—------

Salt water felt like crap going up my nose. Was I bleeding red? Did it matter? The water was dark either way. I didn’t know it was possible to claw at liquid until that moment that I fought the inevitable and lost.

—

“Of… course?” I repeated back dully.

“Oh, my sweet summer child. Everyone here’s crossed the divide one way or another.” The cat-like girl put her hands up, open palms placating. “You don’t have to tell us your story, just know that we… Well, we get it.”

“We do.” The boy agreed.

Salt water will burn when it hits cut flesh. I knew that fact, knew it intimately. It was abundantly clear why. It wasn’t hard to believe. The knowledge roiled under my skin.

My palms itched. 

I nodded, humming, accepting the fact like I’d absently heard the Rite-Aid near my place was shutting down. 

Like dying was a regular Tuesday.

I bit my lip as I glanced around the massive hall, frowning deeper at the presence of younger kids now. Hundreds populated it. Young, old, all creatures of indeterminate age. It wasn’t how I’d pictured the afterlife.

Not that I’d gone to too much trouble picturing it at all.

“We’re all dead, then?”

“Not exactly,” Mierre shook her head in the negative. “We’re alive, nearly. The important thing is, we’d all like to stay that way.”

The cat's eyes darted to the boy, “Especially Jong-suk here.”

Nearly alive? I wanted to say.

“Jong-suk?” I asked instead,

“Mr. Seer here’s actual name.”

“Oh.” I glanced at the more insufferable of the two. “That’s a much better name than Mr. Seer.”

He groaned in annoyance. “Your skills of deduction continually astound me.”

“Hey bud, we’ve just met.” I replied drolly. 

“Right, whatever.” He rolled his eyes. “Well met and all.”

“Sure.” I said, tapping my fingers on my thigh. “So, just to get this straight. We’re alive in some… weird limbo, and our objective is to... not die?”

“Just about.” Mierre said cheerfully.

Right.

“I guess that’s not so different from what I was doing before.” I took a long sip of water. “Shit.”

“Yep. Dying sucks.” Mierre nodded in sympathy.

“Gives us a reason to live,” Jong-suk said. “Dying.”

“I’ll give you that.” I coughed, looking to my fingertips. “I’d also like to… avoid doing that again.”

I paused to take another sip of water. It was clear and fresh but lukewarm in contrast to the cold walls of the interior facilities. The ripples in my cup reminded me of the rings of trees. Some proof of life, metaphorical and deep or something equally sentimental. I’d felt like I was drowning in my life before, stuck pleasing everyone around me while slowly losing my will to do anything but work, work, work. To think the way I'd be going out was on vacation. It was very literary.

My lips twitched into a wry smile, and I laughed. Who was I trying to kid?

This situation was absurd.

Jong-suk looked at me worriedly. "You're not going to have a sudden mental breakdown, are you?"

"I don't know, am I?" I said as I pulled myself together.

I waved my hand in the air, referencing the general situation. “So if we’re not dead yet, but we’ve all died, then what exactly are we?”

“The Administrator will explain at your orientation.” Mierre smiled, “New recruits’ll be directed to the auditorium after breakfast. But you can consider it a new world, I suppose. That’s how I’ve come to understand it.”

“On that note, you’d better do as our dear Administrator says and Eat up. You’ll regret it if you don’t.” Jong-suk instructed. "It's never a good idea to skip breakfast here."

I glanced at the ominous note. “Eat up. Not exactly friendly, is it?”

“This place isn’t friendly, Dianne.” Jong-suk warned, crossing his arms. “It’s something you’ll learn quickly, I’m sure.”

I frowned at him. There was something overly familiar about his attitude that I didn’t like. But, my instincts insisted that he wasn't a threat. I studied his face, and he looked away, pouting.

“I’m still not over how you seem to know me.” I snipped. “But… I’ll put a pin in that conversation. I’ve got bigger fish to fry, it seems.”

Jong-suk uncrossed his arms. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry too.”

“About what?” I said, “The name thing?”

He grimaced, looking me in the eye.

“No. It’s the… the dying thing.” He said awkwardly, “My condolences.”

“Sure.” I replied. “Um, me too. Death is a real bummer.”

“Heard.” Jong-suk said, a tight smile pulling at his lips.

What a weird noodle of a boy.

I took a bite of my egg now cold egg to end whatever flubbering was going on between Jong-suk and I. It was serviceable. The taste, at least, didn’t leave me hungrier. My attention turned to the cup of unlabeled pills.

“These… do either of you know what they are?” I asked after chewing.

“No.” Mierre said, “Everyone gets something a little different. The Administrator tailors them. Since it’s your first day, they’ve probably got something to do with your attunement.”

“Attunement?” I asked. “Like in D&D?”

“D&D?” Mierre tilted her head.

