i had this idea about what happens after death and wrote a story around it. feel free to critique it, both positive and negative comments are welcome. all copyrights belong to me and so on and so forth, so don't copy it anywhere without my permission (including this cause my friend had his story ripped off, not cause i think my story is good enough to rip off =P)
edit: it's a short story... no cliff notes, ya lazy bastards.
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The clouds rumbled, off in the distance.
There was going to be rain. She could sense it in the air.
~
She had always been fond of rainy days. She remembered taking summer vacations to her grandfather?s place as a kid. He had lived out in the country then; open land for miles around, occasionally dotted by a farmhouse. She vividly remembered the sky on the day the heavens had opened up. It had been almost a violent shade of crimson, one that she had never seen before. A sharp, tangy smell, neither pleasant nor unpleasant, filled the air. The next thing she knew, it had started to thunder. Her grandma had yelled for her to get inside before she got wet in the rain, but her grandfather asked her if she wanted to watch the entire storm. When she had nodded coyly, he sat her on his lap and they watched the storm together. She remembered every detail of her first thunderstorm, down to the five tendrils of lightning that had reached out to her from the heavens.
~
That had been ages ago. She was now an independent woman, living in the big city. Grandpa Jack didn?t live out in the country any more; he lived in a little studio apartment on the other side of the city. Her grandmother, body and mind having succumbed to the ravages of time, was long gone. When people visited her apartment and looked out her bedroom window, they could see the residences of a thousand people. Cocoons of concrete, steel, and glass enveloped everybody. A garden in this city was a two-foot by two-foot patch of dirt. She could hardly see the skies anymore - a pall of grey usually hung over the city like a blanket. But she still knew every time it was going to rain. That same sharp tang still filled her nostrils. She loved rainy days. It was one of the few times that the blanket lifted; one of the few times she could see the clouds move in swiftly, bolts of lightning arcing off left and right. Then came the torrential rains; it swept through the city, wiping the grime and desperation off everything it touched. Without distinguishing between friend and foe, old and young, it was as if a new lease on life was granted to everything in the storm?s path.
~
She got the news two weeks later. It was another typical arid and dusty day in the city. The cops called her at work to let her know. It was painless, they said. He had gone to sleep the previous night and never woke up again. The maid found him in the morning when she came in to clean up. Things had progressed remarkably fast from there. Once foul play was ruled out, the cops knew where to call as her grandpa had listed her as his emergency contact. She was also his only contact. It was because she was the only living relative Grandpa Jack had. That was why he moved to the city. Now, there were no more biological ties to her past.
A quiet wake and burial was arranged for a week later. She accepted the murmured condolences from his friends. It was a nice little ceremony, one she would have liked for herself. After it was over and everyone had left, she stayed behind to give him her last farewell. She thought of all the happy memories they shared. He had lived a very fruitful life. As she drove away, she suddenly remembered her first thunderstorm and knew that wherever Grandpa Jack was, he knew that she loved her.
~
?I love you too, darling.? said her grandpa, a mile above her. He didn?t know what he was doing there. He understood that he was dead. He had figured that out when he fell asleep and then felt himself leaving his body. He was agape as he rose up through his apartment walls and into the sky. He still couldn?t believe it as he ended up hovering in the air with hundreds of other people. They explained to him that they all had died sometime in the previous week. Apparently, this was what happened to people after they died. Those ghost stories were true after all.
Over the next week, he tried to figure out what to do. Floating anywhere he wanted was nice and all, but it was a tad boring at times. He followed her granddaughter at times, but felt like he was intruding upon her privacy. He took a trip to Japan with some other souls, but he still was restless. ?Surely there had to be more to do after death,? he thought. Ironically, it was the same problem that had plagued him after he sold the farm and moved to the city. He tried searching for his wife and only daughter, but couldn?t find them. Other souls had this problem as well. It was rather puzzling. All in all, it was a rather mundane life after death.
