Afterlife: Reg: The Gravekeeper

[k_a_webb]

Written for LJ user ysabetwordsmith.

Reg had never been scared of death. There had been a time, possibly, when he was much younger that he had been uncomfortable with the idea of dying, but that was because he still had so much to do with his life. On the day he’d turned eighty he knew that the time would come sooner or later, he’d had a good innings, and in a strange way he was looking forward to dying. He’d always wondered if there was an afterlife, but he’d thought about it more when he became a cemetery attendant as he’d spent almost all his time with the dead.

It had been strangely soothing to spend his days in the cemetery, walking through the rows of gravestones and keeping them clear of rubbish. Reg would always hate the people who disrespected the dead by not caring for the place their body rested. There were some recent graves that never got visitors that he always made sure to take extra care of, hoping that whoever it was appreciated having someone there for them. All the graves had a story and occasionally he couldn’t help wondering about the graves of the children who had died young. They were the reason he had difficulty believing in an all powerful Christian God, because he couldn’t understand a God who would let those who hadn’t lived die.

When Reg died he didn’t need the guidance some spirits needed. Nothing held him to Earth and he knew his grave would be one of those no one visited, unless one of his old friends decided to take some flowers occasionally. It seemed unlikely, but he didn’t really mind all that much. Not while he wandered through the doorway that led him to a whole new world, because he knew he had an adventure in front of him, and he was going to enjoy it. Maybe there would come a time when he’d look down sadly on his grave, wishing someone would visit.

Slowly, taking in everything he could see, Reg walked towards the town he could see in the distance. He didn’t know if what was happening to him was normal, if it was just a dream instead of death, but that wasn’t going to stop him, and he kept walking even when the doubts were close to stopping him. There were stories he’d heard of what happened when a person died, those people who had been through near death experiences, so he couldn’t help thinking that his experience should be exactly the same, even though he didn’t know why it should be. He was different to them, because he wasn’t going to be given a choice. Death was the only step he could take.

“Reg,” a voice called, as he got closer to the town.

He turned, wondering if he’d see someone he knew and found a woman there he’d never met before.

“It’s so wonderful to finally met you. I’m Edith Hall.”

After a moment Reg realised who Edith was and smiled. “It’s nice to meet you too, Edith.”

She smiled back. “Wait until I tell everyone you’re here. There are so many people who want to meet and thank you for all the hard work you did.” She took his hand. “It’s because of you a group of spirits with their graves in your cemetery started spending time together.”

Mirrored from K. A. Webb Writing.

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Aww! This is adorable. I love it! More more more!