8 The traveller

The traveller wept when she found herself in the darkness. “No!” she cried! “Please, no! No!” She knelt on the ground, her face buried in her hands and didn´t bother to hold back her emotion. Maria crouched down beside her and softly stroked her back. “I´m sorry,” she said. “I´m so sorry!” The traveller screamed her pain out into the nothingness. Marina let her cry, until her voice was nothing but breathless gasps. “Please,” she whispered. “Please don´t.” Marina didn´t stop her repetitive motions on her back. “I´m afraid I have no say in this.” When the other one didn´t answer, Marina asked: “What is your name?” “Masiko.” “Hello, Masiko.” Marina smiled. Determined to offer as much consolation as she could. She decided to be honest. “I wish there were some magic words I could say to you, that would make it all better, Masiko. But all I can offer is a chance for you to tell me everything you want to be said before you go on to the next chapter of your story.” Masiko’s eyes should have been red and swollen, but in the darkness, she looked just as she had before one wrong step had made her lose balance and she had fallen down the cliff.

“Why me?” she asked with a voice strained from crying. “Why now? I still have so many places to see. Things to experience. I am not ready yet!” The last words were nothing but desperate sobs again. The emotions of someone who had truly loved their life and tasted every moment of it with delight. Masiko was mourning her own death. “You had a nice life?” Marina asked carefully. Masiko nodded. “I had the best life. My family loved me . I was never ill. I have never had to grieve or starve or suffer. I am a photographer. I mean, I was. I have travelled all over the world.” Her voice was still heavy with pain, but she wasn´t as helpless anymore. “You must have seen a lot of wonderful things!” Marina made her smile widen. “Tell me about them!” She stood and helped Masiko to her feet beside her.

The traveller took a deep breath, looked around and said: “What is this place?” “We call it the in-between.” The lie came over Marina´s lips much more easily now than it had in the beginning. “You come here before you move on to your next time.” Masiko halted. “My next time? You mean, I´ll be reborn?” The hope in her voice gave her away. “You will!” Marina confirmed. “Although I cannot tell you where or when. But you will be able to travel again.” They had already reached the point where Death was waiting. “This is the one to lead you to your destination.” A smile spread on Masiko´s lips. “I know where I want to go!” she said. “And where is that?” Marina wondered. Masiko took a step towards Death. “Home!” she whispered, took Death´s outstretched hand and burst into glowing embers.

“You did it.” Death concluded. “You made her happy. You helped her find peace.” Marina just nodded until her tears had disappeared. She had become better at that already. “She was truly happy.” Death stepped beside her. “Does that make it better or worse?” Marina thought about that question for a while. “Both.”