LIFE AFTER LIFE

“Norman... Norman, Jude. Ah, there you are. You're sentenced to death. You will be
executed tomorrow morning.” Jude sat inside the cell, his gaze fixed on the officer
standing outside the steel bars, while the two men in front of him awaited what the
officer would say next. “You two as well.” He pointed. “Fisher and St. Francis.” JB
had stood up, shaking like a leaf. “That can’t be true!” The officer looked at him and
took the cigarette out of his mouth. He narrowed his eyes as he continued to look at
the sheet of paper in his hands. “You’re John Benedict Fisher right?” JB nodded.
“Well, your name is on the list, you’re sentenced.” Wrinkles have formed on his
brow, his mouth is wide open, and they all bathed in their sweats. "Anyone of you
wants a priest?" Officer inquired. No one even bothered to answer as they are all in
complete shock. “None? Fine," he said, putting the cigarette back in his mouth and
stepping away. The three inmates had sat quietly and steadily, still trying to make
sense of the information they had received. Jude turned to face JB, who was biting his
fingernail. His teeth are chattering, which has irritated Jude since the small noises
have become so loud as none of them are speaking or moving, and all he can hear is
JB's teeth. He analyzed his face and wondered how old he was while looking at him.
He's probably 25 years old. Jude guessed. His face is tiny and slim as well as his
body. He doesn’t even have the face of a criminal. What could he possibly have done
at such a young age that made him sentenced to death?
"Do you think they'll kill the others as well?" JB questioned William, who is seated
beside him. Jude observed them chatting as if he were invisible, which did not bother
him. He had no energy to speak or do anything. He didn't want to think what would
happen at dawn, at death. It didn’t make sense. He could only find emptiness. The
moment he tried to think of something else, he only saw firearms pointing directly at
him.
"What do you think, JB?" William replied. "We're in a different cell; they separated
us for God's sake."
Jude had no idea what they were talking about at first until it hit him. William and JB
are both Afro-American (of course he already knew that), but he had no idea who the
"others" were. They are probably in a group and were the only person of color.
William did mention that they were separated from them. He is, however,
unsurprised. This is no new to him. He had committed numerous unlawful acts, so he
was well aware of how messed up the justice system was.
"This is absurd. We all did the same thing, and now here we are, about to meet God in
a few hours." JB said, breathing heavily.
"Yeah right, because you're going to heaven." William said sarcastically, looking at
JB, who looked annoyingly at him. Jude had remained silent as he listened to their
conversation. He found it amusing that JB believes in heaven and hell. Isn't God
supposed to forgive everyone? If so, why does he send people to hell for them to
suffer if all is forgiven?
“Well, what do you think is going to happen to you after they shoot you, William?”
JB asked, staring intently at William.
“My soul will be housed in a new body.” He stated confidently. “It could be a human
or an animal, depending on how I acted in my former life. I'm assuming I'd be a rat.”
William had continued to elucidate his viewpoint more, while JB had simply stared at
him, perplexed and questioning everything. He had his beliefs, but he did consider the
possibility of reincarnation for a brief moment. William is Hindu as well as his
parents. They believed that we, as humans, would go through a spiritual evolution,
which he also believed in. Jude had thought about what JB and William were
discussing. Afterlife. He has no faith in anything and finds their beliefs ludicrous. But
he can’t avoid asking himself that question now that it is right in front of him. What
would happen? Reincarnation? Hell? Or is it completely black endlessly? He's the one
sounding foolish right now. At least, JB and William had faith in something. They
kept talking, his eyes glazed over. He is taken aback by how nonchalant they have
become. As if JB wasn't just about to pass out earlier. Perhaps the thought of the
afterlife (at least how they perceive it) has soothed them down. That there is
something to look forward to. That death is not going to be the end of all. But that
didn’t stop him from feeling terrified, drained, and utterly useless. He thought about
his entire life and reflected, "It is all a big lie." It was worthless because it was already
done. His life was in front of him, shut, like a sack, but everything inside was
incomplete. He would've done so much more if he knew how his life would end. Even
though we all know that we're all going to face death at some point, you never realize
it until it is right in front of you. He would've done so much more if he knew how his
life would end. Even though we all know that we're all going to face death at some
point, you never realize it until it is right in front of you. He had so much time, yet he
had learned nothing. His life was an empty set. And by tomorrow, he will be gone,
forgotten.

The sun has risen, and neither of them slept. Who would? Jude had struck up a
conversation with the two. Their interaction revolved around what brought them here
and how they came to be the people they are today. Ten years old Jude could never
have imagined himself in this circumstance. He'd always wanted to be a doctor, a
cardiologist so he could treat his mother. But she passed away, and everything went
downhill. Remembering all of this caused him anguish. As if his organs were getting
stabbed from within. He had failed his mother, his younger self, who only wanted a
pure and healthy life, who wanted to visit all the amusement parks in the world, who
always imagined that he and her mother would reunite once again. But he had lived in
such despair that he had forgotten what it meant to live.

They were all settled down until they heard footsteps across the dimly lit hallway and
immediately looked up.
“Fisher, John Benedict?” A chief came in with two other officers behind him. They
were all stunned, especially JB, who could hear his heartbeat. He remained still. Thus
the officers snatched his hands and dragged him out of the cell. As they carried him
away, he shrieked and screamed like an eight-year-old throwing tantrums but worst.
William has never moved as his tears were a river flowing down on his cheeks. Jude
had shut his eyes, hoping he would never wake and deal with the agony of being
executed, when a deafening bang rang out across the room.