The Afterlife of Hector Rivera
Chapter 1
I woke up. I expected my stomach to once again feel great pain, but to my surprise, I didn't feel anything. It was like nothing had happened to make me black out.
I saw my amigo, Ernesto. He was leafing though something. This confused me.
"Ernesto?" I asked out loud. "What are you looking for?" He must not have heard me for he didn't respond to my question, so I tried again. "Ernesto? Again, silence. I stood up, and walked over to him. "Ernesto!" I put my hand on his shoulder, grew wide-eyed, and gasped. Instead of my hand, it was a skeletal hand! What the...? I looked at my other hand. It was another skeleton hand. I looked down at my whole body and feet. My fear was confirmed. I was a skeleton, glowing all over from head to toe. But if I was a skeleton...oh no!
No, no, no, no, no, no, I can't be dead; I just can't be! I have a wife at home. And a daughter, a sweet, little, innocent, loving three-year-old, my Coco. She's counting on me to come home. She and the other love of my life, her mama, my other girl, Imelda. What will they think if I don't come home? Imelda might think I cheated on her. She'll hate me for eternity.
Okay, Hector, you're overwhelming yourself. Just breathe (or not) and relax. Ernesto will tell them the sad news of me being dead, tell them I was trying to come home to them, and everything will be fine. They can't hate me then, right? He's my friend, and amigos help their amigos. I have every bit of confidence in him to come through. We've been friends for years. He'll never betray me. Good ol' Ernesto!
I then saw what Ernesto was looking at, and gasped. It was my songbook. Why was Ernesto looking through my songbook? I saw the song that he was looking at, and grew sad again. It was 'Remember Me', the song I wrote for Coco, and what she and I sang every night before I left.
I will never be able to sing it with her ever again. I'll never feel the tender touch of her little hands on my face. I'll never be able to kiss my two girls, never will see Coco's first day of school, never will see her be an adult, never see her marry the man of her dreams. I'll miss out on everything!
Then from the corner of my eye, I saw a coati (a member of the raccoon family). But what was a coati doing here in Santa Cecilia? It looked at Ernesto, then at me. I watched as the creature went towards me. It stopped, looked up at me with its eyes, and chirped. It went off again, confusing me. Huh? That was weird. What was that about? Wait, can that coati see me?
The coati looked back at me, and chirped again. Does it want me to follow it? When the coati chirped again and again, over and over, I decided to follow it. That and Ernesto was getting pretty annoyed by it.
"Shoo; shoo!" He said to the mammal. "Get out of here, skedaddle!" I went after it, and the coati led me away, but not before making sure I still had my photo in my pocket. I did.
For some reason, my photo was in my pocket when I left. (I was in the same clothes that I died in.) I don't know why it ended up there. Maybe Coco or Imelda for some reason wanted me to have it. I was so glad I had it now so I could look back on my human form.
I saw my lifeless human body on the ground, gasped, but kept following. Ernesto will take care of it.
As I was following the furry creature, it reminded me of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. I was Alice, and the coati was the white rabbit. But the question was why was I following it? It wasn't like it had the ability to talk and had a pocket watch, does it? Was it leading me to someplace magical and strange? No, that would be loco, and I was loco to be thinking about it.
The coati led me to the Pantheon Santa Cecilia, the local cemetery. I was puzzled. Why would the coati lead me here? Did the coati lead me here on purpose, or did it just lead me here just because? I had no idea.
I wanted to leave, and get out of this place, thinking that this might be a little disrespectful, but couldn't for some reason. I just kept on the coati's tail.
"Where are you leading me, little guy?" I asked the animal. "Huh? Why the cemetery? Don't you think that this might be a little morbid? Now, come on. Let's get out of here, and leave these people to mourn their lost loved ones in peace." The coati then stopped, and looked up at me. I stopped too, and smiled. "That's a good coati." He went to my side, and butted me forwards. "Whoa, what do you think you're doing? This is not okay!" I stopped in my tracks, and looked down at him, mad. "We're leaving now!" He butted me one last time. I lost my balance, and fell in a pile of marigold petals that for some reason were all over the ground.
I lifted my head, and spat out one that went into my mouth. I stood up, and looked around. This was unfamiliar territory to me. This isn't beyond the cemetery. Where am I? I looked at my hand. Why wasn't it glowing like it was seconds ago?
I then saw the coati again, chirping to get my attention. I looked down at it, irrttitated. "What are you looking at? Where have you led me?" The coati bounded off again. "There you go again. Come back here!" Once again, I followed it.
I then stopped. Wait, what am I doing?! Why am I still following this animal? I don't have to. I have free-will. I can stop and go back if I want to. In fact, that is just what I was going to do. I turned around, and was about to go back when the darned creature bit my ankle. I yelped, looking angry at him.
