Is That it?

I stared down the hole, the black labrynth that now held the coffin of Freddy. I shivered even though the sun's rays were warming to my bones, I was thinking about everything and about nothing. Yes, the nothingness of that hole was fascinating and I was drawn to the edge like some macabre demon surveying their victim.1

I pictured dear Freddy, cold and blue, resting on his pillow of white satin. The scars from the accident had healed quite nicely but the mortician had also been skilled in his make-up. He looked suprememly peaceful and surprisingly alive, though I knew that was not possible.2

I shuddered at the thought of what ugly and distorted insects would abound in the earth that surrounded the fine white box. The maggots that would infiltrate his resting place and proceed to feed off his young flesh.
Leaving nothing more than mere bleached bones.3

I sighed and heard the softest of lilting laughter beside me. As I turned to see where it had come from, I realised that the mourners has departed, leaving me alone with my thoughts. A voice wafted to my ears which brought me back to reality.4

"I looked pretty good, didn't I?" the familiar voice asked.5

Freddy was standing looking in at his grave with the faintest grin upon his face.6

I felt my senses reel at the sight of him and the world began to spin.7

"It's not possible!" I stammered as I reached out my hand to touch him.8

I failed and my hand passed straight through his transparent shape.9

He chuckled, "Yes it is and I can tell you Alice the afterlife isn't all it's cracked up to be!"10

I closed my eyes and shook my head, reopening my eyes ever so slightly but there he was still standing there and patiently waiting for a reply.11

"You're dead!" I spluttered.12

Freddy frowned, 'Well, state the bleeding obvious why don't you."13

"How, why, what?" I asked all at once.14

Freddy's bluish pale eyes glinted with mischief and fixed his stare on my pallid, disbelieiving face.15

"One question at a time, seems they don't want me up there just yet." and he pointed skywards.16

"Guess I was a little turd at times down here and now they said I have to fix things before I can go on to eternal peace or whatever it's called."17

I frowned at Freddy, feeling that even in death he was just a bit too blase about things.18

"You had better pull up your socks I think, you know this is your only chance at it, they won't give you another and then you will be forever doomed to damnation."19

Freddy chortled, "So they told me, but I reckon this could be a hoot, you know, scaring me Mum and Dad and wouldn't I give anything to see the look on my sister's snooty face when I go BOO!"20

He laughed long and hard at that one before sniffling and looking askance at me with my bewildered expression.21

Exasperated I wagged my finger at him, "Now look here, you need to pull your head in and do right by your parents, they feel so responsible for what happened and I know for a fact your sister has not stopped crying since the day it happened."22

Freddy nodded, "Yeh, I know, bloody nuisance that. I never knew she actually liked me at all. As for Mum and Dad I forgave them when I finally passed over, you know that white light is real but it's damn hard to get through if they don't think your're ready."23

I nodded even though I had no idea about white lights or the like.24

Freddy stepped closer to his graveside and peered down at the lid of the coffin.25

"I just thought that everything would be so good up there, plenty to do and see and lots of people to talk with. I sure wanted to meet Jim Morrison and ask him why he stoned himself to death when he wrote such great songs. I wanted to find out if Frankie Sinatra really did know the mob or was it all a media beat up."26

He moved ever so close to my face and I swore I could smell the freshly dug earth emanate from his shadowy form.27

"You know what I mean Alice, all the things you want to know but couldn't ask because they were all dead? Now I get the chance to find out but the head guy up there is a closed book."28

I laughed at his metaphor, "The head guy Freddy? Who is that?"29

He frowned and shuffled his feet, "Aw Alice come on, you know, God or Gabriel or something like that, I'm not sure, I only heard him, didn't actually get to meet him but I'm working on it."30

I smiled fondly at him, "And how, pray tell me will you do that?"31

Freddy beamed that big smile that I used to love to see on his face.32

"Alice he told me that all I had to do was 3 good deeds for 3 good people and I'd be in."33

He was so excited that I didn't want to burst his bubble too soon so I just acknowledged his statement.34

Freddy puffed himself up and stuck his hands in his pockets. 35

" I said to the big guy, is that it? He said yes Freddy that's all I ask of you. It's a cinch Alice, how hard could it be?"36

I smiled fondly again at the excited young man. "Oh Freddy dearest, is that it, you say? In this world of ours with religious wars, racial tension, the Aids virus and everything else thrown in, where on God's earth do you intend to find 3 good people? For I do believe he has set you the impossible task. It would be hard for anyone to say they have never told a lie, never hated anyone, never had a bad thought. I think it's a riddle Freddy and one you will have to decipher for yourself."37

He now wore the expression of a lonely ghost that had been expelled from the comforts of paradise into an afterlife that he would surely fail to find.38

"Yes dear Freddy," I whispered as his form began to fade from view,"Is that it you ask? Alas my unfortunate friend, that is what all of us are seeking and yet to find."39

As I stood now in the fading sunlight, alone once more I wondered if my faithful Freddy would ever stand before God and deliver the answer. I presumed I would find out once my time on earth had ended but for now, he was right. That was it.40