Afterlife

The busy, congested streets of New York filled with the sounds of car engines, the rush hour traffic moving so slowly that a jogger on the sidewalks could easily outpace the cars on the road. At the edge of the road, a man waved in a taxi cab and stepped into the back where one other man was already sitting, dressed in church clothes.

After the first man gave directions to the driver, he was greeted pleasantly by the church man.

"Good day sir, my name is Joseph. And you?" he reached out, offering a handshake.

"Alex." replied the other politely, accepting the nicety and shaking his hand even though he had no particular interest in engaging with other people at this time.

"Alex. So, what is your profession if you don't mind me asking?"

"I am a medical assistant."

"Good for you. We all serve the Lord in our own way. I am a missionary for the Church of Christ. So, what church do you go to?"

Chuckling, Alex said "I am an atheist sir. I do not believe in your god or any god, really. "

Joseph cast a look of deep offense oh so typical of the overly religious when someone doesn't believe what they believe.

"Why not?"

"The question is not 'why not', but rather, 'why?' It doesn't make any sense on a scientific basis. There is no evidence for it, and indeed evidence that contradicts many of the stories laid out in your holy book, including evidence about the age of the world, evolution, and anthropological evidence about the evolution of that very religion."

Suddenly, a nearby car went out of control, the driver gone mad in a state of road rage, spinning dangerously toward the taxi.

Impact. The cab was now flipping through the air, about to land upside down on a section of sidewalk. All three occupants were no more. At least not on this plane of reality.

After the blackout, Joseph was met by a warm glowing light.

"Welcome my son. Welcome to paradise." came the warm, loving voice that he assumed to be his god. You have done well in serving me on Earth, and now you have earned your eternal rest. Lay down your worries, and come into my kingdom in joy. Celebrate, for all struggle is at an end for you."

Landing softly in a green field, a golden glowing city lay in front of him, and the gatekeepers opened welcoming arms, urging him to come and enter. Beyond the walls of the city stretched an endless plain. Above there was no sun, but the entire plain glowed with a brilliance greater than that of sunlight, although there was no visible source. It was just like the description in Revelation of the kingdom of god.

Joseph than felt a deep sorrow, as he thought of the man he had been talking to before his death. So he had failed, and Joseph was now burning in a never ending torment. Sad.

But then beside him appeared the very man he had been mourning.

"You did it!" cried Alex, embracing Joseph in a loving hug. "You opened my heart! You saved me!"

Shocking, but Joseph did not care about the great improbability of the situation. He was just happy that he was able to save at least one soul from eternal damnation. Together, they embraced arms and walked into the new Jerusalem to begin their eternity.

All went black, then it was suddenly bright. Alex found himself sitting in a diner, sunlight streaming through the windows. Very, unusually white sunlight that was too bright to offer any details about the area outside the diner. The interior of the diner was empty except for himself and a woman in a waitress outfit who proceeded to walk to him from behind a cashiers desk with a plate of pancakes.