[ WP ] A Man dies and expects to go either Heaven or Hell , only to be told by an Angel that he already was in Hell and now his punishment is over

Lukas gulped in air, shaking from his experiences on Earth. The images were vividly branded in his mind. 
 
 Seventy years of struggling, of fighting for the life he'd dreamt of as a boy. He'd achieved some of it, but lost most of those dreams along the way. And that *end*: choking for air as the sickness raced through his body, a withered husk of a man. 
 
 God, the exhaustion. But the worst might still await him, he knew. This place was real, was n't it? That meant Hell and Heaven could exist. And as he'd lost his dreams and tried to scramble back up, he'd done some things. He'd done some terrible things. 
 
 `` It's over? So what will it be - Heaven or Hell?'' he asked the blinding white angel that towered over him in the floating space between planes. Limbo, they'd told him. 
 
 It beat its wing and stepped closer. Its voice enveloped Lukas and thrummed through his being. 
 
 `` You have already been in Hell, human,'' the angel said, wrapping one wing around his body. Lukas felt an overwhelming sense of warmth and safety. `` Your punishment is done. Step forth, and rest.'' 
 
 It was pointing at a type of... tunnel. Lukas felt his heart beating rapidly as he looked at it. He had a thousand questions for the angels. Debates about the fairness of it, fury he wanted to unleash. But it did n't matter, really, did it? The tunnel was there. Heaven awaited, finally. Rest. Sweet release. 
 
 Another angel appeared in limbo and watched the human fading from view. 
 
 `` It always feels so cruel, to deceive them like that,'' it said into the emptiness. 
 
 `` It would n't be Hell without deception,'' its companion shrugged, and gestured at itself. `` Besides. In some forgotten corner of its new mind, it will remember this conversation. Perhaps it will be wiser in its new life. And one day, truly free itself.'' 
 
 The angels smiled at one another, remembering their own human lives. Cycles upon cycles of hell. They had been some of the few to break free. To remember enough of each passing to gain wisdom, and find their freedom. 
 
 `` Perhaps,'' the other agreed. They fell silent and waited for the next soul to arrive from Hell. 
 
 -- -- -- -- - 
 
 Lukas' eyes snapped open, and he dragged in a breath to scream. He was covered in blood and slime. Someone - a woman? - was panting hoarsely nearby. 
 
 He was picked up, and the light blinded him. He freed his tongue and screamed. 
 
 He screamed as he managed to hold onto a single memory of the white platform and the angels, and realised where he was. 
 
 He was back. 
 
 -- -- -- 
 Hope you enjoyed my story! You can find more of my work on /r/Inkfinger/.
