Enlightening Zone

"Please keep the lines moving." A voice boomed out from strategically placed speakers in the large foyer. "You are now entering the enlightening zone. All women please stay to the right and men to the left. No stopping or standing around allowed. Keep moving forward." People wandered around aimlessly. Several employees, wearing flowing gowns in multiple colors, approached different individuals. They spoke quietly and guided the groups into a single file. An elderly woman placed an arm around a young woman and stated, "Young lady, you will be known as Destiny during your stay here." She handed Destiny a cup and pointed to a door ahead. "Drink the elixir, and go to room twelve."

Destiny, confused, decided the best person to speak with was the older woman wearing a rich, red-colored flowing robe. "Excuse me? Where am I? Why am I here? I was watching my boyfriend on TV and I blacked out. I think I hit my head because it really hurts." Destiny felt heavy and it was difficult to move. She glanced down and realized she was wearing a gown. It resembled the same robe of the other lady. It was made of a really thick material in a hot pink color. What an odd thing to have on.

A shiver ran down her spine. She suddenly had the oddest feeling. Was someone watching her? Was Marcus, her boyfriend, here with her? She didn't have a lot of time to contemplate the question. The woman from the entrance gently pushed on her back. "Destiny, child, don't think. Feel. The essence of the heart potion will help answer all of your questions. We are here to assist you in your journey towards the ultimate goal. Love. Unconditional Love is pivotal for everyone's personal growth." The lady moved on to another lost soul, and Destiny swallowed the concoction given to her.

"Mmm, this is delicious. I wonder if they have anymore in strawberry." She licked her lips, searching for more of the chocolate flavor, and a calming sensation went through her body. "Yum, I'll try and find the recipe. I could take it home and maybe they have it in a twelve-pack."

Destiny was nudged again by Ms. Flowing-Garbed lady. "Please keep the line moving, dear. We have a lot of new and disoriented souls to heal today."

Destiny gave a half smile and moved to her assigned room. She realized the lady was right. "Wow. All of us are lost?" Destiny scanned the stark white room. "Weird. Why don't they have pictures or something on the walls?" She located a chair and flipped through the piles of blank papers in front of her. "How odd. This place is so retro. I haven't seen anything like this desk in years. This must be where all the stuff goes when they can't sell it at a garage sale or online." She heard a snicker behind her but didn't have a chance to sneak a peek. It sounded like a man, but she couldn't be sure. Another flowing-garbed person came into the room.

A tall gentleman wearing a navy blue gown floated in and counted heads. "Ladies and gentlemen, I will be your aide for today. I will show you how to move about the Enlightening Zone. We call it the EZ because everything is easier around here." He frowned when no one laughed. "Okay then. We will assist you on your journey. We will help you understand what will be expected from you." He wrote on the blackboard, but Destiny couldn't read his writing. "I will inform you now that you are not in heaven or hell. It really does exist, and anyone who doesn't follow instructions will be taken directly there. Have I made myself clear?" Everyone nodded. "Wonderful. Now let's begin this new and exciting stage of your existence."

Destiny sat stunned in her desk. Where were they? The last thing she remembered was being in her room and watching Marcus on the television. She had been crying because he died or so she thought. Had she felt his presence in the hallway earlier? She shivered. She never understood why he felt the urge to drive recklessly and at such a high rate of speed. She was jolted out of her thoughts by the tapping of a pencil. The guy behind her, the snickering one, seemed on edge. She casually stretched and faked scratching her head. As she shifted in her seat, she turned her head so she could peek at him through her fingers. Destiny sighed. He was cute, but a little restless for her taste. She suspected he would be a huge distraction. She wasn't in the mood for any more drama today. She twisted around and forced herself to pay attention to the instructor. "Golly dang." The man kept droning on and on about metaphysical stuff, celestial beings, and parallel universes. Quantum physics. Science. "Yuck." She was not interested in anything involving space or abstract theories. She began to doodle on the blank paper. She drew a heart, a rose, a house, a few stick people, and played hangman. She thought she heard snoring behind her and smothered a chuckle.

"Any more of this and we'll all be asleep." Restless dude stated.

"The point to remember is this ... we have given you a memory reducing drug." This made Destiny sit up and pay attention. "We need you to forget the other realm and to rediscover the important things in life. Love, trust, and forgiveness are missing in today's world, so we will concentrate on those items now. Most of our teachings were values many of you deemed trivial." He frowned and tsked at everyone.

"You will still know how to work your earthly jobs. If you were a bookkeeper, then you will work in our accounting office. Who knows, your talents may even come in handy once or twice. The drug only fogs the memory of your past lives. You will still feel emotions and be drawn to the same individuals you were attracted to on earth. But, if the medication works, you will not remember your former self. Yes, there have been some folks in need of a higher dosage but, on average, the normal amount works for everyone. Are there any questions?" He glanced around the room and was pleased with all the confused looks. "Perfect. Now, if you will get into a single line, then we will take you to registration. The next step will be getting everyone trained for their new positions in the zone."

Destiny followed the restless, attractive guy and tuned out the aide. She would have to forget Marcus. It seemed easy enough, especially since she could not remember what he looked like. He could be similar to the gorgeous guy in front of her. She scratched her head. "I think he might have the same butt." At least she thought his shapely rear was similar to Marcus', but she wasn't sure since she could only see the outline of it underneath the enormous green robe he was wearing. She shook her head. What was she thinking? The drug must have worked on her. She bumped into what seemed like a concrete wall, but was in fact a very nice body. "Excuse me. I seem to be a little weak."

"All women become weak in the knees after one look at me." He grinned and winked at her.

She rolled her eyes. "Great. You would think people could come up with better pick-up lines. They should create a drug to make guys forget those tacky one-liners." They reached a bank of elevators, and she was ushered into one and the cute guy in another. She leaned against the wall and had a sense of familiarity. Destiny shrugged and thought she must have worked in a building similar to this one.

The doors opened, and they entered a large waiting room. She noticed televisions sets, couches, and tables set up in different parts of the room. A few plump cushioned chairs created a pleasant reading corner. The noise level was comparable to the...