Kaia's Trials 3.0

Life is not always black and white. There are moments that force us to make a decision without enough time to properly think about it. It is said that it is those decisions that help decide our fate, where our souls will end up once we leave one realm from another. This is Kaia's story [[start]]

My friend just passed the bar exam and we're celebrating this huge achievement at her place. There's plenty of food and drinks to go around. One of the guests turns on some dance music to really get the party started. "Congratulations, Becca! I can't believe you're going to be a lawyer." I make a toast to cheer on my best friend. "It was really hard, but it was so worth it." Becca clinks her glass to mine. "May you win every case that comes across your desk," I say after taking a drink of champagne. "To our best friend!" I shout and pour myself another drink. We all continue to celebrate Becca's success when I spot my ex-boyfriend walk through the door with another girl on his arm. "What is he doing here?" I ask Becca, who looks just as surprised as I do. "I'm not sure but I did not invite him!" says Becca. [[Confront my ex-boyfriend]] [[Ignore my ex-boyfriend]]

At this point I've had far too much to drink and not enough food to fill my belly. I don't think twice before confronting Gavin. It just pains me to see him so happy, so normal with someone else. "Just ignore him." Becca tries to convince me but I just can't let it go. "You've really got some nerve to show up here with someone else on your arm!" I stomp towards Gavin and his date with fury in my eyes and a firm grip on my glass. "Becca is my friend too, and I have as much right to be here as anyone else," says Gavin as he holds on to his date's waist. "And who I bring is none of your concern." The entire room falls silent. I don't notice, nor do I care. All my focus, all of my anger is on Gavin. "Do you not feel guilty for what you did to me?" I ask. "Do you have no shame, Gavin?" Tears sting my eyes. "I didn't do anything to you, Kaia! You decided that it was over. You decided that I wasn't good enough!" Gavin said through the grits of his teeth. "You know exactly why we broke up and it was not because you weren't good enough!" I turn my attention to his date. [[Continue to argue]] [[Walk away]]

Seeing Gavin here with someone else breaks my heart. Watching how he smiles so lovingly at her, the way he kisses her cheek and brushes the hair off her face, is just too much for my heart to handle. Suddenly, our eyes meet and I can't help the overwhelming anger coursing through me. "It's best to just let it go and let him be," Becca says to me. "He'll regret everything he did to you one day." "One day?" I hate that I can feel tears streaming down my face. "One day is not soon enough! It's not fair that he's moved on, that he's happy while I wallow in self-pity!" [[Confront my ex-boyfriend]]

It would be easier if I walked away, but Gavin just irkes me to my core! "I loved you Gavin! I wanted to grow with you, to create a future with YOU! But you had other plans." I glare at his date with every ounce of hate that I can muster. "All I asked was that you mature a little more, to leave childish things behind, but you couldn't handle it." "Kaia--" Gavin starts, but I refuse to let him say anything. "Don't try to make excuses! I broke up with you because you cheated on me!" I grab a bottle of champagne. Everyone gasps because they think I'm going to knock him upside the head with it, but this champagne is way too good to waste. Instead, I take a big swig of it and hope that it gives me extra courage. "Just answer one question for me Gavin." "What? What could you possibly want to know?" Gavin shakes his head. I take another drink of champagne. "Why? Why couldn't you see a future with me?" I ask. You wanted more than I was willing to give," says Gavin with no emotion in his voice, all while holding on to his date's waist. "All I wanted to do is come here tonight and celebrate a friend's triumph, just like you Kaia. I can see that you're not ready to move on." "You know what, Gavin? You go ahead and stay here and enjoy your night. Show all these people what a fake friend you are! And as for you," I point to Gavin's date, "I hope the next guy you date is the ONE because Gavin is just a waste of time." I shove past them with the bottle of champagne still in my hand. [[I leave the party]]

Every emotion rolls through me. I can't believe I gave him so much of my time, of myself. In the end Gavin wasn't worth it. How could someone throw away 4 years of their life just like that? I wanted to be with him. I wanted our future to be bright. He just refused to grow up. I take the bottle of champagne and make my way to the front door. [[I leave the party]]

Mascara stains my cheeks. My heart broken from the ugly truth. I walk over to my car and slam the door just before the rain starts. I take another drink of champagne. "I hate that jerk so much! Why did he have to show up and ruin everything?" I shout to the heavens. "Ugh, Gavin, you jerk!" I put the bottle to my lips. "At least the champagne is good." The sweet taste of liquor mixes with the saltiness of my tears. I reach the bottom of the bottle and contemplate going back in for another one. I don't because He's in there. "Why does life have to be so cruel?" I cry. My vision blurs as I try to blink away the tears. I turn the ignition, put the car in gear and drive off. The cabin of the car is much too quiet so I turn on the radio. Our song blasts through my speakers, the one we first danced to. "Throw more salt in my wound!" I slam my fist on the steering wheel. I sing the song out loud with all my heart, not paying much attention to what I'm doing or my surroundings. The traffic light up ahead turns red. I slam on the break just in time. The light turns green and I press the gas. [[Go straight]] [[Take a right]]

