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MidReal Story
Soul Redemption: Academy of Unfinished Business
Scenario:A police officer killed in the line of duty, in purgatory, learns of an academy that helps lost souls take care of unfinished business, face inner demons, and find their purpose in the afterlife.
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Thomas Reed
fellow lost soul at the academy, friend to Michael and Sarah, rugged with a scarred face and piercing green eyes, brave and loyal
Sarah Liang
guide at the academy, mentor to Michael and others, petite with wise brown eyes and flowing black hair, compassionate and knowledgeable
Michael Jennings
lost soul seeking redemption, friends with other protagonists, tall with sharp blue eyes and a stern jawline, determined and introspective
I was dead.
I’d been shot in the line of duty, and now I was dead.
The pain was gone, but I could still feel the bullet lodged in my chest.
I could still feel the blood pooling in my lungs.
I could still feel my heart struggling to beat as I lay on the cold pavement, staring up at the night sky.
And then everything went black.
When I woke up, I was standing in a long white hallway with no doors or windows.
The walls were smooth and featureless, and there was a soft white light that seemed to be coming from everywhere and nowhere at once.
I took a step forward, and then another, and then another, until I was walking down the hallway with no end in sight.
I didn’t know how long I’d been walking when I heard a voice behind me.
I turned around and saw a woman standing there, watching me with a small smile on her face.
She was petite with wise brown eyes and flowing black hair that hung down to her waist in loose waves.
I stopped walking and looked at her, feeling a sudden sense of disorientation.
I didn’t know who she was or how she’d gotten there without me hearing her approach.
And I didn’t know how long she’d been standing there, watching me walk down the hallway like a fool.
“Who are you?”
I asked, my voice echoing off the walls.
Her smile grew wider.
“I’m Sarah,” she said.
“And I’m here to help you.”
I stared at her for a long moment, trying to remember why I felt like I’d seen her before.
But the memory was just out of reach, like a dream I’d had a long time ago and forgotten the moment I woke up.
“What do you mean, you’re here to help me?”
I asked, frowning.
I suddenly realized that I had no idea where I was or how I’d gotten there or what was going on.
My last memory was of being shot in the chest during a drug bust, and now I was standing in a white hallway with a strange woman who claimed to be there to help me.
“The truth is, Michael, you’re dead,” she said gently.
“Oh,” I said.
The shock of that realization hit me like a physical blow, even though I’d already figured it out for myself.
“I know it’s hard to accept,” Sarah said.
“But it’s true.”
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
I didn’t want to believe that my life was over, that I’d never see my family again, that all my hopes and dreams had been snuffed out in an instant.
But something told me that Sarah was telling the truth.
And as I stared at her, trying to make sense of everything, I knew that she was the key to understanding what had happened to me.
She was the one who could help me find my way forward, even though I didn’t know what that way would be.
“What happens now?”
I asked her.
“Where do we go from here?”
Sarah’s smile faded, and she looked at me with a new kind of intensity in her eyes.
“You have two choices,” she said.
“You can move on to the next life, whatever that may be.
Or you can enroll in the Academy of Lost Souls.”
I frowned in confusion.
“What’s the Academy of Lost Souls?”
“It’s a school for souls like you,” Sarah said.
“Souls that have unresolved issues when they die.
Souls that are burdened by pain or regret or guilt.
The academy is a place where you can learn to face your past actions, confront your inner demons, and find your way forward into the afterlife.”
Sarah paused and studied me for a long moment.
“It won’t be easy,” she said finally.
“You’ll have to work hard and face things that will be painful to you.
But if you’re willing to put in the effort, we can help you find peace and closure and move on from this place.”
I looked at her, absorbing everything she’d just told me.
It was a lot to take in all at once, but I knew that she was telling the truth.
She studied me for a moment longer, her expression soft and compassionate, and then she beckoned toward the end of the hallway and said, “Come with me, and I'll introduce you to a couple of others who have made the same choice that you're considering.”
I followed her as she led me down the hallway, and after a few minutes, we came to a small room with a table and several chairs.
Another man was sitting at the table, staring off into space with a blank expression on his face.
He was tall and ruggedly handsome, with a scarred face and piercing green eyes that seemed to see right through you.
He was also wearing the same white robe that Sarah was, and I realized that he must be another lost soul who’d decided to enroll in the academy.
“Thomas, this is Michael,” Sarah said, nodding toward the other man.
