The Waiting Room
A/N: This is a very late addition to our story archive, the world is craaazy rn! Hope you enjoy it!
TW: Mentions of Suicide
Tags: Death, After Life, Agnst, Spiritual
1.7k words
17+
Sometimes, when you die; you donât go straight, and you canât go backâŚso you just wait. Somewhere there is a waiting room, in a location that cannot be placed on maps. A place that is only described as âA place that time has yet to comeâ upon entering the room, there are chairs lined up against a wall facing a greeting window, with an empty chair behind it. There is only one entrance and one exit, a guard stands on the inside of the waiting room and only points when a person has been called to the other side. Though there are so many comers and goers, and too many names to remember; there was a young Janet, who had recently passed on, and has now entered the room. When she enters the office, she is met with just a single man sitting in the chair directly in the middle of all the lined chairs. Though she was scared, she still took her seat next to him. With anxiety as her only familiar feeling, she sparks conversation with this man. With her eyes glued to the mans shoes, she shakily offered her hand to him. ââŚHâŚHello, how are you?â
The man took her hand with a smirk, and a soft chuckle. He replied in his strong deep voice, carried by a southern accent âIâve been better, been feeling a little down since I got here. Iâm Randell by the way; but you wonât remember thatâ Â He then cleared his throat fumbling in his pockets for something, pulling out two loose cigarettes, and offering one to Janet. She simply shook her head at his offer, wavying his gesture away. âNo thank you, Iâm uh Janet by the wayâ she replied resting her hands in her lap âOh, not a smoker?â Randell questioned âNo, smoking is bad for you. Its putâs people in early graves; too much of a riskâ she scolded
Randell couldnât help but chuckle and tilt his head as he placed the cigarettes between his lips. âWell I can tell ya dying is the least of my worriesâŚanyhow⌠Nice to meet chaâ Janet, so let us cut the chaseâŚhowâd ya go? Crazy ex? Drunk night out gone wrong? Ya look a little young to end up here, how many kids did you have?âÂ
with every question Randell leaned in closer and closer to Janets face, to the point that his nose is touching her cheek. She leaned away from him, finally looking directly in his face. She though to herself on how Randell doesnât look much older than her, but he spoke as if he had lived a life far longer than her. âuh. No...noâŚnone of thatâŚI jumped.â She finally said, her words feathering off at the end as her voice became quiet.
 His voiced raised with sympathy when he said âAhh poor thing, so I guess ya know whatâs cominâ to ya when Rahb knocks on the door, huh?â He placed his hand on her shoulder in condolence. Janet shook her head in confusion âUhâŚwho?â
Randell pointed to the door, where Rahb is standing with his head down. âHim, he doesnât speak nothin much, but he listens well. Ainât that right Rahb?â He received no reply from the tall silent man.
Janet looked over and surely there he was. There stands a tall man with chestnut brown skin, dressed in all black. His height on itâs own was shocking, standing at more than 7ft tall, and a veil covering his head. If one didnât know he was a guard, they may mistake him for death. Janet bought herself back from her shock, âOkay wellâŚuhâŚnoâŚI donât knowâŚwhatâs going to happen to me?â she asked hoping Randell knew the answer, but alas he did not.
Randell just shrugged âHeck if I know, I never go when he knocks for meâ Without hesitation Janet had to question him, there are options? She doesnât have to go? Why doesnât he go? Is he special?  âThenâŚhowâd you go?â she questioned.