“No,” Jong-suk said with distaste. “Just wait until your orientation. You’ll be… fine. Knowing just makes it harder, really.”

“Just one word of advice." Mierre said. "Don’t question the Administrator.”

“That’s reassuring…” I said, flicking my eyes to the multitude of people and creatures behind me. The pills haunted the cup for a moment longer before I gave in, sighing.

Down the hatch.

Luckily as they passed through my esophagus on the way to my stomach, I didn’t sink into a high or pass out. There were no discernible changes besides a slight roiling of my stomach.

Actually... I did feel a little pain in my chest. I placed my hand on my chin in alarm, my eyes going wide. Then, in my panic, an unavoidable burp interrupted my fear. A beat passed between us before Mierre guffawed. I glared at her from behind my embarrassment.

“See? You’ll be fine.” Jong-suk said.

—

I parted ways with the pair after breakfast. They were going somewhere called “The Dungeon” to “Farm.” I didn’t like the idea of either of those words, but I got the feeling I’d soon be well acquainted with both. Nonetheless, I couldn’t say why they’d taken a particular interest in a newbie like me. Especially Jong-suk who seemed the most interested, even though he also seemed the most annoyed with my presence. 

It was honestly suspicious.

I didn't have much time to dwell on it, however.

Another lit up corridor led to the auditorium. The bracelets gave perfect instructions, demanding new recruits to congregate. I stepped in, and the whole place was creepily made up like a high school basketball court, a stage at center with a wooden podium, metal chairs lined up the middle in an assembly style, about 50 or so. Maybe exactly 50. 

I wasn’t the last to arrive, though it was close. The bracelet instructed me to sit in a metal chair labeled “23,” and there it was. Empty. I took my place, scooting past a couple other new recruits. The two next to me were somewhat humanoid, though clearly not from my world. I didn’t strike up a conversation and neither did they. It was the tension gnawing at each and every one of us, threatening to snap, that kept us quiet.

Soon, the auditorium was full, and with graceful timing, as the last butt fell in the last chair, a *pop* sounded from the stage. At the podium loomed…

An odd puffball looking creature?

It had wings, though its floating body seemed like it had some other mechanism for flight. It hovered eerily before the microphone, tapping on it to test the sound. Its face was lit up by a pair of large, blue eyes, a small beak set into the center of its scrunched up visage. If I squinted, I might call it cute, but with my eyes open, it looked mildly horrifying. Like a furby with limbs. However, most outlandishly of all, it was dressed in a three piece suit.

It tapped again. “Ahem, can everyone hear me?”

No one spoke.

“Well, aren’t you lot a talkative bunch?” It rolled its eyes, “I said, can everyone hear me?”

Quiet yesses rang out.

“Good. As you may have deduced, you’ve all died horrible deaths. I’m the Administrator of this facility, which has proudly gone through over fifty cycles of recruitment! At Second Chance Inc, through our highly selective process, we have deemed it appropriate to give you all, well, a second chance! *Cue Applause*.”

It said that part out loud. 

Not a single person clapped.

“Hey, the least you could do is play along. Clap!” 

Tentatively, the crowd gave the Administrator a polite, nervous applause.

“Now, was that so hard?”

Yes.

“Anyhoo! You’ve all been allotted propriety SC Systems, which have been graciously grafted to your nervous systems, skins, scales, and/or hides during transfer to our facilities. You’re welcome!”

My eyes rushed down to the mysterious bracelet on my wrist. It hadn’t budged when I tried to take it off before, but it was… grafted? To my skin? My nervous system?? 

Wh—

“Now, you may be wondering, Why? Why have we graciously saved your sad and pitiful lives from their sad and pitiful ends? Well, it has to do with those lovely SC Systems on your bodies!” It clapped its tiny arms together, “These wonderful little devices’ primary function is to allow you to collect energy and materials from across different worlds. You can then conveniently transfer all collections directly back to Second Chance Banking Deposits where they play an important role in our inter-dimensional economy. During this orientation, we will demonstrate how this handy system will allow you to pay back your life debts to SC Incorporated while also providing you boons which will speed up your collection speed! How handy!”

“D-Debts?” A brave little soul spoke up near the front.

“Oh yes, did you think we saved your lives for free? No, no dear, nothing in this life or the next comes free. If you’d like to escape death or eternal servitude, I suggest you try to meet your quotas!” The Administrator chirped. “Else, who knows what the system will do with you all. You’re all made of precious energy and materials too! What do you think the system will do to you if you ungratefully die for a second time?”

It leaned into the microphone, smiling as much as a beaked creature was capable of smiling.

“A word of advice: Best not to chance it.”

Amidst the crowd, the corporate fluffball's words sunk like stones. A murmur of unease floated between every person. I wanted to claw the foreign system off my arm but refrained.

Best not to chance it.