You Must Forget to Move On

“Mirya, I hope you had a nice trip now come with me”. Someone was talking to me, the voice sounded familiar but I couldn’t pinpoint where I heard it before. I was in a room with excruciating white lights. It wasn’t Heaven or at least it didn’t feel like it. Where am I? Why am I here? Where’s Myrin and Orbryn?

“Mirya get off the floor”. Apparently I was lying on the floor. My head hurt from the lights and the fact that it felt like someone dropped me.

“Where am I?”. I squinted to try and identify what was conversing with me. It came to view and I perceived it to be ferret. That was my favorite animal back on Earth. 

“You’re in the Waiting Room. This is where you go after purgatory. But please hurry we must hurry”. Why did we have to hurry? How much time do we have left? Where have I heard that voice before? So many questions arose from this simple interaction. Where’s Myrin? 

Myrin that was the voice.

Why did the ferret sound like Myrin? At this point the animal with brown and white strips urged me to get up. I complied and we started to walk down a long hallway. The hallway was a light brown and didn’t have the harsh lights. For some odd reason this place felt like home. Everything was something I had liked back on Earth: the ferret, the colors, Myrin’s voice. It even smelled like cinnamon candles; my favorite scent.

⚝──⭒─⭑─⭒──⚝

My name is Arrazilla and I help people move on from their lives on Earth so their soul can live carefree. The Waiting Room transforms into everything the person crossing over loved back on Earth. We try to get them as comfortable as possible before their memories are gone. The only thing the humans remember is their name; everything else is erased. Some people are reluctant to give their remembrances away, other people are beholden. We hold their memories in a white room sort of as a token of commemoration. 

“What’s your name”. Mirya, our newest soul, questioned.

“Arrazilla”, I answered with a short and quick answer. This wasn’t about me, it was about her.

“I like that name”, she said as she patted my head. Her favorite animal on Earth had been a ferret and I was sitting on her shoulder as we walked. There were a plethora of unique animals I had to turn into but this was the most comforting animal a human had loved. 

We walked through her memories starting with the beginning of her life and ending with the day she died.

“I love you”, Mirya’s mother was speaking to baby Mirya. She was an infant hence the fact she didn’t answer. She just made strange yet cute noises in response. 

“I’m never gonna leave you, darling”. Her mother was holding her slowly, rocking her back and forth. This was true until she died. Mirya was about 7 and Mryin was just born and their mother passed away peacefully. The rest of their family was unknown or couldn’t take care of the two so they were sent to foster care. They also stood together and when Mirya turned 18 they went to go live out on their own.

Mirya was tearing up almost about to cry but not letting herself lose composure. She would most likely be unwilling to give up her memories. I wouldn’t blame her though she loved her brother forgetting him would be hard.

We progressed further down the hallway and Mirya got to view more of her past memories. We walked past the first time she walked, her first kiss, her first school kiss. She got to watch herself fail and succeed. This of course would cause her to struggle to surrender every single piece of her path as it did many but it was necessary in the process of letting go and moving on. 

We continued to tread down the hallway. All of the memories were in rooms; the doors showed a brief description on what could be found inside. When people read a description that they didn't like they usually would skip it but Mirya wanted to relive her entire life. Then finally we arrived at the final room. The description read as follows: A sudden car crash taking the Mirya and Mryin’s last breaths. She hesitated before going inside.

They’re in a car listening to their favorite song. Mirya was driving and Mryin was in the passenger’s seat. A drunk driver came on the road. There were 3 people in the car. They were all either drunk or high. The driver accidentally turned the wheel slightly and the car spun out of control. It had snowed earlier that day and there was still ice on the floor. Mirya was approaching the car as it spun but she was looking back and Myrin was on his phone. No of them had seen the car and Mirya crashed.

She watched as the color on her brother’s face drained and his body went limp. She felt regret and guilt for not paying attention to the road but it was only a second. She had been checking the backseat for some water and that’s when it happened. She watched for a few more seconds before quietly exiting the room.

“Are you ready to move on?”. She had been crying lightly after re-watching her death. I didn’t like to interrupt people while they were in thought but this was the best time to get them to agree. People were more susceptible after watching their death so it was the best time to ask them if they were ready to move on.

“Can I stay a little longer please?”. We were running out of time but we could wait a little longer.

“Only one minute but after that you must go”. She nodded and sat reflecting. The minute hadn’t been over but she was ready to go.

“Are you sure?”. She nodded once again. I started to take her to the room where we took people’s memories. Once the process begins it can’t be undone. She entered the room voluntarily and the door locked behind her. I could see her slightly; she was mouthing words but I couldn’t understand.

“Wait”.