The Light

The entire world went quiet as if she were deaf to it; all except for the woman. 

As her spirited eyes stared at the crowd of people surrounding her physical, mangled body, she could only observe as more and more people began joining it like she was just some magnificent spectacle. Kaori noticed as some were crying, some were sick, and some were laughing or even taking pictures. 

She was a celebrity even in death. 

Almost embarrassed by her state, and with her head low and almost ashamed-like, she got back up to her feet before she turned around to face the woman who had asked if she were ready to go. She was hoping, despite her life choices, especially recently, that she was an angel of some sort and would still give Kaori an opportunity to have her own little paradise in a place such as heaven. 

"Yes," Kaori whispered somberly to the woman that was somehow the only one that could still see her despite death having had greeted her swiftly. 

To her surprise, standing next to the car that was directly behind the truck that had hit her, stood a woman in white. Her dress was obviously from ancient Greece but was extremely clean as if it were just laundered. She was also wearing golden sandals whose straps wrapped around her legs and were tied tightly just below her knees. Her long, wavy auburn hair fell gently against her shoulders and back, tickling her cheeks as she smiled at Kaori. "You are my child now," the woman informed her matter of fact; outstretching her arm to the streamer who was still dressed in a slutty pleated skirt, furry boots, and a nearly fully unzipped, cropped, leather biker jacket with cat ears to finish her getup. 

"Your child?" Kaori questioned. "I'm not about to be pulled into the pits of hell by demons?" The woman looked like an angel, even glowing with a soft, white aura. 

The angel chuckled softly. "Of course not. Grab my hand; I'll guide you to your new life." 

Kaori crossed her arms over her blue, misty, ghostly chest, "I know I don't really have any leverage anymore, but who are you? I deserve to know that much if you're calling yourself my new parent." 

"Persephone." The woman left her hand out, waiting for Kaori to take it, her smile and warm glow far from faltering. 

"The Goddess? Hades' wife? You are taking me to hell!" 

"I'm not," she insisted, her angelic voice making it hard for the influencer to believe Persephone was lying. "Your soul is still good, and I want to bring you to a new world where you can still be yourself." 

"What do you mean 'still be myself?'" Kaori questioned, stepping away from her own body as a plethora of emergency vehicles and workers appeared to try and bring her back. Even though she was a ghost and they were simply going right through her new form, she still didn't like the idea of strangers going through her body and wanted to avoid it if possible. 

While the women talked, the large crowd around them began to dissipate as crime scene tape went up. She then briefly watched as a white sheet was thrown over her as another officer began to lay out small, yellow tags to mark evidence.

The driver of the truck had stopped immediately and was standing outside of it in pure distress; he was just as much dead as she was. By the way he was acting, it was clear to her she may be seeing him in spirit form soon as well. 

"There are so many worlds that exist at the same time, but some at different instances as well. While you died here, in another world you may have simply been a bystander as someone else was killed. I want to bring you to a world where you can continue to live on like you hadn't died." 

Kaori squinted, but at the same time, what else was she going to do now? She let out a sigh before she closed the few feet gap between them, uncrossing her arms and grabbing Persephone's hand in hers. 

To the influencer's surprise, she could still sense touch, and the feeling of the goddess's hand in hers was the softest feeling she had ever felt; a calm, relaxing aura overcame her and she no longer had any anxiety filling her. 

The moment their hands connected, however, they were suddenly teleported to a strange, black room where the floor resembled water, rippling with each step; but their feet were not getting wet. They were walking on water like it was the sidewalk. 

There were no walls, just an endless abyss of darkness surrounding her. Kaori began to well up with fear; purgatory? "Where are we?" 

"Follow the light," Persephone gently instructed her. Her voice was like a faint whisper in the wind, as she disappeared from both Kaori's grip and sight, allowing the influencer's hand to gently fall back to her side. 

Kaori was confused. She looked all around her and there was absolutely no light around her at all. She didn't think she was claustrophobic, but being in the room, despite no walls being around her, she was overwhelmed with the sensation. "What light!?" She was beginning to panic, her voice echoing through the dark room, almost endlessly. 

Persephone giggled, bringing the newly passed woman slightly back to sanity. "Concentrate. Focus on what you want, and you shall receive what you're seeking." 

Kaori's brows scrunched. Does she mean meditate? She took a deep breath in, puffing her chest out as if she needed oxygen, holding it in for just a moment before letting it out softly. As she deflated herself slowly, she closed her beautiful eyes as she exhaled. She then loosened her muscles, stretching her neck and rolling her shoulders before going as limp as possible while still standing. "Find the light....seek the light...." 

She shot her eyes open, but there was only darkness, and Persephone was silent. Disappointed, but wanting to escape the dark abyss, she quickly went to try again. Her eyes moved to watch her feet as she proceeded to take a step in place with both feet, making sure she wouldn't sink into the water. 

When she came to the conclusion she wasn't going to be swallowed up by the mysterious, dark waters underneath her, she took a seat upon it, crossing her legs. 

The water was cold against her butt, but her skirt and skin weren't getting wet. As she closed her eyes again, she tried her best to avoid the intrusive thoughts that tried to creep in; she was attempting to calm herself once more to try and find the light. 

Is this just a VR feature of some game? Am I stuck in a game!? Kaori shook her head violently, refocusing herself as she repeated her attempt at meditating. 

"Find the light.... seek the light...."