the mailbox

Opening your eyes, you find yourself standing a few feet away from your mailbox. It’s open but you don’t remember opening it. In fact, you can’t even remember how you got there. You try to recall the events that led you to this moment, but there’s a pounding in the back of your head that's making it difficult for you to think straight. You begin looking around and your confusion continues to grow as you take in your surroundings. To your right you see an unusual amount of cars lined up next to the curb and in your driveway. Your eyes are going in and out of focus, but you’re able to recognize one of the cars as your cousin’s. You wonder why she didn’t call ahead to tell you that she was coming to visit. Turning slightly to your left, your gaze travels to the pile of mail inside of your mailbox. Something in the pile stands out to you; a letter. The pounding in your head increases as you step forward to retrieve the letter and you wonder where the headache even came from. The letter now in your grasp, you see that there is no return address and you get an eerie feeling that something is wrong. Quickly, you turn around to make sure there’s no one behind you, and you begin making your way towards the front door of your house. As you cross the lawn you open the letter and begin to read it.

Hello there!

What a day you’ve had! You probably don’t remember what happened, but it’s totally normal for you to be confused (especially considering your situation). Don’t you worry though, everything is about to be explained. Today is about to get a lot better for you because you get to take a trip down memory lane. Literally. You’re actually starting with a memory that you don’t have yet; your funeral. Then you’re going to make your way through the rest of your memories, before you’re sent off to your final destination! Oh and just in case it hasn’t been made clear yet, you are in fact dead.

Your body freezes as you read that last line again. You’re dead. Thoughts are racing through your head as you wonder which of your friends is trying to play a joke on you. The pounding in your head grows worse, and you continue to read the letter;

Anyways, this letter is being written because there was an unexpected accident today that has to be dealt with, which means that you will be kept waiting for some time. In the meanwhile, feel free to take a look inside your home if you wish, though you should be warned, it’s a very depressing scene. People are crying and the theme of the party appears to be black, like who died, right? Sorry, too soon? Anyways, please be ready for your departure.

The letter slips out of your trembling hands, and suddenly the pounding in your head stops. Sensing that you are not alone anymore, you turn around to see a thin man standing just a few feet away from you. He is wearing dark and outdated clothes, and he looks like he hasn’t slept in five years. He looks like death. You tell yourself that he’s probably just lost, or maybe he’s a new friend of your parents, however his dark and weary eyes tell a different story. Gazing deeper into his eyes, you know with certainty who he actually is.

He holds up the car key that he had been fidgeting with in his pocket, and asks; “Are you ready to go?”