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| An artistic interpretation of the Great Flood. |
Because these souls died on what we'll lovingly call "Holy impulse" - the same type of impulse that convinces you to buy three bags of Nachos over two, or to jump off the side of a tower - their predestined fates were never achieved, leaving them without a truly 'complete' life on which to receive proper Judgement. They were, quite literally, exempt from either fate.
Their souls had nowhere to go - no stairway to Heaven, no highway to Hell, and certainly no chance of returning to Earth. They were lost in the indefinite white space between all three; a white space that, beside occasional use as a trans-dimensional 'pathway' for Theological beings travelling to and from Earth, had never been recognized before.
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| An artistic interpretation of pre-MidLife purgatory. |
Purgatory - an intermediate state between life, death, and fate - had been discovered.
Purgatory remained unchanged for some significant amount of time; souls, by the very nature of their existence, had no conscious awareness of their empty reality - in a stasis comparable to sleep, they were effectively left on 'standby'.
As the number of dormant souls residing in Purgatory grew, The Big Man on Campus took notice - quickly deciding this could not be so. While Noah enjoyed an all-expenses-paid vacation on the finest Cruise Liner creationism could offer, God began work on the biggest Urban Development project in history - MidLife.
The idea was simple; because there were still Human lives to be finished, MidLife would be a condensed version of Earth - a self-contained "emulation" of Earth's conditions, bustling with an exaggerated form of life and bursting with a motivational energy. A perfect 'round two' in which souls, returned to their bodies, would finally have the chance to finish what they started.
As each soul was paired with it's bodily remains (in their notably decomposed condition, nonetheless), they, under God's direction, began the construction of MidLife. They quickly learned of MidLife's unique aspects; aspects unfamiliar to those used to a living body. They felt no exhaustion, creating skyscrapers taller than Babylon. They felt no pain, willing to err in the search of success. Only their notably unreliable bodies held them back - heavy-duty work often led to temporary dismemberment, as water-logged limbs proved to be in less than pristine condition.
Day and night blurred, as they built with nearly no restriction; you'd think they'd have gotten bored, huh? Though some ended their carpentry as soon as their own homes or towns were completed, others continued with no satisfaction in sight; thanking God for their renewed chance on life by helping realize His new vision. In due time, the city of MidLife became - quite literally - endless.
The skies above were milky gold, fading to a warm purple with each night; the groggy, wet air illuminated even the darkest shadows with a humming uniformity. All were one, and one was all.
Things went well; though MidLife quickly became a somewhat dangerous place due to the nature of it's earliest inhabitants, it also became a melting pot of societal refuge. No longer did the Merchant have to depend on his sales to insure his home; vacant buildings were so common, he could claim any dwelling he desired. No longer did the thief resort to crime in favor of sustenance; when united in death, we find ourselves requiring almost nothing. The adulterers learned of their sin, as life itself no longer rose it's ever-looming scythe with each passing moment. Governments established themselves, people dissipated into unique groups, and - before long - MidLife became, just as intended, a small-scale parallel of Earth.
It wasn't long before more deceased materialized in this rendition of Purgatory; returning to their bodily existence in a seemingly random collection of areas. It was at these areas where the Interment Facilities were established, and, to this very day, remain. The Psychopomp Agency, in it's earliest form, was created to coincide with the newly constructed IFs.
That's where I come in; being the one and only Ferryman of Hades, I knew the ins-and-outs of life-and-death like the back of my metacarpals. Who better to lead the PA than someone who guides the dead each day?
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| An ancient photograph of the Twins. |
Since then, life has continued as usual in the Middle; humans from countless generations have combined efforts in knowledge and discovery, bringing us technologically forward faster than any comparable effort on Earth. Mud-Brick dwellings stand valiantly next to hyper-futuristic skyscrapers, as elevated highways weave through the skies carrying Horse and Buggies, Model Ts, and fire-powered Nuclear cruisers!
Society has developed, morphed, and evolved - creating a totally individual universe, separate from what once was, yet still recognizable to the typical mind. Every day is a wonderful, mysterious adventure - every night a neon-soaked party. You'll never have a dull moment - I guarantee it.
There have been countless historical events since the birth of MidLife - Territorial wars, Demonic invasions, and more - yet, through it all, we remain united in our individual quests for the key to tomorrow.