked.

"Hey, bro, I was just kidding! There's no way hell exists, right? Just calm down."

Li Wei couldn't stop. The doctors had already told him. This stay in the hospital would be his last. His body would not recover anymore.

For a dying person, heaven and hell are not jokes. Healthy people can laugh about it because they think they will live forever. A dying person cannot.

After a while, Li Wei calmed down. Silence filled the room.

Jack tried to change the topic.

"So... your birthday. When is it?"

Li Wei wiped his tears and smiled again, with stars in his eyes.

"It's November 10th. I want something more delicious!"

"November 10th? Got it," Jack confirmed.

"How about a cake then?" he asked confidently.

Li Wei had never tasted cake in his entire life. He was already excited and smiled innocently.

After a long and tiring day, seeing Li Wei's smile made all of Jack's exhaustion fade.

Li Wei had a cute face, an innocent smile and muscles as thin as his bones, Jack really pitied him.

After a while, Jack left. Li Wei watched him from the window until he disappeared through the hospital gate.

Jack passed by the parking lot, looking at the plastic bag. He looked up at the sky and whispered.

"Friends? Huh."

He smiled.

"Come to think of it... he really is my first true friend ever."

All his old friends only wanted his money and fame. When he showed them his real self, they despised him. Only in front of Li Wei could he be himself.

He reached home, looked up and froze. His father was standing in front of his house, glaring at him.

"Why don't you ever do as I say? Your teacher called me. Skipping classes again? What the hell were you thinking?"

"I skipped only one class," Jack mumbled.

His father raised his hand to hit him. Jack closed his eyes. He could fight the whole world, but not his dad.

His father's mistress stopped him. Her hand was on her pregnant belly.

"Don't waste your time on such a kid. Why don't you just give everything to my baby instead?"

His father's anger vanished.

"Really?"

"Yes," she smiled.

His father walked away with her.

"Call everyone. We will hold a party!"

Jack didn't listen. He only waited for November 10th.

Later that night, he called Li Wei.

"Your mom's pregnant?" Li Wei asked.

"She's not my mom. She's my father's mistress," Jack corrected him.

"I don't know what to say, but hang on... I'm sure he won't be a bad person, your brother I mean," Li Wei said sincerely.

Jack thought about how trash his family was. He was scared his new brother would become like them. Then a strange thought crossed his mind.

"It wouldn't be so bad if... you were born as my brother."

"What?" Li Wei couldn't believe his ears.

"Nothing, I was just kidding!" Jack laughed, but a part of him really wished it.

Jack neglected this bluff and tried to convince Li to go to bed as early as possible. He ended the call and lay on the bed.

His servant came in after knocking and told him the date of the party. Jack listened to his voice. It was on the 10th of November, of all days. He didn't care.

Several days passed.

November 10th. The villa was busy with preparations for the party. But Jack was not there. He was skipping class again, at his friend Johnny's house, baking a cake.

"Are you sure you should be here?" Johnny asked, holding a cookbook.

Jack didn't answer. He just kept putting candles on the cake.

Johnny clenched his teeth.

"I won't save your shitty ass this time, you Whelp!"

He slammed the door and left.

A moment later, Jack saw his servant standing outside. He had come to take him back to the villa. Jack despaired.

"Good grief!"

Night fell.

Li Wei was waiting in his hospital room.

"Why is he late? No, what am I saying? He's not my butler. He must have a good reason."

He lay back on his bed, sighing.

In the villa, Jack stood in a branded tuxedo, watch, and shoes, while his father introduced him to guests. He couldn't move. His cake, wrapped in gift paper, sat on a side table. He could only stare at it and check his watch.

In the hospital, Li Wei suddenly felt a heavy pressure on his chest. He couldn't breathe. He clutched his chest.

His blood pressure was dropping. The ECG monitor's beep grew faster.

"Not... now...!"

In the villa, Jack checked the time on his watch again and again to make it on time.

In hospital room, Li Wei reached for his phone with shaking hands, but the pain was too much. He fell from the bed.

"We... promised..." he whispered in pain as tears fell.

Doctors rushed in and put an oxygen mask on him.

But it was too late.

The green line on the ECG monitor that had jumped with every heartbeat became a straight line.

A single, nonstop beep rang through the whole dark room..

beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep