A World Beyond

Chapter One:

I wake up in an office of some sort, of all places. I remember nothing. I don't even know who I am, how old I am. I scan the room, twirling a strand of golden blond hair around my finger. In front of me, sits a boy who looks to be about my age. He smiles, but I know it is fake. The look in his gray eyes is grim and his smile is asymmetrical.

I study my clothing. I wear a simple blue cotton dress with short sleeves. It is plain and not at all revealing. I breathe a sigh of relief.

Wait, why would I be relieved about that?

I feel as though I've uncovered something important about myself, something that could help me later, but the thought vanishes.

So I decide to focus on the boy. He has dark brown hair that extends to roughly the nape of his neck. It is worn messy, but not curly. He wears a gray t-shirt and dark denim jeans. His eyes sparkle and he winks at me.

I blush like an idiot.

Looking around further, I notice a man with a dark coffee bean skin tone and an Italian suit. An elderly man with skin shriveled up like a raisin (so he resembles a walrus) and a wispy white beard walks up to him. I mentally decide to nickname him Walrus Man.

"Charon, sir. How much longer will I have to wait?" He asks in a desperate tone

"As long as it takes, plus a thousand years just for asking."

Walrus Man's face falls and he returns to his seat grumpily, muttering a few words that I'd rather not repeat.

"He curses like a sailor, eh?" Asks the boy. I realize that he was addressing me.

"Um, yeah, sure." I manage. Crud, why am I so nervous around this guy?

"So how'd you end up here?" He asks

"Um... What do you mean?"

"Like, here. You know...." He stares at me. "I mean, you do know why you're here, right?"

I shake my head.

"Well... We're all here because we're dead."