Death's Door

As a sample of my work, here's a short story titled, "Death's Door"

Death's Door

Ethan Stoes walked on his way to work at the Bricklayer's Guild. He could not honestly say he liked his job, it was just something he did every weekday from seven am to six pm. It was also Wednesday, and he disliked those too. It was the middle of the week and there was still two more days before he could stay home and do nothing for another two days, then work again for five.

Ethan never suspected that he would die today.

This is, of course, how many people tend to die: without the slightest suspicion that they are going to (until say, a few minutes, or even seconds before they do).

Ah yes, here it comes now: the cause of death. To Ethan's surprise, and about everyone else in the area, a horse drawn cart without a rider but with two very excited horses had just rounded a corner, where the momentum sent the cart away from the horses, which continued running, down the street and into an innocent bystander standing on the sidewalk, killing him. It was quite a shock to everyone watching, though none were as nearly shocked as Ethan.

Ethan's spirit simply lay where he had just died, not quite believing what had just happened. After a few minuted he was poked in the stomach by a pole, with a nearby voice saying 'You know you can't just lie there forever.'

Ethan's spirit , having just been poked in the stomach, did indeed get to his feet, and looked at who had just poked him. The figure wore a black hooded robe and grasped a scythe, which was what had just poked him. That and the fact that the person was a skeleton, was more than enough proof for reality to sink into Ethan, even if he didn't want it to. “Oh god...” he moaned.

'Actually,' said Death, 'it's Death.'

“So...does this mean I'm dead?” asked the late Ethan Stoes.

Death sighed 'A runaway cart just crashed into you, your corpse is right over lying on the ground right there, and if that's not enough I'm here. So yes, you're dead.'

Ethan's spirit looked over at his body, in which he no longer inhabited. “Well...what happens now?”

'What do you think?”

“Well, I just thought angels were supposed to come down and take me to Heku, or something.”

“Angels? No, you're not going to meet any gods, certainly not Heku^*.”

“Oh,” said Ethan, “then what does happen? To me, I mean.”

'Well,' began Death, 'This is the part when I reap your helpless soul to store in my soul collection.'

The helpless soul gaped at him.

'What? I can have a hobby too you know.' said Death.

“But I don't want that to happen!” blurted Ethan.

'Relax, I was kidding.' said Death, 'Can't Death make a joke too?'

“well I didn't like it.”

Death sighed again 'I know,' he said 'they never do.'

“But then what does happen to me?” persisted Ethan.

'I'm actually not allowed to tell you,' said Death 'I just point people in the right direction.'

“Which is?”

'Over there.' said Death, pointing to a doorway existing in the middle of the street. Ethan also just noticed that all time was frozen, apparently since he had died.

'I only freeze time when my visits become too prolonged,' said Death, as if reading his mind, which he might have.

“How long has that been there?” questioned the spirit.

'Since you died. It is the gateway to The Afterlife.” explained Death.

“Is it nice there?” asked Ethan.

'I wouldn't know, I've never been there.'

“Really?”

'Yes, really. I'm Death, but I was never dead.' Death paused, 'Or alive for that matter. Now just go on through, you're not the only one to die today.'

“Well if there's no way around it-”

'There isn't.'

“-Then I guess I'll go.” Ethan's spirit reluctantly walked towards the door and opened it. Behind the door was nothing but darkness.

“Are you-”

'GO.'

“Alright I'm going.” said Ethan as he walked into The Afterlife. Death closed the door after him.

The door instantly vanished upon closing. Death then conjured and opened a thick tome, consulting it at a certain page, then closing it with a fwapp then you tend to get when quickly closing thick books, and then he put it back. This was followed by Death conjuring a black hourglass who's sand had run out, labeled “Ethan Stoes”. Death then rewrote “Mr. Muggles” on the hourglass, and flipped it over to let the sands of a new life run again. Death then returned the hourglass, and moved on to his next death.

The are many different religions on Remacai, each worshiping a different deity, and a popular form of afterlife among them is reincarnation. Even the god Heku uses it, though his followers have been a bit mislead here, believing in some “Great Paradise” or something, which has lead to many a pointless martyr. Now, the reason reincarnation is so popular, is probably because it is a cheap, efficient, and reusable form of afterlife. The soul formerly known as Ethan Stoes is now living as a puppy who will be named Mr. Muggles, which will live a happy life as a domestic beagle until it dies and becomes something else. Many gods favor this method because then when a subject dies, they don't actually have to meet the things that worship them.

*Heku is one of the most popular gods on Remacai, his follows ranging from the casual Sunday church attendee to the most devout monks living in the mountains with only the bare necessities. Heku himself doesn't actually care how they live, just that they worship him, but then where's the fun in that?