~
It was a good morning to hunt, Zeus decided. He loved hunting, but hadn?t had a chance to go in a while. He checked his stable to make sure that the horses were well rested. He then saddled up three horses; one for himself, one for Apollo, and one for Artemis. The kids loved hunting, and he couldn?t pass up a chance to spend the day with them. As if trying to break him and Leto up wasn?t enough, his ex-wife also kept trying to kill his kids. Better spend some time with the kids when he could, he figured. He then checked his supply of bolts to make sure he had enough for the day. Lastly, he filled up the canteens with water. After breakfast, they all suited up in their riding gear and mounted their horses. The hunting grounds were only a few minutes from their house.
~
Down on Earth, she woke up with a start. The familiar sharp tang hit her nose and she instantly knew this was going to be a good thunderstorm. She moved to the window to see if the blanket of grey had lifted yet; to see if the clouds were moving in.
~
Somewhere above her, Grandpa Jack floated around trying to figure out what he was going to do that day. He was pretty much bored with afterlife by now. It was the same every day, a mindless tedium.
~
Zeus split his bolts up amongst the three of them. Even though the bolts were as big as Apollo and Artemis, they were still adept at using them. It was a simple concept, really. One faced his prey and threw the bolts at it. The three rode onwards, kicking up the red dust.
~
Grandpa Jack jumped to his feet as he saw clouds approaching him. He could hear faint galloping sounds, as if horses were approaching. This was not something he had experienced before in his afterlife.
~
She could see the dark clouds approaching her city. They were the same violent shade of crimson from when she was young. She could also hear the thunder move closer.
~
Apollo and Artemis yelled as they saw the prey. One had to concentrate to see them. They were little white wisps in the images of the gods. To hunt them, one had to be good as they could sink into the ground or fly into the sky at will.
~
Grandpa Jack saw a giant approaching him and four other souls. He was on a horse and carrying something that looked like a weapon in his hand. The other souls started running away, but Jack just stared.
~
The dark clouds and thunder were right above her now. All that was left was the lightning and rain.
~
Zeus rode onwards, as his kids took off after some wisps to his sides. He had sighted his prey for the day, a little wisp that seemed to be staring at him with curiosity. Zeus hefted a bolt in his hand and leaned forward to throw it.
~
She could feel the electricity in the air now. She opened her window so that she could step outside onto the fire escape to stand in the rain.
~
The giant lifted his hand and Grandpa Jack could see electricity sparking from whatever it was he held. A strange calm entered Grandpa Jack?s mind as he faced the giant. He had lived a full life, and an even fuller afterlife. He was ready for whatever lay next. As the giant threw the still-sparking weapon at him, Grandpa Jack thought about everybody he loved. ?Have a good life, Katie!? he yelled, as the bolt struck him.
~
Katie stood outside on the fire escape as watched as the first tendril of lightning bloomed across the sky. When she thought she heard someone call her name, her heart skipped a beat. As she calmed herself down, two more lightning bolts lit up the horizon. The rain would hit soon.
~
Apollo and Artemis had caught themselves a wisp each as well. It had been a good day, thought Zeus. They had caught enough wisps for today. There were other gods who hunted for sport, but Zeus hunted only for food. As Zeus got down to pick up his wisp, he grabbed the canteen off his horse. ?Dad, why do we always do this after we go hunting?? asked Artemis. He sprinkled some water from his canteen onto the earth as he said, ?It?s a purification ritual, honey. We do it after killing anything, even for food.? He then helped his kids sprinkle some water onto the earth as well.
~
The rains hit hard soon after that first lightning bolt. As Katie soaked in the rain, she somehow felt at peace, as if she had been cleansed of all her burdens.
~
Zeus helped Apollo and Artemis onto their horses and handed them their wisps. He then picked his up and got on his horse. As they rode homewards, they crossed other gods heading out to hunt.
