Charon and Riley waited patiently, sitting under a pine tree near the sign. Until a loud flash descended from the sky, striking the ground and setting part of the pine tree on fire. From the flash, two silhouettes revealed themselves. One tall and robust, and the other slim with curves. Two angels, one with a masculine appearance and the other feminine. The bulkier one wore a shining golden armor, with a sword at his waist. A bright yellow halo extended from his helmet, which covered his face. He had two white wings, each with three yellow eyes staring directly at Charon. The other angel, slim and feminine, had fair skin, short blonde hair, and a snow-white hue. She wore a white suit and held a clipboard with some sheets and a golden pen.

"Back off, cursed creature! We've come to take Riley Hayes!" shouted the robust one, glaring at Charon with anger.

"Go fuck yourself!" replied Charon.

The angel slowly drew his sword from his waist, which immediately became engulfed in a strong flame. Charon extended his open hand toward the ground, causing water to begin flowing from the earth, flooding the area. From this water, an old dark wooden oar emerged, heading straight for Charon's hand. Upon grasping it, he slowly shaped the oar into a sharp scythe.

The angel with snow-white hair extended his arm in front of the robust one, preventing him from advancing toward Charon.

"Aziel, stop!" said the angel in the white suit.

"This... he disrespected me."

"So what? We're not here for that. We should set a good example."

Aziel sheathed his sword, and Charon released his oar, causing the fire and water to dissipate from the area.

"I apologize for Aziel. It's just that he misses the days of battle and is a bit too proud. My name is Na'el. I'm a scribe angel responsible for recording and overseeing crossings to the celestial realm. This big guy here beside me is Aziel, a valuable soldier and also a bodyguard," introduced the angel Na'el, who then flipped through the documents and approached Charon and Riley.

"I'm Charon, the ferryman of souls," said Charon, adjusting his hood with his hand in greeting.

Na'el began to quickly read the clipboard to confirm the information.

"One moment, let me see... Riley Hayes, young, 23 years old, waitress, Jonathan, victim, coffee table, brain injury, red suitcase, Wygant State..."

"Yes, she is Riley," Charon interjected.

"Then, Riley. You are welcome to the celestial realm, also known as heaven or paradise. It's a peaceful place with beautiful landscapes, a city of gold, and streets of precious stones. I just need you to confirm by signing here, and then follow us," explained Na'el.

"I don't think I want to," Riley responded.

"What? How dare you refuse?" Aziel shouted, outraged.

"It's just that I'm not religious. Or rather, I'm not anymore. I asked for help many times and was never heard. And now, after I'm dead, you show up?"

"We're not allowed to intervene, it's orders from above," Na'el said.

"And all this talk about gold and precious stones seems too vain and not humble enough. Wasn't Jesus simple? And, honestly, I can't picture myself praying or singing. I don't know, it seems good for those who like it, but it's not for me," Riley questioned.

"All the gold and precious stones represent the greatness of God's glory and perfection. And the hymns are the way we show our gratitude and devotion," Na'el replied, explaining as he furrowed his brows and lowered the clipboard.

"It seems very snobbish and boring. No offense, it's just my opinion. I think I'd rather stay here," Riley stated.

"Then burn in the fire of..."

"Stop, Aziel!"

Na'el sighed, filled out a refusal document, and said:

"It's a little strange for someone to refuse, considering that everyone does everything to be worthy of going to paradise. But fine, if that's your will. I'll mark it as a temporary refusal, but the doors are always open for you. Goodbye, Riley Hayes. Take care!" Then, Na'el handed Riley the pen and clipboard to sign.

Riley carefully read the pages, then signed. The angels stepped back a little. Then, a new flash of light descended from the heavens to take them back. As the light faded, it was possible to see Na'el smiling gently at Riley, while Aziel shot a furious glance at Charon with his winged stare.

"I can't believe you refused. I've seen people kill themselves for an opportunity like that. And you even had the courage to say all that to their faces, haha," said Charon, laughing, still surprised.

"Well, I thought it through. And it wasn't for me. I think I'd rather stay here. What's the name of this place again?" Riley asked, while admiring the Columbia River, the trees, and the sun slowly rising, revealing a cold, desaturated blue world.

"Asphodel Fields, purgatory, land of the dead, the other side."

The crossing and the conversation with the angels had taken the whole night, and it was now time to say goodbye.

"Can you drop me off in the city center?"

"Of course, Riley."

Charon opened the Plymouth's door for her to get in and got in himself right after. He turned on the radio, adjusted the mirrors, looked for something to play for a few seconds, and let "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" play. Then, he drove toward the city center.

After driving for a few minutes, they passed by the ruins of a diner near the city center. Cracked walls, broken glass, and dust-covered surfaces. Completely deteriorated.

"This exact spot used to be the diner where I worked. I want to stay here," said Riley.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

They got out of the car and took a good look at the diner.

"It would need a good renovation. And the other properties around are empty too, so there's room to expand. So, how about you take it?" asked Charon.

"It would be a good fresh start," Riley replied.

"It's not the same as living, but there's still plenty to appreciate from this side. The other souls would love to have a new refuge and a kind friend to count on."

"Yeah. I think it would give me a new purpose. And this time, alone and at peace. But how would I afford to buy and renovate it? Wait... do we have to pay for things even here?" Riley asked.

"Don't worry about that!" Charon replied as he opened the car's trunk, took out a duffel bag, and began magically filling it with obols.

"The local currency here is this, obols."

"No, Charon. You don't have to," said Riley, surprised, refusing to accept.

"Don't worry. I have plenty of these. Trust me," Charon replied, laughing as he stuffed the bag with obols, making it almost impossible to close.

Charon handed her the bag of obols, which shocked her even more as she held it, noticing its weight. He then said:

"On this same street, there's a real estate agency run by an old lady who's a dear friend of mine. She'll take care of everything. If you need, there's also a hostel nearby. You can stay there while you get things settled bit by bit. Unfortunately, I have to go now because there's more work to do. But I'll be visiting you again soon. See you later, Riley."

Riley dropped the bag on the ground and hugged him. He hugged her back. Then, he got into the car, waved, and drove off. Riley watched him get farther away, wondering if she would ever see him again.

CHAPTER SONG: NOT SO GRAVE INN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ry54VnPZEg0