Declan died today. He was a hard-charging paramedic who was determined to save as many people as he could, inspired by the paramedics who saved his mom when she flipped her car with him in the back seat. They were the closest thing to real-life heroes that he had ever seen. Doctors were heroes too of course, but when he saw the two paramedics rush to the car and pull them out he knew that’s what he wanted to do someday. To be the person to help someone in the most dire time of need was awe-inspiring. Little did Declan know that someday he would die waiting for a hero to rescue him from his burning car. To his surprise though, he discovered a new job after death.
“The Angel in the passenger seat? What does that mean?” He asked Cara, who sat behind a desk in front of him.
“It means you can still help people in their darkest hour even though you are no longer part of the living world anymore,” She said calmly. He took the news of his death strangely well, unlike most newly dead people who pass through the threshold before going to their respective realms. “One of the markers for this position comes from your time spent during your life. We see that you previously dedicated most of your time to helping others. That kind of service is the key trait we look for when searching for the angel position.”
“Look ma’am I have never been religious, so I mean no disrespect when I say this, but angels are real? And it’s a job?” Declan was more confused by the second. His entire life he only considered what life was like, never what happened once it was over. His family always talked of God and Angels, but it didn’t really pull him to believe since there were always more questions than answers.
“It is a job, one that is exclusive to those who served their lives with specific desires. To be an Angel means to give up the possibility of ascending to another plane or realm and only means that you will be there to safeguard survivors until someone arrives to help them. The main example that happens most frequently is car accidents. Often times it takes anywhere between ten to fifteen minutes for an ambulance to arrive on scene, and in those times the victim could die before they arrive from simply going into shock or panicking. So, we deploy an angel the second a crash happens and that angel stays with the victim, caring for them and keeping them calm until help arrives.” Cara said void of any emotion.
“Wait, back up. So the moment a car accident happens, I am zapped in the passenger seat with someone who is likely in extraordinary pain, potentially on the verge of death, and it happens nonstop. Do I just bounce between accidents endlessly? Do I ever get to see if they make it? What happens if they don’t? And what other realms are there?” Declan rattled off a plethora of questions while Cara scribbled notes down on a sheet of paper in front of her.
“You have a lot of questions, which is understandable. First, let me explain where we are right now and then I will explain the role in detail. Sound fair?” She said as she set her pen down and studied Declan.
He sat quietly for a minute, thinking about what happened to him in the last few hours. It was already growing hazy, but he knew from what Cara said that he had an accident, and passed away. The details of how seemed to escape him. He was going to a friend’s but he couldn’t remember their name anymore. He couldn’t remember how the car accident happened, but he knew he wasn’t the only one hurt.
“Why can’t I remember how I died?” Declan asked.
“Because you are now past the immediate window of revival and you have been in the upper middle plane. The living refer to it as an ‘in-between’ place where your fate is determined but simply put it is the place where we decide what happens next for you. Either you decide to take the position as the passenger angel and you stay in the middle realm with the other passenger angels and sentries or you say no and you proceed to the appropriate realm based on your actions while living. Do you want to hear about the position first? We can discuss the realms and any other questions you may have after.” Cara pick up her pen again and waited for Declan’s response.
“Tell me about the position.”
“Alright. First, I am what is known as a Sentry. Think of me as an intake specialist who can help you get to where you are meant to go. I screen everyone who comes in based on how they lived, how they died, and how they handled being told they died. There are a number of positions in the Angel classification, however, the key role I am screening you for is the Passenger Angel role. As previously mentioned the PA role is to assist a victim until the appropriate medical care team arrives. You will have shifts, as you would in the living realm in a normal job. It will mirror the times you spent as a paramedic. Think of this position as a continuation of your paramedic skills but in the afterlife and without the truly ‘hands-on’ portion. You will be able to perform specific physical tasks such as pulling someone out of a car, holding them, and speaking with them. You will also have the ability to share your own memories with them to assist with relating and or potentially calming them down. Outside of this role, your memories will be wiped clean from your mind as they would no longer serve a purpose. You will not be able to speak to anyone else except for the victims of the accident. That means you cannot relay information to anyone else alive during that accident. You will be giv-“
“Why can’t I relay information to someone else? Wouldn’t it be helpful to be able to speak with the medical team or firefighters arriving on the scene to tell them what’s going on?” Declan interrupted.
“Because the living realm is fragile enough as is, and we are not allowed to blatantly interfere with their daily lives. It would be more confusing than helpful for a living person to get information about a victim from an angel and then that angel disappears. It would cause the living person to become confused and it would do more damage than good altogether. May I continue describing the position before you ask me any more questions?” Cara asked.
Declan was always skilled at reading people, but Cara exuded nothing but a blank slate. Void of any emotion to the visible eye. It was unnerving. He nodded and sat back in the chair with his arms crossed as she continued.
“We will provide you with a place to live here in the upper middle plane. It is in the same area as the other PA’s so you will encounter them regularly. Think of them as your neighbors and friends. Naturally, there is nothing monetary here, and we only have a few rules, which I will cover in a moment. You will not need a uniform, but we do ask that you keep all apparel clean and you look proper while on shift. What you wear outside of your shift is up to you.”
