Funeral Night

It all happened in a blink of an eye.

6 players, including myself, were on the court. I was dribbling the ball while surveying their defence. Qi Jun came out and provided a screen. Knowing what's next, I drove the ball past him and my man was screened. Quickly, Qi Jun ran inside the paint and put in the ball from my pass.

The 'pick and roll' always works out great for us, as we spent so much time playing together. He came to me with a grin, palm up for a smack high-5.

My palm didn't met his. I was felling to the ground.

The next thing I knew, I was standing beside my body, while Qi Jun was looking at me with this puzzled look. He rushed to my side and prodded at me. Everyone panicked when I did not even stir. One ran to get his phone and dialled 911. Some were staying a distance away, frightened.

Then it appeared.

I was watching all this. Here am I standing, very much 'alive', yet why even dial 911. A tap on my shoulder gave me hope, and upon turning my back I saw him.

He was a white being, red lips, and of equal height with me. I call him a 'being' because he was nothing like a human being, yet something that resembles it. He looked at me with such deep eyes, and his hand returned to his side.

'Hello. I am your first ghost friend. Please listen to me as I tell you what is going on right now.'

I was silent, but I could not helped looking at the small living group. The ambulance is not here yet, and some were showing signs of tears. A small cough brought my attention to this strange being again.

'Mr.Daniel, you have just dropped dead because of some blood blockage in your heart, which led to cardiac arrest and then your death. You are now a spirit, or ghost if you like. And we have a very busy schedule ahead of us, so we better get going now.'

'Excuse me, sir, please, but my body is here and my friends...'

'There is nothing here. Please, kindly follow me. There is a great deal to explain on our way to the underworld.'

I took one last look at my friends, and the waste of my body. Men in white are arriving now, and they put my body on a stretcher and walked with hurry. My friends are looking quite lost.

'Please, sir.'

I spun around to and followed the being underground. It was a strange sensation to glide, but we arrived in no time at all.

The first being we met in the underworld was another curious being. He looked very much alive to be in the underworld. Upon seeing me he walked faster and gave me a salute.

My companion introduced it as the butler of the underworld. I asked for a name, but I got a chuckle from both beings. I soon learnt that names are a luxury in this dimension; the dead have no need for them.

The butler told me that we had lots to be done and very little time. He brought me into a little room for some briefing. Here it is:

'Mr. Daniel, you are officially dead. We will be holding a funeral along with your 'living' one, so that we save the trouble of sending invitations.'

I asked the need for such a conduct.

'It's tradition. We hold funerals almost everyday. It is a day when the deceased is a king. You can have anything you want on that day, and your wish will be our command.'

I shifted my weight, waiting for more.

'You better get ready then. Visit your hospital if you like, but once you are summoned, please get back quickly. And do not do anything stupid.'

I walked around the place for some time. Not many beings were there; they seemed to be in oblivion, the entire place. Soon I went to the world of the living, and I just seemed to know where my body currently lies. I proceeded.

I entered the white room to find it filled with my family. The doctor was speaking to my family, saying those customary words a doctor uses when breaking the news to the deceased's family. Mum was sobbing heavily and Dad held her in his right arm, tears sparkling in his eyes. Both my brothers stood there with dumbfounded mien, and they turned and hugged each other, stream of tears flowing out.

I glided out of the room, perfectly emotionless. I read despair and sadness and those negative feelings, but inside I felt nothing. I could not even feel puzzled at my own lack of emotions. I wanted someone to talk to about this.

My first ghost friend appeared suddenly, and turned to face me. I remembered something the butler told me about being a king. I directed my question to him.

'Ahh, ghosts have no feelings whatsoever. You can't feeling anything at all, not even curiosity. In compensation to this, you can, instead, read and feel the emotions and thoughts of living beings. You can observe them in their naked state, but as an entity.'

I nodded and dismissed him. Indeed, I had felt their emotions most strongly, but it is as if they are something outside of me, something objective.

I felt the summon to go back. Within a second I was standing before the butler.

He was with a group of other beings, each having their own unique countenance, though not all was agreeable. When he saw me, he showed me his men and they all bowed their heads.

The butler then directed me to another room, where he gave yet another briefing:

'The funeral will start in another busy 3 hours, standard human beings' time. You have to be ready by then, and our men would guide you to their best.'

He was right. My ghost friend took me to every nook and corner of the underworld. We also met many other important beings there, such as Hades and Count Dracula. When asked, my ghost friend told me that these are formalities, and to get them to attend my funeral. I inquired further and he said that I deserved them at my funeral. I nodded.

We also met the beautiful Lady Languish, who accepted me with the same treatment. She was stunningly beautiful from a living being point of view, though I felt nothing. She agreed to attend the funeral.

The last visit was to a famous dead opera singer for the funeral. She was robust in frame, and I remembered her as an accomplished vocalist called Jiro Lasu. I ordered her to sing at my funeral, which she complied.

*

I looked at the sky. The weather seemed to be perfect for a funeral, with small drops of rain and a sorrowful wind. My only occupation was to wait till the clock strikes 12. In the mean time, my guests, both the unliving and the living, are gradually pouring in.

Count Dracula came first and extended his hand to me. I shook it and admitted Lady Languish. Many of my dead guests are not recognisable by their names.

I know my living guests better. My parents were in the front row, clad in black, receiving people into the building. My brother showed them their places. I saw many familiar faces too, those of my close friends and many other people:teachers, relatives, and etc. Some guests were, in crude terms, unexpected. I sensed their sorrow emanating, while my austerity remained preserved; I read their minds naked, and in many's thoughts my face swimmed. There were also many who did not showed up, thought sorrow is in the distance air. My ghost friend told me that I can have a trip to see them for myself if I like, but only after the funeral.

The clock struck 12. I entered the convocation and every being rose. I motioned for everyone to start the feast.

The feast is another unique feature of the undead's funeral. The food were prepared with utmost care and dexterity, but it is not meant for consumption. Decorated with creativity and wit, they are meant for the feast of the eyes only. There is an implied meaning that since the dead don't eat, they savour with their sockets, and this is also to mark their differences from the funerals conducted by the living, where food is the main event.

Everything turned out to be rather different relatively. Though held at the same time with the livings', the deads' funeral have their own unique ceremony and rituals.

Soon my dead guests bade me goodbye and I was free to pursue my will as 'king of the day'. I walked to the living funeral and saw that the coffin is being lowered into soil. Nearly everyone was sobbing. Then soil was poured over the blank lot and covered the coffin. Everyone turned and leave.

I watched them leave one by one. Their faces brought back so many memories. I would have been broken down to tears should I remained a living being, but as a ghost I felt nothing. Some cried in such that I have never seen them cried before. I realised that I had made few true friends during my time in earth, and all of them are crying now.

After everyone returned, I glided slowly back, alone.