Walter and the Sphere

Walter was confused and excited to receive an anonymous package

Walter ran to the mailbox, well as fast as a man in his sixties can run. He was always excited to get mail, and when he saw the little red flag sticking up he knew it was a good day. Slowing down, trying to stop before he plowed over the small mailbox, he felt his joints creak and crack. Maybe running wasn't such a good idea, he thought to himself as he walked around in front of the mailbox.

The flap was forced open enough to show that there was parcel stuffed inside. Now who would send me a package? Walter wondered. He opened the flap and took out the small box. Inspecting it, he saw that it was from:

SMITIES LABRATORIES – ROAKOAKE, VA

I don't know this company or anyone in Virginia for that matter. Walter shook the package gently and heard something metallic inside. Walking swiftly, he returned to his house and set the package on the dining room table. He stared at it for a few moments and then strode to the drawer to get out his razor knife. He sliced through the plastic tape swiftly and pulled the flaps of the box up. The inside of the box was filled with packing peanuts, on top of which sat a piece of paper.

He pulled the paper out and examined it, Just an invoice for something I never ordered, he grumbled. Walter reached his hand into the peanuts and found a small metal sphere. He yanked it out quickly and brought it close to his face since he wasn't wearing his glasses.

It appeared to a small, marble-like metal sphere, in fact it looked rather ordinary except for the sound that started coming out of it as soon as he touched it; a small cacophony of tiny voices all yelling and hollering, as if there was an incredible party inside that Walter was missing out on.

What the heck...?

Walter put the tiny metal object to his ear and listened. What he heard he could not believe.
"Come inside Walter, you're missing out on all of the fun," the little voices called to him from the interior of the sphere.

Walter looked at the sphere in amazement and looked at it more closely. This time he saw an engraving of words on the shiny metal sphere, it read:

Behold!

What a strange word to have inscribed on such a strange thing, he thought as he spun the sphere around in his fingers.
"Behold?" he said aloud, wondering what it meant in this situation.

The tingling started at his feet and moved rapidly up his body. It was not painful, more like an itch that was getting scratched. The world around him spun out of control until it was a swirling blur of light and dark and as suddenly as it started, it stopped.

Walter found himself in a large auditorium with thousands of people all staring at a stage at the far end of the building. He noticed that the ceiling was rounded, as were the walls that surrounded him. On the stage, he saw a man, about his own age, strut onstage. He walked up to the microphone and cleared his throat before saying, "Welcome everyone, sorry for the delay but I was interviewing our next host. Okay, everyone settle down please." The man held his hands up for silence. "Okay, well... Welcome again. As most of you know, this is it. You are dead. For those of you who didn't know that, well... I'm sorry to break the news to you so suddenly. Trust me, it is the best way... A lot easier to accept when you're amongst friends like you are."

Walter looked around. Everyone seemed just fine, not dead. But, in some small way, it made sense. He knew he was in the sphere but wondered if he in the sphere of just his soul was in the sphere. He supposed it didn't matter anymore. Everyone seemed nice and inviting. The man on stage started speaking again.

"So most of you know how this works. The Sphere goes around via mail to various homes, enticing the chosen to enter. Once we are at capacity, like we are now... Thanks Walter! We take our journey to the next realm. It will be painless and comforting, so if everyone's ready..."