Pushed.

I didn’t know there’d be feelings after this many years. Somewhat murmuring my inside thoughts become my outside words, according to the petite, fresh-faced human scuffing flooring with their sneakers.

“Where am I?” Their eyes calm with the mundane takings of the room. You’d think death’s office would have more pizzaz. Yet, I found over the years that it’s best to keep the sensory levels to a minimum when reincarnations are ready to move forward. I reassert myself as the shock waved over me. I thought I was done and the last reincarnation had moved forward so seeing this … pip-squeak takes me by surprise, a rarity. Thrilling.

I fumble over my legal pad as I’d surely crossed everything off. How fascinating. I peer over the pad, “ Well, I wasn’t expecting you. Welcome to the cross-section. This is a transiting place to your next reincarnation.” Their jaw cracks as it tumbles down.. As if the creaky, floating, cloaked  apparition didn’t give it away a bit. 

“You weren’t expecting me?” as if by the flip of a switch, they begin the investigation. Their curiosity humors me. “Correct. I’d believed I was about to shut this ether down as the last of the reincarnations, according to my records, had moved forward. 

“Woah. You’re telling me reincarnation is the win-all from the religious wars?”

The pause was clearly overwhelming for the reincarnate so they stumbled on, “So, it’s over? I’m done? Just like that, I guess it was a good run. How’d I do?”

“How’d you do?” I couldn’t conceal the surprise in my voice. 

“Yeah and what’s the grading scale? The curve massive?”

“There’s no measurement to the quality of a reincarnation if that’s what you mean.”

“What? You mean to tell me it was for nothing!”

“What is nothing? You don’t exist to be graded.” I couldn’t conceal my laughter. How Human. 

“So, what now?”

“Normally, I’d know.” I shake the pad, nothing. “But it seems you’re out of my system. I’m going to have to ask you to pass. It’s unfortunate that I’ve nothing to offer in the ways of information.”

“So, you don’t know what’ll happen to me?” They shuddered backing away slowly.

“Please don’t be afraid. I know this last reincarnation must’ve been a doozy” 

They interrupt, now more frantic. “ A Doozy? How old are you? How do you mean don’t be afraid?! You must be mad to think …. “

It’s been some time, I only know due to their newly extinguished attitude, after their rant had quit. 

“I do not think. I am simply Death.”

“Okay. I’m dead and getting reincarnated or but not really because I’m not on the legal pad?! Got it, now it makes sense. Maybe lead with the title?” Sarcasm dripped from their lips.

“My apologies. You seemed to need to vent and given the surprise of your arrival, I’m already off schedule. Lean in as the humans say. You ready?”

“What will happen to me?”

“Well, in my limited experience with off-lists, respectfully, you’re officially ready for disbursement… To weave back into the fabric of the next coming universe. This final form as a human has offered your energy all it could. There may not be a grading scale but there is an experience max out. Congratulations. This is quite an achievement.”

“It feels like a punishment. What if I’m not ready to move forward? To disburse? That sounds painful.”

“Feelings are reserved for within the universe. You will feel no pain.”

“The help is minimal. thanks” The snark in their tone bit at the edges of my newly found feelings, the exposure to humans seems to be getting to me. Yet, I can’t help but feel the whisper of a life long lived ago. I shake it off as this is my existence now. You do not get to change your order in this multiverse. 

“I assure you, I am merely a guide post. It is time for you to cross.” I gesture to the simple, oak doorway curved around as to represent the eternal circle, the ever rolling existence of reincarnation. 

They hover and pace near the entryway as if to display a final stance of defiance, a dance against the ways of the multiverse. I float to stand beside them facing the portal. They cringe as an arm outstretches rippling the plasma border. 

I watch them breathe deep and take several steps back. Suddenly they sprint forward, rushing past yelling “ CANNON BALL”

I can help but to laugh. Terror grips that laughter as it occurs to me the’ve got a grip on my cloak and I’m being dragged into the portal.
But Death NEVER goes into the portal. It’s forbidden. 

Squishy. That’s the only way I could describe it. As Death, I’ve never gone into the portal. It’s forbidden. Death is merely a guide post. We have long reincarnated and maxed out on many universes. This is the promotion of the multiverse, the ultimate treasure of existence, to aid the next coming.

No one has ever so much as threatened me with such a bad time. We slurp our way out of the portal immediately floating along popping out into nothingness. I check my legal pad hoping for an answer but nothing comes up. Usually, when I stare hard enough I at least get a coordinate. I tuck it into my cloak as I hear “ Where in the shit is this?”

“I would’t be able to tell you because YOU PUSHED ME INTO A PORTAL. Have you no mind to respect the order of the multiverse?”

“The order of the multiverse?”

“Yes. You are energy apart of the multiverse, which is expressed through reincarnations on universes. I am Death, a gatekeeper of universes and guide to reincarnates. No one has ever pushed a death into the portal.”

To Be Continued….