Neither Heaven nor Hell part 1

Neither Heaven nor Hell

By Molly Pentail

Introduction - My Last Day

If I were to describe my life I'd say it was a short but fulfilled one. My job was in robotics and engineering, 50 years ago that would have been an impressive high-paying job but now it's no different to being a simple mechanic. Never the less, I loved my job. The world today is full of inventions, contraptions and machines and plants were kept in protective gardens. Honestly, there may as well be no plants at all. As my wife always said, "What's the point in having something if you're never going to use it, let alone see it?" Lila was always questioning things. Every time I came home 5 minutes late she always asked where I'd been worried that something might happen to me. She was very paranoid but I loved her from her chestnut hair that ran all the way down to her hips to her dainty feet and her tendency to splash in every puddle she saw. Her eyes were her best feature, a dark forest green and combined with her willowy body it gave the impression that she was a tree herself. To me, Lila was perfect in every way.
I guess, if I were to describe myself I would say I was 22 even though I'm 25 but people always say I look younger than I am so I give them what they want. My hair is silver not grey and my eyes are sea blue though Lila always described it as aquamarine. I didn't like her calling my eyes aquamarine because it sounded girly, of course she laughed at that. Not many people would call me short for my age, since I told them I was 22. My style of clothing is normally just a shirt and jeans, sometimes I wear a jacket if it's too cold but I usually don't make an effort to dress up unless I'm asked. Fashion is one of the things that haven't changed at all in the last hundred years. People tried creating clothes to make us look more futuristic but they were too colourful, too tight and too oddly shaped for everyone's taste. It was as if they wanted us walking around dressed up as hedgehogs and Christmas trees. The cloning of humans was also completed and made legal for anyone who had the money. The clones were favourable to those who had lost a relative or a lover as they would look the same and have the same personality.
I would usually wake up at 7 and see Lila sleeping next to me who doesn't need to get up until 9. For breakfast I had toast and marmalade with orange juice, it's boring but that's life. My job starts at 9 so after I get changed, sort out my hair and pack lunches for me and Lila, who I wake up before leaving, I set off for the office. However, today was slightly different. I woke up late that morning and I had to rush to get everything ready. I usually take the car to work which is black with green specks and powered by solar panels. Unfortunately, the weather was very misty that morning so my car didn't have enough power to go any faster than 30mph. In 2050, hover cars were invented but were temporarily banned until a more efficient way of powering them was invented. Nowadays, there have been many different inventions to replace them, for example the monowheel which is a large wheel that is connected to the middle of the road. Sort of like a cross between a tram and a Ferris wheel which probably isn't ideal for someone with a fear of heights. My only other option was to catch the monowheel.
The monowheel was never the most comfortable type of public transportation but it was the third fastest and it stopped right outside my work. The carriage I was in was painted bright blue and sparkly as if someone painted it to look like a Ferris wheel. The carriages in front of me went in the order: green, pink, gold, red and then back to blue. The worst bit about the monowheel is what we call the plunge; it's the part where you drop from the top at 110m going at speeds of 40-60mph depending on weather conditions. It's a terrifying drop that almost made my breakfast come back up. I try to relax when going up again and turned to look at the carriage in front of me. It was at that point I realised that the man inside it had climbed out. He began climbing towards the centre of the monowheel where everything was held together. Without delay I grabbed the emergency phone and dialled 999. Normally they would pick up immediately but for once I had to wait 3 rings before hearing the monotone voice of a woman. "999 what's your emergency?"
"There's a man on the monowheel who's climbed out of his carriage."
"There are some policemen on the way, can you please tell us your exact location?"
"I'm on the monowheel heading towards Saturn.robotics."
"Can you tell us any details about the man?" I have to look out the window to get a better look.
"Black hair, tall, dark clothes and he's carrying a large rucksack." It was at that point that I heard the sirens of the police cars and I realised that it was impossible to stop the monowheel before it reaches a station. All the controls were in the centre of the monowheel which someone was meant to be monitoring. The main controls are in an office a few miles away but from the centre it is possible to use the emergency controls to stop it. There was only one thing I could do. "One second, I'm going to put you on wireless."
"That would imply that you too are going to step out of the carriage. It is not a wise decision." By the time she said that I had already finished setting the phone and was on my way to the door of the carriage. The first step is always the worst. I had the phone attached to my headset so I could use both of my hands. I could feel the sweat dripping down my forehead as I took the first step outside. The wind was freezing and blew monstrously in my ears. As I climbed down I found myself turning upside down every few seconds which made me feel nauseous. My heartbeat was racing as I struggled to reach the centre.
"Sir, please return to the carriage," The woman on the phone spoke in the same tone she had at the start. She didn't sound worried or stressed. However the sudden realisation that she was still there made me lose my grip. One of my hands slipped and the other one held me awkwardly. It wouldn't be long until I finally lost my grip in the other hand too. While struggling to bring my hand back into place, I saw the man in the centre opening his rucksack. Inside was a girl.
She looked about eighteen and had purple that was short apart from two thick strands in the front. She wore a black dress and the two strands were plaited down to her chest. She didn't move much although she was awake and the man moved her quickly to a position in which she won't fall or be move easily. The man then looked out of the centre and braced himself as if to jump. As he did he looked down and saw me passing. It was only for an instant but I could see a look of worry and horror on his eyes. When our eyes met, a bright red glow began to erupt from the centre. The man, in a state of shock, then jumped swiftly out of the centre not worrying about where or how he lands. Once again I looked towards the centre and found that the light came from the girl.
It wasn't long afterward that the explosion came. They say that your life slows down in the few seconds before you die. I watched as the flames danced around the girl licking her skin like it was wood. She didn't burn unlike me. I watched as the flames consumed me and pierced my skin. I thought of Lila in my last moments. That's what usually happens at the end. I may never see her smile or hear her laugh ever again.
To think, if it was sunny or I didn't wake up late or even if I just took the next monowheel, I would still be alive today.

