IN THE DEPTHS of a six feet under room, a peculiar conversation unfolded, shortly after a man was buried within it. Bewildered, he questioned whether an enigmatic afterlife lay ahead.
At first, the man was confounded, pondering if he were trapped in a nightmarish realm of his own demise. Despite his sudden death due to a tragic accident, he was still adorned in a cherished earth-toned shirt and brand-new sneakers, a heartfelt birthday gift from his beloved.
Nevertheless, he couldn’t help but felt irresistibly drawn to the six feet under room, as he believed it to be possibly the very beginning of his passage to the afterlife. Yet, it surpassed any notion he had ever imagined. The room was exquisite, adorned with intricate golden carvings resembling vines of trees, entwining every corner. A gleaming golden door, slightly ajar, beckoned, casting a warm, inviting glow from the room beyond. The man decided to venture to find out his true whereabouts.
As he approached, another man abruptly emerged from the other side. Cold and unwavering, he was standing rigidly near the entryway, clasping a thick leather-bound book. The man inquired him as to who he might be.
“I am an angel who has long awaited your arrival,” he proclaimed.
Amazement flooded the man’s senses. “An angel?” Doubts crept in.
Seeking further clarity, the man questioned, “If you are an angel, is this the realm of death?”
The alleged angel remained impassive, met his query with an unwavering, “You may choose to doubt, but lift your gaze above.”
Anxiously, the man looked up, shielding his eyes from the radiant light. As the glow softened, a vast expanse unfurled, once mistaken for an embellished ceiling, adorned with chandeliers befitting the chamber’s artistic charm. But nay, it was a profound aperture, embraced by the earth’s surface. Sunlight filtered into the room, casting an exquisite glow on the golden tendrils. There, stood familiar faces, bowing their gaze in upon him.
They were all gathered above. Among them, a priest led a solemn ceremony that he perceived as his funeral. He was clasping a sacred tome, accompanied by mournful prayers. Tears shed from the eyes of those present, grieving his passing.
Undeterred, the alleged angel inquired, “Do you still doubt my truth?”
At that moment, the man wrestled with the reality before him. He needed time to come to terms with his new existence.
“So, where do we go from here?” The man’s voice tinged with resignation.
The alleged angel pointed towards the golden door, stating, “Through this door lies your path. But first, bid your farewells, ensuring those you loved are present above, so you can rest in peace.”
Lifting his gaze, the man now observed those present at his funeral. He saw his weary, weeping mother, burdened not only by old age but also by the sorrows she carried alone during her life. Lately, she had begun to share her heart with him, and he planned to have a heart-to-heart talk with her soon. But now, that chance was forever lost.
Beside her stood his robust father, whose stern face had rarely shown affection. The man knew from his mother’s recent confessions how much his father’s behavior had hurt her. He had intended to speak with his father soon, to bridge the pain between them. Now, his father would never know the truth about his mother’s feelings.
Next to his father, stood his elder brother, who now seemed an unfamiliar melancholic figure. The man chuckled softly, reminiscing their countless brawls since childhood. Shouldn’t his brother be elated, with no one now to challenge his every triumphant victory?
Then, he saw his younger sister, the only sibling who was on the verge of adolescence. Her sorrow tugged at his heartstrings. There were so many things left unsaid. He longed to share the harsh realities of life, the differing opinions from people who opposed her, or the possibility of being hurt by those they trusted. His concern for his vulnerable sister in the future deepened.
Continuing his reflections, the man recalled others present; neighbors, friends, and colleagues. It evoked a myriad of emotions. Some were genuinely kind, while others proved to be different in his absence. Life’s contradictions never ceased to amaze him.
He realized he had already bid farewell to everyone present. However, he furrowed his brow, and turned to the alleged angel, “What if I can’t find the person I must bid farewell to?”
“Are they a close friend, colleague, or companion? Not everyone needs to be present for your farewell unless they held a profound bond with you,” the alleged angel explained.
“She’s the most precious person right now,” the man asserted.
The alleged angel checked his book once more. “According to the records, your parents are there. On the day of your passing, they remorsefully expressed all the undone deeds. Especially your father, who seldom bestowed attention upon you, the inadvertently neglected second child. Your elder brother is present too, immersed in grieving. No other soul shall embrace him as he unleashes his feelings, just as he did when he beheld your body in the morgue. He offered countless apologies for conveying his affection in a hurtful way, through those bitter fights. And your younger lovely sister, you know she’s already there. She’s trying to hold back her grief, losing someone she’d planned to share her life with. So, who else are you looking for?”
The man was resolute, “My beloved wife.”
The alleged angel shook his head. “That’s not possible. According to the records, you weren’t married.”
The man chuckled softly and retrieved a small red velvet box from his pocket, revealing that it was empty.
“I proposed to her before the accident,” he said, a bittersweet smile on his face.
He recounted their last moments together, their engagement at their favorite restaurant, and their plans for a future wedding. But fate had a cruel twist. At a busy intersection, a speeding minibus crashed into their car, shattering their dreams. Darkness engulfed him, and in fleeting moments of consciousness, he realized his beloved was no longer by his side. Darkness took him once more.
And now, he found himself in the six feet under room. He looked back at the alleged angel. “Is she no longer alive? Why isn’t she here? Or could she still be alive, recovering in a hospital, unaware of my passing, waiting to visit me here?”
The angel remained silent, composed.
“Can I wait for her that long?” The man’s voice trembled with hope.
Regrettably, the alleged angel said cryptically, “I’m sorry. That door has waited for too long. We must hurry. Perhaps you’ll encounter your… wife. Somewhere, sometime in the future.”
The enigmatic peculiar conversation came to an end as the prayers above concluded. And the six feet under room faded into darkness.
June 22, 2010
