9 Sensei

"Teacher Song, is that you?"

I tentatively asked, unsure if the voice I'd just heard was that of my teacher or a figment of my imagination. How could he be here?

A low chuckle echoed out in the darkness.

«Ah…I've been caught just like that. To think I was about to pretend to be a ghost too. That was anticlimactic.»

The voice was thoughtful and low with hints of mockery. It was definitely him. But his voice sounded more like he was talking to himself than to me, like he was thinking out loud.

«Students really are a pain. To tell me apart just from voice alone. Are you trying to put your own teacher to shame? Paying too much attention in class is not always good, you know?»

Yeah, It really was him!

Our teacher had always been a bit of an oddball. The type of person to get so caught up in their own thoughts to the point of completely ignoring everything around him.

A complete nerd who was prone to walking into poles while distracted and breaking out into long drawn out monologues on whatever topic caught his interest at any given moment.

Most of the students found his rants annoying and would run out of class the second the bell rang, but I never did because sometimes he would go on about a variety of interesting subjects.

Although he was an irritating person, hearing his voice put a certain lightness on the dread I'd been feeling. But it begs a very important question. 

Why was he here too? Wherever they were at.

"How could you talk nonsense even in this situation?" I chastised the lazy voice of my teacher, and hurled all my pent up questions at him. "Do you know what this place is? Where are we? Why are we here? Teacher Song?"

«Teacher Song sounds too cold. Since we are both dead there's no need for such formality.» he replied offhandedly. «Call me Sensei, it sounds a little less stiff.»

Why did this person sound so calm and laid back? And what was this sensei business? Does he really want me to call him that? 

"Teacher Song, Where –"

«Sensei» He asserted.

"…."

Was he making fun of me?

I took a deep breath and cleared my throat. I didn't want to say it, but he remained adamant, refusing to say anything more until I uttered the magic word.

Was this guy always this hateful in my memories? Or was everything just more intense because I'd been devoid of sensation for a while. Even my emotions seemed heightened.

"Sen...sei?"

There was no response for a moment and then....

«Tch. It doesn't sound cute at all coming from you. Keep practising, say it a little more warmly next time»

"…."

I wanted to cry. What was wrong with this person?

Was he really alright in the head? How could he keep talking about such stupid stuff right now? 

I needed a moment to think. If I died and came here; and Sensei was also here. Does that mean the rest of my classmates were going to appear here at some point too?

Was this place the gateway where souls meet before diverging on to their own rebirth path? Like some kind of central train station or airport for connecting flights. That would make sense.

"Sensei… why are we here exactly? You sound like you're in front of me, but I can't see anything. Do you know where we are?"

«No clue. I just suddenly appeared here. I was somewhere much nicer than this place before. Did you just wake up? Why is it so dark and tight in here?»

Dark and tight? 

Now that he mentioned it. It did feel a little cramped in here. I still hadn't regained my sense of touch but the ethereal feeling inside the void had begun to shrink, like the surroundings were closing in and suddenly there was not as much space to move.

"No. I've been awake for a long time." I answered disappointedly.

I suddenly felt resentful of my situation. Why did Sensei have to be so spiteful? Rubbing it in my face that he'd been somewhere good all this time, while I was here suffering.

"Did you hear the voice that spoke just now?" I asked, hoping he would be able to provide some answers

«No, I just got here. I've only heard your voice.» he replied, not in the least bit helpful. «But I think I know what you mean. You must have heard the voice of a god. I was summoned by one before I came here. Which one spoke to you?»

Voice of god?

Wait, Which one? There was more than one? Wonderful.

As someone who had lived the majority of my life being an adult, forced to act responsible and independent, I did not put a lot of trust in the belief of a supreme being. 

I never prayed or believed in them as I worked hard for everything and survived every hardship thrown at me, all by myself without any aid. 

Now I was in this weird place and was being told there were multiple god like beings who would most likely decide her fate. 

Would I really get a chance to be reborn? But why would they do that? Did they expect some kind of loyalty in return? 

Aaahh.. Great. As if it wasn't already complicated, now I have to deal with gods whom I never believed in.

I let out a defeated sigh and answered. "I don't know, it sounded like a machine."

«Strange. That's not what happened to me. What I heard was a woman's voice and I saw her when I got summoned. Are you sure what you heard was really a god?»

How was I supposed to know! 

I was so angry. I was thrown into this dark place alone without any explanation, or even any memories to begin with. I don't know what I heard, it could have been a hallucination for all I knew.

Though, it was strange how he got to meet the god and I didn't. He also stayed somewhere nicer than here. Was this kind of preferential treatment normal?

"Tell me everything the god said to you." I grumbled unhappily. I at least need to know about these so-called gods.

«Ok. Let me start from the beginning. After I died I was summoned to a surreal and majestic citadel floating high up in the sky. It was made completely out of crystals in every colour and shade I'd ever seen. Past the edge of the building, thousands of meters below, all you could see was miles and miles of ocean.»

«There I met an extremely beautiful woman...»

At this point I really wanted to check out.

So he was summoned to some magic rainbow citadel to meet and greet with the gods and goddesses while I was thrown in here like an abandoned child. The difference in treatment was too much! I want to see the magic citadel too you know!

Jealousy did not begin to compare to what I was feeling.