Chapter 1
Looking back at my life, I regret nothing. I have lived the best life one could possibly wish for. My family was undoubtedly my utmost priority. They have cared for me even whilst managing to stay on the brink of death for a few years. My job wasn’t bad either. Being a carpenter wasn’t easy, but it provided me with both sufficient money and enough time to spend with my family.
My family wasn’t a big one. It was just me, my wife and our two sons. I still remember the twinkling disappointment that never left Maggie’s eyes. She had always wished for a daughter. ‘There is nothing we could’ve done,’ I would incessantly tell her, ‘it’s all in God’s hands.’ That reply would please her for some time, but it was never sufficient.
That was all past me now. I now stood on the verge of a wholly-new life. I look around me and see a place very unfamiliar. It wasn’t my dim-lighted, decrepit house anymore; this place was diametrically different. It shone with brilliant radiance everywhere I looked, music inscribed with gravitas was playing subtly in the background and inhuman creatures roamed the landscape.
This was evidently an unearthly place. With that realization, my greatest fear was substantiated. I was not amongst my family on Earth anymore; I was high above. It seemed that disease had finally caught up to my old age. I had departed my life in reality and was now in the realm of myths. Everything was in perfect order.
I turned around and was presented with what could only be called a fountain of gold. The structure of the fountain itself was made with pure white granite, but it held within what seemed to be molten cold. Together, the colors conflated to present a tableau procreated by a deific painter. I was at first puzzled at the lack of steam rising from the fountain’s molten gold. The weather was admirably cool, so one would expect the fountain to be inundated in steam. However, that wasn’t the case. I went to investigate this astonishing puzzle that had ignited my curiosity.
I placed my hands on the soft white granite and looked down at the golden liquid lying indolently. Upon having a closer look, my assumptions were scrutinized. Perhaps this wasn’t really gold after all. Touching the golden liquid was tempting, but my senses appeared on edge. I felt unsafe being there and walked away hastily.
There wasn’t much more to do there. For some time, I stood and watched the mythical creatures glide around harmonically. Something about their movement seemed to enchant me. I became unaware of the time, absorbed by their elegant diligence.
Still, I was uncertain of where I was. There was no real indication of my current place. Obviously, I had my suspicions. I could neither confirm nor deny them at that time; however, in hindsight, I did a pretty good job guessing. My suspicions lie on the fact that the place was mystical and unlike Earth. That led me to believe that I was now in the afterlife. Somehow, I didn’t find this inane at the time. In fact, I was convinced that my assumptions were true.
I had no idea what I was waiting for. I loitered in that place for a long time, waiting for someone or something. I wasn’t sure what I expected. I merely hoped that my afterlife didn’t consist of just the things I was now seeing. I wanted more. I wanted heaven or hell. I wanted all the mythical drama that comes with the afterlife. The place I was now in seemed dull and mundane. Everyone was going hither and thither, but nothing much was happening.
Suddenly, a group of four mythical creatures approached me hastily with apparent purpose. I was slightly freaked out by this abrupt approach, but I stayed put. I didn’t move and watched them make their approach quietly. At first, they all seemed frightened and shy. However, when they saw synonymous fear evident in my solemn eyes, they calmed down.
They all stood in front of me and examined me with their white eyes for some time. Likewise, I perused their eccentric bodies. Their structure was like that of humans, but their features were very distinct. Their bodies were ghastly and their faces ashen. They were very pale, and I believed that I could almost see through them. Their heads were disproportionally bigger than the rest of their bodies. Wearing a sedated countenance, they stared back at me. God knows what thoughts streamed in their minds. I eagerly waited for them to make the first move.
One of the odd creatures stepped in front of the rest confidently. It had a dignified stance and broader shoulders than the rest. Evidently, it was the leader of this clan. I hesitated if I should step forward or not. My thoughts were cut short by the clan leader’s words. It had begun speaking, but I couldn’t comprehend what it was saying. I listened diligently, but the language it was speaking in was unknown to me. In fact, it didn’t sound like any human language I’d heard before. It spoke with sophistication and, even though I didn’t understand what it was saying, persuasion. The other creatures behind it were nodding reverently. The creature kept talking for quite some time, and I duly listened.
It was finally done. I assumed that that would be the end of this odd interaction, but I was wrong. The clan member stepped aside and on came a commoner, one of the ones standing behind the leader. It looked way less bold and confident, but it faced the same veneration by its fellow commoners. Astonishingly, this peculiar creature began talking in English.
‘Dear Human, welcome to the afterlife. I am sure that you are filled with questions and worries, and all will be dealt with in appropriate time. However, as you have probably read countless times, we must make the decision. Of course, this decision was made by Him. No questions about Him will be tolerated. So, please be careful with your words to avoid excruciating punishment. Anyways, the decision shall now be disclosed. Be aware that this decision is final and is not subject to change. Without further ado, your decision is…’
The creature came to an abrupt stop. It looked around, puzzled. There was a short period of utter expecting silence. The creature avoided eye contact with me but looked at its fellow creature. They seemed to be just as befuddled as the poor creature standing in front of me.
