text: A Ghost Story Grace lay quietly in the hospital bed. Her heart monitor showed a slowing of her heartbeat. Her husband sat beside her bed crying. Grace felt as if she were melting into the bed. She tried patting her husbands’ hand, she felt cold creeping up her body. Her legs felt like ice. She breathed through her mouth gasping for every breath. Her husband kept raising her gown to feel her legs. He could feel the cold moving up her body. Grace quietly wondered what was on the other side. She was sure that there was life on the other side, her Baptist faith had taught her that. What would it be like? A nurse came in and checked her vitals. “Nurse, how long will it take me to die?” Grace quietly asked. The nurse looked down at her and smiled, “The process always takes about two days.” Grace sighed and lay still, feeling as if the melting was quacking. She slowly drifted off to sleep. Grace woke up, the room seemed bright and she felt o.k., she sat up and pushed herself off of the hospital bed. Her husband was sitting in the corner crying and signing some paperwork. “Joseph, Joseph, I feel so much better.” She walked over to stand beside him. She looked down at the paperwork he was signing. She reached out to touch him on the shoulder. “Joseph, look, I am better.” He did not glance at her, he continued filling out the paperwork. She felt frustrated and turned around in anger. She noticed a body still lying on the hospital bed. She walked over to it and saw that it was herself. It suddenly dawned on her that she had died. She reached down and pinched herself to see if she were dreaming. She felt no pain with the pinch. She stepped back and suddenly a tunnel appeared before her. It looked black around the edges, but there was a bright spot at the end of it. She knew she had to follow it through to the end. Grace walked what seemed like miles to the end of the tunnel and stepped out on the other side. She followed a path of gold bricks through some woods and as she topped the hill, she saw the golden city on top of a high hill. The gates seemed gigantic and hewn from a single pearl. A man sat on a stool by the entrance. He got up and walked towards her. She felt embarrassed as she stood there in her hospital gown. He held out a hand towards her, “Welcome to the gates of heaven, please wait and I will open them for you.” He walked over and pulled on a golden stranded rope; He waved his hand for her to enter. She walked in and suddenly saw a group of people huddled off to the side. They turned and approached her. She blushed as she realized her nakedness standing there. The gentleman reached out his hand, “Welcome to heaven.” He said, his gaze did not fall from Grace’s face. The woman pushed her way gently towards grace, “Don’t worry about one thing, we will see to all of your needs and set you up with a house here.” She smiled broadly. Grace smiled, can I see my Grandmother and Grandfather?” A man behind the woman nodded, “You may visit your relatives after a three-day settling in period here.” He smiled at Grace. The woman looped her arm through Graces, follow us, we want to take you and show you your new home. They walked down the streets of heaven; Grace saw people in every manner of dress even from centuries past. The gentleman beside her smiled as he looked down at her, “everyone here dresses in the way they did in life. It helps everyone feel comfortable here.” Grace nodded, “I see.” The streets were crowded with people, No one seemed to pay attention to Grace’s hospital gown. They approached a beautiful Victorian home, the man who had addressed Grace and welcomed her dropped the keys into her hands. “This is to be your home here.” Grace’s hand flew over her mouth, “Really?” The group nodded and hugged Grace. “Grace, get settled into your new home and I will come around for you in about two hours’ time and we will go pick you up some clothes. Grace nodded, “that would be great!” The group waved goodbye and left Grace standing there on the front porch. She turned around and inserted the large skeleton key in the lock. The door swung open and she walked in looking at the grandeur of the home. It was beautiful! She walked up the stairs, and into the bedroom. She looked around and glanced out the window to the street below, she saw a couple with a child walking down the street below. She opened the closet and glanced into the closet, there were no clothes there. She looked at how spacious the closet was. She walked down the stairs, through the dining hall and into the back kitchen. It was spaciously laid out. The furniture was ornate and looked Victorian in design. She walked into the living room and sat down on the sofa. She noticed there were no clocks on the wall so she could not decide on how to tell when to expect her company. The sun shown brightly through the window, Grace got up and pulled back a panel of the heavy velvet gold drapery. Soon a rapid knock came at the door. Grace walked over and opened it. “Hello again, I have come to take you clothes shopping. The woman pulled out a tape measure and started taking all of her measurements and writing them down on a pad of paper. Grace turned and posed as asked. “How do you like your new home Grace?” The woman asked. It is grander than the one I had when on Earth. The woman smiled, she waved for Grace to follow her. They walked out into the street and followed a winding path which was lined with shops. Grace saw people walking with bags in their hands. They finally stopped and entered one. The woman approached the proprietor. “This is our new citizen Grace. She needs a wardrobe for here.” The woman smiled, “Welcome Grace.” The woman studied Grace’s measurements and stood up rubbing her chin. “I have just the thing for you.” She walked out among the racks and pulled hangers off of the racks left and right. She handed them to the woman. She motioned for Grace to follow her. They walked back into the dressing rooms and started trying on outfits. Grace picked out her favorites that she had enjoyed on earth. “How do I pay for these,” she asked, the woman smiled and laughed, “You do not dear, shop keeping over here, is a service to others. All work over here is in service to others.” She smiled, placed the clothes back on the hanger and handed them to Grace. “Hand these clothes to the clerk and just let her scan them out and place them in a bag for you.” Grace did as she was instructed. “May I wear an outfit out?” Grace asked. “Yes of course the woman said with a big smile on her face. “Grace looked at the woman, what time is it?” “We have no time here per say, it is never dark here either.” She laughed softly and opened the door, “There is a wonderful little restaurant down the road that I think we should stop and eat a bite. Eating is not a necessity here, but new commers usually take a while to adapt to that aspect of living over here.” Grace smiled and swung the dress bags over her shoulder and followed after her friend. They followed the golden brick along to a section of town with a lot of restaurants and the woman chose one and opened the door for Grace. “What do we eat over here?” Grace asked. “Mostly fruits and vegetables.” They chose a place close to the window and sat down. They picked up the menus and perused them, Grace instantly requested the pear salad. The woman stopped and smiled sweetly, Grace, “I never told you my name.” Grace smiled, “No you have not.” She looked at the woman gently. “I’m your great, great grandmother, that you have never met in life. I am Mary Terrell. Grace placed her hand over her mouth, Great, Great Grandmother.” She looked at her intently. “Yes, and I am so happy to finally have met you.” She smiled. “I am going to be your best friend and help you settle into things here.” “Grace, I think I will take the Pear salad as well.”