I felt the cold grasp of him behind me. The chill of a gasp, and the silence of nothingness. The world left my sights in a blur, as I slowly drifted away from those who stood by me. Family, friends. Not one had said their goodbye, leaving an empty hole of sorrow as I left them to be. Visions of past lives warped through the mind. A memory of sweet pastime. The smell of favorite foods filled my nose. The sweet embrace of those who struggled with me in past, left as fast and silently as I had. My ears rang with the joy of laughter and the screams of sorrow. But even they left as I slowly made my leave from the world. The universe itself was quiet. There was nothing, not even nothing. Everything was just…empty. It was heavy. It felt like the entirety of life itself was pushing me down. I half-consciously awaited the sights of a warm, welcome paradise, or a bone chilling wasteland. I could feel as I was slowly reaching my destination. I could see both light and flame. This was my time. I prepared for my judgement. The light got closer. My back ache and a flash of light blinded me, but I continued forward. The light was unlike I had ever seen. It was more breathtaking than any sight of humanity. I ascended, then felt my body stop and begin descending. At first it was quite slowly, but it continued faster and faster. I was no longer half-conscious. I knew what was going on. I was going to the darkland. My body became warmer and warmer. I could see the light drift away. I made a brace to hit the hard floor of torture below me, but instead I felt the large grasp of a hand catch my falling. I could still see light, only a menial glimpse, but light none the less. It grew closer again. The hand lifted me toward it’s sweet embrace. The light pushed back, knocking back with flame. Fire and light danced about. I could feel my body being torn apart at the force both giants held on me. I wanted to scream, but the weight of nothingness still bore on my chest. I was thrown up, and pushed back once more, no end in sight. Finally, I came to a stop. Both great powers threatened to start the back and forth once more. I could feel both creep up on me. Light came forward. I thought the tie had finally been settled and I was going to my rightful place, but I could not feel the sensation of relief. Flame came forward next. Both forces stood next towards me, keeping me in the middle. As they came closer, I saw what appeared to be humans. Light, transformed majestically in a burst of spark that left feelings of good and humble to reminisce in my soul. Flame transformed in a bang of heat that left what good feelings I had had to the darkness. Light looked not as I had expected. A blinding blonde coated his hair, which majestically flowed down to his knees. A golden crown gently caressed his head, shaping itself into multiple leaves. He came not bearing majestic wings that fluttered as the wind, but with a satchel. He came with not a robe neatly draped over himself, but a white suit, professionally adjusted to fit him. His shoes, also a snow white, left a golden path behind him, illuminating nothingness. Fire approached. His hair was a rich brown decorated in many maroon stripes that sat snugly in a bun. A short mustache curled his lip, along with a short stubble, which formed a goatee. He was not one of great height nor horns, but again, a simple man with a suit as dark as the eye could make out. He left a fiery trail that, although being a light source, could not illuminate the nothingness around himself. Both great beings continued to walk forward, stopping about thirty feet away from each other, leaving me dead in the center. Both stared at each other, neither daring to break the silence. A cold feeling stood clear on both stone faces. I looked back and forth between the two, half conscious from the mighty blows. After what seemed as an eternity, Light spoke. A screeching filled my ears. It was unlike anything I had ever heard. His voice echoed around my head, but as I tried to concentrate on it, it was gone. I was both hearing him and not. My ears felt as though they would burst as a result of this new sound, if you could call it such a thing. Finally, Light stopped, and Flame began. The two powers spoke to each other. And as time passed, it became more and more unbearable. The constant noise confused my head, and got louder as the two fought with one another. I could not intervene, my mouth would not open. The noise rang throughout my whole body. I could feel my head start to tear itself apart from within. Then, the two stopped and looked towards me, the noise finally at an end. I looked up. Both had a confused look on their face. I had screamed without realizing it. I covered my mouth as I had realized my mistake and prepared for something worse than the screeching noise. But both calmly collected themselves and turned towards me. Light cleared his throat, and, as I prepared myself for the horrid noise, spoke once more. But this time I could understand him. He was not saying words, he was not making noise, but I knew what he was telling me. It was not a human language, it was not an animal’s mighty roar, but