The trees were hard to see from the hallway. Void of color, they clambered like ghosts against a soundproof window. Philia rubbed her palms against her knees. It was her first time being in such a white space. The hallway seemed to stretch on for eternity,reflective floors and walls free of pictures. It was more sterile than any hospital. With lighting that was far too bright,she had no idea what time it was or for how long she had been sitting. Still she didn’t want to get up and explore such a newfound,nameless place.

She thought of reciting a prayer when a door swung open. It rattled against the wall as if someone had kicked it. She hadn’t noticed it before and rose quickly to the sound of female chatter. It had been so long since she heard voices and was taken aback by her own as she called out.

“Hello.”

The murmurs continued and the closer she stepped the clearer the voices became accompanied by the drag of a fork here;a clink of a glass there. A warm,floral smell emitted from the doorway and she placed a hand against her chest,steadying her breathing before peering inside.

A long graywood table was fixed in the middle of the room seating a row of five women on each side. One had stopped her conversation to turn towards where Philia stood;others continued eating. They exchanged topics over wooden bowls and stone plates filled with a variety of dark greens,meats and bread. Much different than the antiseptic hallway,Philia stepped further into what was now an old cabin.

“I was wondering if anyone else was coming.” …”She should really just sit down” … “Is this parsley or coriander?”... “Why are we all dressed the same?” ...“Do I look that scared?” ...“No. But you look like shit.” … “Definitely coriander.”

Philia took in the ten women before her feeling relieved. They were all strangers to her yet strangely kindred. She wanted to join them and comment on their altered versions of the same white lace dress. She remembered liking to debate and complement.  For ages it seemed she had been trapped in a clean,little box but now she had opportunity. In this new space she could express herself to listening ears and remember how good it felt to talk. Her eyes started to burn.

It wasn’t long before everyone noticed there was a newcomer in the room. She joined the table taking the eleventh seat as if returning home after a grueling day of work. At the end of the table,she felt like a leader;the chair her throne. Ten faces,younger,older,clear or freckled stared back at her before eyeing each other;silently deciding who would be the first to speak.

Philia slowly touched the top of her head. She was wearing a crown of flowers too. They were soft and damp. Had it been there the whole time?

“So you gotta name?” The tallest spoke. She twirled a fork between her fingers impatient with the newcomer’s slow reactions.

“Philia.”

“Have you been waiting long?” A kinder voice sprung from Philia’s right. She was a cheerful looking burnette,no younger than twenty. “I’m Olive by the way.”

“Nice to meet you. I don’t know how long I was out there but I never noticed this room before.”  

“I didn’t either. It was just here so we each walked in. Jade,” She nodded at the tallest. “ was here first then me. Slowly the others started trickling in.Same story and everything.”

They hadn’t realized the dull humming in the room until it started to dissipate and the ladies eased back into their previous dining conversation. A raspberry crumble was placed in the middle of the table.

“At first we didn’t know if we should eat the food but it smelled so good. No one has died yet so...here.” Several bowls were passed around and the younger woman took the liberty of dressing Philia’s plate.

She didn’t mind. “Who cooked all the food?”

Olive shrugged. “It just kind of shows up. Like,I can pass around this bowl of bread,right? By the time it comes back to me its full again. No one has seen anyone come in and leave. New stuff shows up sometimes too. Another funny thing is we never get full. Nor are we ever starving. It’s just a balanced sort of feeling.”

“Never needed to take a shit either.” Jade chimed in tapping her wine glass with a finger. Her hair was jet black and she had been eyeing Philia the whole conversation.

It made Philia uneasy. She turned to the older woman on her left learning her name was Baylis. She was strong looking,admiring her silverware with quiet intrigue. She raised her head as Philia leaned in.

“Are we dead?”

“Most likely,hun.”

“But. This can’t be Heaven.”

Olive patted Philia’s drooping shoulders.  “No. Probably not but if this is Hell it’s not so bad. We can eat whenever we want,hang out. This place is like a cute, little cottage.”

Jade scoffed. “There ain’t no men though.”

“Or family members.” Remarked another woman.

