" Okay , okay ...okay " The old woman said to herself as she floated from side to side , her arms behind her back and her face firmly put in a frown .
The young man sat watching her move like a plastic bag in a whirlwind , unsure of what to do .
She had been saying ' okay ' again and again for what seemed like hours .
" Okay , I got it " she said and moved infront of him .
" What will it take ?" she asked him, her face was tense and agitated .
" What ?" The man asked confused again , the old woman bit her lip and sighed exasperated .
" What will it take to change your mind !" She shouted " Golden vestments ? A crystal heart ? Blessings upon your family ? Eternal youth on your descendants ? " She rambled on , half hoping he would stop her and say he didn't need anything and it was very sweet of her to offer and maybe ...just maybe he would have pity and go on his own .
She couldn't get all of those things even if she wanted to , maybe the first two but the other two highly unlikely , especially the last offer .
" How about a pet ....mmmm... Pegasus for your child ?" She smiled hopefully , please stop me and have pity on me, she thought .
" No child , No family and no need for any of those things ." He said smiling sadly at the old woman , He knew what she was doing but he wouldn't be swayed , " I just want to go back . "
" But Goodness , Why !?" She exploded suddenly " I've been down to your world . A horrible place , full of so much pain and sorrow and grief ! Don't get me wrong , there are some pleasantries there but unfortunately the bad things out way all the good . So why would anyone want to go back down there ? "
" For the pleasantries and good things ." He answered
" Now , I'm sure your joking " The old woman tisked her tongue
" I'm not , I just want to go back for the pleasantries " He smiled and the old woman pouted her lips .
" Child , you can't expect me to believe that you are giving up Heaven and Paradise for cotton candy ."
The young man's eyes opened wide and he laughed at the absurdity of the old woman .
Was that the pleasantries she was talking about ?
" Don't laugh ! I'm quite serious here " She reprimanded
The young man managed to get his laughter under control and then finally spoke , " You mean the pleasantries you were talking about was food ?"
" Of course ," she answered like he asked a foolish question " What else is there ?"
" Nevermind , I don't want to go back for cotton candy or any delicious treat . I have to ...mmm...I have to ..."
The man squinted his eyes and thought hard but the thought wouldn't come , he couldn't remember , The memory was gone !
" Why can't I remember what I wanted to say ?" He said still concentrating ,
" Oh , It's already begun . " She said tisking her tongue.
" What has begun ?" The young asked looking up at her .
" Your memories are fading , as they do for everyone ." She explained " You don't need them where you're going . On the Other side everything you could ever want or need is there ."
" No ...not everything ." he remarked , but the old lady raised her eyes as if she was dealing with a child .
" What do you think Heaven would lack ? Believe me , there is nothing ." She said smartly but the man didn't listen .
He held his head with both hands and lied down on his knees .
" Oh no , not this again ." She said moaning with annoyance ," If you don't want to get up, fine then . You can crawl up the steps . Although that may take longer and who knows what the other souls would say ."
By ' Other souls ' she referred to the stream of spirits who had been walking up the stairs this whole time . Each spirit was a different person . There were men , women and even children in the throng . A soul would appear from thin air and begin it's ascent up the stairs .
They didn't give the young man or the old woman any notice , but stepped around them .
" Actually now that I think about it , I doubt they would care . " she said looking around her " So you can just get going no-"
" I'm not going , I'm not going " the man said again and again , his body rocking forward and backward as he fought to hold the few memories he had .
But they seemed to trickle out of his hands like water .
" Okay , okay . Calm down , Child " The old woman said and touched the young man's back , a faint light shone from her palm and the man slowly began to stop his shaking and rocking .
" No ...they're still fading away . " He cried " Make it stop , please " he raised his head and looked at the old woman with imploringly eyes .
" I can't stop it ," She sighed " And if you went back, it would all fade away and you'd remember nothing Not even your own name ."
" So I can go back ?" He said hopefully and the old woman smacked his head , it hurt , even as a spirit .
" That's all you heard me say ?! Child listen carefully , if you went back , you'd remember nothing . Completely nothing . Do you understand ?"
" What about ghosts , they remember their past " He said remembering a movie , but then the memory slipped out again .
" Sorry but you are not going back as a ghost . We're all out of ghosts " She said " ghosts can't even fully control themselves to do anything . Let alone what they aimed to do when they get down there . I'm not letting a soul under my charge become a confused specter . "
She said haughtily and the young man didn't know if she was showing concern or just being haughty . Probably haughty , he decided .