Chapter 1 - An Unseen Life

I was never much a believer in God. I always thought of him as something that parents tell children so that they aren't scared. I also never thought much about the afterlife. I never asked myself whether it was real or not or what it would be like. I suppose Heaven is a place which is perfect. Where you can have whatever you want and do whatever you want. I also guess that it would be different for everyone. In Lila's, I can imagine it being full of plants and trees. At the thought of her, I wonder how she's coping with my death. What was my funeral like? What did everyone say and how did they react? I suppose funerals aren't meant for the dead. We don't get to see it after all. They are probably only meant for the living to console the loved ones left behind and offer some the peace of not being able to say goodbye. I felt angered by this. Where's my goodbye. I was in such a rush that morning that I didn't say goodbye to Lila or wish her a good day. I never even got a good look at her before I left.
There was nothing around me. It was just white nothingness. I found myself walking around to try and find a way out. There was a floor and possibly a roof but no walls. I kept walking on and on for a way out and I grew more and more tired at each step. I felt my eyes grow heavier as I knelt down and collapsed to the ground.
Days went by like this and still nothing. It was weird, I didn't feel hungry or thirsty, and I felt that the only thing left which kept me human was sleeping. The feeling was odd, sleeping when you're dead. It felt impossible and unnecessary to sleep when you don't need to. A few more days past and finally I reached what might be the end. Heaven was just as I had imagined when I was a kid. A great golden gate stood between me and my salvation on top of a floor of clouds. It was about 5 metres high with light radiating off each bar. The bars were coiled with another either to represent eternal bonds or just as decoration. There wasn't much decoration on the gate but the idea of it made it something much more extraordinary.
There before me was a man in his fifty's who wore a long white cloak with matching robes beneath. He was clean shaven and his hair was blonde and neatly combed. He beckoned me over.
"Hello, my name is Peter. Can I ask for your name, please?" He spoke angelically and in a very calm fashion. It made me feel relaxed and relieved.
"I'm Drake Simeon."
"Age and nationality,"
"25 and Welsh," Peter then checked through a large book he had with him.
"Can I ask how you died?"
"An explosion on the monowheel," Once again, peter checked his book but this time came up with a quizzical look, "Anything wrong?" I ask worried of the outcome.
"It seems, Mr Simeon, that you are in fact still alive." A sense of horror boiled inside me.
"A...Are you sure?" I stuttered, "There must be some mistake, I'm right here, aren't I?"
"I don't deny that I can see you before me, however you are most certainly alive on Earth."
"How do you know it's me?"
"I can prove it to you if you like?" For a moment I stood silent. I was worried that Peter might be right, and if he was, what would happen to me?
"Alright," I finally agreed. It only took a few seconds but Peter had opened a gap in the clouds. When I looked in the gap I saw to my horror my wife with another man. She looked happy even though I had just died a few days ago. I gazed closely at the man who was by her side. I watched him turn to face Lila when I saw-"It's me..."
I stood silent for a few moments before Peter turned me away from Earth.
"I'm afraid that this causes a few problems," He began. He kept his calm voice but the contents were what made me worried. "I'm afraid that for the time being, there is no other option but to keep you in Oblivion,"
"Oblivion?"
"It's a world which is neither Heaven nor Hell; some humans refer to it as Limbo."
"No, you don't understand. I'm dead- That man down there can't be me. I-"
"I can see that you are upset about this, however without any proof that the man down there isn't you or any idea of whether you should be allowed in Heaven or not, Oblivion is the only choice."
"What do you mean "any idea"?! Does that mean you don't know who I am?"
"We know who Drake Simeon, the man who is currently alive right now, is, we do not know who you are, the man who claims to be Drake Simeon." I stood in stunned silence. I was unable to speak or move. My whole body shook as I took in what he had said. Am I Drake Simeon or not? Am I an imposter or is it the man who's alive? "Enough talk," He said coldly. "I have other things to do." And with that, a great mist fell upon me, drowning me in its smoke. I felt the world around me disappear and my consciousness fading. Depression hit me, knowing that that could have been the last time I ever saw Heaven.

