I awoke somewhere incredibly green. 

I was surprised I was not dead. 

My surroundings were like a paradise… I had never seen this place before, not even from The Above… 

Butterflies, colorful flowers, pollen floating around, and a soft breeze blowing by delighted my senses. I got up and looked around. I saw a grove of trees and in the midst of them was the biggest tree I’d ever seen in my life--so large I couldn’t even see the top of it. The most wonderful thing about this place was that there were no vapors. The air was so clean. 

“Wow…” I whispered breathlessly.

I realized I hadn’t found Heidi. Calmly, I looked scanned the area for her. 

I didn't see her, but I did see that there was an odd patch of grass nearby…. 

It seemed to be coming towards me. When a person popped out of it, I fell on my rump in surprise.

It was a little green child with yellow hair--dressed in nothing but leaves, with only one eye.

“Moving grass!” I couldn’t believe my eyes. I thought I’d seen everything, being a God, but apparently not.

“I am not grass. I am a tree. How dare you confuse me with something as wretched as grass!”

I looked him up and down. “You are green like grass, not brown like a tree trunk--therefore, you must be living grass. Now, have you seen my friend?”

“I won't tell you unless you apologize to the great Shankar.” He replied, crossing his arms indignantly.

“Sorry…” I shrugged. I supposed it wasn’t beneath me to apologize. Even if it was to grass.

“That’s better. She’s a nice girl, far too nice to be keeping someone like you around. She gave me respect right off the bat. She was almost dead when I found her, just why were you dragging her through those vapors?”

“She volunteered to come. I told her to stay behind.” I said earnestly.

“You seem to like her. Why only her? I thought you Gods didn’t care about anyone.” Shankar said sarcastically.

I ignored him. “Where is she?” I repeated.

“She’s right over there.” Shankar moved aside and pointed to a nearby hillock. Heidi was on top of it, lying on her belly, looking at the sky. “You know, you should really learn how to treat your betters—where are you going?”

I brushed past him, refusing to let this clump of grass lecture me a moment longer. I went to Heidi's side. She glanced at me for a moment, and then back at the sky. I knelt next to her. “I think you should stay here, Heidi…”

She pursed her lips. “You almost died just like I did… why do you get to keep going and I don’t…?” 

“You’re special Heidi. I think I finally found someone who I would die for.” I sat down next to her, cross legged.

She looked at me askance. “…why?”

“I’ve watched you from The Above, Heidi. I know what you did, all those months ago….” I gave her a sidelong glance, and she looked embarrassed and avoided my gaze.

“A child in that village, the one who looks like your brother…. He was dying. The mage in your village, she told you the only way to save him was to use some of somebody else’s life. You let her use yours. I’ve been trying to understand such a selfless act. Why?” I looked at her intently.

She frowned heavily. “My life was going nowhere... everyone I loved was gone or dead… that boy has a good life, a good family. Saving him was like getting the second chance to save my brother.”

I felt a deep hurting in the depth of what a mortal might call their soul. I closed my eyes and bit my lip. “You shall only live to be thirty since you gave so much of your life to that boy. I can’t save you from that--I have no control over magic.”

“You shouldn’t have saved me in the first place. I don’t deserve special treatment.” She murmured distantly. “My life has been empty and sad.”

“I shall make you into a Goddess.” I said, hoping to cheer her up. "That will cheer you up. I'm sure you will only do good things as a Goddess."

She smiled. “Cute.” Was all she said.

After a moment of enjoying the weather and beautiful scenery, she said, “I'm coming with you, Joshua, but I’m tired though… can we spend the night here?” She didn't even give me a chance to refuse her... which I was secretly happy about.

“I don’t know where ‘here’ is, but we can ask that Shankar fellow.” I looked about trying to find him. 

“Okay. He seems friendly enough.”

“I don’t think so…”

She giggled. “You didn’t give him proper respect, did you?”

I helped her to her feet. 

She wouldn’t change her mind about coming, so I didn’t try to change it for her. Besides. I enjoyed her company. Was that a crime?