Afterlife Chronicles

“Quidquid enim sumus, ubicumque stamus aut quemcumque convenimus, providentia entis summi destinatur. Nihil casu fit, nihil fortuito accidit. Omnia sub divina ordinatione sunt. Deo laus sit, non enim soli sumus.” It happened in a flash. One moment, I was alive. The next… I wasn’t so sure anymore. I try to remember the details, but everything feels blurred—like a dream I’m waking up from too quickly. Still, some things remain clear. I was driving. The hum of the engine, the soft vibration of the steering wheel beneath my palms, my phone lighting up beside me with unread messages I planned to reply to later. I had just finished my finals. A small laugh escapes me at the memory—God, I was so happy. I remember gripping the wheel tighter, already imagining the look on my dad’s face when I told him I was finally done. No more stress. No more sleepless nights. Just… graduation. Freedom. I was on my way to him. And then— Headlights. Too bright. Too fast. A car was speeding behind me. I barely had time to react. My fingers tightened on the wheel, my foot hovering over the brake, my heart slamming violently against my ribs as panic surged through me. “Wait—!” The impact came before I could even move. A deafening crash. Metal folding. Glass shattering. Then—nothing. Darkness. Thick. Endless. Suffocating. I can’t see anything. I can’t feel anything. Am I… floating? My breath catches—if I’m even breathing at all. “Where am I?” My voice sounds small. Hollow. Like it doesn’t belong to me. No answer. My chest tightens. “Am I… dead?” The word echoes louder this time, bouncing endlessly through the void. No. No, no, no— “I can’t be dead.” My thoughts spiral instantly. Dad. The image of him flashes in my mind—his tired eyes, his quiet strength, the way he tried so hard to keep everything together after… after everything we lost. “He can’t handle this,” I whisper, my voice breaking. “Not again.” Panic grips me fully now. “No. Please—no!” I don’t know who I’m talking to anymore. God. Fate. Anyone. “I’m not ready,” I plead, my voice cracking into the emptiness. “Please… take me back. I’ll do anything. Just—please…” Silence answers me. And then— A flicker. A streak of light tears through the darkness. My breath catches. It’s small at first. Weak. But it grows, slowly stretching, widening, pulling at something deep inside me. And then I feel it. A sudden force. A drop in my stomach. I’m falling. The darkness disappears as I’m pulled toward the light, faster and faster. Wind rushes past me, roaring in my ears as the light expands, blinding and overwhelming. “What’s happening—?!” My voice is lost to the force dragging me forward. Shapes begin to form. Soft. White. Endless. Clouds? I squint, trying to make sense of it, my heart racing uncontrollably. Am I… “Am I in heaven?” The thought feels ridiculous. Impossible. And yet— As I fall through the clouds, a strange calm washes over me. Warm. Gentle. For a moment, I feel at peace. Like everything is going to be okay. Like maybe—just maybe—this isn’t so bad. Until I realize I’m still falling. Fast. Too fast. The clouds below begin to solidify—no longer soft and distant, but real. Close. My stomach drops again. Panic crashes over me. “No, no, no—!” I squeeze my eyes shut, my entire body tensing. My muscles lock, bracing for impact. This is going to hurt. I hit the ground. Hard. Pain explodes through my body instantly, sharp and unforgiving. A gasp tears from my throat as I curl slightly, my head spinning violently. Every joint aches. My chest burns. My limbs feel heavy, real—too real. Pain. I feel pain. Which means— “I’m not dead…” I whisper, breathless. Because heaven shouldn’t hurt. Right? Slowly, I push myself up. My arms tremble under my weight as I rise to my feet. And then I see it. Clouds. Everywhere. Endless white stretching in every direction, glowing with a light I can’t trace. There’s no sun. No sky. Just brightness—soft, yet overwhelming. It doesn’t feel empty. It feels… constructed. Deliberate. “What is this place…?” My voice echoes faintly. No answer. I take a hesitant step forward. Then another. “Hello?” I call out, louder this time. Nothing. “Is anyone here?” Only silence greets me. I keep walking. I don’t know why. Maybe because standing still feels worse. Eventually, I stop. Two paths stretch out before me. A crossroads. At the center stands a simple sign. Left or Right. I stare at it, blinking. “You’ve got to be kidding me…” A dry laugh escapes me. “That’s it? No explanation? No directions? Just—pick a path and hope for the best?” My chest tightens again. But what choice do I have? I inhale slowly. “Okay… okay.” I point to the right path. “Let’s just… go.” The moment I step onto it, everything changes. The air softens. The light warms. Flowers bloom along the path—vibrant, unreal, their colors too perfect to exist. Lush greenery surrounds me, swaying gently as if responding to my presence. It’s beautiful. Too beautiful. A strange calm settles over me again. I exhale slowly, tension leaving my shoulders. “Okay…” I murmur. “This isn’t so bad.” A soft sound catches my attention. I turn—and freeze. A deer. But not like any deer I’ve ever seen. Its coat shimmers with faint colors, shifting subtly in the light. Its antlers are massive, elegant, almost glowing. It moves toward me slowly. Carefully. I hold my breath. “It’s okay…” I whisper, though I’m not sure who I’m reassuring. The deer steps closer. Then closer. Until its soft nose presses gently against my hand. Warm. Real. I let out a quiet laugh. “This is… nice.” I reach out, stroking its head softly. It leans into my touch, calm, trusting. For the first time since everything happened… I feel okay. I glance up and notice an apple tree nearby. Perfect. “Wait here,” I murmur playfully, stepping toward it. I stretch up, straining slightly until my fingers wrap around one of the apples. With a small effort, I pull it free. “Got it.” I turn back, smiling faintly as I approach the deer. “Here—” It takes a bite. Crunch. I smile. And then— It jerks back violently. “What—?” I freeze. The apple in my hand feels… wrong. Slowly, I look down. Black. Rotting. The inside is completely black. My stomach drops. I look back at the deer. It collapses. Lifeless. “No…” The word barely escapes me. My heart begins to race. “What—what is happening?” The air changes. The warmth disappears. The garden— It starts to rot. Flowers wilt instantly. Leaves blacken and crumble. The sky darkens, thick and heavy. A drop lands on my skin. Warm. Sticky. I lift my hand. Red. My breath stops. “Is that… blood?” A low growl echoes in the distance. Deep. Unnatural. My body goes rigid. Then— THUD. THUD. THUD. Something is coming. Something big. And it’s coming fast. I run. Branches tear at my skin as I push through the overgrowth. Thorns slice into my arms, my legs, but I don’t stop. I can hear it behind me. Closer. Louder. The ground trembles with each step it takes. I don’t look back. I can’t. Suddenly— The ground disappears. I skid to a halt just in time. A cliff. Endless darkness below. My chest heaves as I stumble back slightly, my heart pounding wildly. Behind me— The bushes begin to move. Violently. Whatever is chasing me… is here. I don’t think. I don’t hesitate. Because I know one thing for sure— Whatever is behind me… Is worse than what’s below. So I jump.