nothing. And I understood that nothing. I knew what was going on. I was told I did not fit the ideals of the holy ground, yet I was too good for torture and blood. The two beings had made the attempt to place me, but neither would give up the fight. They were now trying to decide where I should go, and without a decision, I was to go nowhere. Flame tried to speak, but light interrupted him, and the two began to bicker back and forth. The realization of the situation hit like a brick. There was a possibility that I would be placed nowhere, and forever sit in a dark, empty void. It would not stop. I would float forever. I would never see light again. Never see another human being again. Life, as I know it, would be over. Forever. I could no longer hear the two beings. My thoughts clouded my mind. The distraught of utter isolation weakened my knees. I was so cut away from the fight in front of me, I hadn’t realized that both beings had stopped. I finally realized this and shot up from my depression. Both were looking at me, but with almost terrified eyes. I then made the connection. I slowly looked behind me, as my throat tightened and my hands shook. A figure loomed greatly overhead, shrouded in darkness and breathing death. The eyes were empty, showing no sign of spirit in the soul. Its face was far from human. It was misshapen, bent. Its body was twisted in inhumane shapes. Although having no robe, it was completely covered in darkness. The head remained as the only thing visible to me. A luminous presence illuminated throughout it. My body shake as I attempted to right myself, but it was too great. I turned for light and flame, but where they stand was now filled with the nothingness I had come to know so familiarly. My heart beat fast, faster. This god before me was great. Fear swelled through every crevice of my being. I could feel my feet try to leave, but be stopped by an unknown force. The being just looked on, seeming to look even past myself. But for a reason I could not explain, I wished to walk toward what must have been death. A force seemed to drag me forward. The mind, while still weary, begged to take the few steps needed to face the power of a creature no man could name. And as the feet moved in relation to the mind’s command, the empty void around me warped. The mysterious air that led me forward slowly showed itself as a pathway. A feeling, not of good – not of bad, cradled the body as a blanket. And the one I was so wearily to walk toward, began to take shape. While still encased in a hazy sheet of dark, a light shown the body of a simple man. A light grey that danced with orange painted the sky. Clouds, no one the same as another, floated gently next to the two of us. The ground beneath me was a large plate, the rim shimmering a light gold. On one side of the plate stood and erect staircase which retained its position, although having no under support. Bright gold rails hung above the sides of the stairs, curling as they were no longer needed. The top of the staircase was covered with clouds, ones which hid a light that scarcely shown through cracks. On the opposite side of the plate held a momentous hill, one which led towards a fiery wasteland. Not only human, but animal bones littered the ground for miles. Screams of terror flooded my ears. One could only imagine what inhumane punishments a criminal would faces. Fire danced majestically around bloody corpses. Those who made the attempt to escape up the hill fell, and were then impaled by demons, who could only be describes as dark maroon, wrinkly, trolls that bore small wings. Creatures of all kinds were killed, did kill, or were running away. My attention shifted towards the one who had brought me here, who now held a hand to my shoulder. He, just as Light and Flame, had made the adjustment to look as I did. Pitch black hair coated his light chocolate skin. His eyes were bright orange, and freckles painted across his nose and cheeks. A dark robe baggily hung from his arms and hid his feet. He spoke softly. He explained how I did not adhere to the ideals of paradise, but I had not done enough to be tortured for all eternity. This I had already known, but he then spoke of something new. This dilemma was not uncommon. In actuality, it was immensely common. This was what Light and Flame had not known. He continued. He was the culmination of Death. A mixture of dark energy who had the ability to bend time and space itself. He watched over Light and Flame. He ruled those such as myself, who did not fit the ideals of others. The place I was brought to was named “The Middle,” named after the English word for a place between two points. It was an area where souls could choose themselves between Light and Flame, having the option to leave said place and move to the next. I gazed upon both areas before me. Death stepped back. I saw both good and bad leave the places they were placed and shift to the other. No matter the option I chose, I could always change my mind. I looked at Death. He understood. A nod followed his thought, and he disappeared with the flow of the wind. I stood between both afterlives. The decision was mine to make.