“It sounds as if the decision of whether or not I will ‘take this job’ has been made and it doesn’t matter what I want to do,” Declan said.
“No. I am simply telling you what to expect if you do decide to take it. We can discuss alternatives once we have covered the other questions you have before you make your decision. Free will in the living world does not mean only in the living world. If you decide to go to a different realm then we will simply fill the PA role with another once they pass. The qualifications are tough to meet and you meet everyone, which is why I am discussing it with you.” Cara replied stoically.
“Okay. So if I decide to take it, I will be on shift during set times, off shift I am free to do whatever I want. That part is nice. The part about my memories, what did you mean they would be wiped from my mind if I don’t take the position?” Declan asked as Cara’s eyes dropped to her paper with notes on it.
“Believe it or not, that is a major selling point for more people who become PA’s. Personally, I see it as a gift and a curse, but one that comes with a massive impact on the ability to fulfill the PA role. You will be able to recall all your memories even the one of how you died. This can help you relate to the victim, as well as be used to tell them how it will work out. We frown on the idea of lying to a victim but every PA has their own methods of assisting the victim. If you decide the position is not something you want to do, the memories will be wiped upon your exit from the middle realm. That is non-negotiable.”
“How long am I to do this job then? For all eternity? That kind of job would wear down on someone wouldn’t it?” Declan asked incredulously. The idea of witnessing massive car accidents and people in pain forever seems more like Hell than whatever Heaven could seem to offer.
“The position would be terminated as soon as you decide to terminate it. We do not expect you to do it forever. With that being said, some of our PA’s have been doing it for over two hundred living years. Time moves similarly to down in the living world but since we are already dead, we do not age or get sick. Any and all wounds as you’ve noticed are completely healed by the time you made it here.”
“What happens if I decide to quit though? Do I get sent to Hell for not wanting to help others anymore? Or where would I go?” Declan asked tiredly. Every question he had seemed to have was replaced with even more questions.
“If you decide to quit, we would simply put you through the process of sorting like any other person. There are other roles, and there are other realms. The High Plains are in the upper realm. It is what the living refer to as Heaven. Endless self-fulfilling happiness and peace personally curated by the inhabitant. Of course, the Lowest Plain is the exact opposite and is the embodiment of punishment and devastation. Neither is available by choice but instead is mandatorily assigned based on the living’s actions. The other roles and positions in the middle realm, where we are now, range in duties across all three realms and the living world. Some are more positive than others while some are more boring than others.” Cara winded her pitch down to a close and stared at Declan, giving him a moment to absorb all the options for him.
Declan liked the sound of eternal happiness but the idea of endless happiness seemed… flimsy. If he spent every day for eternity on a beach he would eventually grow to hate the beach? If he switched it up daily and did everything to entertain himself then how long until he grew restless and hated being in a place of constant joy and peace before he wanted to gouge his eyes out? Eternal happiness seems nice but eternity is well, forever. The idea of only feeling part of his emotions for the rest of his life seemed so ….boring. Declan despised boredom. That was another reason he loved his job as a paramedic. Every day was different, every call could go in any number of directions. The rush of going from call to call kept him on his toes. Declan loved every minute of his job, even when it was the hardest thing in the world to do.
“I’ll do it.” Declan declared.
For the first time since they sat down in her office, Cara smiled warmly at him.
“I never had a doubt. Let’s get started,” Cara stood and shook Declan’s hand. A moment later, the door to her office opened and a girl with shoulder-length black hair walked in. Her eyes pierced Declan’s and her lips curled up into a smile.
“Sarah, this is Declan. He will be your shadow PA for the first shift. Show him the ropes, explain the rules, and if he has any questions you can’t answer, get with Josiah.” Cara handed Sarah a file and she nodded before motioning to Declan for him to follow her.
They left the office and walked down a long corridor with doors lining the walls as far as the eye could see. As they walked down the corridor a door opened and a man walked out shaking his head softly. Sarah passed him without a second glance as she began her new employee speech.
“There aren’t many rules. In fact, there are only seven. They are widely encompassing, so they are sort of built on the discretion of the individual PA but nevertheless, they still are rules that at the bare minimum level need to be followed no matter what kind of case you arrive at in the field,” Sarah said. She opened Declan’s file and handed him a sheet of paper. On it read the rules she mentioned.
1. Never communicate with the living outside of the victim(s) on scene
2. Never tell the victim(s) they are going to die
3. Always stay with the victim(s) until medical help arrives
4. Always keep your true identity concealed, even if you know the victim(s)
5. Never contact victim(s) after the job is completed
6. Never get emotionally attached or invested
7. Never try to save the victim(s) life
The last rule caught Declan off guard. Never try to save them? What is the point of all this then? He thought to himself.
