[ WP ] You are dead , but before you can go on to heaven or hell , you must meet all the people you could 've been .

`` You know how they say your life flashes before your eyes when you're about to die? Well, it does and does n't. It's hard to explain, really. I do n't so much see all of it in a flash, as much as I can suddenly remember it vividly. `` 
 
 `` It's as if I just saw a 2 hour movie of my life an hour ago, and I can recall it as I could that movie. `` 
 
 `` No flash. No tunnel. No words of god. I had been alone at home, and there was no one there to help once my heart started to turn against me. `` 
 
 `` I could feel the burning sensation in my chest, the deep gout of pain that struck me in the center of my chest, and reached out to the rest of my body. I did n't know what to do, and I fell to the floor in my kitchen, trying to deal with the pain and here I am. My names Jake Tran, and I'm dead. `` 
 
 `` Hi Jake.'' They all replied in return, sitting in metal folding chairs and looking at me with deep green, attentive eyes. They all looked as if they came from different walks of life, and the circle was big, but not as big as I'd think it'd be for a dead meeting. 
 
 There was roughly 40 of them, one was dressed up in a nice suit with a blood stain on the front of his shirt. Another one of them was dressed in ragged and heavy clothing, his eyes sunken and his expression not changing much, just a general state of apathy, maybe a bit of surprise. I mean, I could n't blame him, it'd been a shock when I died too. 
 
 And there were more and more of them from there, some dressed in ordinary clothing, some old, some young, and all of them looking... Well, there was just something I could n't quite place my finger on. 
 
 The next man in line started to speak, dressed in red clothing, a large coat, and had a giant white beard. `` I feel the same way Jake. But I ended up here about six days ago. It was Black Friday, and I had started my usual seasonal job of being Santa. I made the mistake of trying to go get something on my break, but... I did n't make it back.'' The man next to him, or, kid I should say, his face rife with acne patted him on the back, shaking his head in sympathy. 
 
 `` I never thought it'd happen like that, you know? I'd gotten laid off a few years ago, my company had to be downsized and I was n't cut out for it in the end. So I had to take odd jobs like this, and... Who knows how I ended up here? Just a small step of events that made me last until now.'' His hands moved up to his face, trembling softly. You could see the callouses of a hard worker on his fingers and knuckles as he held his head, taking a moment to wind down. 
 
 The old man at, what was presumably the head of the circle nodded. He had old, greying hair that was lost in a few places on his head. He nodded solemnly, then stood up his legs shaking as if they had trouble supporting his weight. 
 
 `` Well. Thank all of you, for sharing your stories. I was told I could hear it from you, and... I think i'm quite satisfied with my life. Thank you.'' 
 
 At hearing this I looked at him strangely, as did nearly everyone else in the room. 
 
 `` Wait, what? Are you hear to just hear our sob stories?'' Someone in a white tuxedo asked, dark bruises on his neck had stood up, looking to the older man. His green eyes staring at the man, filled with... Emotion. Something more fiery than the sadness of apathy I'd seen around here so far, and, hearing his words? He was right. I stood up with him, looking at the bag of bones, as if he was able to say something like that to us. 
 
 `` Well... Young man. Of course I did. I was also here to see if anyone had any better stories than min-'' 
 
 `` Well, what *is* your story? You never even told us.'' I retorted, pointing a finger at him, and taking a step closer, the circle growing tighter as they followed in my step. 
 
 He licked his chapped lips, his hand moving up to rub at his scalp, passing by his thin, grey hair. `` Well. I lived a full life. I found someone I loved and held onto them for as long as I could. After that, I did my best at work, got promoted, and continued to do well. Had a few kids, eventually retired. So many details, such a life that I can hardly explain in a few sentences. The last part of my life I remember was when I was on the hospital bed, holding my wives hand, and looking in her eyes, fighting to hold on and live for her. But I let it all go when I heard her tell me,'Let go Jake. Be free.' Hello everyone. My name's Jake Tran, and I'm dead.'' 
 
 I blinked slowly, looking down at my hands and seeing to the floor, slowly coming to the realization of what had just happened. And what this all meant. I looked at the older Jake, and felt my eyes getting blurry, a bit of water falling down by cheek, but suddenly hitting the floor as there was nothing there. I was gone.
