“We have a meeting, you and I, but don’t fret; you aren’t running late. In fact,”
As I leisurely lean back in my chair, I casually pull up the large, oversized black sleeve, revealing bleached white bone adorned with a wristwatch. The sounds of the cushiony seat shifting under my weight blend seamlessly with the soft jazz playing in the background. A gentle tap on the glass face of the watch produces a faint “tic tic” as bone meets glass.
“You’re actually right on time. We may not meet today, or perhaps not even tomorrow. It could be during your drive to work next week, at a get-together with friends next month, or maybe years from now after a great-great-grandchild’s birthday. One thing I can guarantee is that our paths will cross.”
I’m comfortably seated in the opulent leather chair, and I keenly sense the roller coaster of emotions you’re experiencing. Without hesitation, I lean forward, delicately resting my bony elbows on my legs, and press my index finger to where my lips would be, creating a hushed “shh” sound that fills the room.
“I understand your apprehension, but it’s crucial to know that I bear no malice. I’m not here to harm you; rather, I’m a companion to guide you through the ethereal veil into The After. Over countless ages, I’ve shepherded diverse life forms into The After…”
Your inquisitive expression briefly halts my words.
“What, do you really believe humans are the only life forms we have meetings with?” I scoff, my tone combining assertion with curiosity.
“I’ve accompanied beings who share the same general features as you, and I’ve journeyed with countless others who share my facial features.” I raise my skeletal arms, shrouded in a mysteriously light material, and pull down the hood, revealing my true face. The terror that washes over your expression would bring a smile to my face if my lips weren’t in a state of decay.
“There are universes upon universes, full of galaxies within galaxies, beyond this one. And all those teeming with life will eventually need to undergo the same meeting you are destined for.”
I lean back in the chair, sliding off my beige Birkenstocks. They lazily fall to the floor as I nonchalantly drape one leg over the armrest and the other over your hospital bed.
“What? Don’t give me those judgmental eyes. After all, I’ve just told you about my cosmic travels through galaxies and dimensions. I believe I deserve some comfort, especially at my age,” I retort unapologetically.
Once more, I pause, my bony hand rising to my chin, fingers gently tapping in contemplation.
“To be honest, things got rather hectic around the year 1361, so I didn’t do a proper job of keeping track…”
I notice the fear in your eyes, the trepidation that this might be the fateful meeting.
“Listen, my friend, this isn’t your meeting, and I’m certainly not the one you’ll meet with. No, no, no. I just happened to have a moment to check in on you. You see, we possess the peculiar ability to have encounters with people like yourself, suspended in a coma—neither fully here nor entirely gone. We reside in a peculiar grey zone, you and I.”
I glance at my watch, noting the time, and click my tongue in response. “Oof, I’ve got to get going, as a matter of fact.”
I rise from my chair, my back aching and popping with each movement, momentarily forgetting how much I tower over the bed, causing your heart to race once more.
I sigh, somewhat annoyed. “Okay, just to calm you down! You’ll wake up in a couple of hours. Geez Louise, that heart monitor is obnoxious on top of hearing it as well.”
Reaching into the inky fog of my robe, I retrieve my scythe. The eerie sound of sharp metal echoes through the quiet hospital room, and the razor-sharp tool almost glimmers under the yellowish hospital lighting. I take a moment to gaze at it; the wood is much older than myself, and I know the blade will remain just as sharp long after I’m gone. With practiced ease, I twirl the implement around for a few moments, effortlessly and smoothly grabbing the base. I pull it over my head, the head of the scythe now positioned behind me, almost parallel to the floor. Then, with a quick thrust forward, the sharp, unknown metal pierces the thin air in the middle of the hospital, sending blinding sparks, unknown rays of light, and colors flying as the scythe slices through an unseen fabric.
“Just like butter every time,” I say with a chuckle.
With precise skill, I continue to cut through literal space and time, creating a walkable path. As I pull the scythe back to its vertical position, the portal begins to ripple open further, revealing on the other side an almost dream-like energy that radiates. The world beyond takes on a familiar appearance, morphing and reflecting as if it were a mirage.
I gaze into the jelly-like, almost slimy, mirror of the alternate universe. The portal emits a cacophony of sounds, akin to hearing multiple conversations at once while submerged underwater. I’m nearly drawn forward, ready to step through, before I halt abruptly. I pivot back towards you.
“Just remember, and if there’s anything you retain from this encounter, it’s that at any moment and anywhere, you can and will be called for your meeting. But don’t dread who comes for you, for what’s
far more unsettling is where you’ll awaken.”
The insistent beeping of my watch captures my attention. I pull up my sleeve and scrutinize the face intently before stepping through the portal, miming a finger gun at you with a soft “pew pew.”
“Your head’s going to ache when you wake up. It’s an unfortunate side effect of conversing with…”
My watch beeps more urgently, diverting my focus. “Yikes, gotta get going. Death is never late.”
With purpose, I step through the ethereal veil of time and space, leaving behind nothing but a feverish dream in your memory.