[ WP ] You die and go to a court room deciding your afterlife . The jury consists of 6 people who love you and 6 people who hate you .

Death is a blinding. It snares all the senses, and pulls them away from your consciousness. It was n't dark, or bright. Rather, it was just like sleeping. A drifting away from reality. 
 
 Coming to, however, was startling. Belief was not among my chief qualities, and I knew I could not be alive. Cancer riddling the lungs, brain and pancreas does not allow for much, in terms of survival. So, I resigned myself to the fate of an eternity, burning, and swallowing the ash of Hell. 
 
 Only, I was sitting in a rather comfortable chair. I was surrounded by oak walls, but they were short, and I could see over them. I was in a large room, fashioned similarly out of the same oak. On either side, in front of me, were raised platforms of four chairs. Between them was another chair, but it was higher, and similarly boxed in like mine. 
 
 A figure sat in the higher chair, draped in a gray cloth. I mean draped, too. His entire head and body was obscured by the soft looking cloth. It was a gentle cascade of grey, but it was an odd sight. He, for I had decided his body looked masculine, from what I could see, merely watched me. Moments went by, before two doors opened on each side of the room, behind the sitting man. From one side, cloaked people in white entered. From the other, were those cloaked in black. 
 
 They all took seats in the chairs, and remained as silent as a whisper. 
 
 `` In life, you're name was Gregory Erasmus Fontaine. In death, so too shall we call you that. Herein begins the examination of the twelve lives you impacted most dearly. For a soul to blemish a soul is Human, for a soul to love a soul is Divine.'' The grey cloaked man announced. I swallowed, but my mouth was dry. `` The first to speak will be one of the Beloved.'' 
 
 A figure stood on the white cloaked side. The sheet was pulled, and a child was revealed, despite the figure having appeared to be a full-grown adult. 
 
 `` My name is Charlie Mills. In the third grade, you were my only friend. The days were amazing, when we goofed off in class, and played out under the sun. Even when I grew sick, Gregory... you stayed by my side. You visited me those last few weeks, before the doctors took me. And I know the truth. You're mother would n't allow you to see me. Do n't feel bad anymore.'' The boy said. I remembered that face, because the guilt had haunted me for years. I felt a wetness on my face, and wiped away the tears. I nodded to him, and he smiled. 
 
 `` And now, the Loathed.'' The grey man called. 
 
 Similarly, a figure rose. This time, however, the figure was revealed to be a young woman, of about sixteen. `` Gregory. I have little patience for you. Maybe my father forgave you, and maybe the law took pity on you. But you still sent my brother to an early grave. Your recklessness...'' She teared up. `` You robbed him from me. He was my twin... and you killed him!'' She collapsed back into her chair. 
 
 I stared at my lap. I could n't deny that drunken evening. Ramming into a tree, crumpling metal like a paper plate. Somehow I was lucky. Danny was n't. I still loved him. 
 
 Another Beloved rose. My husband, that I left just hours ago, when I passed. I was n't sure how he could be here, but he was, and I figured in death, time does n't really have any bearing on the goings-on of the judgement of souls. 
 
 `` Gregory. I never loved another man after you. You were my heart, and when you died, I could never love someone again. You showed me the power of acceptance, and then made me laugh at how insecure I could have been. You just... knew me. And I knew you. I love you.'' Adam said. Sitting, smiling in my direction. 
 
 `` That's sweet, because he spurned me.'' A Loathed spat. It was Jerry. `` On the second day of sophomore year, you broke up with me. You left me to deal with my broken family, and my illness. Did you even know that two years later, I killed myself? Yeah, thanks asshole. The last thing you said was:'you need to get over yourself!''' He paused, wringing his hands. `` Well I did! By jumping off a parking garage!'' He fell back into his chair. 
 
 I could n't look at Adam, or Charlie. But when the Beloved who was next stood, I nearly started bawling. It was my mother. 
 
 `` Gregory, dear. You know that I always knew you were different. Not because of the obvious...'' She looked at Adam and Jerry. `` No. It was your compassion. There were times you got lost. But ultimately, I think you had found your way. I love you, my little honeysuckle.'' 
 
