Every laboured breath she took timed to the beeping of the heart monitor Michiko knew was bringing her to her last. Her old wrinkled hand was squeezed in the clutches of her youngest daughter. Although looking at the crow feet on her face and the small sad smile that tugged at the corners of her lips, not so young anymore.
She would miss them and it hurt her heart to leave them like this, but the woman had lived a long life. One filled with its ups and downs. One that had dished out just as much as she gave back. Michiko knew deep down that it was time to go.
As her lungs filled with air for what something in her told her would be for the last time, she smiled. A reassuring one that conveyed how happy and content she was in her last moments. Dark spots started to overtake her vision and the last thing she heard was the steady sound of the heart monitor flat lining and the choked off sobs of her family before Michiko embraced the nothingness that awaited her.
To no one's surprise, nothingness was kind of boring. She really hoped it would not be like this for all of eternity. Floating in a not necessarily black void, but more so the absence of everything. It was starting to drive her mad with how slow going this whole afterlife deal was going.
A thought then occurred. If it was just going to be like this for only God knows how long, she might as well try to make a break for it right? Worst thing to happen would be that she doesn't succeed. If anything it would certainly pass the time.
It was just after that train of thought that the nothingness constricted around her. Next thing she knew she was screaming in open air and what felt like giant hands were washing, drying, and swaddling her in a soft cloth.
Arms cradled her and held her close to a person she couldn't quite make out in the searingly bright light past the fuzziness that overtook her vision.
". . .isn't she, Koga?" A woman's garbled voice said just above her head. "Our beautiful Michiko." A sweaty forehead was gently bumped against Michiko's still damp, and apparently miniscule, one.
Well, Michiko supposed, at least she kept her name.
Author's Note: Longer Chapters ahead I promise. (Edited 3/10/20 Rewrote some of the chapters in this story because I am doing literally everything else besides being a good productive author. :D)