"Quit it! Wherever you're leading me to. I'm not interested. Gosh, can't you take a hint?!" I realized something. Wait a minute. I'm dead, so how can this very much alive coati even touch me, and not go through me? "What are you?" The coati bounded off again.
Something caught my eye. I saw buildings in the distance. Buildings I don't recognize in the least. I then saw more buildings, and realized that a city was in front of me. What is this place? I swear this wasn't here before. I was curious, so I walked a little further.
I then saw somebody, but not just anybody, a skeleton just like me. I got his attention.
"Excuse me." I said to him. "But, where am I? What is this place?" He looked at me as if I've gone loco.
"This is the Land of the Dead." He stated.
"The Land of the Dead?" I questioned. "There's such a place that exists?" He nodded.
"I see you're new here." He pointed north. "You want to first go to The Department of Family Reunions. They'll get you where you need to go to."
"The Department of Family Reunions?" He nodded and told me on how to get there.
"Got it?" He asked when done. I nodded.
"Si, but..." I began, but he began to leave. "No, wait, I..."
"The Department of Family Reunions will tell you all you need to know and more."
"Yeah, I know, but..." I sighed when he was out of earshot (or whatever.) I decided to give this place a chance, and see what it's about. So, I went off in the direction that he described.
I entered the building. It was crowded with skeletons everywhere, going about their businesses. I went up to a skeleton behind a counter. I noticed another coati, only this time it was an alebrije, only it wasn't art. It was a real animal.
"I hear this place can help me?" I questioned her. She looked at me.
"And you are?" She asked.
"I'm new here. I just died. I'm Hector Rivera." She petted the abebrije.
"Good job in bringing him here, Senti. Good, good alebrije." I could tell that Senti really liked what she was doing. I was about to ask about him when she looked at me, and spoke.
"Cause of death? You look young."
"Si. I ate a bad chorizo. I was 21." She looked sorry for me.
"Gosh, that's a bummer."
"Yeah, it was. I had a family. A wife and a three-year-old girl."
"Well, I'm sorry about that." She smiled. "Welcome to the Land of the Dead. You'll learn to love it here." I sighed.
"Yeah, wish I haven't died though."
"We all wish that. But unfortunately, death comes for all of us whether we're prepared or not. No one can escape it."
"I know, but I was trying to come home. My wife was mad at me that I left. What will she think when I don't return?" The lady shrugged.
"Don't know what to tell you. We can't go back to the Land of the Living. No one down here can. We have to wait for the next Dia de Muertos to cross the bridge." I was shocked.
"Wait, dead love ones can really cross back to the Land of the Living?" The lady nodded. "Wow, I knew I felt their presence, but I never knew they were literally there."
"Oh yeah they were there. They always had. You weren't dead before, so you didn't know. Now you will see what's being dead is all about."
"I guess I will." I was then excited. "Man, I can't wait to see them again!"
"If they put a picture on the ofrenda that is." I was confused again.
"What?"
"Oh, weren't you told? If your picture's not on the ofrenda, then..." I stopped her.
"I know. But this is December. We have eleven more months until November. That's plenty of time. Of course they will put my picture up."
"Okay, if you're sure."
"Of course I'm sure. Why wouldn't they? Even though I'm dead, I'm still family."
"So true. And in speaking of family, let's locate yours. Do you know someone in your family who had died before you?" I frowned at this.
"My brother."
"And how did he die?"
"The Mexican Revolution."
"Age?"
"Well, he died when I was ten, and he eighteen, so..."
"They stay the same age that they died at, sir. So, he'll still be 18."
"Really? So, I'm older than him. I'll be forever 21. Weird. I always wanted to be older, but thought that was impossible."
"What's his name?"
"Emilio."
"Okay, I'll go look for him then. Can you sit down and wait? It won't be long." I saw some chairs behind me, and nodded. I went over, and sat down on one as the lady did her work. Senti came over to me, laid down at my feet, and waited with me. I reached down to pet him.
When I learned about Emilio's dealth, I was devastated. Everyone else was too in the family, but it hit me the hardest. No matter what they said, I just couldn't get over the loss. I looked up to him. He was my whole world to me. I didn't want him to go off to war because he'll die, and my fear came true.
I hated war then, and it grew from then on. I refused to be drafted. Even though, I knew it was for my country, I didn't understand how one person would want to destroy another person's life.
I hated murderers with a passion, and I still do. Santa Cecilia unfortunately has some that you hear every year, and they're sad. Why would they do that to someone else? They have absolutely no right! Don't they know that their victims have families, friends, and lives? Why so much hate? Why can't people get along? I just don't understand.