“Maybe they’re in Heaven.”  A freckled woman suggested. She was the first to dig into the raspberry crumble. Her name was Maureen. Philia wasn’t sure how she already knew it.  “While we’re just in purgatory.”

“Or they’re still alive. Talking to our graves like we can hear them or some dumb shit.”

“Jade!” Olive nearly threw her napkin.  

“Well have you fucking heard anything?! By the way,do any of you even remember what your loved ones look like? Cause I sure as shit don’t. How long have we been here? Two hundred fucking years could have passed and none of you would know!”

Silence.

Philia touched the neck of her glass. “For as long as I’ve been here,however long that may have been,I’ve only heard you guys. But if it means anything,I’m really glad I did. Sitting here is better than spending eternity alone in a hallway.”

That warm and floral sensation melted into the room again. The women exchanged looks with each other before they went back to eating. Baylis smiled to herself while two other women named their favorite breeds of dogs.

Olive patted Philia’s hand. “You know. I don’t remember completely how I died but I know it was near water. Everytime someone pours me a glass I get this awkward pain in my chest. It passes though. Before it gets too much to handle.”

Philia shook her head. “I don’t remember much either. Just darkness.”

“Maybe you were buried alive.” Jade smirked from three seats down. Olive was gearing a defense when Philia waved her off.

They watched in dismay as she propped her feet onto the table knocking over the freckled woman’s wine glass.A plate of seasoned kale and mangoes clattered to the floor.  Olive and the two dog lovers were quick to clean the mess while Jade did nothing. Her steel toed boots clashed with everything rustic about the space and Philia felt disrespected.

“Was that really necessary?” Olive huffed patting the table dry.

“I needed space for my feet.”

“You know what Jade maybe we really are in Hell and you’re actually some washed up demon who was assigned to torture us!”

Jade held back a laugh. “That’s quite the imagination. And that’s the best you can come up with?”

“Maybe it’s a good thing you can’t remember your so called loved ones. They probably don’t want to remember you either.”

Jade’s hand was at the young woman’s throat instantly. She had slammed her against the table,her back knocking over more wooden bowls and cutlery. Even with three women grabbing at her,Jade had a vice on Olive slapping her whenever she got her hand free.

Philia only stood in rapid thought. She glanced at a bread knife. Shouting soared high into the ceiling,echoing off the wooden beams and rained back down on the messy tug of war.   Maureen crawled over the table and grabbed a hold of Jade’s hair knocking off her wealth. She raised a fist over her head like a gavel and looked towards the door. It rattled open.

“Guys!” The redhead made an awkward yelping noise before scurrying back to her seat.

The three women released Jade and everyone,even Olive,looked towards the sound.

There was someone standing in the doorway.

The floorboards moaned under his measured footsteps. A man of indefinite age entered the room with his hands in his pockets. Black pants that were baggy but tight at the ankles. His feet were bare,nails painted an elephant gray. Summed from the bones of the Earth,his skin rivaled the hallway that he came from.

Philia felt a overwhelming need to straighten her posture and the others did as well. No one said a word as he made his rounds,studying each lady in equal time;noting the mess. His head was shaved bald,a bluish hue also gracing his neck. Philia recognized the black kimono jacket he wore but couldn’t place where she had seen it previously.

He slid into an empty chair provided by Jade who moved to the end of the table. She quickly cleaned up the space with the help of a few others. As if choreographed, one woman placed a wooden bowl of salad before him,another some fruit,and Baylis sliced his steak. Two ladies followed his gaze at the napkins and squished mangos on the floor. They were instantly on their knees scrubbing.

“So you’ve chosen to sit at the head of the table. You’ve chosen to take responsibility?”

They paused realizing he was speaking to Philia. His voice was bellowy with the cadence of a seasoned professor.

She hesitantly reached for her wine glass and decided against picking it up. “It was one of the only seats left. When I got here the side chairs were all taken. Would you rather sit here?”

“I already have my own responsibilities.” He bit into a piece of meat and ate quietly.

