Willow | The Wayfarer Series

Chapter 2

There was no pain involved in the way that I died, which was somewhat of a relief. I could see the scared face of the train driver. He was an overweight man, with a thick moustache that covered his entire upper lip. His eyes were bulging, his hand went for the break but we both knew he was too late. 

Something was off though. It was like the entire world around me had stopped. I got back up on my feet and saw the reactions of the people on the platform. The man who pushed me was smiling. Anya looked frozen on her spot and a random businessman had his arm stretched out, as though there would still be time to pull me back onto the platform. 

"He'll shatter all the bones in his hand." A voice said from behind me. I turned around and found myself staring into nothingness. A vast, black space was looming just a few steps away from me. On it was two people. One, a tall woman with brown long hair and a man who looked like Santa Clause. 

"Who are you?" Another voice said. She sounded young, too young. Was she dead too?

"Life and death." The woman answered though she did not point to who was who. I felt like I was standing in a crowd of people, but I could not see anyone around me. In fact, the nothingness had engulfed the scene of my death. All I could see was Life and Death.

"Each of you has a choice to make." The man said. "Your lives as you were living them had no lasting meaning. Your choices, both future and past made for no difference. You were a waste of a life. But you need not to stay that way."

Death was not one to make things sound any better than what they were. Maybe deep down I knew it to be true, but I could not accept that just yet. Life and Death did not even look like they had been depicted all throughout my life. There was no light and darkness. No ugly death and beautiful life, they were equal.

"Either you die here today, or you live again tomorrow." The woman explained. "That is, live in a way that will contribute to something. In a different place, a different time."

My brain felt fuzzy, maybe from being hit by a train before being told I was worth nothing. Either I die or I live. It did not seem like such a big question then.

"I want to live." I told them, being the first out of the group of people. There were eight of us, myself included, but they seemed to think the question was a bit harder. The woman glanced over at me, a smile gracing her face.

"Very well then."