Waiting for My Color

It all started the day I died. I barely opened my eyes. My eyelids felt very heavy. I woke up in what looked like a waiting room. At first, I did not remember I died. In fact, I did not really know for sure. I saw a sign: ‘Welcome to the second phase of life. You are here because you have successfully completed phase one of life. In earthly terms, you have died.’ That’s quite the sign!

Something or someone is approaching. It talked: “I am here to greet you. I am your Usher.”

Usher had the face of a beagle and the body of a man. I stared at his face.

Usher: “I am a homocanis, half human and half canine. As you enter the second phase of life you are greeted by a homocanis and how you did in phase one determines what breed of homocanis becomes your Usher,” he explained.

He then answered a question I did not ask.

Usher: “Yes, I am here to do just that – answer all your verbal and non-verbal questions.”

Me: “Thank you, I have questions. There is a lot I do not understand.”

Usher: “That’s normal. As you exit phase one of life you leave all your memories behind. You retain some vague knowledge, but rest assured it fades away. You also woke up faster than others.”

Me: “Why did I wake up faster than others?”

Usher: “Well, when the living let a deceased go and his memories fade away the deceased is allowed to start phase two.”

Me: “Are you saying I did not have anyone to mourn me? No family, no friends?”

Usher looked at his clipboard and flipped some pages.

Usher: “I do not see any names listed. Everyone comes to phase two alone and loses all memories of phase one. What difference does it make?”

I felt a flurry of emotions I did not understand. Usher leaned on me with his beagle head. I stroked his fur. I told myself that Usher was right. How could I feel the loss of something I apparently never had?

Then I realized my body was translucent. Usher saw me looking at my arms.

Usher: “Do not worry! That is normal. Every human in the Waiting Room has a translucent body. You leave here when you have your color.”

Me: “What color was my skin? And what color will I be?”

Usher laughed in a loud series of joyful little barks. It made me realize there was an echo in the Waiting Room.

Usher: “Your original skin color is irrelevant here. How you did in phase one determines what color you become. There are humans who become green because they were good to other humans on earth. Others become orange because they were mean to other humans on earth. Some become red and the red ones you should avoid. The best of all humans become purple and their residence overlooks the river and the most ancient pear tree.”

Me: “So is the color our punishment? Is this Judgment Day? Do I meet Go–“

Usher barked loudly, interrupting my questions.

Usher: “The Owner of the land does not meet residents and here you can only refer to her as the Owner. You will stay here until you forget all these earthly notions.”

Usher turned around and began to leave the room. As I saw his tail wagging, I called to him. “Usher, wait! Did I have a name?”

Usher turned around. His teeth showed in big smile and his eyes sparkled.

“You are Ammiel. All humans here are called Ammiel. Do you need anything from me?”

“Thank you, Usher.” Ammiel started to dream about turning purple and a house by the river and the pear tree.