The Fortern Lights

A story about life, death, faith, doubt...

He was accustomed to fine clothes and the best of everything. The was now in the midst of nothing and possessed nothing, not even clothes. He had bartered everything he had accumulated in his lifetime to reach this spot. Seventy years of wealth building and trade it all away to spend his last moments in the Fortern Lights. This was a place rumored to be so joyous, so utterly amazing, people like Gerald would pay almost anything to be here. Were the rumors right? Gerald would find outshortly.

            The caretakers took the last of his belongings for “you must enter the Fortern Lights as you entered life itself”, naked and penny-less. At least that was what they had told him. Gerald made no excuses nor had any reservations.   His wife was gone, dead some twenty-five years. The children he sired never contacted or included him in anything. He had worked hard and deserved to end his existence on this plain as he saw fit. “What about the risks?” people would ask. His reply was always the same, “Life is full of risks. Why should we not take risks in death?” Fifteen more years here and for half of them he would be in institutions being cared for by people who would treat him like he was worthless.

            Soon he would know whether he had made a bad call or if he would live within the Fortern Lights for his remaining days in peace and comfort. The caretakers had placed him into a personal transport. To Gerald it looked like an old fashioned coffin. This was not reassuring but he had come this far and now had nothing to return to.

            The launch was very smooth, almost too smooth. Gerald began to wonder if he had moved at all. The caretakers had said that the transport would open automatically once he was safely in the Fortern Lights. He had not been supplied with any food or water so he assumed it would not take long. As a matter of fact, he had not noticed any devices to provide oxygen. This meant that he only had the air that he was sealed in with.  That would not last long.

            How did they know that this would work? Could one come back? Someone must have or people would not continue to go, or would they. The advertising for the trip was everywhere an older person would go. Nowhere in the contract and literature did it guarantee anything. Everything simply stated a life of joy and peace within the Fortern Lights.

            As he lay there he began to doubt his decision. Since no one had heard of anyone who had returned, they could just be shooting their customers in a sun or just into space to die. He imagined thousands of transports, coffins, floating a few sectors away with dead, frozen bodies within. Poor souls. Poor him. Everyone swindled out of their money and their lives. He supposed that a fair number of them would have taken quite a bit longer to come to this conclusion. He had also realized that there wasn't a thing he could do about it.  Even though he had a few bouts with some age related health problems, there wasn't anything life threatening. He had committed suicide. He would miss his children, no matter how little he saw of them. He would miss his friends too. All of the people that tried to talk him out of this trip. So they were right, at least he would never hear “I told you so.”

            He had stopped, or at least he thought he had. He also thought he could hear voices outside his coffin.  He stopped thinking and started listening. Yeah, he did hear muffled voices. So, either he had stopped and there were people outside or he had never gone anywhere. Maybe he would here those “I told you sos” after all. He would be glad for it too.

            No one had opened the transport. Why? Didn't they know he was inside, running out of air. He decided to bang on the top of the transport. The voices were closer now but still did not open it. He was beginning to get angry. He was finding it hard to breath. Gerald knew the amount of air left would not last much longer. He needed to calm down. Slow down his breathing. He tried to meditate but it did not help. He was still breathing too fast, using up to much oxygen. He thought about screaming but decided that it would use up too much air.

            He heard more voices now, closer still. He was at their mercy. If they decided not to open the transport he would die. He closed his eyes and began seeing flashes from his past. Seeing his kids when they were young. A smile started to creep across his face. Seeing his wife, when they were first married. The smile grew. Seeing his parents and the good friends he had made throughout his life. Realizing, once again, that he had lived a wonderful life. He also realized that he could breath easier. The thoughts had calmed him down. But would it be enough to last until they opened the transport?

            Without opening his eyes he thought he could see some form of light. Did he die? Was that the reason he could breath easier. He had heard that your life flashes before your eyes before you die. He found that he had now become afraid. Afraid to open his eyes. Afraid to even take his next breath. He forced himself to take that next breath, then another and another.  This must mean that he was still alive. He decided to open his eyes.

            What he saw next took his breath away. All of the people.  All smiling. Greeting him with hugs.  Speaking to him as if they had knew him all his life and had been waiting for him. He knew them too but also knew that he had never really met them before. He knew details of their lives, their likes and dislikes. He found it very easy to start conversations. The crowd of people dissipated  and he could see the landscape. Green, fertile land dotted with small, but adiquite, homes.  Looking out to the horizon he could see silvery-white clouds mixed with rays of golden sunshine. He could see small rivers or streams flowing off to the horizon also with water so clear he could see the rocks on the riverbed from here he stood.. The sky was a color somewhere between baby blue and purple. Beautiful streaks of whites, purples, yellow, and oranges streamed across the sky. Even though the sun was shining he could still see stars. The must have  been very bright stars to shine through the light of day.  The air was cleaner than any he had breathed before.

            They led him off to see a doctor who checked everyone out after their trip. Gerald was very pleased to hear that even those little age related issues he had were gone and he was in perfect health. Gerald could not believe that it was true. All of the feelings he had felt in the transport were proved false. Just like the contract and advertisements had said, he would live the rest of his life in peace and joy within the Fortern Lights.  

Reviews

[roarke]

interesting themes on the "end of life" A modern twist on Elysian Fields possibly. As I read this story, I couldn't help but think what the alternative to the Fortern lights, would be, if they/it didn't accept his "transport"?
Nice work.