It's a little too cold in here. That was my first thought as I awoke in a small room with a fish tank and five chairs lined against a wall. It sort of resembled a waiting room at a doctor’s office but there was no desk, or receptionist to greet me. The cold, though, that was the most annoying thing about the room. It was cold enough to bother you, but also warm enough that you knew if you put on a jacket you'd be too warm.
I took a moment to focus on how I'd even come to be in the room. There were no doors or windows. Had the room somehow been built around me while I slept? Surely that would have woken me.
As I pondered my predicament a memory flashed through my mind. I remembered standing on the platform at the subway station. I was on my way home. I was in a hurry because I knew that Nikki, a former co-worker of mine, would be taking that same subway line to her block and I didn't want to run into her. She and I had been competing for the same promotion until the boss found out someone had embezzled money out of the company's tax account. I made it look like Nikki had done it, but it was me. Word was she was out on bail.
Next, I remember feeling a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see Nikki’s brother. That was the last thing I remembered. Had he kidnapped me and somehow trapped me in this room? That would be difficult with all of those people around. Subways are crowded places.
Suddenly, a man spoke from the corner of the room. It startled me because I hadn't seen him there earlier. He was impeccably dressed in a two button suit. He was about six feet tall and had dark hair and hazel eyes, and the jaw line of a supermodel.
"Good day," he said, "and welcome to Heck."
"Heck?" I asked.
"Yes, Heck," He responded, "It's a little known circle of Hell. For the small time criminals."
"But how can I be in Hell?" I asked.
"Once again," he said, "You're in Heck, which is technically different from Hell. Surely you recognise that embezzling money and framing innocent people is sinful?"
“Well, yes,” I said, “but what I mean is that I don’t even remember dying, so how is it that I’m here.”
“Oh,” he said, “Sometimes people don’t remember their deaths. If my records are correct, and they always are, you were pushed in front of an oncoming train.”
“That son of a bitch killed me!” I exclaimed.
“If you ask me you had it coming,” said the man, “Now, let me explain how this works. We here in Heck are not unreasonable. We understand that crimes of a smaller nature should not be punished by an eternity of suffering. Instead you will wait here, hence the waiting room, until this Nikki person who you wronged dies. At which time you will apologize for what you did and you can both proceed to Heaven. Sound fair?”
“I have to wait here? But it’s chilly and there’s nothing here. It could be years before she dies!”
“Actually it’ll be decades before she dies. According to my records she will die in 42 years, three months and five days. As for the cold, of course it’s chilly. This room is designed to be perfectly uncomfortable. It will always be slightly colder than you prefer, the chairs will hurt your back, and you’ll always be tired but never be able to sleep. This room is designed to keep you uncomfortable until your punishment is over. This may not be Hell but it’s still a punishment.”
“This is bullshit,” I started to say, but was interrupted.
“Save your protest,” he said, holding his hand up. “I’ve heard every protest there is. You will spend the next four decades angry and uncomfortable, and then you will apologize for your sins and get to experience paradise. That’s far better than anyone in Hell is going to experience. I suggest you suck it up, do your time, and enjoy the reward that will follow.”
And with that he was gone. I haven’t seen him since that day, or anyone else for that matter. I’ve been stuck here for what feels like centuries but is probably only decades. I have no perception of time as I don’t sleep or eat. I have been terribly uncomfortable since day one but have learned not to lament my situation. I’ve decided to heed his advice and just do my time quietly and patiently because, after all, Heaven has got to be worth it. Right?