Rachel woke up with her body aching as if she had been beaten. She stumbled to the bathroom, barely able to keep herself upright. Her mind was still foggy from the sickness that had taken many of her village days earlier. When she looked into the mirror, a stranger stared back at her—dark circles under her eyes, hair wild, face pale.

"I look like death," she muttered.

She splashed cold water on her face, trying to wake up fully. But something was wrong: there was no reflection in the mirror! She rubbed her eyes, thinking maybe she had been asleep again. But no, she was wide awake now.

Rachel stepped closer, reaching out a trembling hand toward the glass. The moment her fingers touched it, everything went dark.

When she opened her eyes again, she found herself standing on a deserted road at night. A cold wind blew through her hair, and the scent of rain hung heavy in the air. She shivered, realizing how alone she felt here.

Then, a voice called out: "Rachel!"

It was familiar yet strange—almost like hearing someone speak your name in another language. She turned around quickly, scanning the darkness for any sign of movement. Nothing but empty fields and trees stretching into the distance.

"Who's there?" she called back nervously.

No answer except the rustling leaves and distant thunder rumbling overhead.

Then it happened again—a soft whisper from somewhere nearby: "Rachel… come…"

It sounded like it came from right behind her this time! She spun around, but there was no one there. Just the empty road and the dark woods beyond.

Suddenly, Rachel felt a tugging sensation at her waist—something pulling her forward along the road. Before she could react, she found herself moving faster than before, almost running now. Her feet seemed to fly over the ground without effort as she followed whatever force was guiding her deeper into this strange land.

As she ran, the sky began to lighten slightly, though it remained gray and cloudy. The trees became denser around her, their branches twisting together like gnarled fingers reaching out for her. She felt a chill run down her spine—this place was not natural; something unnatural lurked here, waiting for her.

Finally, she came to a stop before a wide river that stretched across the landscape as far as she could see. The water appeared still and black, like ink. On the opposite bank stood an ancient stone bridge made of dark rocks held together by thick moss. It looked like it had been there forever, untouched by time.

"Cross the bridge," said a voice near her ear—a familiar yet unfamiliar sound again.

She hesitated for only a second before stepping onto the first stone. To her surprise, she found herself moving across effortlessly—no weight or resistance at all! It felt almost as if she were walking on air rather than solid rock.

Once she reached the middle of the bridge, Rachel stopped to look back where she had come from. The land behind her was now bathed in a soft pink light, and everything appeared peaceful and beautiful again. But ahead lay only darkness and mystery… along with that nagging feeling that something terrible awaited her beyond this river.

She shook off those thoughts and continued forward until finally reaching the other side of the bridge. There, standing before her, was her sister Ann. But there was something different about her now… something sadder, more mature perhaps.

"Ann?" Rachel asked hesitantly, unsure whether this was real or some kind of dream. "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to guide you across," Ann replied with a gentle smile. Her voice sounded the same as it always had—warm and comforting—but there was something else in it now too… wisdom? Or perhaps sorrow?

"Across where?" Rachel asked, confused.

"Why, into the next world of course!" Ann explained patiently. "You've been dead for quite some time already. It's time to move on."

Rachel gasped, realizing what this meant.

"Come with me," Ann said softly as she took Rachel by the hand. Together they walked deeper into the land of shadows and mystery. Along the way, Rachel noticed other figures walking alongside them—some human, others not quite so much anymore. They all seemed to be heading toward some unknown destination somewhere up ahead.

As they journeyed together, Ann explained everything: how death was merely a transition between worlds; how souls traveled from one life to another, learning and growing along the way; how each person's journey was unique but ultimately led them back home eventually.

At last, after what felt like hours (though it could have been days or even years), they arrived at their destination—a beautiful garden filled with flowers of all colors imaginable. Here, Rachel saw people from every age and culture she had ever known—some smiling happily while others cried quietly in corners by themselves.

"Where are we?" she asked Ann in awe.

"This is where everyone eventually ends up," her sister explained. "The afterlife isn't just one place but many different ones all connected together somehow."

Rachel looked around at the other souls gathered here, wondering which of them had once been friends or relatives from past lives she couldn't remember anymore. Then suddenly, someone caught her eye—a young girl with long dark hair and piercing blue eyes staring right back at her…

She gasped aloud when she realized who it was: herself! A younger version of herself stood before her now, looking exactly as she had done all those years ago when Ann was still alive.

"You see?" Ann said proudly. "Even after death, we remain connected to each other. We are a family again."

-