 `` You never loved me.'' A cold, shrill voice came next. It was a girl. Nellie, from high school. `` I adored you. Worshipped you! And yet... you walked by me, and ignored my love. You left me, all alone. That prom night, when you were off, finding something out about yourself, with that boy... I was alone, in a room where everyone looked at me like a corpse just sitting there. Well, I was at the end. Pills.'' 
 
 `` You were the first person I truly ever loved.'' Danny said. There he was. Sixteen and strapping. Wearing his letterman jacket that I would steal, and do a bad impression of him while snuggled up in it. His blue, electro-shock eyes were the same eyes I saw them flash a light into, when they pulled his lifeless body from my car. It was the last time I saw him, because his parents forbid me from his funeral. 
 
 `` That love was stolen, you bastard.'' A low, throaty voice oozed. Viv, Danny's mother was glaring at me from the Loathed. `` I contemplated killing you. You took my BABY from me. How could I not be justified? No. Instead, I lived out my days with a daughter who left me alone, and a husband who offed himself only a few months later. I do n't blame her, really. I was a wreck, and when Dad killed himself, what was left? No, it's just that, I got old... and I started forgetting things. But one thing, *one thing! * Never was forgotten. And that was the pain. The last time I saw Danny before he passed? It was when he stormed out, because we found out about you two!'' 
 
 She collapsed into her chair, moaning and sobbing. I was mortified, almost too much to acknowledge the last Beloved. It was another child. Caleb. 
 
 `` Daddy. I know you're gone, and I guess that means I might be too. But you took me from the bad home. You and Papa Adam made me happy again. You treated me like a human. Like a son.'' Caleb spoke. He smiled, and then his form rippled. He grew into a handsome man, somewhere in his late eighties. `` You're love, gave me the courage and the will to live and see the world. Papa Adam and I never forgot you, even when the years passed, and the world moved on. Your love saved my life.'' 
 
 I was sobbing now. There was no stopping the tears. 
 
 `` Why did you never call me, son?'' Dad asked. He stood, in his orange jumpsuit that he wore for the last ten years of his life. `` I helped bring you into this world. I rose you to be a good boy. And then... then you turned... turned...'' He could n't say it, but he glared at Adam, Danny, and Jerry all at different points. `` You deserved what I did. You deserved it, you are n't the son I put in your mother. You are an abomination before the eyes of the Lord!'' 
 
 My tears were gone, as I stared stony-faced into the eyes of the man who had destroyed me when I was thirteen. I did n't say a word. In fact, I had been quiet, save for a few sobs, from before. 
 
 The grey-clad man spoke finally. `` The people who loved you most, and hated you most have all spoken. This is your last chance to offer closure, affirmation, or closing remarks. Please, go ahead, Gregory.'' 
 
 I stood, and trembled, but found my voice. `` To my father, who nearly brought me to death at the age or thirteen, I have nothing to say to you really, other than I believe you got everything you deserved. To Jerry, I'm sorry. I was an ass that year. I should n't have left you to deal with the burden of loneliness. It was only a few years before that I had suffered that as well. 
 
 To Nellie, you must understand that my love could n't have been given to you. You never asked me how I felt. You only demanded that I return your love. I do n't think you deserved the ridicule you suffered, but understand... I was ridiculed too. 
 
 And Viv, you and your daughter are justified in your hate. I loved Danny with all my heart. And I wish that I had n't done that. But how could I say that to you, when you had cursed him? Do you not remember that it was you who had kicked him out? I was picking him up, a mess, snot dripping out of his nose, because you had disowned him!'' 
 
 I was shaking with sadness and anger and so much more. I turned to the Beloved, though, and kept going. 
 
 `` To you all, I feel as if I do n't deserve all this praise. Weighed against my sins across the room, I'm not sure I am worthy of the love you give me. But know, I love you all more than you could know. You all were the reasons I gave my self to keep on living. Pain has a habit of becoming tolerated, and I had tolerated pain for so long. But each of you, when you were around... you made me forget it all. I love you.'' 
 
 I looked forward, to the grey-clad figure. 
 
 `` Now that all parties have spoken, the judgment shall be passed.''