That's why we're teaching Coco to love everyone, and have respect even though you can't stand them, and they can still be jerks. That's no reason to want to murder them. There's no excuses! It just makes me mad. I'm sure Imelda is still teaching her as she grows older.
I took out the photo, and looked at it. I have lived from 1900-1921. Too young to die. I was in my prime.
Some time later, I heard a voice that I never thought I'd hear again. I saw Senti leaving, feeling like he was no longer needed or something.
"Hector?" The voice asked. I looked at him, and although it's been eleven years, and he was a skeleton now, I instantly recognized him. I jumped to my feet, and ran up to hug him.
"Emilio! I never thought I'd ever see you again."
"Me neither, brother. But, how are you here? How did you bite the dust?" I told him everything, including my marriage to Imelda, and Coco. I also told him that Ernesto was by my side when I died.
"That's awful!" He said when I was done. I nodded in agreement. "Luckily, Ernesto was there. You two were the best of friends when you were kids, always hanging out together." I nodded in agreement. "I'm sorry, little brother. Man, it's weird saying that now considering I've been 18 for eleven years. You must be 21 by now." I nodded again. "Freaky!" He frowned. "I'm so very sorry it has to be this way, Hector."
"Thanks. So am I. But poor Coco. She's so young. She now has to grow up without her Papa."
"Well, she'll have one again if Imelda remarries."
"Yeah, but he would never be her true Papa."
"Very true. No one can replace you, Hector."
"I know, right? I'm irreplaceable!" I frowned again. "But poor Imelda. She must be so heartbroken! She and Coco both. This isn't fair for them both. This isn't fair for me either. No one should have to go through such pain, not in life, not in the afterlife, not ever."
"I hear you, but like life, the afterlife's not fair. Death is inevitable." He changed the subject. "So, since you just arrived here, I Imagine you'll need a place to stay. How about my place?" I looked at him, not believing what I was hearing.
"Really?" He nodded.
"Really."
"Seriously?"
"I'm dead serious. Pardon the pun." I smiled, wiped away a happy tear, and hugged him again.
"Oh, gracias, gracias, gracias!"
"No problem, bro. I love you, always had, and always will."
"Me too; I missed you so much."
"I missed you too." We then withdrew from each other, and my brother changed the subject again.
"Shall we go to my place now?"
"Yes; I want to see your pad."
"This is the place." Emilio announced when were in front of his house. I marveled at it.
"It looks nice." I told him. "Really homey."
"Thanks, and it is. You can stay here as long as you need to."
"Thanks, I really appreciate this. You're really saving my lif...er, afterlife here." He walked towards the house. I followed him.
"Tomorrow we can find you a job." I was puzzled.
"Job?"
"Yeah, how else can we make a living?"
"Uh, I didn't think the dead could really do that."
"Well, we do. It'll just be like the living world except not." He looked at me. "Hey, I have an idea. You still like music, don't you? You can be a musician or something."
"I don't think so." He was confused.
"But you loved music. You sang ever since you could talk."
"Well, I don't want to be a musician. I was one, and I don't want to be one anymore. It tears away what's really important, families." He was confused again.
"What do you mean?"
"If you don't mind, I don't want to talk about this."
"Okay, I respect you on that. So, what job did your wife have?"
"She was in the shoe making business."
"That's cool. What do you want to be?" I thought about this.
"I don't know."
"Don't fret, you can sleep on it."
"Wait, the dead still have to sleep?" Emilio nodded.
"They don't just rest, they rest in peace."
"Okay, I guess I saw that coming. So, you have everything that the living world does?" He thought about this for a second before speaking again.
"We don't have bathrooms down here." I thought of something.
"But how can...?" I realized something. "Makes sense."
"PAPA!" My three-year old Coco shouted as soon as I came home. I was back in and living among the Land of the Living once again.
"Coco!" I said right back, and scooped her up in my arms. I saw Imelda then. She was smiling.
"I thought you'd never come back." She stated.
"Are you loco, amour? Of course I came back. I was homesick. I'll never leave my family ever again. They're too important to me."
"You better not." She kissed me.
"I won't. I learned my lesson, and never will forget it." I kissed her right back, "You have my word. I promise."
"Papa?" Coco asked. "Can we sing that song again when I go to bed?"
"Oh, I don't know." I pretended to think.
"Papa!"
"Si, anything for you, little one." I then tickled her. She laughed. She then hugged me.
"I love you, Papa." I smiled.
"I love you too."
I woke up...dead. I noticed I was dead when I looked down at my arms, legs, feet, and body. They were all nothing but bones. I sighed. It was just a dream. I so wanted it to be real. Why did I have to wake up?
"Oh good, you're up!" I heard Emilio say. "Come downstairs, and I'll get you some breakfast." I looked at him.
