Pushing the door open, she was struck by the solemn atmosphere. Windowless and hushed, the room displayed rows of caskets, arranged not only by their materials and designs but also by price points and cultural traditions. Shelves showcased rows of urns from simple clay vessels to elaborately designed options.
As Priya moved toward the switch, the lights flickered erratically, throwing shadows across the room. Priya shivered despite herself. The electrical glitches made Moksha feel even creepier. She flipped the switch, throwing the room into darkness with only a faint glow spilling from the hallway.
“Ah, that’s much better,” a voice cut through the silence.
Priya’s head snapped toward the sound, her eyes adjusting to the dim light. There in the middle of the room was Ethan, stretched out in a satin-lined casket, hands folded across his chest. Priya had seen countless bodies in caskets but seeing a very alive Ethan Knight in one hit differently.
“Would you mind shutting the lid before you leave?” he asked.
“Seriously?” Priya stared, rattled by his request.
“It’s called research, and it’s why I’m here.” He cracked an eye open. “Now come on, give me a hand.”
Priya stepped closer until she was right above him. Ethan shut his eyes, his lashes resting like dark crescents on his face. She placed her hands on the lid, slowly starting to lower it. As Ethan slipped out of view, a tightness gripped her chest. Watching him fade into the shadows hit her harder than she expected. The idea of a world without him was almost too much to bear. She had convinced herself that he was a part of her past, but the truth welled up in her, as timeless and sacred as the Ganges. She loved him—more deeply than she had ever allowed herself to believe.
“That’s enough,” Priya said, yanking the lid back open.
Ethan’s eyes fluttered open. “That was strangely…therapeutic,” he said. “Peaceful. But it also makes you wonder…If there’s nothing after this, what does it all matter?”
“Is that what you think? That there’s nothing on the other side?”
Ethan sat up and considered her question. “When I was a kid, I bought into everything my mother told me. She used to say living a good Christian life guaranteed a spot in heaven. I still respect that. And when the time comes, I’ll be buried in the family plot, just like her. But I’m more skeptical about some of the other stuff. I’dliketo think there’s peace and happiness waiting for us on the other side.”
“No lakes of fire? No punishment for the wicked?”
“Lakes of fire?” Ethan laughed. “That’s quite a take on the afterlife, hotshot.”
Priya shrugged. “I grew up in a funeral home.” Though her tone was casual, her mind was racing. If there was ever a time to spook Ethan, this was it. She couldn’t be distracted by feelings oflove. “You see things, hear things. Not all souls go to heaven, you know. Some get stuck. Here. Or in hellfire.”
Ethan’s brow lifted. “Do tell.”
“Are you sure you want to have this conversation while you’re lying in a casket?”
“Why not? It’s the perfect setting, don’t you think? You should try it.”
Priya hesitated, glancing at the casket beside him. It felt a bit morbid, but anything to get Ethan to leave was fair game. Taking a deep breath, she slipped off her shoes and climbed in. The satin was unexpectedly cool, sending a shiver down her back. Viewing the world from inside the confined space was unsettling, but oddly fascinating too.
“Comfortable?” Ethan teased, settling back in his casket.
“Yeah, but this isn’t entirely relevant to me,” she replied, closing her eyes and arranging herself as she had seen her father arrange countless bodies in their final repose. “I’m going to be cremated, not buried.”
“So, fire for you, earth for me,” Ethan said.
Priya let out a soft laugh. Their worlds were already so different, and even in death, their paths diverged.
“Opposites, even in the afterlife,” she joked.
“Maybe we should try out the cremation chamber next, just to make sure you’re all set.”
“Why stop there? Let’s get embalmed too. Go big or go home, right?”
Ethan’s laughter filled the room. “Honestly? I’ve always loved the idea of a Viking send-off. A burning ship sailing out to the horizon? Majestic as hell.”
“You would totally rock the Viking warlord look. All fur and brooding stares.”
“Brooding, huh?” Ethan replied, his voice tinged with amusement. “So, tell me—of all the people your family’s encountered over the years, who do you think has it right?”
Priya paused, considering the question. “Everyone. And at the same time, no one. Because the moment you say your way is the only way, you’re limiting something boundless—God, a higher power, call it what you will—to a box that only fits your perspective. It’s like saying you own the sun. It shines on everyone. That’s what divinity is to me, a light that’s inside all of us.”