Philia motioned for the others girls to sit once the table was back in order. The floors were spotless again and she noted stains on some of their dresses. At least their crown of flowers were still intake.

“I'm thirsty.” The man’s voice clung to the air. He hadn’t looked up from his plate since he sat down.  His eyes were unwavering;a pool of granite behind gold-rimmed glasses. The veins in his hands tumbled as he reached for more food and he paused to glance at her. If she didn’t speak soon he was going to crush her.

“What would you like?”

“Something green.”

Philia nodded and turned as if knowing exactly what to do. She headed over to a counter at the far end of the room with Olive trailing behind her. She looked over her shoulder as Philia gathered lemongrass and mint that seemed to appear out of nowhere. A mortar and pestle weren’t too far from her reach either.

“What in the hell are you doing?” Olive’s whisper had bite. “We don’t even know who this guy is!”

“I don’t even know who you are.”

Olive pressed her lips together. “Still. I feel a lot safer around you than him. I mean look at him. He just stares at nothing. What if he tries to eat one of us?”

“Eat one of us?”

“Yeah! You weren't here when this other weirdo came out of nowhere and dragged off one of the girls. There was blood everywhere.”

Philia stopped. “And none of you thought to tell me that?”

“We have eternity to talk. Why dump everything on you at once?! Though come to think.” Olive looked at a spot on the floor. “It sure doesn't look like a murder took place here. I don’t even remember who cleaned up. It was a really long time ago.” Not wanting to think about the horrid event much longer,she helped Philia setting a small plate of apricots on a white tray.  Along with it,they carried back a large glass pitcher and rejoined the silence of the table. Their mysterious guest was staring at the table chewing before looking up at Philia who sat a glass in front of him. He sniffed it.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Olive and Philia took their seats but found it difficult to eat. They all focused on their plates listening to the gentle scrapes of a fork and knife. No one needed to say it but this had to be their destiny. This was life after death. You grow and cultivate your God given skills to help wad through the tides of a world that has no time for you. Hopefully you earn some money,maybe even a title. But soon the paddling gets too hard,your body weakens and you die. Only to become the maid and cook to a man you didn’t know.

“What’s your name?” Jade decided to be brave.

He slid his tongue across his teeth and pulled apart a piece of bread.

“Sen.”

“Sen”  Everyone repeated.

“So. You were waiting in the hallway too?”

“No.”

The women looked at each other. Jade cautiously leaned into the table. “Then. Do you live here?”

“No.”

“Okay. Then-”

“You two come with me.” Sen rose from the table throwing his napkin on his plate exhausted. “Olivia bring the apriots. Philia bring that pitcher with you.” His slid his hands back into his pockets and lumbered towards the door.

Olive couldn’t stop her fingers from trembling but managed to pick up the plate of fruit. Despite Jade’s attempt at strangling her,she had found home in the company of these women.

She glanced at Philia who already had the glass pitcher in her hand.

“I don’t want to go.” The younger one whispered with a squeak.

“What choice do we have?”

Sen was already at the doorway leaning against it,unfazed by the women’s bewilderment. He took one final look over the room holding the door as the two passed through. Baylis’ farewell was the last thing Philia saw and just like that she was back in the vacant hallway. No sound. Vivid light. Only the patter of their footsteps were signs of life.

“It’s getting late.”

Sen was feet ahead on them walking a leisurely pace that seemed to cover far more ground than the two women could manage. The few windows they passed were still clouded over with ash.

There was no need for conversation as the three walked the halls. Sen remained in the lead, his narrow back the only focal point. He scratched his ear for a brief moment before returning his hand to a pocket. His fingernails were painted too.

A million guesses ran through Philia’s mind as to who this man was and what he wanted. Olive grabbed her arm, still shakened.

The hallway ended in a fork with a small blue lantern sitting in the middle. It’s flame was dull.

“Just in time.”  Sen stopped to look over his shoulder at his new employees. They seemed so small and breakable.

“Do you ladies like Japanese maple trees?”

The question was random but the two wasted no time in nodding.

A smile memandered across his lips, soothing his face. In an instant he became a magnolia in full bloom.

“Good.”