Inspirational Books of Life Lessons- Secret Revelation from Beyond Book 1

Secret Revelation from Beyond

Chapter 1: Dead Delivery

“Young Josiah, I think your time is coming soon,” Mr. Longfellow said to Josiah as he looked at the cold dead body of the bluish tinged man lying on the mortuary trolley. The lines and wrinkles on his face and body were frozen in time as his hands crossed one another. They laid across his stomach.

“Thank you uncle,” Josiah replied. The two of them pushed the trolley towards one of the refrigerators. Opening the door, Mr. Longfellow joined Josiah on the other side, lifting the dead man’s body inside the icebox.

After making sure he was placed inside properly, the two of them closed the door and walked over to the stainless steel sink and washed their hands. Josiah walked to the entrance of the chilly room, waiting for his uncle.  He was anxious to leave the cold lifeless atmosphere and bleak white walls of this space. Josiah put his hands in his pockets to keep them warm. Feeling his pack of Lucky Strikes put him at ease.

Mr. Longfellow met him at the door, turning the handle. He and Josiah began to walk down the hallway of the mortuary towards the front of the building in the viewing room.

“I am happy to have you here helping me,” Mr. Longfellow expressed to Josiah. “I really am. I have needed the help of someone I can trust. Now I know you have a lot to learn. But you are eager and willing to tackle whatever I give you. I truly appreciate it.”

Josiah and Mr. Longfellow were now in the viewing room standing underneath its pale, creaking floor. Mr. Longfellow placed his hand on his shoulder, squeezing it. Josiah looked at his uncle and nodded his head in quiet acknowledgment for a moment and smiled.

“I know you’ve been watching me for a while, waiting for your chance to start taking on more,” Mr. Longfellow confessed. “I have been thinking of a way that you can help your old uncle.” Mr. Longfellow paused as he began to turn around towards the corridor, hearing the sound of a vehicle outside. “I think someone is coming,” he said. “Wait here.”  He left Josiah alone while he walked out to the front entrance of the mortuary.

Josiah sat down on one of the old oak chairs lined up in the middle of the room. He leaned back in the chair, looking straight ahead. 

There was a small cherry wood table on each side of the plain brown casket positioned in the middle. Behind the casket, a large podium stood, just below the massive crucifix hanging on the wall. On top of the podium, an opened black bible with gold writing sat with a red ribbon hanging from its pages. 

The dimly lit lamps and candles positioned around the perimeter of the room, casted an eerie and somber ambiance.  Josiah took a deep breath as he stretched his arms across the chairs, letting the scents of burnt wax slowly creep into his nostrils and mouth.

After a few minutes, Josiah overheard his name. He perked up, sitting up in his chair.

“Josiah, come here,” Mr. Longfellow called out.

Standing up, Josiah made his way into the main hall. Mr. Longfellow was standing there with a young blond man. He didn’t look much older than his early twenties like Josiah. He was holding a medium sized wooden box with a small rust colored lock.

“Take this box to the examination room,” Mr. Longfellow ordered.

The blond man broke in, adding, “Um, you’ll need this.” He passed the box to Mr. Longfellow, pulling out a thin brass key from his pocket, and handing it to Josiah who put the key into his pocket. Taking the box from Mr. Longfellow, he headed for the examination room.

As Josiah got closer, he could smell the old familiar stench of formaldehyde overpowering him. The aroma of silent death surrounded him like a thick rain cloud.