New Beginnings

From outside the window, you can see green hills that surround the house. Far away, mixed with the fog, you can distinguish the soft lines of the mountains sparkled with the purest white snow.
‘For god sake, Ashley, it's too bloody cold in here...’ said Mariah
‘Alright, alright...’ and suddenly with a small gesture of indifference towards what Mariah just said, the temperature increased.
‘I can't seem to understand how this is your kind of paradise...’ said Carol.
In the living room of Ashley's house today, there are three souls, each one older than the other, but all equally wise. People who die go to "heaven" or "paradise" and this place is no different. Here you choose where you want to spend this second but peaceful life. You choose the set, the script and the characters. Usually people go for their young human form and last used name on "earth". So, today, Carol's, Mariah's and Ashley's soul are waiting for Andrew's, to initiate their daily card game, an old habit they picked from previous lives.

‘Are you sure the obituary was his?’
‘Please, Ashley, relax… He will be here.’
These four friends have come to enjoy each other in every single life they lived... Sometimes they would take different genders when reborn and they would be born months or even years apart, but they would always find each others no matter what. If on earth their relationships failed in "heaven" they would be united again.

‘He's late...’ said Ashley
‘Oh, don't you worry... He's coming. Besides, what's the rush?’ said Carol.
‘Should we wait for him or tell her now?’ Ashley asked Mariah.
‘Well... Now, smarty, that you've mentioned it, we can't do nothing but tell...’
‘Tell me what? What have you been hiding from me?’
When Ashley was about to tell, someone knocked on the door and said:
‘Can I come in?’
‘Why are you so late?’ said Ashley as Andrew came in.
‘...Gosh, if you stopped wishing snow, the roads wouldn't be blocked! I'm sick of having to go against your dreams so that I can be here on time.’

‘How did you take the crossover?’ asked Mariah
‘Well… you know I just had turned ninety-five last month, so I was kind of prepared. How was yours? By the way, Ashley, you owe me some money. I always said you would die first!’
‘Oh, gosh, that’s not fair, isn’t it girls? I had an accident; it was not from my health.’
‘Come on… pay up.’
‘Stop arguing, you look like a bunch of kids.’ said Mariah with her maternal instinct.

‘Let’s play, please…’ begged Carol.
‘No, first we need to talk about something… Ashley, are you ready to tell them?’ said Mariah
‘Would you quit with the suspense, please? What’s going on?’
‘Nothing we haven’t done before, Carol. I’ve received one of “those” letters and you will probably receive it today also. They want us to reborn for the last time...’
‘…For the last time? It’s over finally? No more bodies for us from then on?’ said Carol, thrilled with the idea.
‘Yes, I know it seems lovely, but They want us to go like… tomorrow or something.’
‘…That soon? I thought They would give you another year or so.’ supposed Mariah.
‘No, the deadline is within a month, I suppose.’ explained Ashley.
‘I’ve just arrived…’ said Andrew.
‘Yes, I know… but I want us all to go together or else… you would have to go alone, because Mariah as finished all her reincarnations.’ explained Ashley.
‘I was thinking about asking for another one…’
‘Really, Mariah? Would you do that for us?’

‘Oh, well… you know that I bring a little sunshine into your lives… I can’t take that from you. You wouldn’t be the same ever again.’
‘I have to admit that Carol and I against you two is always a good card game.’ said Andrew
‘Oh, you just think about the game…?’
‘No, of course not.’ said Andrew while hugging Mariah.
‘Oh, god, now that you decided to go too, I’m so excited!’ said Ashley.
‘I can’t wait for us to be in the same classroom again…. those were good moments.’ sighed Carol.
‘All that bad talking we did… I have to confess that I miss the gossip.’ remarked Andrew laughing.

‘Thank god, we’re going to have all of that within days…’
‘I’m not sure that I miss all of it. You know what I mean? That overheating problem, the extinction of such sweet animals, starvation of a nation… It’s just horrible.’ cried Carol.
‘And you’re forgetting all those growing and family issues… like puberty, first day of high school, first kiss, divorce of your parents, death of a relative… God knows what else!’

‘That’s what gives life meaning, Ashley. I guess…’
‘I think you’re right, Andrew. If life was as dull as in here, people would commit a lot more murders and suicides. Because, don’t forget that, while you’re there you know nothing about nothing. You’re just aware that you exist and even so, you aren’t fully sure of how much. If you add boredom to the picture, it’s pointless.’
‘I guess I’ll learn that next time, Mariah. Right now, I just want to think about how my life is going to be…’ answered Ashley.

‘Well, I think that this time we can choose the location… some place warm, please.’ Carol requested.
‘We’ve never been to Japan…’ said Ashley trying to manipulate Andrew.
‘Why are you looking at me like that? It’s not on my hands to choose…’
‘In the matter of fact, it is. You’re the only one who objects a lot about this kind of things.’
‘Well… Since it’s our last “drive”, I believe that’s a good idea.’
‘Definitely, we should pick an Asian country for a change.’ approved Mariah.

‘I don’t like the concept of being all equal… they all look the same to me.’
‘Carol, what an awful thing to say…!’
‘I’m sorry, but that’s the truth…’
‘No, it isn’t! I believe that when they look at us… I mean Caucasians… they say the same thing, so don’t be so rude.’ said Ashley somewhat scandalized.
‘Carol, it’s the same thing with twins… in the beginning you can’t see the difference, but as time goes by you start to distinguish them…’ exemplified Mariah.
‘For me they’re all the same…’ said Andrew.
‘Okay, forget it! I am not going to waste my beliefs with you. And you know what? You two make a good pair, always with the same impure and twisted thoughts.’ uttered Ashley.
They all laugh and Carol said: ‘Well lads, maybe this time we’ll learn how to keep our mouths shut, so that we don’t have to hear you two complaining.’

‘I’ll miss it here. I’ll miss you, guys. Down there, break-ups… in fact, all break-ups, even the little ones… taste like death. Something that ends… something that it’s left to be forgotten and it gets rotten with time…’
‘Please, Mariah, don’t be melodramatic now. We’re in the middle of a game… control yourself!’ asked Andrew.
‘I’ll miss this too. It will be a new beginning and I’m not sure I’m ready for it.’
‘Please, girls! I can’t handle it like you do, crying and all… there’s too much testosterone in me.’
‘Just say it, sugar. You’re more afraid than the three of us. Before breathing for the first time on earth, we’ll forget all of this until we die again. We’ll forget each other and I’ll have to learn how to love you all over again, my friend. Do you think that’s possible?’
‘After so many reincarnations, Ashley… after so many problems… I’ve always find you. So why would you think this time will be any different?’
‘Oh, just say it.’
‘Yes, I’m no better. I’m afraid.’