“He’s considering enrolling in the academy, and he could use some company.”
Thomas looked up and met my gaze, and we stared at each other for a long moment without speaking.
Finally, he nodded curtly and said, “You can sit down if you want.”
I nodded and sat down across from him, and we both turned our attention to Sarah as she began to speak.
“The academy is a place where lost souls can come to find their way,” she said.
“You will be given tasks to complete, lessons to learn, and challenges to overcome.
All of it is designed to help you confront your past actions, understand why you did what you did, and move on from this place with a new sense of purpose.
You can stay at the academy for as long as it takes to resolve your issues, even if it takes centuries.
But whenever you're ready to move on, we'll make sure that you get there.”
I listened to her words, feeling a strange sense of hope welling up inside me.
I’d always believed in second chances, and it seemed like the academy was offering me one at a time when I needed it most.
But I also knew that it wouldn't be easy, and that I would have to confront things I'd rather forget if I wanted to move on from this place.
I knew that I would need help to do that, and I was grateful that Sarah was there to guide me through the process.
“I can do that,” I said finally, meeting her gaze with determination.
“I'm willing to work hard and face whatever I need to face in order to move on from here.”
Sarah studied me for a moment longer, as if searching for something in my eyes, and then she nodded with a small smile and stood up from the table.
“Then let's go,” she said, holding out her hand.
“It's time for us to leave this place and start your journey at the academy.”
I stared at her hand for a moment, hesitating, before I finally reached out and took it in my own.
Sarah closed her fingers around mine, giving them a gentle squeeze, and then she turned to Thomas and held out her other hand to him.
He took it without hesitation, and together, the three of us walked out of the room and followed Sarah back down the hallway.
The academy was beautiful, with sprawling grounds filled with ancient buildings and winding paths that seemed to lead into the unknown.
It was also eerily quiet, with no other students in sight, and it sent a shiver down my spine as I followed Sarah through the maze of hallways to my dorm room.
“Why is it so empty here?”
I asked as we made our way down one particularly long hallway.
“The academy was built to be tailored to each student's needs,” Sarah explained as she turned a corner and continued down another hallway.
“It only opens its doors to lost souls when it's time for them to come here, so that they can have all of our resources at their disposal when they need them.
You should start getting ready,” she added as she stopped in front of a door with my name on it.
“You have an exam tomorrow.”
I nodded, feeling a mix of apprehension and determination as I pushed open the door and stepped into my room for the first time.
This was all happening so fast – faster than I ever could have imagined – but it felt right somehow, too.
As I unpacked my things and got settled in, Sarah told me more about the exam I would be taking.
“It's designed to test your resolve and your understanding of your life,” she said, perching on the edge of my bed.
“There's only one question, but it's a difficult one.
It will be up to you to decide how to answer it – and how to face it.”
I nodded, feeling a knot of anxiety begin to form in my stomach.
But at the same time, I knew that I was ready for it.
“I can do that,” I said firmly, meeting her gaze.
“I'll do whatever it takes to pass this exam.”
Sarah studied me for a moment longer before she nodded and stood up from my bed.
“Good,” she said, giving me a small smile.
“And I'll be here to help you every step of the way.
Don't forget – your exam is tomorrow morning, so make sure you get a good night's sleep tonight.
“Yes, ma'am,” I said, grinning at her as I started to unpack my things.
She laughed and shook her head before she left me alone in my room so that I could get ready for bed.
For a while, I just stood there in silence, staring at the door – and then I closed it and lay down in bed, pulling the blankets up around me and closing my eyes.
I wasn't sure how much sleep I would get that night, given everything that had happened to me in the last few hours, but I knew that I needed to rest if I was going to be ready for whatever lay ahead.
And then I tried not to think about what was coming next, and eventually – after what felt like an eternity – I fell asleep.
I woke up early the next morning, feeling more tired than when I'd gone to bed, and after getting dressed and grabbing some breakfast from the dining hall – thankfully, still empty – I met Sarah in the hallway to begin my journey at the academy.
It felt almost surreal, and a part of me still couldn't believe that it was all real.
But Sarah was here, and she was leading me forward, and wherever she wanted me to go, I would follow.
She had become more than just my mentor – she had become my friend, and my guide, and a light in a dark place that gave me hope even when all seemed lost.
“I trust you,” I said simply as we walked through the hallways of the academy, and her smile was all the confirmation that I needed.
