James Turner and the Spirit of Death

Welcome to Pergatoria Part 2

He felt as though he was being abducted; his mother had always warned him about stranger danger. Yet, he also felt as though this man had only the best intentions for, as if he was some sort of long-lost uncle. He could feel the warmth of his ethereal form holding him. He had never imagined ghosts to feel that way. Perhaps, he thought, the nice ones felt warmer than the not-so-nice ones.
He was briskly taken back across the tarmac road, somehow sensing the vibrations as the odd bird landed and walked around on the tarmac. He was taken back under the darkened bridge, and, as he was being transported, he had the sense that there were a few visiting spirits in the nearby graveyard. Could ghosts ever visit the world of the living?
He had no chance to ask, though - the man's movements were so briskly meaningful - he had a duty to perform, after all.
Eventually, they reached a humble-looking white building, the one just across the road from the pub where James' father worked. Despite its humble appearance, it had been the subject of mystery and passing wonder for James. It seemed disused, but as if there was something unusual about it. Once, James had tried to find a door, to no avail. It previously seemed a little unwelcoming. Yet, now, however, it seemed very welcoming indeed, like the doorway to your beloved home after spending some time in some detestable place.
Still being held in the loving grip of the man's arm, James moved along with him, as they entered via the white wall...
Inside, it was dark, yet also homely. It had a very old, musky smell, as if it had existed forever. Perhaps, thought James, it had existed forever...
The room James found himself in was filled with the noises of the many energies, left behind by both the recently deceased, as they themselves had made the journey that some of us will make at the end of our lives, and of the longer-staying residents of wherever lay ahead, as they had used this portal to re-enter the Waken World, perhaps to visit a loved one, or for some other unfinished business.
James and his new acquaintance moved very lightly through the next wall...
Across, on the Other Side, was a world so much akin to ours, yet seemingly containing so much mystery, wonder and newness. It was akin to being born again, yet with the knowledge and awareness you had all along.
Mothers rushed about with their kids, whilst men walked past, some sucking their fingers like children, as if they had been smokers in life, and yet somehow missed the disgraceful habit. Others walked past with dogs. A black cat, who had been fast asleep, opened their golden-yellow, spiritual eyes as James and his new acquaintance moved so effortlessly past the red brick wall, which was covered with some kind of spiritual foliage akin to ivy. It had on it some kind of ghostly mesh fencing, and, though James and his Guardian Ghost could not see it, there were houses with gardens and the odd person busing about their spiritual existences. Both James and his new Guardian could, however, sense the energies. There were a mix of stressed out energies, jolly energies and even the odd sad and lonely energy in the atmosphere of this spiritual plane. James couldn't help but feel a tad sorry for those who were stressed, or lonely, or sad. He could tell from the energy of his new Guardian that he, too, felt sorry for those who were in a less-than happy mood, but he assumed that their moods and their energies would change, just as those of the Wakens he had known in life, in the Waken World.
At long last, his guardian broke the long-held silence. "Welcome, James, to Pergatoria!"
His guardian paused and smiled compassionately at him. "Yeh'll be living with me. I'll look after you an' mentor yeh - it's part o' my job. But, first, let's get everything yeh need an' let me show ya around!"