"We still need to eat? I mean I know we offer it for the dead to eat but...never mind."
"Yes, we eat, we drink; there's a lot of stuff you need to learn about the afterlife."
"I know there's no bathrooms. You told me that."
"Si, but that's just the start. There's so much more."
First we got on a trolly (magically operating without tracks), and went on a tour of all the interesting sights of all the places to see and do in the Land of the Dead. I was amazed at everything that the tour guide told us about. I was so amazed by the tour that I might consider being a guide someday. First I have to know everything about this place, every nook and cranny. Well, maybe not every nook and cranny, that'll just be a bonus.
Then we went to find me a job. We looked all over, but in the end, I decided that I wanted to sell tacos after eating tacos at 'the greatest taco place in town'. I couldn't agree more. The tacos were muy good, so was the tequila! And, si, the churros were to die for!
After getting me a job at Carlo's Loco Tacos, we went shopping for new clothes. I have to look good for my first day on the job, and everyday after that. Imelda says that, and when she's right, she's right. I learned by being her husband never to judge her judgement no matter what. Because I know from past experiences not to be on her bad side; ever!
I got an indigo jacket, a red tie, red, black, and white suspenders, and light brown and black pinstriped pants. I also got a straw hat; it was nice! I didn't need it, but It was still a nice hat!
I got the job, and worked there day after day. I was a waiter. I saw so many dead people, chatting about their lives, back when they were alive, and not. I really liked it; they had some interesting things to say. I never knew the dead could be so alive!
"See you tomorrow, boss." I said to my boss, Carlos, one day at the end of the workday.
"Hector." Carlos said. "You know we're off tomorrow, right?" I looked at him.
"Why?"
"It's Dia de Muertos. Did you forget?" I felt ashamed. How could I forget?
"Si."
"That's okay. It's better to know now then come tomorrow only to discover the door locked and a sign posted on it." I laughed lamely.
"Yeah, good thing! Emilio would remind me though."
"You're still living with him?"
"Yeah, he's family, and I feel at home there." He nodded.
"Makes sense."
"Yeah it does."
"And with that note, see you on the 3rd!"
"Yeah, see you!" I then went home.
On the bus ride home, I kept pestering everybody I saw about what I was planning to do, that it was my first time ever on the other side, and how excited I was. I might of gotten on their nerves, and I felt sorry for that, but I just couldn't help myself! I also almost got banned, but explained to the driver that I was just so excited, and vowed never to do it again.
After my siesta to ready myself to see my family, I ran to his Emilio's bed who was still having his, got on, and bounced and bounced on it like an excited nino at Christmastime.
"Get up, big brother!" I said. "It's the greatest day of my afterlife, Dias de Muertos! Aren't you happy for me. Get up, get up, get up!"
"Can't it wait five more minutos, Hector?" A still sleepy Emilio asked. "Our family has waited a whole year, they can wait a while longer."
"I'm sorry, brother. But no can do. I can't wait any longer. The sooner, the better!" He sighed, and got out of bed.
"Why I let you stay here is I have no idea."
"Because I'm your familia, and you love me very much?"
"Si, okay, just let me have a few minutes to get ready, can you do that?"
"Si, I can do that, but I won't like it very much, but for family, we have to make sacrifices!"
"Hurry, Emilio!" I called after him running behind the line of skeletons getting ready to cross the bridge to their live decedents. "Prisa; vamonos!"
"I'm getting there as fast as I can." He said, then stood behind me in line. "You might be older then me, but considering you still act like a kid, that's proof that you will and aways be my kid brother."
"Adults are still kids." I explained to him. "They're just in disguise because that's what time in the living word does to you."
"Right. After all of these years, you still think you're smarter than me."
"Next!" The agent called out, and the next person went up.
"I'm next!" I said in a singsong manner to Emilio even though he already knew. Emilio rolled his eyes, obviously annoyed by me, but was happy for me just the same.
"Next!" The agent called again.
"That's ME!" I singsonged to Emilio again. Once more, he did an eye roll, but smiled. I walked up to the agent.
"I'm Hector Rivera." I greeted her. "This is my first time, and I'm so excited, can't you tell?"
"Uh-huh!" She agreed, not too thrilled. "Have a nice visit, senor!" And with that, I ran onto the bridge.
I ran and ran, but as I ran, my feet began to sink in. Huh? What's happening to my feet? Why am I sinking? I didn't care. I just kept on trying and trying.
I was on the ground now, trying to move forwards. I must of looked really stupid, flailing like a fish. Emilio came to me. He shook his head, feeling sorry for me. He grabbed me, and helped me up.
"What's going on, Emilio? Why can't I cross? Why can't I see my family?"
"Aw, Hector. No one put up your photo. You can't cross over."