~
The rain had stopped. The thunderstorm over, Katie went inside and stepped into her bathroom to dry herself off. It would rain all morning and she was ready for it.
The clouds rumbled, off in the distance.
================================================
edit: it's a short story... no cliff notes, ya lazy bastards.
================================================
The clouds rumbled, off in the distance.
There was going to be rain. She could sense it in the air.
~
She had always been fond of rainy days. She remembered taking summer vacations to her grandfather?s place as a kid. He had lived out in the country then; open land for miles around, occasionally dotted by a farmhouse. She vividly remembered the sky on the day the heavens had opened up. It had been almost a violent shade of crimson, one that she had never seen before. A sharp, tangy smell, neither pleasant nor unpleasant, filled the air. The next thing she knew, it had started to thunder. Her grandma had yelled for her to get inside before she got wet in the rain, but her grandfather asked her if she wanted to watch the entire storm. When she had nodded coyly, he sat her on his lap and they watched the storm together. She remembered every detail of her first thunderstorm, down to the five tendrils of lightning that had reached out to her from the heavens.
~
That had been ages ago. She was now an independent woman, living in the big city. Grandpa Jack didn?t live out in the country any more; he lived in a little studio apartment on the other side of the city. Her grandmother, body and mind having succumbed to the ravages of time, was long gone. When people visited her apartment and looked out her bedroom window, they could see the residences of a thousand people. Cocoons of concrete, steel, and glass enveloped everybody. A garden in this city was a two-foot by two-foot patch of dirt. She could hardly see the skies anymore - a pall of grey usually hung over the city like a blanket. But she still knew every time it was going to rain. That same sharp tang still filled her nostrils. She loved rainy days. It was one of the few times that the blanket lifted; one of the few times she could see the clouds move in swiftly, bolts of lightning arcing off left and right. Then came the torrential rains; it swept through the city, wiping the grime and desperation off everything it touched. Without distinguishing between friend and foe, old and young, it was as if a new lease on life was granted to everything in the storm?s path.
~
She got the news two weeks later. It was another typical arid and dusty day in the city. The cops called her at work to let her know. It was painless, they said. He had gone to sleep the previous night and never woke up again. The maid found him in the morning when she came in to clean up. Things had progressed remarkably fast from there. Once foul play was ruled out, the cops knew where to call as her grandpa had listed her as his emergency contact. She was also his only contact. It was because she was the only living relative Grandpa Jack had. That was why he moved to the city. Now, there were no more biological ties to her past.
A quiet wake and burial was arranged for a week later. She accepted the murmured condolences from his friends. It was a nice little ceremony, one she would have liked for herself. After it was over and everyone had left, she stayed behind to give him her last farewell. She thought of all the happy memories they shared. He had lived a very fruitful life. As she drove away, she suddenly remembered her first thunderstorm and knew that wherever Grandpa Jack was, he knew that she loved her.
~
?I love you too, darling.? said her grandpa, a mile above her. He didn?t know what he was doing there. He understood that he was dead. He had figured that out when he fell asleep and then felt himself leaving his body. He was agape as he rose up through his apartment walls and into the sky. He still couldn?t believe it as he ended up hovering in the air with hundreds of other people. They explained to him that they all had died sometime in the previous week. Apparently, this was what happened to people after they died. Those ghost stories were true after all.
Over the next week, he tried to figure out what to do. Floating anywhere he wanted was nice and all, but it was a tad boring at times. He followed her granddaughter at times, but felt like he was intruding upon her privacy. He took a trip to Japan with some other souls, but he still was restless. ?Surely there had to be more to do after death,? he thought. Ironically, it was the same problem that had plagued him after he sold the farm and moved to the city. He tried searching for his wife and only daughter, but couldn?t find them. Other souls had this problem as well. It was rather puzzling. All in all, it was a rather mundane life after death.
