Chapter 1:It Begins with Death

A loud ringing sound, the muffled chatter of the people, and the sound of passing vehicles, those are the last things Emily Mae Park  heard, before passing out due to the injuries she sustained after an unfortunate highway incident at route 34. People are rallying around her body. Some are trying to help, others are just watching. Three cars piled up at a corner. Rescuers kept on coming, carrying the  injured people. 

After a while, Emily opened her eyes. She looked around and saw the blurred faces of the people. At the top of a lamppost, she saw an eight-foot hooded figure. It's just standing while staring at the scene. Emily stood up. Her body feels unusually light.  She approached a man that is wearing an orange jumpsuit. She tried to poke him but her hands just went through the guy's flesh. 

"What's going on?" she asked herself. 

She looked behind her and saw her own body, lying down on the floor. She walked towards her body. Two men placed the body on a stretcher and they take her to an ambulance. Emily tried to hop in but, she is stopped by an unexplainable force. She looked behind her and she saw the figure who stands on top of a lamppost earlier. He appears to be a tall skeleton wearing a pitch black robe. 

"Who are you?" Emily asked as she slowly walks backwards, trying to get away from the mysterious entity. 

"I am Death. The commander of the reapers and the fourth horseman of the apocalypse." His voice sounds eerily deep. 

Emily's eyes widened. 

"Am I-" Emily couldn't utter the word.

"Dead? Absolutely," Death continued. 

"I can't die. This can't be happening," Emily dropped on her knees.

"Sorry but, there's nothing we can do about it," Death apologized. 

"I'm dreaming right? This is just a weird nightmare. I'll wake up later then I'll be okay."  Emily tries to force a smile, convincing herself that everything is not real. 

"I'm afraid that's not the case," Death said. 

"What's going to happen to me now?" Emily asked. Her knees are still shaking. 

"Come with me. You'll find it out." Death made a hand gesture that invites Emily to follow him. 

Death started walking and Emily followed him. They walked through the people that are gathering around the accident scene. The remainder of the night is silent. Emily is still stunned about what happened to her. 

"Take my hand," Death demanded. 

Emily reluctantly did what Death instructed. Both of them transfigured into a dark mist of smoke. Then they flew towards the heavens. Things happened quickly, Emily couldn't comprehend it. Both of them went to the hospital where Emily's body is taken. 

"This is your last resting place," says Death. 

Emily looked inside the room where her body is currently lying down. Two men carrying another stretcher went inside it. They placed the body to the stretcher and they transferred her into the morgue. 

All of a sudden, an elderly Asian man and an elderly  Caucasian woman arrived at the hospital. Both of them are running through the corridor. The woman fell into her knees then she started weeping. Drops of tears fell from the man's eyes as well. The elderly man is Hyeong Ji Park and the woman is Amelia Park. They are Emily's parents. 

"Mom Dad?" Emily couldn't do anything. She just stared at the crying couple. She began to cry too. Spiritual tears fell from her astral eyes. Once again, she fell into her knees. She stared at her grieving parents as she sobs louder. She felt Death's rough and cold hands touched her shoulder. Infuriated, she pushed it away. 

"We need to go now," says Death. 

"I don't want to come with you!" Emily yelled. "I am not dead!" She began to run away from Death but the entity just followed her. 

"I know this is not easy to accept but, death is inevitable. It is a natural part of mortal life." Death's voice sounds calm and composed despite being eerie. 

"Why do I have to die so early?" Emily asked. 

"That's your fate. That's your unfortunate fate," Death couldn't come up with a best reply. 

"Can I just look at my own body for the last time?" Emily requested. 

Death didn't say anything. He just nodded. Emily went to the morgue and took a peak at her dead body. It is lying down on top of a cold metal bed. It is covered with a white sheet of cloth. She unveiled the cloth, revealing death face. Her thin pinkish lips are now pale just like her skin. Her round Asian eyes are closed. her long curly brown hair lays flat on the surface. 

"I look so peaceful," Emily commented. 

She felt Death's hand touched her shoulder again. 

"I apologize for your untimely demise," Death muttered. 

A pair of embalmer entered the morgue. They are carrying a smaller  body bag then they placed a dead body of a young girl in one of the metallic beds. 

"They must be from the accident too," Emily said. 

A man wearing a black suit went through the walls of the room. he is accompanied by a young girl who has a pleading round eyes, thick pouty lips and long straight brown hair that has a thick fringe. 

"She looks so young!" Emily pointed out. 

The man wearing a black suit approached Death. He kneeled before him. 

"Make sure the young soul feels comfortable throughout her journey to the after-life," Death instructed. 

"Yes, commander." The man stood back up. He then approached the young girl and offered his hand to her. After that, they disappeared into thin air, leaving the morgue . Death and Emily stayed inside. Emily just stared at her body while tears form on her eyes. 

Death stares at Emily. He slightly tilts his head. There's something about Emily that makes him feel an indescribable sensation. His celestial heart starts to beat faster. 

"Let's go!" Emily offered her right hand to Death. The entity took Emily's hand and to his surprise, it felt warm. Both of them went out of the morgue. 

"Are you ready to leave this world?" Death asked. 

"I don't have a choice,"  Emily replied. 

