Chapter 1:It could've been worse

"As a small child I've always wondered, what happens when people die?

Do we have souls and if so do they go to heaven, maybe we go to hell or do we just reincarnate having lost our former memories and no semblance of our past.

The second answer and one that always scared me the most was that nothing happens after death, we are simply thrown into the darkness destined to never wake up.

As I grew up, got a job, a lovely wife and had three perfect kids thoughts like this didn't matter anymore. Even if I knew I'd still die either way, so why not just enjoy what happens in the present and leave forces out of my control alone.

Such an optimistic and bright view on living was quite freeing and healthy. That is until I got a call from a hospital, apparently my wife and three kids all died in a car accident. The only solace I had was that they didn't suffer much.

From there life had taken its toll on me, mentally I was barely holding on, emotionally I was simply too broken to bother fixing myself but I continued to live on, if not for my sake then for the sake of my dead kids and wife, they wouldn't have wanted me to fall to despair.

Everyday I woke up, went to do my job as a doctor and came back home to an empty house. I threw myself into work.

Years went by like this and one day a patient came to me, it was a 17 year old girl named Emily, she wanted to abort her unborn child since she feared being disowned by her strict and backward parents.

I was never one to agree with procedures like abortion, so I did my best to try and convince little Emily who would be as old as my firstborn were she still alive.

In my perspective life was a gift to be cherished, whether planned or unexpected. As per Emily's prediction, after hearing of their daughter's pregnancy her parents didn't hesitate to throw her out with only the clothes on her back.

That night the crying girl found her way to my doorstep, I didn't turn them away like the rest of the world and took them in. She gave birth a couple of months after: to a healthy bundle of joy. After her 18th birthday she started going back to school. Under my support.

I had paid for her tutelage and her son's medical bills along with anything she ever needed. To me the spunky, often times violent but smart girl was what I imagined my child would've been like so I loved her as if she were my own.

The years went by and Emily along with her son whom she had named after me, odd thing is I couldn't remember my name though but I knew he was named after me.

Emily studied to become a doctor like me and opened her own hospital, her little lad on the other hand turned out to be an avid anime lover, even declaring to start his own studio. But as he grew and became a teen, he slowly lost himself in the vast world.

He became rebellious and was never one to think decisions through. Which was odd since he was nothing short of a genius, he read enough books and knew enough about the basically anything to put people who specialize in those fields to shame, most of his talent was sadly put to bad use, but I managed to whip him back on the right path so it wasn't all bad I guess. From then I lived 50 beautiful years and watched as my grandson became a renowned inventor and opened his own studio while my daughter saved uncountable lives as a doctor. They made me so proud, I guess and added bonus was curing cancer." I said happily as I took a sip of my green tea.

Right now I was seating on a pillow and right across the table was a sagely man dressed in a white toga and had a wise looking beard on his face. I didn't know where we were due to a lack of any noticeable landmark, the space was literally all white and it seemed to have no end.

"Well your story is touching, truly shows humans can also be loving creatures if they put their mind to it." The old man said with a kind and patient tone that reminded me of those enlightened monks.

"Thank you whoever you are, you're a great listener. But on another note, why am I here? "I asked in puzzlement. I knew I was dead but none of my theories about what happens after death seemed correct. Unless this guy was going to judge my karma based on the story I told him, then he'd choose where I belong.

The man took a slow sip of his tea, I didn't dare disturb or press him as I too was subjected to patience by this man he sighed in satisfaction after drinking. "Usually that's what I'd do, but your wife asked something of me. The life you led has also earned you a right to a reward." The old man said.

I choked on my tea when he told me about my wife and quickly paid all my attention to him. Was I surprised that he could read my thoughts? Nope the man was most probably a god so reading someone as unremarkable as me should be easy for him.

"She couldn't bear to see you falling into despair when she had died, so when I was supposed to give them compensation for killing her and the kids too early they told me to save it for you. Your family truly loved you and seeing you depressed crushed them. They thought a second chance at happiness knowing it's their wish for you is the last gift they could give back to you as a father and husband. "I started sobbing uncontrollably as I listened to the man speak.

'I guess I was really a lucky man huh? 'I smiled to myself softly my heart melted in joy and appreciation.

'' Sorry for showing such a pathetic sight, I'm just so happy and blessed.'' I said, I felt complete now that I heard that.

"This is going to work very simply, we'll spin a wheel that will choose the world you'll go to, we'll spin three more wheels after that that will give you special abilities and lastly we'll spin a third wheel that will decide what you're reborn as, if you're still confused just try to think of this as those reincarnation fan-fics or anime your grandson made you read." He spoke slowly and reached for his own tea for another sip.

....

Chapter 1!! I'm excited!! Leave your comments and help share my work!!