That morning, as we made our way through the winding paths of the academy grounds, Sarah gave me a short tour of the campus, pointing out some of the most important buildings and landmarks.
The academy was built in a blend of modern and ancient architectural styles, and it was a striking sight against the backdrop of the rolling hills and forests that surrounded it – like something out of a fairy tale.
It was beautiful, and it made me feel like anything was possible.
But it also reminded me of why I was here – because even if my life on Earth was over, my journey was far from finished.
And here, at the academy, I would find a way forward.
I smiled when Sarah pointed out one of the older buildings on campus, telling me that it was now used for student housing.
It was almost ridiculous how much things had changed in just a single day – from fighting for my life in an alleyway, to standing here in this place with Sarah as my guide.
But then again, maybe not.
After all, we were lost souls now – and what better place for us than an academy designed just for people like us?
With its ancient history and modern facilities, sprawling campus and network of hidden passageways, it seemed like it could be pretty fun to spend some time here.
And if anyone could get us through this place, it was Sarah Liang.
Sarah Liang wasn't just a mentor or a friend or a guide at the academy – she was also a leader.
I could see it now more than ever before, as she led me through those first few days and weeks after arriving at the academy.
She seemed to know exactly what we needed before we even asked for it – and how best to give it to us.
It made her incredibly popular among all of the students at the academy.
But it also made her incredibly powerful, and it was clear that she was a force to be reckoned with.
I felt a surge of admiration for her when I realized this, even though I had already known that she was stunningly beautiful with her delicate features, flowing black hair, and wise brown eyes.
But it was more than just her physical beauty that made her so captivating to me – it was also her strength, and her intelligence, and her seemingly endless well of wisdom that made me want to be closer to her, to learn everything that she had to teach me, so that I could become even a fraction of who she was.
As we got further into my studies at the academy, I realized that Sarah was right there beside me, every step of the way – no matter what I needed, or how much help I required, she was always there for me, with a gentle smile and patient words of encouragement that spurred me forward.
Thomas had felt bad for me when I told him about this – even though he had already known that my time on Earth had been cut short by foul play.
When I had been in my early thirties, I had been a police officer in a busy city precinct, working my way up through the ranks of law enforcement when I was unceremoniously cut down by a criminal whom I had been tracking for some time.
Thomas shook his head when he heard this story, telling me that he couldn't believe my time on Earth had ended like this – it seemed so unfair to him for such a promising career to be cut short so suddenly, especially by someone who had given his life to protect others.
But even though Thomas meant well with these words, I could see something else behind his eyes, something that he didn't dare say out loud – or maybe even admit to himself.
Because even though Thomas might have believed that I had died unfairly in that alleyway all those years ago, I was starting to wonder if maybe it was exactly what I deserved.
When Sarah Liang led Thomas and me towards our next classroom, I wondered if maybe she could see this too.
"Your final mission on Earth was to bring your biggest case to justice," Sarah Liang explained as we entered the classroom together.
"The criminal you had been tracking for so long – he was behind bars, but you knew that he had committed many more crimes.
You wanted to find those victims and give them some closure, and that led you into a trap.
You were overconfident, and underestimated your enemy's capabilities – and you paid for your mistake with your life."
I listened to Sarah's words carefully, as they came out of her mouth without any hint of judgment – only acceptance.
But instead of feeling any sense of peace at these words, I only felt a wave of emotions inside of me that I wasn't quite sure how to handle.
I knew that Sarah was right, that everything she had said was true.
But it still hurt me to hear it, especially since it had been so long since I had last reflected on these events – at least, up until a few days ago, when these memories were suddenly brought back into focus.
When Sarah Liang paused, looking at me for some sign of recognition in my eyes, I nodded for her to continue.
"I also see that your biggest regret from life is causing so much pain for someone else," Sarah continued.
"Who was it?"
"My partner," I replied, without even having to think about it.
"I left her behind to deal with everything after my death, and I took a piece of her soul with me when I left."
I could feel my heart breaking all over again when I thought of Emily, and what she must have gone through in those days, weeks, and months after I had died.
I could almost see her face in front of me now, as she stared numbly at my open casket, unable to comprehend that she would never be able to touch me again, talk to me again, or even see me again in this lifetime.
She would never know that my biggest regret was leaving her behind like this, without even getting to say goodbye.
She would never know that it hadn't been worth it to walk into that alleyway all those years ago and try to take down that criminal by myself, instead of calling for backup like I should have done.