Chapter 2 - Oblivion

When I awoke, I was alone-no, that's not right. Where I was there were lots of people but they couldn't see me. I tried talking to them and walking in front of them but they didn't budge or even look at me. It was then that I tried nudging a woman who was passing. It was odd. I walked right through her. It felt cold and wrong to pass through someone, even more so when the woman kept on walking. I looked at my surroundings. I was in a city that looked familiar somehow. I was on Earth, I knew at least that much, but this wasn't where I came from.
I walked around for a bit and discovered a few things about the new me. Like before, I didn't get hungry but I did get tired, I can touch solid objects but not people, I also can't be seen, heard or felt by people but some animals can sense me. I was walking down this one street when I finally realised where I am. It was there I saw the top of a large structure just above a building, the Eiffel Tower. The more I thought about it, the more I realised that it was obvious I was in Paris. Had I stopped for a moment to listen to the people around me or look in a shop window I would have found out sooner.
As I walked I came across the pathway up to the Tower. I realised here that Paris was one of the very few places in the world that hasn't changed much since the great explosion in the manufacturing of inventions. The only difference was the lack of trees. It made the environment seem bare and empty. I looked across the scenery and there I saw her. A girl was looking directly at me. But not just any girl but the one from the monowheel! She seemed different though. She wore jeans and a green jacket with a white vest top. Her hair was just like before but decorated with a yellow knit hat which stood out like a swan in a lake. What was different was that she was smiling. Her face was full of emotion from her hazelnut eyes to her gleaming white teeth. She beckoned me over.
"You can see me?!" I asked, my question soon followed by a giggle from her.
"Of course I can see you, why wouldn't I be able to?"
"Well... I'm dead,"
"So am I. Snap!" She laughed really hard at this point. I wasn't sure whether this was funny or tragic... "Hey, come sit with me,"
"Um..."
"I've got croissants," She presented a large brown paper bag full to the brim with croissants. I sat on the bench with her and stared curiously at the croissant she handed to me. "It's ok, you can eat it. We may not get hungry but it doesn't mean we can't taste!" She was very cheerful; I guess you could say she was bubbly. I nibbled experimentally at the croissant and she laughed again. At that point I'd had enough, so I took a big bite. I was surprised at how good it tasted, the sweetness and how it almost melted in my mouth. "I'm Liri, by the way,"
"Drake," I said with a mouthful of food.
"I'm guessing you're new here?"
"Yeah, first day,"
"That's rough," She smiled sympathetically. After taking a few more bites of croissant I asked:
"How long have you been her?" She sat silently for a few minutes counting her fingers.
"5- No 6 years," I looked at her shocked for a few moments as she continued smiling and eating her croissant. "Oh, sorry, I just realised that for you that sounds like a long time,"
"Yes, you'd think they would have let you in by now,"
"Well, don't get your hopes up, they're probably way too busy up there to consider us right now..." She then shook her head vigorously in denial. "Anyway, for the time being how about we travel together?" She gazed hopefully at me. I thought for a moment about this then remembered her at the monowheel.
"Can I ask you something, was it you on the monowheel the other day?" She tilted her head in confusion.
"No, sorry, I've never once in my life or death been on a monowheel."
We walked around the city for a bit. Liri explained to me the many things we can and can't do in this world. Every day we would find about 10 in our pockets or bags she said. It was so we didn't resort to stealing. She said how the people in Oblivion were on a border line of Heaven and Hell. If we were to break the law in this world, we would be taken to Hell. She then explained that even though people couldn't see us, animals and clones could, so we had to be careful that we don't disturb them. I said about my situation, in which she was very curious.
"Have you ever heard of Inaspectus?"
"No, what's that?" She began to slow her pace.
"It's a story that's commonly told in Oblivion about people who cannot be seen by God. These people are normally trapped in Oblivion because no one knows whether they are good or bad."
"That's like what happened to me,"
"Correct," she nodded, "Which means that you could be stuck here for a lot longer than normal," I stopped abruptly and thought for a moment.
"What if there was someone here who God thought was me?" She thought about that for a moment.
"Then I suspect that if he were to die you would be able to go with him to Heaven," She then turned to face me, "However, I've seen this before, you would have to be with him when he dies,"
"So the fastest way would be for me to kill him myself,"