momentarily blinded. He carefully took his hands away from his eyes and gawped at what he saw. The man he’d just been pinning against the wall smiled at him. “I clean up well, don’t I?” he laughed, “Is this more in line with your expectations?”
It was all there. He sat atop a magnificent raised golden throne, bathed in light, dressed in a cascading white gown that shimmered with iridescence. A pristine white beard reached almost to his waist, matched in colour by the shock of hair reaching down his back. He seemed to have aged immeasurably. A haunting yet beautiful music echoed gently through the marble pillared room. Everything was white save for exquisite paintings that lined the walls depicting Biblical scenes. Seeing his guest was temporarily struck dumb, the man stood up. He threw open a spectacular double door and walked through it onto a balcony. “Join me,” he said, “I think you’ll enjoy the view.”
As if in a dream, the major stepped out and joined his host. He stared at the perfect sky, so blue it almost hurt. He marvelled at the buildings below adorned with flowers, as if each edifice was a celebration in itself. He watched the sunlight reflecting off the myriad water features as if each flicker was actually alive. He saw laughing people, surrounded by soft light, promenading down streets bordered by fantastic statues. Beyond the city a mighty ocean stretched as far as the eye could see.
Clearing his throat the major spoke, “You’ll understand I have some questions?”
The man who called himself God laughed. “I’d be awfully surprised if you didn’t. Don’t worry; I’ve cleared my diary. Take all the time you need.”
“If this really is Heaven, what about where I was riding today, and the bar?”
“Heaven is not what I want it to be, it’s what you want it to be. What you’ve seen today conforms to the various ideas as to what you’ve thought Heaven was in the past. I help you see what you want to see”
“Am I dead?”
“Not quite, but it doesn’t look very good.”
“You’ve got a lot to answer for you know, if you really are God.”
“Yes, I’m often told that. Are you going to give me the tired old line about mankind being in a mess and the shitstorm that’s going on down there? Let’s clear that up for starters. I don’t make life the crap some people think it is. You do. Everything that’s going on down there man created. Lying, cheating, violence, evil, suffering, fear, poverty. Look at you. You’re intelligent. You show a tenderness to your family that makes me proud and yet you’re a killer.” He held his hand up as the major was about to speak. “Yes, I know you think you’re doing the right thing and that’s the tragedy. The tragedy for mankind.”
“Whoa, hold on,” interrupted the major. “I kill to protect people. I dispose of those who would do us harm. If they didn’t exist I wouldn’t have to be a killer. I don’t enjoy what I do.”
“Don’t you?” his host snapped back. “You forget Major, I know you. There is an excitement as you’re near to a kill and the thrill of victory when you succeed. Oh, sure you feel bad about the feeling, but it’s there all the same. I understand of course, you have to feel that way to be good at your job, as you most certainly are. It’s the reason you are here.” The bearded man fixed him with an icy stare. “You have been brushed by the wings of evil. It’s difficult to shake off isn’t it? It’s the edge I want”
Confused by the remark the major gave him a quizzical look. The man took a step forwards and put his hand on the soldiers shoulder. The major felt the familiar sensation he’d experienced when Arbatel had caught him earlier. He fell into the warm void. “You weren’t always this way,” murmured the man. “I recall when you first killed. You were nine years old and you shot a sparrow in a tree. As it fell it reminded you of a falling leaf. You were guilty about it
It was all there. He sat atop a magnificent raised golden throne, bathed in light, dressed in a cascading white gown that shimmered with iridescence. A pristine white beard reached almost to his waist, matched in colour by the shock of hair reaching down his back. He seemed to have aged immeasurably. A haunting yet beautiful music echoed gently through the marble pillared room. Everything was white save for exquisite paintings that lined the walls depicting Biblical scenes. Seeing his guest was temporarily struck dumb, the man stood up. He threw open a spectacular double door and walked through it onto a balcony. “Join me,” he said, “I think you’ll enjoy the view.”
As if in a dream, the major stepped out and joined his host. He stared at the perfect sky, so blue it almost hurt. He marvelled at the buildings below adorned with flowers, as if each edifice was a celebration in itself. He watched the sunlight reflecting off the myriad water features as if each flicker was actually alive. He saw laughing people, surrounded by soft light, promenading down streets bordered by fantastic statues. Beyond the city a mighty ocean stretched as far as the eye could see.
Clearing his throat the major spoke, “You’ll understand I have some questions?”
The man who called himself God laughed. “I’d be awfully surprised if you didn’t. Don’t worry; I’ve cleared my diary. Take all the time you need.”
“If this really is Heaven, what about where I was riding today, and the bar?”
“Heaven is not what I want it to be, it’s what you want it to be. What you’ve seen today conforms to the various ideas as to what you’ve thought Heaven was in the past. I help you see what you want to see”
“Am I dead?”
“Not quite, but it doesn’t look very good.”
“You’ve got a lot to answer for you know, if you really are God.”
“Yes, I’m often told that. Are you going to give me the tired old line about mankind being in a mess and the shitstorm that’s going on down there? Let’s clear that up for starters. I don’t make life the crap some people think it is. You do. Everything that’s going on down there man created. Lying, cheating, violence, evil, suffering, fear, poverty. Look at you. You’re intelligent. You show a tenderness to your family that makes me proud and yet you’re a killer.” He held his hand up as the major was about to speak. “Yes, I know you think you’re doing the right thing and that’s the tragedy. The tragedy for mankind.”
“Whoa, hold on,” interrupted the major. “I kill to protect people. I dispose of those who would do us harm. If they didn’t exist I wouldn’t have to be a killer. I don’t enjoy what I do.”
“Don’t you?” his host snapped back. “You forget Major, I know you. There is an excitement as you’re near to a kill and the thrill of victory when you succeed. Oh, sure you feel bad about the feeling, but it’s there all the same. I understand of course, you have to feel that way to be good at your job, as you most certainly are. It’s the reason you are here.” The bearded man fixed him with an icy stare. “You have been brushed by the wings of evil. It’s difficult to shake off isn’t it? It’s the edge I want”
Confused by the remark the major gave him a quizzical look. The man took a step forwards and put his hand on the soldiers shoulder. The major felt the familiar sensation he’d experienced when Arbatel had caught him earlier. He fell into the warm void. “You weren’t always this way,” murmured the man. “I recall when you first killed. You were nine years old and you shot a sparrow in a tree. As it fell it reminded you of a falling leaf. You were guilty about it
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