Randell Thought for a second, looking around the room as if the answer is going to pop up in a corner somewhere.  âWellâŚIâŚIâŚI just canât rememberâŚitâs been so long. I like to think I was a hero or somethinâ, but seeinâ as Iâm hereâŚwell; Iâm guessin Iâll never knowâ
Her questions continued âOkayâŚhow long have you been here?â Randell shifted in his seat âLetâs seeâŚI got here sometime after Kennedy got shotâ he said quickly, and rather nonchalant Janet shook her head from the shock of his statement âWaitâŚwait...wait...waitâŚyouâve been here since Kennedy, the presidentâŚwas shot?â He shrugged âBout that time, yes.â Janet couldnât hide her shock, âThatâs almost 60 years! How can you just sit here for that much time?â
âWow that long? HmâŚtime donât come by there, I forgot how long itâs been. Did they ever figure out who did it?â  He asked innocently âIâm not going to answer that itâs not important RâŚâ she paused for a moment, âRâŚrich..Richard? Ran..Randy? Rob⌠Iâm so sorry, whats your name again?â Randell shook his head, âdonât worry about it, you donât need to know itâ Embarrassed she continued her questions âyou never once even thought about going through the door? WaitâŚif Rahb does not speakâŚhow do you know heâs knocking for you?â
Randell chuckles, sighing and leaning back into his seat. As if he was waiting for her to ask this question. âWellâŚfor a long timeâŚI was the only one hereâŚand occasionally, good olâ Rahb would give a knock on the door for me, and Iâd feel thisâŚpull in ma chest...tellinâ me to go and then Rahb would step to the side and point out. ThenâŚthere would be this bright lightâŚof many colors, and I always wanted to go to it, but I just stay my ground, I ainât too sure whatâs out there for me and Iâm not ready to find out just yet.â
Janet still wasnât sure of what Randell meant, âa light? Of many colors? What does that even look likeâŚlike stained glass? Or a rainbo-â She was  stopped by a sudden pulling in her chest, a sensation that immediately brings her to tears. She couldnât decide if the feeling was painful or just an unfamiliar sensation. She clutched her chest, as if she could take the feeling out with her hand. Almost like if she could just see what was making her feel this way, she could understand her tears. However, no matter how hard she could dig into herself, she would never find it.
At the feet of Randell and Janet is a bright light, of beautiful colors, some Janet had never seen before.
Randell looked over at Janet, wiping some tears from her face. Offering a gentle smile, and speaking softly âThatâs itâŚthatâs the lightâ Her voice shaking from her tears âIâŚI see thatâŚwhat do I do?â
Randell once again shrugged âThatâs up to you, are you gonna go and face uncertain everafter? Or are you gonna sit here with me? The choice is yours.â Janet thought for a moment, wiping the tears from her face. But no matter how many she wipes away, more fall. She debated with herself over worrying about where she was headed, not knowing what was going to happen was so terrifying but staying with Randell could be just as bad. What if Rahb really knocked for Randell because he was special, what if this opportunity never came to her again. The more she thought about it, the pulling in her chest getting so strong that it was now beginning to be painful.
âIf I goâŚare you just going to stay here? You canât come with me?â her voice had risen with her question and fallen with her fear.  Randell placed his hand on her shoulder, shaking his head âNot my lightâŚnot my knockâŚyouâre on your own for this. You came into the world on your own; sadly, even if you died in a big olâ group of people, youâd still be walking through that door on your ownâ
Janet shook her head at him, her simple tears turning into harsh sobs.  âButâŚIâm scaredâŚI jumped but I didnâtâŚI didnât want to die. I mean I did, butâŚI-I-just thought I would justâŚnot exist anymore. I didnât know there was more to go throughâÂ
Randell sighed, grabbing her hand. âDarlinâ thatâs a record Iâve heard before. It never gets old, because everyone says it a different way. I canât take the pain of your decisions away but The faster you decide, the less scared youâll be.â Janet looked over that the door, the pull in her chest now becoming unbearable. She stands and starts to walk over to Rahb and the light. Her footsteps were shaking, her fingers curled into her palms. She turned back to Randell. âDyingâŚis the least of my worries, right? At least I know itâs not thatâŚIt was nice meeting you R.. RâŚâ She chuckled through her tears, the only time sheâs laughed since sheâd been there. She continued âI hope to meet you again somedayâ Randell nodded, rising from his seat and handing her the cigarette she refused, he simply said âDeath canât getcha twice Darlinâ â with those kind words he waved her off.
Gaining a breath of courage, she walks out of the door. The light fades, the door closes and Rahb is standing in front of the door once again. Rahb, in a deep voice that shakes the tiles in the room speaks âLast time your name was Charles, and you died in World War 2â âRandellâ laughed, âif I could tell the truth I would, time donât come round here muchâ
âRandellâ laughed, âif I could tell the truth I would, but people wouldnât believe me if I told the truth, and besidesâŚtime donât come round here muchâ he paused thinking of Janetâs tear stained face. âI hope she likes the name I gave herâ âWhyâd you pick Darlin?â Rahb asked.
âShe was sweet, scared, butâŚI think this time âround, sheâll be ready. Sheâll live a long life, my Darlinââ He said sweetly.
Rahb just nodded, dropping his head in response.
The door behind âRandellâ opened, and a man walked in. Before he looked around to see Randell in the middle of the room, the way Janet did; Randell was gone. And in that same seat sat a little boy.
âHey mister? Ya comin?â his little voice spoke
-Victoria












