The Afterlife

Prologue

I like to think that I've been a good person. Gentle, generous, caring even. 'Not like the others.'

But I am Here, stuck between worlds. There was no light at the end of the tunnel for me. Just a room, dark and empty. And believe me, I've checked the room since I woke up here. No doors, no openings, no secret entrances. Just a window sealed shut. Light comes through that window and that's the only way I can tell if it is night or day. In my new little world, I'm forced to relive all the memories of my life before it was ended. 

Here, it doesn't matter if you were a good person or not. All your mistakes, all your triumphs... everything that makes you human is displayed to you and it generates an insane feeling of regret. The visions of my life come in waves, each one a progression in my age. So far it's been 7 days, but it feels like an eternity. I sink into a corner. Just then, I'm graced with another vision, an escape from my confinement. 

I'm at the beach, it's sunny, and my family and a few others are the first ones to arrive. A 7-year-old me runs past and heads straight for the water while everyone stays behind to set up. My family is too busy putting up shade umbrellas and rolling out towels onto the sand to notice. When she reaches the shoreline, she lets the water hit her tiny feet and watches as it retreats back into the ocean. I follow her, watching closely. She spots a sea shell: it's giant, and covered in lines of pink and white. It's further out than she should go, but she heads for it anyway. It would be a nice gift for mom. When she reaches it, she picks it up and turns back to the shore. "Mommy look what I found!" she yells. My mother turns back just as a huge wave crashes onto the shoreline and she goes under. "Kyra!" my mother screams. She panics, and Dad and my brother both run out to try and rescue me. I want to move, to help, but I can only watch. Mom sprints toward the water and pulls little me out just in time and carries me back, cradling me in her arms. She scolds me and I regret ever going in the water. I could've lost my life. The day is ruined. Little me looks out to the water, and she makes a promise never to return. 

My room reappears. A tear escapes and more and more fall down my cheek. The first day I had a vision of me being born and my first year of life. The second was when I came down with a bad cold and the doctors didn't want to give me medication because they thought I couldn't handle it. The third day I had a vision of my third birthday and my mother threw a huge party... it was a good memory. The 4th day was a vision of my grandfathers' funeral... my mom told me he went to a 'better place'. I wonder if he ended up here like I did. The 5th was my first day of kindergarten. The 6th day showed that spelling bee I aced. Here I am on the 7th day, and I don't know how much more I can take. What I would give to go back. All those years I took for granted, all those precious moments...not knowing how great it is to be alive. I need to get out of here.

Only ten more days. Then I will make the choice. 

I will return.