A Small Piece of Eternity
A Flash Fiction
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“Welcome to the Placement Center. I’m your caseworker, you may refer to me as Abia. You will state your case to me and I will decide your final resting place. Do not try to lie, that is a mortal restraint that does not exist here.” The being shuffled the papers in front of them, “Due to high capacity, you only have five minutes. Use them wisely”
I grasped the desk, steadying myself in my chair. I was off-kilter as if I had just appeared here. All that existed was the desk, the being, a counting down clock, and myself. The rest was endless grey.
Infinite grey.
It stretched in all directions as far as I could see.
“Ma’m? Your case?”
Blinking dumbly, I said, “What?”
The being shook its ever-changing head. All of it was ever-changing. Size, hair color, eyes, occasionally a limb would disappear and reappear. It was still human-like, but never consistent. “I understand it can be hard to accept.” Their voice stayed eerily stable. A true neutral it was neither masculine nor feminine, and completely monotone. “Death is a natural part of the cycle. When you get placed you will get any answers you want, but at the present moment, you need to plead your case. Tell me about your life so I can place you.” Their expression never changed either, just hollow and blank.
“Place me where?” In the distance a flash of red and a bloodcurdling scream made me jump. Fixing myself back onto my chair, I tried to compose myself.
Abia looked at their papers. “It says here you were Christain. To you, it would be Heaven or Hell. Neither is what you think it is though. All the religions were right, all of them were wrong. Let’s get to your case, we only have four minutes left.” A quick glance at the clock showed me they were right.
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“Well? Any details help.”
“I-” I shook my head. “I can’t remember anything.” Try as I might, as I searched through my thoughts all I had was what was happening right now. One plus one is two. The sky is blue. Anything that involved who I was, was gone. I didn’t even remember my own name.
Abia titled their head, again checking that stupid paper. “Who do you see me as?”
“I don’t.” Shaking my head I said, “You morph and change, and I have no idea who you are because you’re no one.” I clamped a hand over my mouth. That came out harsher than intended and they were judging where I spent eternity. I was dead.
Something about that didn’t hit until just now. “I’m dead. I’m dead and I don’t remember any part of my life? Is that supposed to happen? What was the point, then, if I don’t remember?” Tears dripped down my cheeks. This had to be some horrible nightmare.
In the distance a white light shone, a faint figure was pulled up into it. It disappeared as quickly as it had happened.
Abia sighed, “We’re supposed to take the form of someone you find comforting. My apologies. It says here you’ve been dead 2,378 of your years. This is a side effect that can happen after that long of a period of time.”
“2,000 years?” My jaw dropped. “I thought I had just died. I don’t remember waiting.”
“Of course you don’t. That would drive any soul mad. When there are waiting periods this long, souls blink out of existence until it is their turn in the queue.”
“But...how am I here? If I… didn’t exist?”
“It is your turn in the queue and I must say you are using your time very poorly.” They put their papers down. “It will benefit you greatly to tell me anything at all you can remember.”
“I can’t even remember my name!” I was nose to ever-changing nose with them. Appearing tough was difficult when fighting back sobs.
“Yes, of course.” They said, completely unphased by my outburst. “Your name is…” Glancing at the papers again they said, “Angelica. Angelica Adams. Does that bring any memories forth?”
“Angelica Adams…” I rolled the name over on my tongue, searching for a memory, but finding nothing. “No.” The clock read only 2 minutes left.
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“Can I do it over again? Since I don’t remember anything, maybe, maybe I just need a redo. A chance to prove myself.” I was trembling at this point, despair, and rage washing over me.
The being folded its hands, “Souls are Biome locked. Reincarnation was canceled after the armageddon of your planet. While-”
“Armageddon!”
“Yes, that’s why we’re so backed up.”
I couldn’t breathe. This was too much too fast. The world was spinning and I was stuck in the center. “Please, I need more time with you. You said it yourself, the other souls aren’t suffering, I need more time, please.”
“Just because they won’t remember the wait doesn’t mean we should make them wait longer.” They pulled a form off the bottom of their stack of papers. “We don’t have much time left. Let me assure you, we do not default souls to Hell here.” I breathed a sigh of relief, “However that does not mean you will be going to Heaven.”
“What?”
They handed me the paper, “Take this slip, and walk that way,” they pointed directly behind themselves, into the endless grey, “Eventually, you’ll find an office labeled The Monitors. They’ll review your case in more detail and see what events they can dig up. There is a line there too. Do not interfere with other placements on your way there. That is a big point against you in where you end up. Any questions?”
I blinked at the paper in my hands. “That’s it?”
“Yes, ma'am. Now, we are effectively out of time. My next appointment will be here shortly. I suggest you get a move on.”
I stood slowly, getting my bearings, before starting off.
“One last thing.” I turned around to face Abia, looking at me with concern shining in their changing eyes. It was the first emotion I had seen from them. “To you, it will feel like forever. Try to remember, it is only a small piece of eternity.”
Before I could respond the clock sounded, my time was up. Abia shooed me away and I dared not turn around and see who was being placed now.
All that was left to do was hope for the best, and try to remember.
As I made my way into the grey, I could still hear the timer going.
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