~
It was a good morning to hunt, Zeus decided. He loved hunting, but hadn?t had a chance to go in a while. He checked his stable to make sure that the horses were well rested. He then saddled up three horses; one for himself, one for Apollo, and one for Artemis. The kids loved hunting, and he couldn?t pass up a chance to spend the day with them. As if trying to break him and Leto up wasn?t enough, his ex-wife also kept trying to kill his kids. Better spend some time with the kids when he could, he figured. He then checked his supply of bolts to make sure he had enough for the day. Lastly, he filled up the canteens with water. After breakfast, they all suited up in their riding gear and mounted their horses. The hunting grounds were only a few minutes from their house.
~
Down on Earth, she woke up with a start. The familiar sharp tang hit her nose and she instantly knew this was going to be a good thunderstorm. She moved to the window to see if the blanket of grey had lifted yet; to see if the clouds were moving in.
~
Somewhere above her, Grandpa Jack floated around trying to figure out what he was going to do that day. He was pretty much bored with afterlife by now. It was the same every day, a mindless tedium.
~
Zeus split his bolts up amongst the three of them. Even though the bolts were as big as Apollo and Artemis, they were still adept at using them. It was a simple concept, really. One faced his prey and threw the bolts at it. The three rode onwards, kicking up the red dust.
~
Grandpa Jack jumped to his feet as he saw clouds approaching him. He could hear faint galloping sounds, as if horses were approaching. This was not something he had experienced before in his afterlife.
~
She could see the dark clouds approaching her city. They were the same violent shade of crimson from when she was young. She could also hear the thunder move closer.
~
Apollo and Artemis yelled as they saw the prey. One had to concentrate to see them. They were little white wisps in the images of the gods. To hunt them, one had to be good as they could sink into the ground or fly into the sky at will.
~
Grandpa Jack saw a giant approaching him and four other souls. He was on a horse and carrying something that looked like a weapon in his hand. The other souls started running away, but Jack just stared.
~
The dark clouds and thunder were right above her now. All that was left was the lightning and rain.
~
Zeus rode onwards, as his kids took off after some wisps to his sides. He had sighted his prey for the day, a little wisp that seemed to be staring at him with curiosity. Zeus hefted a bolt in his hand and leaned forward to throw it.
~
She could feel the electricity in the air now. She opened her window so that she could step outside onto the fire escape to stand in the rain.
~
The giant lifted his hand and Grandpa Jack could see electricity sparking from whatever it was he held. A strange calm entered Grandpa Jack?s mind as he faced the giant. He had lived a full life, and an even fuller afterlife. He was ready for whatever lay next. As the giant threw the still-sparking weapon at him, Grandpa Jack thought about everybody he loved. ?Have a good life, Katie!? he yelled, as the bolt struck him.
~
Katie stood outside on the fire escape as watched as the first tendril of lightning bloomed across the sky. When she thought she heard someone call her name, her heart skipped a beat. As she calmed herself down, two more lightning bolts lit up the horizon. The rain would hit soon.
~
Apollo and Artemis had caught themselves a wisp each as well. It had been a good day, thought Zeus. They had caught enough wisps for today. There were other gods who hunted for sport, but Zeus hunted only for food. As Zeus got down to pick up his wisp, he grabbed the canteen off his horse. ?Dad, why do we always do this after we go hunting?? asked Artemis. He sprinkled some water from his canteen onto the earth as he said, ?It?s a purification ritual, honey. We do it after killing anything, even for food.? He then helped his kids sprinkle some water onto the earth as well.
~
The rains hit hard soon after that first lightning bolt. As Katie soaked in the rain, she somehow felt at peace, as if she had been cleansed of all her burdens.
~
Zeus helped Apollo and Artemis onto their horses and handed them their wisps. He then picked his up and got on his horse. As they rode homewards, they crossed other gods heading out to hunt.
~
The rain had stopped. The thunderstorm over, Katie went inside and stepped into her bathroom to dry herself off. It would rain all morning and she was ready for it.
The clouds rumbled, off in the distance.
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