“These rules are in place for a reason,” Sara said, almost as if she heard Declan’s thoughts, “To ensure the fragility of the living realm remains intact and that we do not become compromised. Each of these rules has been in place long before my time, and will be in place long after you are gone. If you cannot abide by these rules then your PA position will be terminated immediately and you will be sent for sorting as you would if you decide to quit the position. It is not our job to question the rules but to follow them. Do you have any questions?” Sarah asked. Her face was void of any emotion, just as Cara’s had been. Her tone was not as flat as Cara’s but the emotion he heard couldn’t be deciphered.
“Just one. What does rule number four mean regarding ‘true identity’?” Declan asked.
“When we appear to the victim on scene, we will sometimes appear as someone they know or someone who makes them feel safe. It will not change your physical body or appearance in your eyes, only in theirs. Since we are on the scene immediately, and accidents or tragedies occur rapidly and without warning, we do not know who we will appear to our patients as until we are with them. So to avoid any compounding confusion or fear on top of what they are already experiencing, we simply do not confirm who we are. This can mean we appear as their grandmothers, best friends, favorite aunt, or even favorite celebrities. If they call us a specific name, we just respond to it as if it is in fact our name.” Sara responded, again with an expressionless face. Her tone betrayed her face however and reflected a tinge of sadness.
Before he could ask about it, they stopped at a door. It was a simple wooden door, like the rest lining the corridor they just traversed through but on this door, there was one word carved into it.
FIELD.
“Before we go through this door, just know that you will not be seen or heard. I will be the acting PA handling this. You are to only observe. Last chance to ask me a question before we hit our scene,” Sarah said, a new emotion brewing in her tone. There was a slight buzz of energy around her that was almost invisible to the eye. Declan only recognized it because he’s felt that energy before heading to a call. It comforted him to know she felt that way and made him feel like his choice in taking on the PA role was the right one. Declan shook his head and Sarah turned the handle, opening the door for Declan to walk through first and she followed.
Stepping through the doorway felt like moving through liquid sand. Declan blinked and suddenly they were standing on the side of the road. At first it was silent. He turned and looked around and saw no cars on the road. Sunlight was beating down on them from overhead but he didn’t feel the heat. Declan could see the trees swaying from the wind but didn’t feel it on his skin. He turned to Sarah, but she was gone. Screaming broke the silence. A wail he only heard a handful of times when he was part of the living. It raked over his bones and sent a chill to his core. Without thinking, he bolted following the sound of pure agony.
When he reached the sound, he saw the wreckage. A small car was now intertwined with a thick tree. The front end of the car was completely crushed just short of the front seat. The screaming was still coming in waves as Sarah pulled a small woman out of the driver’s side window. The glass glittered on the ground at Sarah’s feet next to the car as it groaned, threatening to come loose from being pinned to the tree. Smoke was radiating from the front of the car where the engine used to be. The woman was bleeding from her forehead and nose, her clavicle was clearly broken and her left leg was covered in blood from a piece of metal embedded in her thigh.
Sarah gently cradled her head as she laid her on the most level part of the ground she could find while talking to her. The woman had tears running down her face but Sarah looked serene and calm and stroked her hair while she spoke to her. The screams lessened to whimpers as Sarah continued soothing her. Declan inched closer to the car, looking in the window to see the woman’s belongings tossed about from the impact. The contents of the woman’s purse were sprayed across the front seats but he spotted her wallet pinned between the dash of the car and the tree. Declan reached through the window and managed to pull the wallet free before turning back to Sarah who was still caressing the woman’s hair and talking to her. He opened her wallet to look at the woman’s license which told him her name was Lindsey. It also told him they were in Mississippi.
Even though it was a rural back road, it unnerved Declan that it was taking this long for the paramedics to arrive. After what seemed like forever though, he heard the song of relief in the distance. The ambulance pulled up to a stop and two paramedics rushed out to Lindsey. Sarah stood up and backed away, all while still telling Lindsey how great she was doing. Declan watched as the paramedics strapped Lindsey onto a spinal board before carrying her to the ambulance.
“Don’t worry, she is strong. She is in good hands now,” Sarah said as she stood next to him. Both of them watched as the ambulance doors shut.
“She seemed like it. How do you manage this?” Declan said, gesturing to the scene around them.
“What do you mean?” She asked confused.
“Knowing you don’t get to know the outcome? Waiting for help to arrive without any indication of when it would? Without any idea of whether or not she would die before they got here?” Declan asked.
“My only job was to be there for her. The rest simply doesn’t matter,” Sarah said calmly.
“What did you say to her?” Declan inquired curiously.
“I told her that I would be holding her hand the entire time and that she has handled far worse things than a silly car wreck,” Sarah stated with a small smile, “It’s time to go. We have a full shift ahead of us. This was mild compared to what we may see today.”
Declan felt the buzz of excitement he’d felt when he was alive. Life didn’t go the way he intended, with death cutting it short, but this unexpected calling filled him with a sense of purpose and belonging. A wooden door appeared in the middle of the road with the word FIELD carved into it.
Sarah and Declan passed through the door to their next scene ready to help someone else in need.