I grew increasingly agitated, for I was waiting to hear my eternal verdict. This was decidedly the most vital turning point of my life. It was how I was going to spend the rest of endless boundless time. This was no decision to stutter on. I gazed firmly and with assertion at the confused creatures. ‘And?’ I uttered conspicuously. The creatures hastily turned their heads towards me, still mute and perplexed.
The creatures seemed to turn from pale to reddish. They were manifestly ashamed. The creature that spoke to me in English walked to the clan leader and called over the other creatures. They all formed a circle and began talking in that same unfamiliar language, whilst I still waited for my defining judgment apprehensively.
After what seemed like forever, the circle broke up. They were yelling out unintelligible words, but they sounded flustered. I grew worrisome and lurked around nervously. They were evidently still in clear disagreement. I tried talking to them in English, attempting to grasp what was going on.
The creatures ignored my pleas and dissipated hurriedly back into the busy world behind. I tried chasing them, but they had already blended in with all the other creatures. Everyone looked exactly the same; I had no idea who I should talk to. ‘Excuse me,’ I iterated for some time but to no avail. I had lost them and was back alone in this strange world.
I decided to take matters into my own hands. Keenly, I walked between the heaps of creatures to examine the place some more. The surroundings looked pretty monotonous, but something in particular beguiled my senses. It was a huge, white door made of smooth stone; it was framed with a delicate golden color with a few stripes of green. The door was very alluring, and I found myself walking mindlessly towards it. It was inviting too, for there was no one around it. It stood alone like an august monument.
The door was surprisingly light. I pushed it tenderly, and it swung open at once. Cautiously, I tiptoed into a dark cave-like place. There was a faint light coming from an unknown source. I called out hoping for an answer, but the only reply was that of echoes. This didn’t frighten my curiosity. In fact, my curiosity amplified in vitality. My senses were keen and alert. I waited to hear or see an indication of where I was, but there was nothing there to help me. Peculiarly, I noticed that the door behind me had quietly shut.
I walked forward, hoping to stumble upon something of interest. There wasn’t much to look at in the inky darkness, but it was better than what was out there. My heart beat fast, due to thrill or premonition I did not know. Then, I heard a distant shrill sound coming from deep within the cave. I followed the source enthusiastically.
Suddenly, I walked into a place of indescribable abhorrence. I look around me and see nothing but fellow humans cruelly enslaved in menial work. They were men and women drenching in sweat, working all types of servile work. They shoved coal, pulled carts and dug holes. Even I, as an outsider, saw that there was no purpose in the minds of the pitiable workers. Reluctantly, I screamed out a greeting but was only greeted back with hostile looks. These were people deprived of all emotions and pleasures.
I noticed another side hole beside the place I was in and walked in to continue my investigation. This place was much darker in every sense of the word. There, I found an indication of where I was. There were people hanging from various parts of their body, screaming in piercing agony. I grimaced at the nauseating scene. The screams were inexorably unbearable. The air grew dense, and I could breathe no more.
I quickly realized where I was- in the pits of hell. These were people that have disobeyed His laws and were now being punished for their unpardonable insubordination. I covered my eyes and ears firmly. I was losing balance and was rendered paralyzed, unable to leave this repugnant place.
During my state of complete stupor, I felt someone tapping on my left shoulder. I turned around and saw the clan leader and the translator. They appeared intensely bright in the murky darkness. At once, the leader began speaking aggressively in that mystifying lingo. I listened painfully, for the tortuous screams of the condemned were still in the background.
Finally, after the leader was done speaking, the translator began speaking in English.
‘Dear Human, we apologize for the inconvenience. We have received your official verdict and, quite simply, you shouldn’t be here! Come, follow me please.’
‘Ah, I knew that all these years spent helping my family would account to something! Oh, He is ever so merciful. I cannot wait to meet my lovely Maggie up there, in heaven,’ I replied exultingly.
‘Oh, but Human you are mistaken. Your verdict decrees clearly that you are bound to go in hell.’
I froze in my place. My senses were numb, and I felt nothing. My words poured out effortlessly, as if suspended from a high cascade. ‘What do you mean in hell? You mean to say that I shall suffer like these criminals for doing nothing? That is unfair, completely unjust. These people are criminals. I have never inflicted any harm on another person, and you’re sending me to suffer…’
‘Human, it isn’t our decision’
‘I don’t care whose decision it was. You’re sending me to suffer with these loathsome beings? You’re sending me to be hanged for eternity?’
‘But, Human, who said we were sending you here?’
‘You said that the decision was to send me to hell, right? So, with these people, here?’
‘No, Human, I have already told you that you aren’t supposed to be here. I’ll reiterate; you’re going to hell.’
