ANSWERS PLEASE (6)

All I want to know is what's going on and why and if it must happen that way. What is the whole point of everything? That is a lot of questions I know. But I can't help myself.

I scratch my head in frustration. Only questions and no answers. I'm supposed to stay quiet. I'm losing my damn mind. So I get off my bed again and go sit at Pier's feet. He gives me a hard stare. I stare harder. I'm desperate and he can't see that.

"The founder told Azreel that it's been a while since she brought someone to this unit, whatever that means, why? " I question impatiently.

"Yeah it's been a while. Was all peace and quiet in the day... "

I cut him off irritated.

"What's with the silence in the day? What happens at night? Was goes on here? " I almost cry in desperation , anger and fear.

Pier just stares blankly at me. Now that I am looking more carefully at him, the guy looks like death. So pale, so tired and completely drained like he's worked out in the field all day in the scorching sun. No wonder he doesn't want to talk. I wonder what happened to him. Will it happen to me too? I dread to know actually.

"You will know everything in due time. " Pier says quietly.

Goddammit! When exactly is that?

"Come on man, give me something please. " I plead with him.

"First, try to come to terms with the fact that you are dead. So you no longer have a place in the land of the living, well, apart from a grave if you are lucky. Once you have got that inside your head, you will learn you have to be somewhere else where dead people go to. Unlike going into the living place in birth, in this place you actually choose where to go . There is different units with different forms according to your life's decisions. Yours as well as mine and everything else in this unit are relatively similar. We all chose here all along as we lived. Go sit in a corner and think through your life's decisions. " Pier instructs grimacing as he stares into nothingness.

I take a moment to think through his words. I did some wrong things that some I paid for in police cells. I served some jail time for my wrong doings. Yes I got away with some but I paid for my sins already. Whoever awards points for one's life's decision must have had it for me. I should have gotten some wrongs scratched when I helped the needy. I provided homes for countless homeless people.

Right, I agree I'm dead. I'm the dead don't just float in air. Okay, we have to be somewhere. Right, but why couldn't we all be somewhere all of us waiting for that ultimate judgement. Somewhere we could somehow live our lives freely as if we never stopped. What's with the cages?

"I don't understand why it has to be different from life among the living. I mean, we actually still have the memories of over there or... here ." I complain frowning.

"It's not the best things to have the memories. You'll wish to forget them or better still, never made them. " Pier spits bitterly.

I get curious.

"What did you do? " I ask slowly.

Anticipating hostility.

"None of your business. " He snaps at me and turns around away from me.

Well, that went well.

"Look I'm sorry I didn't mean to pry. I was just curious. "I try to make him keep talking to me but this time maybe I crossed a line.

So I back away to a corner and sit with my legs pulled to my chest I hug my knees. My mind is blank. I'm anxious and nervous. I'm here now, what next? Damn I'm so frustrated. I scratch my head roughly as if I could rip my dreadlocks off. A while passes before commotion kicks in, in the place. I quickly jump to my feet and go to the grilled door.

Looking through the spaces, I see the shadowy figures, a lot of them flocking down the hallways and some entering the cubicles. They pass through the door without opening and every one they get into it's like the inhabitants start panicking and pleading to be left alone. That can't be good.

So I shakily back away from the door and climb on my bed. I'm shaking so bad. Not the shadow things please. But soon one kind of diffuses into our cubicle. And then another follows. The second one carries a weird looking leather bottle . My eyes almost fall out when I see Pier move zombie like towards the creatures and drinks from the bottle things. He hisses like a viper.

I bite my tongue really hard to prevent from screaming. Or maybe I actually screamed because in a second, the creatures were near the bed. The one with the crazy potion thing outstretches it's hand for me to take it.

I shake my head no. But then start to chant in my head.

'Drink scream juice. ' And this makes me take the bottle and drink from it.

Ugh! That tastes like misery and pure suffering. I want to gag but suddenly there is a new chant in my head that stops my other thoughts.

'Entertainment '