Kissed by God

2. 18 meters above the lavender-colored ground

"What? Where to...?", I'm still staring at the blond guy opposite, who continues to smile at me, not understanding the meaning of his words.

"The World of Second Chances or the World of Estefia," he repeats, thinking that it will reach me, but it doesn't reach me. "I know you don't understand anything, like everyone who gets here."

"Who is everyone?"

"Suicides," he exhales. My eyes widen. Who!?? Where am I anyway??? "Don't worry, I'll explain everything, but let me help you up first," the guy holds out his hand to me, smiling politely. I grab onto it and finally get to my feet.

It's unusual, but the body doesn't seem to feel, I'm standing firmly on the ground, but it feels like I'm about to fly up, there's such lightness in my legs. My tangled red hair is in my face, and with my hands I pull up the ridiculous white sheet that is still falling off me.

"My name is Marcus Flint, you can just call me 'Marcus'," he began, "I'll show and tell you everything, but I'm afraid one day won't be enough, so you'll have to gradually get used to everything and learn many things yourself..."

Marcus looks quite unusual... He's also wearing strange white clothes, only more neat and looks like a loose suit that doesn't restrict movement and covers all appropriate parts of the body. I want one too. While examining him, I noticed a strange symbol on his arm that looked like a tattoo. I've never seen this before...

"Don't get distracted, please," Marcus asked, noticing how I was looking at him from head to toe too openly, "Don't worry, you won't have to walk in this white blanket for all eternity, they'll pick up normal clothes soon."

"Thank you," I smiled, "And where us? Specifically, what is this place where we are standing?" I was talking about a round hall with a high ceiling, which was not even visible, white columns and marble(?) walls. And there was nothing else, and we were standing in the center.

"This is a White Hall. It is usually the place where one of the mentors, such as me, for example, is called. Estefia is calling for some important assignment. And I came here to hear it, but you were there. Apparently, you were the errand. It's strange that you ended up here, because usually the new ones show up somewhere else..."

"Well... And who is Estefia?", I asked with interest, realizing that I wouldn't understand what it was all about soon.

"This is our goddess who created this world and rules it. But more about it later... I have a question for you." His gaze became serious.

"Which one?"

"Do you understand what happened to you?.."

And then I started thinking. I kind of understand that I died because I cut my wrists and I remember it clearly, but... Is this the "afterlife"?

"Mm... You know, I realized that I was dead, because I caused my own death... Oh my God!", I abruptly remembered that, according to my beliefs, after death I should meet Charlie, "Where is Charlie? Is he here??"

"Charlie? Who is he? Did he commit suicide like you?"

"No... He died due to illness. He was my friend...", my heart felt lousy when I remembered this.

"Oh... Then I'm sorry, you won't meet him here if you hoped for this...", Marcus put his hand on my shoulder with sadness on his face, "The world of Second Chances is the afterlife for those who committed suicide. And here souls can find a second chance, that is, to return to life if something went wrong. So... Maybe you're not here forever."

"I don't wanna come back to life," I protested, "Maybe I'll like it here."

"Ah... Trust me, you probably won't think that for long. What we're doing here is preparing souls to return to the world of the living. They are healing here, gaining freedom and the desire to live... It all depends on you and your perseverance."