My stomach grumbles as I pass a fast food place. "I could really use a cheeseburger right now." I say to no one. My stomach growls again in agreement. "I agree, too! We should stop." I make a U-turn. The laws of driving be danmed! As I make the turn, the steering wheel slips, my foot stomps on the gas instead of the break, and my car slams into the side wall of the fast food place. I look down in time to notice I am not wearing my seatbelt. [[Next]]

I can't wait to get home, soak in a nice hot bath, throw on the most comfortable PJ's I own and eat the cold pizza from last night's dinner. I head to my apartment complex with thoughts of Gavin still on my mind. Tears blur my vision. I go to wipe them away. I didn't notice the truck reversing right in front of me. [[Next]]

Flashes of red and blue color the night sky. Sirens break through the mundane noises of the rest of the city. There's no bright light and my life doesn't flash before my eyes like everyone says happens. There's someone else at my side that I didn't expect to meet tonight. "Most humans have the forethought to not partake in spirits before going for a drive." says A dark shadowy figure as he looks down at me. Death offers his hand. I don't want to take it. "Or, you can stay here and suffer right until the very end." [[Go]] [[Stay]]

Searing pain shots through my body. I look at Death hoping he'll help me get through this, but he just stands there with his arm extended waiting for me to take it. "She has no pulse!" The paramedic shouts. "Start chest compressions!" He orders. They need to use the defibrillator. "Clear!" "Make your choice," says Death, his hand still out. "I'm not ready to leave," I cry out. "I'm too young to die now." "Humans are foolish." Sighs Death. "Always putting themselves first." Death disappears. The ambulance rushes me to the hospital. The doctor struggles to keep my heart beating. "Have they contacted the next of kin?" he asks a nurse. "They're on the way." She says. "I don't know if she'll hold on until then." The room fades in and out. A darkness blurs the edges of my vision. I'm afraid. I want to see my family one last time. I have to hold on! I have to keep fighting. "Are you ready now?" Death comes back. "Don't you think you've suffered enough?" "No!" I manage to scream. The doctor comes to my side and tries to calm me down. "Your family is coming Kaia. Just hold on a little longer, if you can." [[Loved Ones]]

"Very well. You can see them one more time." Death Agrees. [[Loved Ones]]

"There is no time for such silly sentiments." Death scoffs. "I am a very busy entity and if you were really concerned about your family, you would have been more careful!" He snaps his fingers and just like that, we're out of this realm and in another. [[The After]]

Death stands looming in the corner of the room. My eyes never leave him. The door burst open letting my parents in. "Kaia? Kaia, baby!" My mother cries as she runs to my side. She grabs hold of my hand and kisses it, not minding the blood or scrapes. "Baby girl?" I hear my father say. His voice cracks. I can tell he's fighting to hold back his tears. "We're here." He gets closer. As soon as he sees me connected to all the machines he falls to his knees at the foot of my bed. The pain has subsided. All that's left is to wait. "Kaia, baby, we love you. Oh God we love you so much!" My mother brushes the hair off my face. My father starts to pray asking God to work a miracle. But what my family doesn't know is that it's too late and Death is literally waiting for me. I use the last bit of my strength to say, "I love you both." The machine to my left signals my flatline. "It's time." Death takes my hand and we leave this realm." [[The After]]

"If you haven't guessed by now, you've died," says Death as we arrive to this other realm. There's nothing here, but darkness and silence. "Am I in Hell?" I ask as I try to find a sign or anyhing that will give me a clue to my whereabouts. "Not yet." Death pulls out a small leather pouch. "Yet?" I back away expecting a trap door to fall open beneath my feet. "Let me explain. The reason you are here in Limbo, Kaia, is because you always ran in the middle." Death says. "You weren't an awful person, but you weren't a great one either." "What does that mean?" "It means that since you couldn't pick a side when you were alive, you must go through a few trials now." "I'm still confused." "Let's go back and revisit a memory." Death pulls a small pearl, it glows a beautiful lavender, from the leather pouch and hands it to me. "What am I supposed to do with this?" "Eat it." [[Question 1]]

I crush the pearl between my molars. It's overly sweet and then suddenly very sour. The darkness turns into a dirt road with three ways to choose from. I stand at its center. "Each road will lead you to your destiny. They do not have the same ending. What you do from here on out will determine which road you go down." Death explains. "Listen very carefully to what I'm about to say." "Okay," I turn to face him. His face hides behind his hooded robe. "I'm listening." "The first scenario is simple and should require very little thought, but believe it or not, some people fail here." "I'm going to try my hardest." I assure him. "You see a child fall into a body of water, do you save the child or ignore it, or are you uncertain?" [[save]] [[ignore]] [[uncertain]]

"I don't even have to think about it!" I say surprised at such a question. "I'm going to save the child." A little girl appears out of thin air, smiles and waves at me before disappearing again. Death doesn't say anything, but the road to the left shortens in distance. [[Question 2]]

