When You Die

Untitled Part 13

11:46 AM, floor 45 of Death's Penthouse, April 24, 2019

"Child, what in God's name are you doin'? Ada Mata, get over here, and speak to your grandmother." The sound of her grandmother's voice brought Ada back to the world around her. "Grandma, I need to go." Her grandmother looked worried. "What's going on? Are you okay?" Ada looked at Emma Mulberry's limp body on the floor. "Um, I need to eat lunch. We have strict schedules here."

"Here? Where are you, baby girl?" Mali asked, more seriously. Sarah nodded her agreement. "Ada, honey, I want to see you're beautiful face." She cried anxiously. Ada threw her hands up in the air. Why don't they just leave? Then she came up with an idea. Well here goes nothing. She thought. "Fancy house, I don't suppose you can make them go away??"

Nothing happened for a moment, but after a few seconds, something did. Very suddenly, in fact. "Ada, what's happening?" Sarah asked, her eyes widening as she looked down at her feet, Mali doing the same. "Why is the ground shaking?" Ada waved her hand sadly. "Sorry, I wish you didn't have to go. I'll try to talk to you again soon. Bye."

"Your father loves you, Ada. Just remember that. He loves you." This time it was Ada's mother who spoke. Unlike Sarah and Mali, she was completely composed. The three of them started to fade. "He loves you. He loves you, Ad-"

Then they were gone. Ada looked back at the spot they had just stood one moment ago, her eyes watering. 

Emma!! A voice in her head screamed. She shook her head, letting a tear flow down her cheek slowly, got up, and went over to Emma, who was still passed out on the ground. "Emma. Emma get up! Are you okay?" No response. Ada shook her shoulder. "Emma!" She said more loudly. "Emma!!!" Still no response. Finally she gave up and slapped her, hard, in the face.

Emma shot up from the ground, and Ada stepped back sheepishly. "Sorry, Emma, I didn't know how else to wake you up." Ada said, biting the inside of her cheek, something she did absentmindedly when she was nervous or ashamed. Emma waved her hand dismissively. "It's okay." She stared at Ada intently. "Ada, what did you say your aunt's name was?" Ada raised her eyebrows quizzically. "Uh, Sarah?"

Emma shook her head. "No, her full name." Ada was about to ask why, but a look from Emma made her oblige. "Sarah Mali Collins. Her middle name is my grandma's name." She looked at Emma, who was hurriedly searching for something in her bag, dropping objects left and right.

"Uh, are you okay, Emma?" Ada asked, tapping her softly on the shoulder. "I can't find it! I can't find my I.D." Ada looked at her. "I.D.? What do you need your I.D. for?" Emma was getting more agitated by the second, tearing open drawers, scattering paper around everywhere. "When you come to the Afterlife and wish to keep your memory, then you get an I.D. that has all the important facts about your life, including names and dates, so that you don't forget your life."

Ada was confused by the whole situation she was in. "Are you sure you're okay? Because if you're not, I can call-" But she was interrupted by a loud thump. "I found it. I was right, Ada." Emma had slumped to the ground, her face pale once again.

"You were right? What do you mean?" Emma handed Ada her I.D., her hands shaking. Ada took it and gasped. "Does that mean?-" Ada said, her eyes widening. "Does that mean what I think it means?"

Emma nodded. "Yes. It means I'm your cousin."

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11:46 AM Edfeild ct., the Afterlife, April 24, 2019

"Are you sure this is the place, Gretchen?" Phil asked. "Yes. I know more things than you think I do." Gretchen said firmly. They were standing on a chipped sidewalk next to a crumbling four-story building. "Well, let's go in." Gretchen took a few steps toward the building, but stopped when she saw that Phil was not with her. "Aren't you coming?"