Gateway

I felt like I was drifting away.

Floating downstream.

My mind sailed into a void.

My body was suspended.

In what? I don't know.

Was it air?

Was it water?

Perhaps neither.

But it was a peaceful void.

I could hear sweet, soft music.

It sounded like all the peace, love, and beauty I had ever known, all in one beautiful serenade.

Then, I arrived at a massive steel gate.

The gatekeeper asked for proof of my identity.

I had none.

I drifted away again.

I floated farther downstream.

I reached a narrow stone gateway where no verification was necessary.

Story and Illustration Copyright © 2026 by Michael DeFrancesco