A Drive to the Cabin
by
Adam Krause
Trying to discern what happens after death is just about as easy as trying to discern what hidden obstacles lie ahead while traveling on a foggy, two-lane highway at dawn.
Such enigmatic questions frequently danced across the overly curious mind of Athan Anderson, and in his current state of mind, such questions only posed more of a distraction to his zealous driving.
His wife Emily’s fingers playfully caressed his thick, brown hair, her gaze fixed upon his face. "You don’t really think that we’re all just reborn do you?" Emily inquired, sounding sincerely interested. "I mean, you said that you think some people just live on forever after death, free of their physical bodies, a ghost forever."
"It’s just a thought, Em, like I said," Athan replied, his hands clenching the wheel so hard they nearly slid off from the sweat. "Ghost is a bad word for it anyway, more like spirit. I’m just saying, I think maybe after death, our spirits stay right here, on this planet, living their lives the way they want to. Shit, maybe when you die, life just goes on as if you were still alive, except you don’t know the difference anymore."
For Athan Anderson, that thought seemed awfully comforting. What if one’s life continued on just as it had been going, completely unaltered, as if one had never made the fatal mistake that extinguished their fragile existence? Athan barely had time to put any deep thought into it, in between the short bursts of conversation and watching the fog-enshrouded road.
The road signs blended in with the trees and the shrubs now, as they all flashed by in brief moments of fog-free blur. Athan liked to keep his window cracked at all times--even if just half a centimeter--because it made him feel more in touch with the road. He firmly felt as if the monotonous hum of the wind racing through the window helped his mind focus better.
"Well, honey," said Emily, "I like that idea a lot. After all, you and I would already have our spots reserved in Hell, along with the rest of humanity." Her eyes looked straight ahead, her fingers feeling like icicles against Athan’s forearm. For a moment neither of them spoke, and just as quickly as silence made its entrance, it made its escape in the form of Emily’s voice. "I just hope that you’re wrong about the rebirth thing. How would a person ever know what they should do in this world in order to bypass being reborn in it?"
"Well, Em, I think that after so many times of screwing it up, a person is bound to surpass that endless cycle. I think the fact that we can sit here and discuss this is a sign that we’ve reached exactly that point. I wonder what our afterlife will be like?"
"I think it would be something real nice, Athan, something that we both really love."
Athan’s mind felt content with her answer, as if it cured all his wondering.
Without either of them speaking, a silent understanding was conveyed through their body language. Emily’s head came to rest on Athan’s solid but comfortable shoulder. After six years of marriage, and four years of dating before that, the two had a relatively ideal life, at least in their own eyes. They had time to do what they desired, and although they did not have large incomes, they were able to appreciate the simple things in life. They found popular culture annoying and overbearing at times, and the cabin was a perfect getaway from the information blitz imposed upon them everyday. Athan now realized that his window was almost one quarter of the way open, but Emily didn’t seem to mind.
As the morning fog began to withdraw with every passing minute, Athan switched his lights on, but it seemed to only wash out his view more. The sound of a blaring truck horn did not aid in his execution of the turn, nor did the deer that pranced across the road. All of a sudden, there was a jolting vibration throughout the car, a violent, thrashing sensation coursing through each of their bodies. The car was losing control now, headed off the road into complete and utter oblivion. Athan relinquished control of the wheel to Fate as he and his loving wife plunged towards the unknown, their mouths silenced, their thoughts as foggy as their surroundings. A lone tree stepped in front of their crash course, stopping them in their tracks. Darkness overcame the both of them. And then a terrible light, and an even more terrible heat.
Athan Anderson wondered if this was the light people talked about seeing when they had near-death experiences. In his dazed state, he also considered whether or not the smell of burning plastic and rubber was typical of the phenomena. As if waking up from a dream, Athan Anderson realized this was not a near-death experience, although he began to realize just how near to death he was. The flames were getting stronger now, and he moved to rouse his wife, but a shooting pain in his legs allowed him to move only his upper body.
