Reapers Are Us

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The EMT's, doctors, and nurses didn't even bother to save me. Apparently, I died upon impact. So, straight to the morgue I went. 

I stared at my face which they unveiled from the white sheet so long, the hour hand jumped two spaces. And there was Elmore, patiently standing next to me and staring too. "Do you have any regrets or unfinished business you want to work on first?"

"None at all," I replied. Then I looked down at Elmore and said, "I'm ready to go to the afterlife."

Elmore tried not to look surprised by my declaration, but his eyes still widened. "To think I had this whole speech prepared to offer you assurance."

"Like you said, kid. I'm dead--there's no assurance needed. I'm ready."

Elmore reached into the breast pocket of his tuxedo and pulled out a miniature scythe. "You have very morbid looking toys, kid."

"It's not a toy and I'm not a kid," he replied as he pressed the top of the scythe and a small clicking sound was heard. Instead of a ball point pen appearing a white light blinked like a beacon. Seconds later, clouds started walling Elmore and I in. "You can hold my hand if you want. You know, if you're scared." As he smirked at me, I laughed at him. 

"I'll be fine." After I said that Elmore and I were seemingly swallowed up by the smoke. The feeling of being transported into the afterlife was like standing on a moving merry-go-round, minus the horses. Then when the smoke cleared, Elmore and I were standing in front of an ancient door. It looked like the oldest door in the world if that made any sense. When I noticed that Elmore didn't open the door, I put my hands on my hips. "Well, aren't you going to be a gentleman and open the door?"

"You have to be the one to open the door. Once you do, you can't go back." 

"Well, let's get this afterlife started," I replied as I pushed open the door that had no doorknob. The door creaked and squeaked open and when I went through, I was greeted by the long line. "Thanks for bringing me here," I said as I turned to look back at Elmore. Only, he wasn't there and neither was the door. "Weird," I whispered to myself as the long line remained immobile in front of me. 

No one in the long line near me felt like talking. Which suited me just fine. 

As for the interrogation I got from Minerva...some questions were pretty normal considering the situation. 

Like, Would you like something to eat or drink? When I told her water, she got Miss Peller to get me some. Then there were some batshit crazy questions. Like, Upon your death, have you recalled any of your past lives and if so, how many? I told her none as I used to believe past lives were made up!

Which brings me to what happened after my interrogation. Miss Peller led me to the community center that was in the same building as the interrogation place. The first thing I noticed when Miss Peller opened the door to the community center was how big it was. It appeared to be the size of six soccer fields. 

Then, there were the people. Everyone seemed chattier now and the chorus of various conversation bounced about. Miss Peller brightly said, "You must remain here until your final judgement."

"Oh? How long does it usually take?"

"It varies for each spirit, Vera," was her answer before she left me. As I walked further into the room, some conversations faded away or grew dim. 

I made an awkward wave as a perky voice said, "Come sit with us!" The girl with the perky voice was a teen in a bright orange bikini. There were only men sitting near her. Still, she was the only person that offered. I sat down in a chair right near hers. Even though she was surrounded by men and we were all sitting near a big window with people passing by, she wasn't bothered. She even stretched languorously, her naturally large boobs being squished together in the process. Some of the men had the decency to look away at such a display. While others did long whistles.