" Then what are my options here , because I will go back . I have to ...to Aghhh! " He cried out in frustration , the memory was gone . But he knew it was something important .
" If I was to let you go back . And I repeat ' IF ' ," She said floating up above the spirit masses that moved around them .
" You would only have Three choices , Reincarnation , Resurrection or Rebirth . Unfortunately I can't do any of them except for Reincarnation . But I get the feeling you don't want that . "
" No , I don't want to come back as a different person or dog or something like that . I want to go back as me ." He answered
" That's Resurrection or Rebirth then . But like I said , I can't do either one for you . " She said looking to the light at the top of the stairs .
" Can't or WONT ?" He asked angrily and the old woman smiled ruefully .
" Both , child " She said softly , her voice was still raspy " Rebirth can only be done by One being and that isn't me . As for Resurrection , I won't do it because I would get into more trouble than I am now for stalling your ascent into Heaven ."
" Trouble with who ? " He asked ,
The old woman floated down until she was next to him and then looking around to make sure no one was listening . Except the multiple spirits passing around them , she whispered in his ear , "Death ."
Her saying the word had a huge effect on the young man like frost , His face went pale even though it remained see through , he felt a chill down his spine . Or whatever a spirit had for a spine .
But his reaction was nothing compared to the spirits that were around them . As the old woman spoke the word , the spirits seemed to panic and slightly fade away for a moment , as if hiding from something frightful . After a few seconds they reappeared and continued climbing .
" Oh , okay " He said slowly ," We don't want to anger Him at all then ."
" Exactly , so now that you see this, can you for Goodness sake , get up and go through the light ? " She said tiredly , if she even got tired .
" I'm not going up there until I go back and do what I have to do . " He said determinedly and the old woman sighed a sigh of exhaustion and exasperation .
" We have already gone through this , you have no way to go back . Your four options are closed and done . so why don't you just - "
" Wait ! " he shouted and she stopped , even some of the spirits around them paused but then continued their climb .
" Wait for what , Child ?" she asked
" You said four options now , but before that you said three ."
" Oh , I did ?" she flustered " A slip of the tongue , no need to bring it up . "
" But you don't seem like the type of person to slip your tongue . " he remarked ,
The old woman narrowed her eyes , was that a compliment or not ?
" Is there ?" he asked her
" Is there what ?" she responded
" A fourth option ? "
The old woman tisked her tongue and floated down next to the young man . Then she sat down , or rather her upper bodice rested closely to the step where the man sat already .
" You want the truth or a lie ? " She said " Believe me , you'd prefer a lie over the truth ."
" If the truth is that there is a fourth option then I want it ."
" No , you really don't . " she said looking to the side ,
" Yes , I do " He said vehemently,
" No , you don't " She said firmly.
" Yes , I do . If it can get me back . If it's the only option left that can get me there , then I'll take it !" He said angrily .
What was she hiding ? he needed to go back . He just had to . And this woman was trying to stop him .
Well we'll see about that !
He got up and started to walk , not up the steps but DOWN .
He didn't have far to go .
The step platform where they were, was floating in a dark void , next to the staircase there was literally nothing there . It was from this void that spirits were appearing and began climbing up the stairs . It was from this void that the man had probably come from and he believed if he came from the void then maybe he could go back through the void .
That's where he was going .
And it was at the last step , the final step when he would have gone over the edge that the old woman grabbed him and pulled him back .
" Are you mad ! " She yelled , " Do you have a single clue about what you were about to do ?!"
" Yes I'm mad ! And yes I knew what was about to do ?! I was going back !?" He yelled at her .
" You simpleton " She cursed softly " you were not going back , you were about to disappear . Vanish from existence ! "
" Then I'll do it !" He said and started rushing to edge again , but the old woman lifted her hand and he was lifted up into the air next to her .
" Do you have a death wish ? " She asked crossly " Is that what you want to do down there ? Kill yourself properly ? It wasn't enough that your own -"
" Shut up ! Just let me die if you won't take me back ! " He cried in pain , He slumped his shoulders as grief flowed through him .
He just wanted to go back , just to go back and finish ... the memory was gone but he knew it was important , he just had to go back .
" Oh, my void " She said and sighed in exasperation , then turning away she looked up at the light above the stairs .
