The Final Life

Beyond

Joel POV:

I Jolt up awake finding myself ontop of a large purple surface looking down onto the world i seem to have just ascended from, i can see all my friends that i have just left, but mroe importantly i can see an oddly purple version of Grian comimg towards me.

"Welcome to the beyond." It says boldly as it smiles at me.

I stand up scared of falling down into the world, "The beyond?" i question

"Yes, the beyond, where the fallen go for their final moments, before they dissapear forever except from memory." It responds gradually getting closer.

"So I'm really dead?" I ask getting really worried i will never be able to return to Lizzie and say goodbye.

"You could be, But you might also fade into your world once again, or perhaps sinve you are the first to fall you could join us as a watcher." It says grabbing onto my shoulder looking me straight in the eyes.

"Join you? You have trapped my friends here i would never!" I say pushing its arm away from me.

"You wouldn't be the first to join us." It says smiling eerily and turning around.

"What? What do you mean?" I say turning it towards me again intrigued.

"Do you really think this is the first we have done this?" It says laughing at me a little

"Well, yes none of us have ever been here before, and why are you Grian?"
I shout confused

"None of you have ever been here, To your recollection, and we take the forms of either someone the fallen is close to or someone who has joined us, it's really up to you to guess which one is true." It says patting me on the back pointing down

"Do you see them, your death brung them together, as a team once again, placing flowers on your grave as they give a speech about escaping. Cute isn't it? The sad thing is usually this lasts about a day until they start fighting again." It says sighing

"How many times have you, we even done this before?" I query more confused than ever

"Four times, every time with a new twist or turn, it's really only a social experiment to be honest." It says thinking that will reassure me

"A social experiment!? You are making us kill eachother for a SOCIAL EXPERIMENT!" i shout pushing it

"That anger, you'd be perfect as one of us, That anger is what drives us to make more games, and test the boundaries of what these people will do to eachother to survive." It says, proudly?

I step back overwhelmed and confused, as everything begins to get blurry and i fall to the floor.

"What's wrong Joel? Beginning to fade away?" A new sounding voice says, it seems to have taken the form of Jimmy.

"Il have you know, you being here is a real paradox, its slightly concerning, usually your friend Jimmy is the first to fall, but the games are changing, something is wrong." It says with genuine concern in a glitchy voice

"You can hear them can't you? they aren't just uniting in honor of me, they are uniting to escape, They will come for you." I say laughing at the now concerned, Thing?

"They've never done this before, usually they forget all about being trapped and believe it's life now, what is going on?" It says glaring at me

"My friends are strong, and maybe whoever joined you isn't as excited about causing their friends deaths as you may think." I say as the blurring begins to fade away and i stand up.

"What are you doing, why aren't you gone yet?" It says stepping back seeming to have lost all the power.

"They will come. And they will destroy you and this stupid game." I say getting closer and punching that thing.

"Joel, why would you punch me." It says before i punch again, stopping me in my tracks, as it has now taken the form of Lizzie.

"How are you able to take her form?" I shout with tears forming in my eyes

"She was here before, We left her alone because she wasn't working well for us, she only lasted one of the games." It says pushing me back.

"So we don't really die?" I ask

"No ofcourse not, this is all a test, a game. But you will never be able to tell them that, and they will all kill eachother still thinking they die permanently." It says laughing

"That's horrible, you're sick!" I shout pushing it again

"But it's beautiful, testing the boundaries of the Human brain, really fascinating." It says trying to convince me

I shake my head, "What is wrong with you, and who won the previous 'experiments' anyway?" I ask curiously

"I can't tell you that, id be telling you who had the option of joining us, as a 'Watcher'."

"A watcher? Why is you called a watcher?" I ask with the blur coming back

"Because we watch everything, and control it, we have been named the Watchers." It says retaking the form of Grian.

"This is all sick you know that right?" I say disgusted

"Im well aware of this being unethical, but it really is amazing." It says pushing me to the ground.

"Last chance little man, Join us or continue this endless loop." It says holding a hand out to me

I sigh and then reluctantly grab its hand "Il join you."

"Good choice." It says as the purple sky returns to its natural colour, and we're just standing on the sky now.

"Now what?" I question

"You'll see." It says smiling and disappearing leaving me to watch over all my friends that i have left, unable to speak to them, but i can get close to them, go through them even, I've realised this life will be horrible, but atleast I get to be with them, although some of them are working for the Watchers as am i.

End of chapter: 1006 words

Sorry for the last 2 chapters being shorter than usual! they were Basically one big chapter and they are really big for lore! introducing the Watchers and referencing the other 4 Life Series, I made a reference to Etho and Joel in double life last chapter also!

I loved this chapter and Im looking forward to what comes now, hopefully you enjoyed as much as me!