"This is going to sound insensitive, but I'd keep walking, minding my own bussiness." I say as I look away from the child's tombstone that's appeared in front of me. Death says nothing, but the road to my right shortens in distance. [[Question 2]]

"I don't know what I would do, to be honest. I've never really had to think about stuff like this before." The darkness flickers as it tries to sharpen an image but it struggles. Death says nothing, but the road in the center shortens in distance. [[Question 2]]

"Your family is struggling to make ends meet and your father suddenly becomes very ill. You find out that his life insurance policy is about to expire and it's a great deal of money. What do you do?" Death asks with no emotion in his tone and I can't see his face to judge his facial expression. "Why would you ask these types of questions?" I ask. A deep saddness overwhelms me as I envision my father sick and frail. "Do you pull the plug on the machine keeping him alive? Do you Consult your father and ask him what he wants or do you let life run its course?" [[pull the plug]] [[consult father]] [[life run its course]]

"He's already dying! And if it lessens his suffering why not put him out of his misery?" I say with no hesitation. "He'd understand that the money will really help us now more than ever." I see myself pulling the plug and the machines signaling a flatline. Again, Death says nothing, but the road to my right shortens in distance. [[Question 3]]

"I could never make that kind of decision on my own. I would ask my father what he wanted and if he couldn't speak, I would consult my mother. Money should never take part in a choice like this." I say as I see my mother and me crying at my father's bedside. Death says nothing, but the road to my left shortens in distance. [[Question 3]]

"It would be selfish of me to make such a rash decision. I would much rather let life run its course and I will find another way to get my family out of debt." I say. Tears run down my face as I see my father lying in a bed connected to all sorts of machines and wires. Death stays quiet, but the road in the center shortens in distance. [[Question 3]]

"You have to think quick on your feet because you only have time to stop one thing from happening," Death says, his voice takes in a panic inflection. "You've robbed a bank with a group of friends. One of them has shot a hostage. You get closer and realize that it's your best friend Becca. Do you reveal your identity and stay with her until help comes, knowing you're going to jail? Do you leave her there to bleed out, afraid and alone? Or, do you not know what to do?" "I don't like these questions very much." I say as I see Becca lying on the floor bleeding. "What do you do?" [[reveal identity]] [[leave her alone]] [[don't know]]

"I could never do that to Becca! I would reveal myself and pay for my crime." I say. I kneel next to Becca and hold her hand just as her image fades away. Once again, Death is quiet, but the road to my left shortens in distance." [[Question 4]]

"As much as I love Becca, I'm afraid that I'm going to have to leave here there." I see myself run out of the bank with a bag full of money while my best friend dies alone and scared. Death says nothing but the road to my right shortens in distance. [[Question 4]]

"I don't know what I would do!" I say. I can see Becca's blood pooling out from beneath her. She stretches her hand out to me. "I don't like this! I don't want to see this anymore." I shake my head. Death stays silent, but the road in the center shortens in distance. [[Question 4]]

"Very well Kaia, this will be the final question. Listen carefully," says Death. "Your accident happened because you were irresponsible. Drinking and driving is something no human should ever attempt." Death chastises me. "It was once--" I start to say but Death will not let me make excuses. "Once was all it took for you to end up here!" "I'm sorry." I say. "You can either accept your fate for what it is, you could have Gavin and his date take your place, or you could let me choose for you. What will it be?" The possibility of being able to go back to my family, to go back to leading a normal life was right in front of me. I could get my life back. Of course, it had a price. I'm I willing to pay it? [[Accept Fate]] [[Take Gavin and his Date]] [[Let Death Decide]]

"As much as I would love to go back to my family, I have to accept my fate and move on from that life. I hope they all live happy, long lives, even Gavin." Before me I see my parents retiring and living there dream to be by the beach. I see Becca in her power suit winning case after case and I even see Gavin waiting down the aisle as his bride approaches him. "You may go through the door, Kaia." Death waves his hand and a door appears in front of the road on the left. [[open 1st door]]

"Take me back! I choose to go back to my life! Let Gavin and his new girlfriend end up here. Please, send me back." I feel rain fall on my face for just a brief moment before a door in the right road appears. "You may open this door." Death moves out of the way to let me pass. [[Open the 3rd Door]]

"I can't make this choice," I say. "I'm not worthy enough." Images of my family appear. I see my parents crying at my funeral alongside Becca and Gavin is there too. They all fade as soon as Death snaps his finger. "Very well," says Death. "You may open the door." A door in the center road appears. [[Open 2nd Door]]

"Youve made wise choice and have earned your way to Heaven!" <center><img src="Heaven.jpg"> <audio autoplay> <source src="HeavenlyGates.mp3"></audio>

"Once again, you were not very decisive and therefore you must become a Reaper and work in Limbo until you learn to make better choices." <center><img src="Reaper.jpg"> <audio autoplay> <source src="DeathsCall.wav"></audio>

"You have made some terrible decisions and have earned your ticket to Hell!" <center><img src="Hell.jpg"> <audio autoplay> <source src="EntrancetoHell.wav"></audio>