The Departed (Working Title)

Chapter One

Welcome to the Afterlife

Are you unsure of what happened during your existence on earth? Does this make you want to find further meaning in your current existence in the afterlife?

Look no further!

If you're reading this brochure you've become one of the lucky ones. That's right, you have been promoted to the big upstairs. This means you have been coveted three very prestigious options to help fulfill you with that sense of purpose.

Do you like helping and guiding others? Do you feel like you have the healing touch. Then you might want to consider the position of guardian angel, where you help guide others toward their true destiny.

Do you have a way with words? Do you like to travel a lot? Then you might want to consider the position of reaper, where you help guide spirits into the afterlife.

Do you like following rules? Do you enjoy enforcing the same rules you follow? Then you should consider joining the academy, where you're essentially an elite task force for all of the world's major crises.

I chuckled at the pamphlet before me. I couldn't believe what I was reading. I, Shawn Newman, had passed away at the young age of twenty-five? Surely that was a mistake.

I glanced around me. I was sitting in what looked like one of those waiting rooms at the hospital. A set of metal double doors stood tall just across from me. Everyone was sitting in those comfy leather seats, where they squeak any time you move so much as a centimeter. We all just looked... lost.

Thinking back on it, I couldn't tell you the last thing I was doing before I ended up here. In fact, I couldn't even recall my last month of living, which was so bizarre because I swear I have the memory of an elephant.

Nervously, I glanced around the room again. There were several elderly folk, a couple middle aged people, one other person close to my age, and a poor young kid. I didn't even want to think about what brought him to this moment in his short life. The person next to me was one of those older folk. She had short graying curly hair, high cheek bones, and bright red lips. I leaned towards her to ask what the hell was going on.

"Honey, you think I've got a clue?!" Was her only answer.

Well, it was worth a try. I just figured since we were all clearly in the same boat, someone would have some sort of inkling as to what we were all doing here. I was really hoping this was all some sort of joke, but deep down I knew this was my new reality. Which sucked.

The clock on the wall taunted be with its incessant clicking, as we all sat around just twiddling our thumbs. I chanced another encounter with the lady sitting next to me. "So what's your name?"

"Gladys, Gladys Barnbom," she reached out a skeletal veiny hand.

I shook her hand and introduced myself. "Ah you're one of those girls with a guys name. I can dig it!" She commented.

Honestly, I didn't really see a point in responding to that. Literally my entire life I heard either what was meant to be a complement or some sort of snide remark about my name.

Gladys cleared her throat before speaking again, "What route do you think you're going to take?"

I bit my lip trying to hide my confusion. "Excuse me?"

"From the brochure!" Gladys chuckled.

I glanced down at the brochure still in my hand. The cover made me want to vomit it was so cheesy. There is this older woman and older man, I would guess in their forties, smiling their wide white-toothed smiles as they glance down at a brochure of their own. The man has his arms wrapped lovingly around the woman. They're outside at what appears to be a park, sitting on a picnic bench. I placed the brochure back down in the side table in contemplation.