Her face became frowned with thought , Maybe , she could do it . But how could it help now ? And even if it could , the question was could this mortal handle it . She shook her head and tisked her tongue .
Well there was only one way to find out , " There is "she said to the man .
" Is what ?" he asked
she tisked her tongue " Another option but believe me it is not pretty and not for the faint of heart ."
" I don't care , I'll do whatever it takes ." He said , and the old woman placed him back on the step .
" You say that now , but later you'll have doubts " She said " I'm only warning you here . Because this option goes against not only Nature but Life and ... Death ."
With that word , the same reaction occured again , the souls around them vanished as if in flight and the young man felt a chill seep into him .
" Then ...won't you get in trouble ?" He asked and she actually felt amused at his concern for her .
She would probably be in trouble if she got caught but luckily this option had a loophole and getting caught was highly unlikely . Except it would depend on this soul , Goodness Light , she hoped she was doing the right thing !
But she couldn't force him to go to the Other side and he wasn't complying , so helping him seemed her only option . Or she would have to explain why one of her souls walked into the void .
" Whether I get into trouble or not depends on you ." She said smiling .
" What do you mean ?" He asked
" Simple really , you just have go back , finish what you want to do. Even though neither one of us knows what that is and afterwards you come back here . And , " she narrowed her eyes " You cross over to the Other side . No more begging or pleading for more time . You go , that's it . Okay ? "
" Okay ." He said
The old woman tisked her tongue , she then took out her clipboard ,
flipping throw the pages until she landed on the page she wanted .
" Here , " she said puting the clipboard out " sign at the bottom of the line ."
" I don't have a pen ." The young man said patting his pockets .
" No need for a pen , just put your finger on the line . " she said grabbing his wrist and putting his hand on the page .
The young man put his finger on the line and removed it . There was a dark red stain like a fingerprint .
" Good , now you can't break the promise . " She said " now for the difficult part ."
"What difficult part ? " He asked
" Not difficult for me exactly , but it will be for you ." she said mirthfully and the man became slightly apprehensive .
Which he should have been because an object floated from the void to where they stood , or where he stood and she floated .
When the man saw what it was he grew slightly afraid .
The object was a large rectangular structure of sturdy oakwood . It had intricate carvings , with designs of fire , water , earth and air . It was extremely beautiful but beauty came second . Because most people who would see it, would see what it is was first before they saw how lovely it looked .
Because it was coffin .
" What is that ? " He asked anxiously , the woman ignored his anxious question and moved her hand . The coffin swayed opened with that gesture .
And with its opening a strange thing happened .
The throng of spirits who had been moving around them , all vanished as if they had never been .
The young man raised his arms stunned but when he looked at his hand he became more stunned .
It was getting more solid and in a few seconds it was no longer see through . Infact his whole body had gained substance .
" Very nice , Child . Do you not agree ?" she said pleasantly .
She stood next to the coffin , she actually stood . Because for some odd reason she had legs now . her lower torso had appeared . She was wearing tight white trousers and her feet were bare .
" You look ...I look ..." He couldn't finish his sentence , he was just too stunned .
But he was yet to be truly stunned .
" Yes, yes . We look alright . Unfortunately for you , it won't last . " She said " Now , get inside ."
" Inside ?" the fear was palpable in his voice ,
The old woman rolled her eyes and tisked her tongue , " Inside the coffin . "
" What !? Why !?" He asked and took an unconscious step back .
" Don't you think of running away . Especially since there is no where to run ." she said ,
And she was right .
The staircase was gone , they stood only on the golden platform now ,with the void still beyond them .
" Now get inside the coffin . Hurry up ." She said tapping her foot .
" But why ? " he asked still as afraid .
" Because this is the option you chose and it's the only one that you can get . Now get inside , we can't spend eternity in limbo . I don't have time for that ." She said and swayed her hand for him to get into the coffin .
The man hesitated but then took a step forward and a few more steps later he was infront of the coffin .
" Now get inside ." she was losing her patience , and he didn't want her mad . So he went inside the coffin .
It was a perfect fit , as far as coffins go .
" So , " He said before taking a deep breath , " What was my option again ?" He felt like he should have asked this sooner.
The old woman smiled at him , shaking her head as she held the lid of the coffin , what a simple child . What option did he think was left ?
" The only option left . " she said slowly closing the coffin and before it was shut , the young man heard her say one word that made his heart freeze .
" Reanimation. "