Flashback<<<
A white, clean, and orderly office.
'That's what comes to mind when I look around the space I suddenly found myself in.'
'The "person" in front of me has a handsome, well defined jawline, androgynous face, and clothes I've never seen before. Giving me a look that's condescending, as if daring me to speak.'
"Soooo, what exactly is this place, is this a lucid dream or did I really die. I'm rather calm about this so I assume that's because of you?"
The person was a little amused since he smiled back. "Yes, you're right."
"This space allows traveling souls to remain calm no matter what's said to them, so they can make clear decisions that they won't regret. So, we can talk freely as we have all the time in the world." Says the angel or whatever he/she is as they set down their tea.
"You died and now you're here so we can get you assigned to your afterlife retirement plan." He says in a grand tone, with the calmness of the coming breeze.
'I seem to be strangely accepting this rather easy. Hopefully I get to go to heaven. I know I didn't live the best life, but I wasn't greedy, vindictive or a law breaker.'
'I wonder which belief or non-belief was right.' The once ball of light thinks.
'Well, seeing that I am here, some were wrong at least.'
'Looking at the person in front of me I'm guessing he/she is some type of angel.'
"So, how does the whole retirement plan work?" I say not yet sure my place in talking about such high level topics.
A folder appeared before him and he opened it, scanning it for a bit before he asked me.
"Do you want the short explanation or the long one?" Says the angel crossing they're arms as if moments away from monologuing in deep thought.
'Given how I'm not forced to fight some demon king and I'm given a choice I'll want to know the long version.'
"I will take the detailed explanation, please." I say in a respectful tone, adding the last part respectfully, not use to doing so in my previous life.
He nods.
"First you should know that there are three categories a soul can be assigned to."
"Hell, Reincarnation, and Heaven."
"Which category a soul gets assigned to and what is going to happen in said category depends on two factors."
"Karmic balance and the soul's belief during its life."
"The karmic balance is the sum of the good and bad deeds of a soul during his or her life. And the soul's own beliefs act as the person sticking to their own set of morals."
"Every soul starts with a balance of zero. Good actions, depending on the action and the intent behind said action, increase the karmic balance of the soul."
"Bad actions meanwhile decrease the karmic balance. Being rather simple to follow."
"The intent behind an action matter and not the outcome. For example, if you mean to create a cure for cancer but the cure ends up a poison, as long you didn't mean to harm the person receiving the medicine its reflected as good Karma points."
"The bad actions for example being. Such as lying to not excessively hurt someone's feelings or killing for personal gain. When it comes to this there are exceptions to the rule such as protecting a loved one or defending your home. Also killing someone with negative karma points increases your own as your making sure innocent people don't suffer from people like this in the future. As hurt people hurt people."
"Sorry for interrupting you, what about the rich or affluent people who donate or people whose job is to help others.
"The answer is rather simple, its all about the intent of the person. If its to actually help save a life then they're rewarded but if it's to gain money, fame or power then it's counted negatively. If a person wants to dedicate their life to saving people then how can we not reward it. I know it sounds easy to rack up good karma points but how many people actually do it."
"I'm not going to tell you the exact amount necessary to get into Heaven as it's against the rules and we can't allow people who've already reincarnate to abuse the rules."
"That's rather simple", I mused.
The angel continues the explanation. "Everyone else with a balance in between or falls a bit short is Reincarnated to try again."
"While souls with negative points are sent to hell for a proper punishment and have their souls erased."
I unintentionally gulp the salvia as he says it with an icy tone. Hoping I don't fall in that category.
"Let's start with Reincarnation."
"The soul receives a hard or soft reset into a world of their choice depending on how many Karma points they accumulated."
I interrupt him, " Is it possible not to be reincarnated?"
"Not even demi-gods that live for a millennium are immune, eventually everyone has to go through this process."
"For most, your memories get buried, so to say, deep inside your soul so you don't seem like a mental patient to others."
"Now would you like to know what's going to happen to you?" With him saying this with a cold stare and icy tone. I can even feel an overwhelming pressure on my shoulders.
I didn't honestly think I would end up in hell as I didn't go out of my way to hurt people.
But still I wasn't exactly the most devoted Christian so I can't presume to know for sure where I will go and if Heaven is a possibility, which is why that pause frightened me.
"Congratulations, you get to go to Heaven!"
Then the moment I heard congratulations I cried and jumped for joy screaming.
"Yeeeeess, wooohooooo."
"Of course I would make it, just look at me I'm the best." I say imagining myself do a peace sign victory pose.
Then I stop realizing I'm making a fool out of myself. Now knowing they must record all the reactions of people then joke about them at their breakroom, whenever they get off work, I pout at him ask why he had to pull my balls like that?
The angel laughs, wiping a tear from his eyes. "That never gets old, you should have seen the look on your face."