"Emily," said Athan, short of breath and gently shaking his wife’s shoulder. "Emily, you’ve got to get up, I’ve got to get you out of here." Athan realized how futile his intentions were, knowing that he was in no condition to save anyone. Looking down, he noticed his seatbelt had a firm grip on his waist, so firm in fact that it sent shooting pains through his body just to move an inch. Emily was not so lucky. As she slowly stirred to consciousness, Athan saw the horrible facts of the matter. He was unable to move his lower body from his seat, and his wife’s seatbelt had caused damage to her mid-section, cradling her so tightly that it defeated the purpose of wearing a seatbelt whatsoever.
"Athan . . ." murmured Emily softly, still looking down. "Athan, where are you? Are you okay?" She made no indication that she was in pain, nor any indication that she was aware of being in a fire-engulfed vehicle next to her husband.
Athan’s weakened hand reached out towards his wife’s and grasped on. He spoke to her, his eyes never moving from her beautiful face, saying, "Emily . . . I am here with you, hold on baby, someone will come for us soon. Everything is going to be alright. . ." Athan knew it wasn’t true.
Emily said nothing, but the smile on her face perplexed Athan. At that moment, he was seeing her as she was the first time they met. In that immortal sliver of time, her short, red hair was transformed into the shoulder-length, brown hair that Athan found ever more appealing. At that moment, the crimson running down her forehead and staining her clothes disappeared, and the pain that he was in melted away upon touching his wife’s soft hand.
She spoke to him without opening her mouth, saying, "Athan . . . there is a light, just like you said there would be. I want you to see the light too . . . Please don’t be afraid of letting go . . ."
"No baby, you’re not going anywhere, hold on!" said Athan somewhat confused, his eyes fixed only upon her face, still as innocent and gorgeous as the day he met her. "The light is just in your head, the car’s on fire, baby! I need to get you out!"
"Come with me Athan, we’re almost to the cabin already, now we can live for eternity . . ." said Emily, her smiling lips closed as the words floated through Athan’s mind. "Just let go."
#
Without warning, Athan felt a tremendous sense of relief wash over him, his wife now looking him in the eyes, her smile more radiant than any light he had ever seen. As he continued to stare at her, he noticed there were no flames around the car anymore. Had the fire gone out? Her soft hands caressed his own, and he found himself free of pain, his wife free of all injury.
The atmosphere was filled with the smell of fresh air and wildflowers, not burning plastic. It reminded Athan of the cabin he and Emily shared. Looking around, he saw that the car was in perfect condition, with a small lake in the background reflecting the midday sun, the wind rustling the leaves of the trees like Emily’s fingers through his hair. Looking back towards Emily again, he noticed she was not in her seat anymore. In the distance, he saw a young woman with shoulder-length, brown hair stepping out of a cabin--their cabin--and giving a friendly wave.
Stepping out of the car, Athan rushed up to his wife and let his kisses do the talking at first, then his vocal chords. "Oh my god, am I happy to see you!" said Athan, his arms embracing a surprised looking Emily. "God, I love you Emily. I feel like I haven’t seen you in an eternity."
"Geez, what’s gotten into you, mister!?" said Emily, in the playful way which Athan had loved so very much. "It’s like ever since we got to the cabin, everything is different now. It’s as if there’s not a care in the world, Athan, and you and me are at the center of it. It’s perfect here, I don’t ever want to go back."
Athan Anderson finally had it all, and as he sat there gripping Emily’s shoulders, staring off into the lake, his eyes did not betray him. It was everything he had always dreamed of. It was perfect.
"Is everything okay, honey?" questioned Emily.
Athan turned towards Emily, his eyes peering deep into her soul, and said, ". . . Yes, Emily, everything’s just fine. I don’t want to go back either. It’s perfect."
And so it was, forever and eternity.