Life Under the Death Mask: Fantasy

Life was saved when the mask was removed, but the question was whether it could still be life entire. The death mask had been made, the breath had been breathed, all had been made ready for the journey to the afterworld. Even the soul may have been sent ahead, no matter that the man still walked and talked and went about his usual life. All agreed that there was something oddly different about him now; this was not only because they had heard of what happened, for at first none were given to know of the circumstances save for the man's wife and his physician. Yet still they observed that there was something odd and different about him. The man's own little daughter, barely old enough to say Mama and Papa, had burst into tears--

Inspiration: ?
Story Potential: High.
Notes: Interesting potential to be a variation on underworld, changeling, and Aboriginal walkabout themes.