Prologue:

Death was simple. A moment passed, pain followed by numbness, slowly fading away into darkness. It was what came after that was less so. I stood in a blank expanse with only a desk in front of me and could only stare at the person I found staring back at me. It was as if looking into a mirror for only a moment till he sat down and spoke, calmly and with a reassuring smile.

"Would you like to sit down? I am sure this is quite shocking for you right now." With a gesture of his hand a small chair appeared in front of the desk, turned slightly at an angle, inviting me to it. I took what felt like steps forwards and sat down, noting that my hands were an opaque white as if from a dream. Settling into the chair and facing the best version of myself I felt as if this was the moment that would determine the rest of my existence.

Judgement.

"Yes you are dead." The statement snapped me out of my own musings and up to a book he closed with a gentle thump, fading away as if never existing in the first place. With a swipe of his hand on the dest a blank paper appeared between us.

"What we are here for is to determine what happens next for you. Most will want to go to heaven, a place made for them and only them. Some want to live again with a new life or one where they take over one. Others do not get any option and are wiped clean and sent to live again with never knowing this place. Some... What would you decide? Remember, this can be changed upon coming here again should you choose to live again." As he spoke his voice became more flat and had a hind of desperation to it, as if almost scared for my answer. This spooked me since there were a lot of unknowns in all the options. What were my true desires? Where would I live again? Who or what would I become after taking any of the choices?

"And the other choice?" His face fell into his hands and when he looked at me, I saw the bags under his eyes.

"It ends. I destroy you and any portion of your soul, taking it for myself. You will cease to exist and will be lost forever. Please don't do this."

"Ah that explains the bags under your eyes. I won't be taking that option but was wondering-"

"Oh thank you! The last few hundred souls I had been tasked with had chosen that and I really needed a win today." Immediately his face brightened up and I noted the paper became more solid, like a stone tablet. A small border etched itself in front of my eyes and I felt better, as if the worst had passed. "Sorry, what were you about to say?"

"Oh, I was just wondering if I could come back here again after my choice. It would be nice to see a familiar face after I-" Feeling my voice choke was interesting since I didn't feel like it was there. That lack of physically feeling myself drove the reality home that I had in fact.

"Died…" With a look of pride he tapped the table, causing the tablet to have some form of writing carve into itself. I guess this was more for him than for me, a reminder of my choice and that until my next death it was set into stone. Smoothly picking up the stone and giving it a once over he glanced over to me. "Anything else you want to add before you get sent back to life?"

"Could I keep a bit of myself and possibly be somewhere I know of? I don't want to fade away and cease to exist." I felt really small asking but when I heard his laugh it gave me a sense of relief as I looked at his smile.

"You won't remember this till you return. And don't worry," I felt things fade away and a falling feeling as he drifted farther away. My mind trying to hold onto itself as I felt myself slip away.

"Just live." And then I knew nothing but darkness.