Saylee felt her left shoulder gripped tightly, causing her to jolt awake. She blinked a few times.

She fell asleep at some point during the journey. The trip felt like an eternity, with no passengers conversing, and the new 80’s music on low volume. She found it easy to doze off.

Saylee felt like the equivalent of taking an excessively long nap, but instead of feeling good, she felt awful.

Turning, she saw Gabe, grabbing her shoulder, “It’s time to get up, we’re here”

The old man, next to Gabe, looked over Gabe and gave Saylee a worried expression, “I need to pee”

Gabe turned to look at the man, “What you know, I’ve heard you. Give her a moment”

Saylee looked up, the seats vacant in front of her. She awkwardly made her way out of the van. Saylee was about to question the whole needing to still pee after death but was distracted by the sight

The old man from their van ride rushed past her, towards their driver Carl.

Carl, had his tablet out, tapping and swiping away at the screen. The other passengers standing awkwardly around him, looking at him for direction. The teenager stood next to him, looking bored.

They were at what appeared to be a platform. There were several other vans, and groups congregating. Behind Carl, was a pole sign that said “Authorized Drop-off Vehicles Only”

Looking past the sign, there was a path leading up to an enormous docking station. The station was a matte gray, in the shape of a giant rectangle. Easily the size of several American shopping malls combined.

She gaped, “That station is enormous”

Gabe walked up beside her, “Almost as big as your mom”

Saylee turned and looked at him with an exasperated expression.

Gabe looked amused, and playfully raised both his hands in self-defense, “What? Don’t take it too seriously. You’re dead. No need to get all butt-hurt on me”

Saylee looked at him for a moment before sighing of resignation. She looked back at the station, noticing the thousands of windows that lined the station. Amazed by the amount of people moving past the windows. How long has something like this been out here in space? She wondered.

Gabe patted his pockets, “I wish I was able to bring my cigs”

“I told you, you don’t need to pee. It’s all in your head. Spirits don’t pee. Distract yourself”

Saylee looked over at Carl, who was arguing with a passenger. The other passengers started to talk over each other, trying to speak with Carl. The driver looked more flustered as he was bombarded with questions. The teenager next to Carl was smirking as they were messing with their phone.

“I’m getting the feeling that the teenager is a…employee? I don’t know what to call them but whoever the people are who seem to be working in” She waved a circle, “this.”

Gabe nodded, “She looks chill, I’ll see if I can get bum a cig from her. You smoke?”

Saylee paused, “I never did…before. Right now…why not? I need something to calm my nerves. Sure, I’ll take a cig. If I don’t like it, you can have it”

Bemused, Gabe spoke, “I’ll go ask her”. He walked off towards her.

Gabe jogged towards the teen girl, hands in his pockets. He took a hand out and waved to her. She nodded at him in acknowledgment. Gabe stood next to her, both hands in his pockets, talking to her casually, stopping every so often when the teen typed something on her phone. The teen would show the phone to Gabe, who nodded after reading the text. He spoke to her for some time.

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What felt like fifteen minutes. Gabe jogged back to Saylee, “You’ll never guess what I found out”.

“Is it about what this place is and what happens next?”

“Nope, I found out that I can get cigs later on sometime after processing. Oh, and she’s a reaper”

Saylee, startled, spoke, “Wait wait wait. Hold on. She’s a reaper? How does that make sense?”

Gabe shrugged, “What she told me was her name is Reeves. She’s a newly hired security reaper. She told me Carl was the hired chauffeur. They make sure that we, the spirits, are taken here for processing.”

Saylee bit the tip of her thumbnail in thought, “Why a reaper? It’s not like the reaper-Reeves, did anything about that crazed guy who fell off the van”

“Reeves told me because they leave rowdy spirits behind so they have time to calm down, as some spirits need more time than others. She said that some spirits need reaping as they are considered a threat.”

“If that guy wasn’t even considered a threat, I can’t imagine what is”

Gabe ran a hand through his hair, “From what she said, she said that some spirits have made dark pacts or have powerful spiritual blessings. They will not leave without a fight. They are so determined to stay on that mortal plane, that they will kill chauffeurs if they don’t get their way.”

Saylee started to bite around her nails, “This is all too much for one day”

Gabe observed her biting her nails, “You know that’s a nasty habit”

“Your mom is a nasty habit”, Saylee glanced at him, with an eyebrow raised.

Gabe burst out in a toothy grin, “What you know, you might be worth getting to know after”

Saylee and Gabe sat on the curb next to the van, Saylee finishing up introducing herself and telling Gabe about her life before.

Gabe was about to speak when they heard a voice speaking through the intercoms on top of the signs, “Attention, please regroup to your assigned chauffeur. The shuttle will arrive shortly”

“Hey, you two, get over here!”, Carl bellowed towards them.

The two of them got up and walked towards the group.

Carl waved at the group, “Please stand single file. I know you have questions. I hope you can tell I’ve been averting all of them. The shuttle will take you to the introductory presentation, and from there, they will take you to your counselor slash agent who will answer your questions. Answering all your questions is beyond my pay grade”

Saylee glanced around at the other groups nearby standing in single-file lines in front of the other vans parked on the platform. The people in the lines ranged in age, some wore casual clothes, others in their work attire. Most people spoke in whispers.

There was a chime sound. Ahead of the walkway towards the docking station. The station door opened. A shuttle train drove out going a steady pace towards their platform, with several shuttle cars in tow.

The shuttle trained parked as it parked next to the platform. Each group fit perfectly in each shuttle car. Carl guided his group into the shuttle. Once all the passengers stepped in, Carl stepped in. Reeves stepped in last, closing the door behind her.

The shuttle moved with a jolt. Moving around the circular platform, returning towards the station doors.

As the shuttle drove into the station. Saylee was amazed at how vast the room was. High ceilings, bright lights, and…carpeted flooring.

Saylee spoke with dismay, “I never imagined the station to have carpet flooring”

Gabe looked around, then leaned forward, a sly grin on his face, “What, you’ve never heard of the vacuum of space”

Everyone in the cart just stared at Gabe.

Saylee smirked, “I’m embarrassed for you”

Gabe retorted, “That’s what your mom said”

Carl cut in, “Hey, enough with the immaturity. We’re here”

Reeves stood up and opened the door. Carl followed, holding the door open for the rest of them.

In front of each shuttle was a door. Each door had a sign that said “conference room” followed by a number. Each conference door adjacent to the shuttle car had a different number.

Carl pointed towards the conference door closest to them, “Head into conference room four. Don’t cause any trouble. From here on out, they’ll handle your questions and concerns”.

The group walked single file into the conference room.

Saylee looked around the room, she was unimpressed. This didn’t look like any spaceship she’s seen in movies.

The floor had thin dark blue carpet, egg white painted walls, with popcorn textured ceiling paint.

There were several chairs lined up in two rows, facing a podium. A screen was lit behind the podium, it was blinding bright blue, displaying the words, “Continuation Inc.” in the center with a basic corporate font aesthetic.

Saylee and Gabe took a seat, sitting next to each other.

Once everyone took a seat. They heard the conference room door close. Saylee glanced back to see Reeves closed the door and was leaning against the wall, phone in hand.

The lights went dim.

A chipper voice spoke from the multiple speakers surrounding the room, “Welcome, to the start of your new journey, and the continuation of your remaining years of judgment. Sit back, and relax. The processing phase won’t take too long. Once processing has been completed, you’ll be set up with your new home, given a solid career path, and provided with more exciting goodies. You’ll be stepping onto the fresh and beautiful New Earth soil before you know it”