I got up in the night and went to the end of the hall. Over the
door in large letters it said, “This is the next life. Please come in.” I 
opened the door. Across the room a bearded man in a pale green 
suit turned to me and said, “Better get ready, we’re taking the long 
way.” “Now I’ll wake up,” I thought, but I was wrong. We began 
our journey over golden tundra and patches of ice. Then there was 
nothing for miles around, and all I could hear was my heart pump-
ing and pumping so hard I thought I would die all over again.