The two of them walked through the busy corridor of the hospital. They saw a couple of strange looking people. Half of them are wearing black suits and the other half are wearing white attires. 

"Close your eyes," Death instructed. 

Emily closed her eyes. She felt a warm breeze of air around her. She heard a loud whooshing sound, followed by the sound of ominous ringing bells. 

"The cemetery bells, they call upon us now," Death whispered. 

The two of them are transported into a realm, outside the mortal bounds, where people and other beings are immortal, where ending doesn't exist.  That place looks peaceful. It is just a white horizon that is filled with spiritual. Everyone wears white clothes except for the reapers of the souls. 

"Is this heaven?" Emily asked. 

"No," Death replied. 

"Where are we?" Emily looked at Death. 

"We call this, the waiting area. We'll wait here for your trial," Death replied. 

"Trial?"  Emily raised an eyebrow. 

"Your spirit will be judged," Death said. 

"When will that happen?" Emily asked. 

"Usually, the soul trial occurs three days after the burial of the body. We'll know it when they gave us the schedule," Death explained. 

Emily didn't say another word after that. She just remained standing beside Death. She looked around, examining the place.  All of a sudden a man with wings arrived at the place. He's carrying a bag that is filled with parchments of papers. The man has a long golden hair and a physically pleasant face. He wears a white robe and an armor over it. He approached Death. 

"Death, brother!" the man with wings greeted with a wide smile on his handsome face. 

"Greeting Archillus," Death greeted back. 

The man with wings is Archillus, the angel of god that is responsible for relaying information to other celestial beings. In a much simple terms, he is a messenger. 

"Who is this beautiful soul?" Archillus kissed Emily's hand. 

"She's Emily Mae Park. Born in December 5th year 2000 and she just died earlier," Death said. 

"So you're just-" Archillus counted using his finger, "18 years old." His voice cracked a little. 

Emily couldn't utter a word. She's intimidated by the angel's pleasant features. 

"Can we have her judgement schedule?" Death requested. 

"Sure!" Archillus digs into his bag. After few minutes he handed out a piece of paper to Death, 

Death took the piece of paper then he unrolls it. "Ten days. We have to wait for ten days." He placed the paper in a pocket inside his robe. 

"What are we going to do before then?" Emily asked. 

"We just wait," Death replied. 

"You think I will make it to heaven?"  Emily asked. 

"In order for you to determine the answer, you have to evaluate your earthly actions," Death answered. 

"I have to go now guys. I have to hand out schedules." Archillus flew upwards. 

"During my last few days on Earth, I have become disobedient and stubborn especially to my parents. I think I'm going to hell." A hint of fear is obvious in Emily's voice. 

"Do you have a reason for that kind of behavior?" Death asked. 

"My parents treats me like a child. They don't give me freedom at all," Emily complained. 

"Don't you realize that they are just trying to protect you?" Death questioned. 

"I realize that now," Emily replied. "If only I could turn back time." She looked down on her feet while pouting her lips. 

"At this point, your fate is still uncertain. The lord gives pardon to young souls like you," Death said. 

"That's what I'm hoping right now," Emily whispered to herself. 

"Why don't we walk around and explore this place?" Death suggested. 

"I'm not in the mood to do that. I'm not in the mood to do anything," Emily refused. 

Death stood up. "I'm just going to leave you here for a while." He started walking.

"Wait!" Emily yelled.   

Death stopped on his track.  He then turned to look at Emily. 

"Don't leave me alone here." Emily can't look Death in the eye. 

Death walked back towards her. He then offered his hand to her. Emily held it tight. Both of them walked around the soul waiting area while holding each other's hands. Death's hand feels rough and cold but Emily finds it satisfying. For Death, Emily's hands feel smooth and warm. the sensation makes him feel a strange satisfaction. Emily looked around but she didn't pay attention to the things she is seeing. They just kept on walking. They bumped into several souls and few reapers. 

"This place doesn't have an end." Death broke the silence. 

"I can see that," Emily said. 

"I like this place. Everything here is balanced," Death expressed. 

"What do you mean by that?" Emily asked. 

"There's no good or bad in this place. The individuals roaming around here share the same circumstance. Everything's equal here," Death explained. 

"That's good!" Emily commented. 

"Compare to Hell and the realm of the mortals, this place is better," Death said. 

Emily remained silent. All of a sudden, she yawned. 

"Maybe we should take some rest," Death suggested. 

"That would be a good idea. I'm starting to feel exhausted," Emily agreed. 

The two of them looked for a spot where they can settle. Death spotted an empty area that is wide enough for Emily to lie down. Both of them went to that spot. Emily lied down while death just sat in an Indian seat position. Emily placed her head on Death's legs. 

"Is it okay if I-?" Emily is not able to finish her question. 

Death nodded. 

Emily slowly closed her eyes while Death hums a calm and captivating tune. Death caresses Emily's face he then ran his fingers through her curly brown hair. The sensation of Death's touch is making Emily feels more relaxed. After a few minutes she began to fall asleep. 

Death just stared at Emily peaceful face. 

If only I could control the circumstances, I will let you live again. I'll be with you for ten more days, I hope you treasure our moments the way I treasure my memories with  the souls I already reaped. You're a special soul, Emily Mae Park 

The remainder of the night is calm and peaceful. Emily has no idea how her world will take a different turn.