[ WP ] Your first question upon arriving in the afterlife is , `` what do people do here ? '' An elder member describes the phases that people go though once they arrive and warns you about the last one .

As his vision returned, the boy realised he was now lying on the floor, surrounded by grass and bluebells. It was like learning to use his eyes again, he had forgotten what it was like to see. He tried to remember what it was like before he died. `` Everything's sharper, everything's much more vivid!'' he thought aloud. As he raised his head to form a visual account of his surroundings he was startled by a hearty voice, one that projected with clarity and calmness. `` Yes, my boy. You're right, I was startled by the very revelation you are now experiencing when I arrived some fifty years ago. It's quite a sight, is n't it?'' 
 
 The boy turned around to meet his respondent and found himself looking into the face of an old and wrinkled man who had piercing blue eyes. Slowly, he canvased the rest of this man's body. He was tall in stature, and wore a velvet suit, purple in colour. The boy could tell he cared for his appearance, even in his old age. `` How old are you?'' he blurted to the man. With a hearty laugh, the man replied `` I'm 162.'' The boy tried to hide his confusion, but his eyes gave him away. `` I'm Martin, and who are you?'' he continued. `` I'm Tom.'' he said. `` Follow me Tom, you'll have plenty of time to explore this beautiful world, but first we really must discuss your current situation.'' he said. He began walking with graceful but very long strides which was hard for Tom's short legs to keep up with. Now that Tom finally had time to adjust his eyes to the new world he had been subjected to, he could see the vast beauty of the place. They were in a forest it seemed, though not like any forest he had ever seen. The greens of the trees were bright and luminous, though not too harsh on his eyes. The grey-green bark of the trees was clearer than anything he had ever seen, the bark indentation on the tree he was staring at nearly made him walk into his wrinkled friend. Tom then saw what he thought looked like a glass box. As they got closer, he realised it was n't a glass box at all, but a means of transportation. 
 
 `` What are those buttons?'' he asked. `` Well, Tom. This is what we call a Viewcart here. It lets you move around with full transparency for our viewing desires. Here, I'll show you.'' After that, he touched a translucent LED button, and with a jolt both of them were sent upwards with tremendous speed. The seemingly never-ending trees were now shortening as they continued their ascent. To Tom, the journey felt like an hour, but in reality it was just 10 seconds. They had finally reached the brim of the forest where the cart came to a gentle halt. `` There.'' Martin said, and tapped the side of the cart. Almost instantly, a small glass table and two chairs seemingly appeared from nowhere and the two sat down, Tom much hesitantly than his older company. `` Now, you're probably wondering where you are, who I am and what we're doing. Correct?'' the man said. `` Yes.'' `` Well, I'm going to summarise everything now, very briefly.'' he continued. `` So, as you are probably already aware, this is the'afterlife' as you know it. Here we call it Arboria.'' Tom nodded, although he would be lying if he said he was n't at least a little confused. `` I am one of many of the Arborian introducers. And luckily for you, I was assigned to you.'' he laughed. Tom was now becoming conscious of how high they actually were, he started to feel a little queasy. Instead of staring downwards, he cast his eyes towards the horizon. Although, there was no horizon. All he could see in every direction but upwards was a sea of trees. All varied in height, but relatively similar, apart from one. One that was above them, seemingly suspended in mid-air, and this one was far bigger than anything he had ever seen in his life. 
 
 `` Now, here in Arboria we follow a process that consists of three stages. Any other way and there would be chaos. Just like in your previous life.'' he now said with utmost seriousness. Even the old man's wrinkled lips pursed and his skin now sagged. Tom felt he should really ask questions but by the look on the old man's face and the tone in which he was speaking, he guessed it would be a bad time. `` You are in the first stage now. You are a newcomer and will stay that way for ten years. You will be limited to a certain section of Arboria, for your own safety.'' Tom frowned slightly at the thought of this. `` I'm in the afterlife and there are bad things? Great.'' he thought to himself. `` The second stage. This will last twenty years. For this stage you will be able to act freely without any restrictions. You will be able to explore the world of Arboria without limitations and summon whatever you so desire. And this is the stage at which you will be able to meet with other people you may know here.'' Martin said, with a lingering smile on his face. Immediately Tom thought about his mother. He felt guilty for momentarily forgetting about her but assured himself that she would forgive him, how could his mind possibly have remained coherent after experiencing such a shock as this? `` Then, the third stage arrives. And, now you will hate the thought of it. But, trust me when I say that you'll come to understand it in due time.'' the man said. `` It is the end. The end of life for you.'' Tom seemed confused. `` Why? Why does it end?'' he shouted at the old man. Tom was surprised at the calmness the man had at being shouted at, then realised he had probably received the same reaction by thousands of other people before. `` Well, Tom. Think about it this way. I'm willing to bet this is the most beautiful place you've ever seen in your life. Am I correct?'' the old man did n't wait for a response. `` You see, if everyone that had ever died before was still around, Arboria would n't be beautiful like it is now. It would be overpopulated and contaminated. Much like planet Earth now. It is just the way it must be.'' said Martin with a hint of sadness that the boy regrettably picked up on. 

