After They Die At The End

🕗 Part 2 - Chapter 2

(Image credit Pinterest: https://pin.it/1ulBui0)
Rufus
I couldn't sleep that night, I just stared blankly up. Dead. No going back, only forward in this place I still don't know much about. It didn't seem that different from my life before my parents died. Maybe that was nice, going back to some sort of normal thing. I thought of waking Olivia up, but maybe I shouldn't bother. Back with the Plutos, whenever one of us couldn't sleep, we would all stay up together, telling stories to make the time pass and watch moves or something. Maybe I could go to the kitchen and get a snack, figure out how that is anyway.

I walk out to the hallway and look around, no one else seemed awake. I walk down the dimly lighter stairs to the kitchen on the right corner of the house and make my way straight to the cabinets beside the sink, fridge behind me, and decide to search for some cookies and a glass for milk. It might be basic, but still a nice snack. I jump a bit as I turn to see my dad leaning on the side of the counter, looking out the window. He turns to me as I close a cabinet with the cup.

"Couldn't sleep either?" He asks, tossing me the carton of milk. He had a cup too.

"Guess I'm not the only one," I near him and place my cup on the counter, filling it up.

"Your so young, Roof," my dad looks away for a bit, "you had a whole life ahead of you,"

"It's not like we have much of a choice, do we?" I laugh faintly, trying not to make this moment too serious.

"....I wish you did,"

Telling my dad all about how I exactly died might not help right now.

"I'm still.. processing this, uhm,"

"Being dead thing?" He completes. I nod silently and take a sip of my milk. No cookie, sadly. "Yeah, that takes a while, and it's different for everyone,"

I remember how I found them, "We're you guys just there, staring out the whole time?"

"They'll explain this to you, but no. You find our spirits in the limbo of the last memory you have of us, or depending on the person you choose to signalize, while they might just being enjoying afterlife. I think it changes for each dead person though, since your sister mentioned just visiting  the memory itself," He says. I nod a bit, that made a bit of sense, I think. I wonder how it'll be for the other Plutos, if I'll find them or they'll choose to find me

Silent tears start coming down his face. This isn't what I expected, I'm not exactly sure how to react, but decide on holding his hand, maybe that'll help

"Sorry," he sniffs, "you aren't meant to see your parents cry,"

"I don't think that's a thing," I tell him, in attempts of making him feel more at ease.

"I can't believe that," he paused, whispering, "for a second back there, I wished you had come with us so you weren't alone up there,"

"Uhm, well, I'm here now...."

He shakes his head, whipping his eyes.

"It'll be morning soon, we should both get some rest," he says, messing up my hair as he heads back upstairs.

I look at him go, then back to the window. I hadn't seen my dad this vulnerable in a long time, maybe not ever if I'm remembering right.

I go back to my room, still unable to fall asleep.

—
Mateo's bedroom, September 5th (?)

"Mateo....Mateo, Mateo where are you??"

* sees smoke *

"Roof- help..!"

* fire takes over*

I open my eyes with a gasp, sitting up in bed and looking around. I guess I fell asleep at some point. I gotta know if Mateo is okay, and I guess soon enough I will.

Olivia's at the door, "I was about to wake you, you okay there?"

"Yeah, just a...vivid dream,"

"Well get up, it's almost noon and you gotta go in like 2/3 hours," she tells me.

"Since when are you allowed to boss me around?"

"Since being dead for longer is a thing, c'mon" she leans off the doorframe and leaves the room.

I get up and stretch, the outfit I think of wearing basically appearing right on. Do we even need to shower here? Going downstairs I see some picture frames, they seem to be memories from my parents and sister. I then notice a few other ones, seemingly mine.

"Hey, since when were those here?"

"Since always," Liv says, a bit sarcastically by the counter, a piece of toast in her mouth.

"Olivia, manners still matter," Mom scolds her, a butter knife in one hand.

"Don't worry about it, I'm talking about these ones," I point at the ones with memories that seem mine with Tagoe, Malcom, and I hanging out one night.

"Oh, those probably appeared overnight," she says.

"Memories are hung up so you can relive them from time to time when you miss those who aren't here yet," Mom further explains. I nod, then asking for one of my favorite breakfast foods of her's: French toast. Okay, it's my favorite breakfast food, but she's the one behind it.

Mom roles her eyes, "Don't expect these everyday,"

When their ready, she places the pieces on a plate for me, Liv stealing one from the pile, "Best afterlife meal so far,"

My dad enters the kitchen and hugs Mom from behind, "Morning,"

Liv holds a laugh by putting a piece of the bread in her mouth and waving good morning to him. Huh, who knew afterlife could make my little sister this sarcastic. Me and dad lock eye contact, none of us mentioning last night's encounter. I wouldn't mind it, but I don't think he feels the same way, y'know?

"Hi, honey," Mom says smiling, giving him a kiss on the cheek, "Want something?"

Breakfast went as it usually went back when things were normal. Guess even though I woke up late we still got to share a meal together before whatever awaits for me at this ceremony thing.

(1029 words! Do you guys prefer smaller chapters or bigger ones? And if you have any ideas or things you'd like me to maybe add further on, please let me know! (keep it within the fluff or angst genres pls.))