Part 34 (1/2)

He s.h.i.+fted his weight and glared at me. ”Oh I have to do this. It is my my creation that is being creation that is being perverted perverted by demons! But don't worry, I will create it again, and I will by demons! But don't worry, I will create it again, and I will not not make the same mistakes twice.” make the same mistakes twice.”

”And if your wife and daughter are are here?” here?”

”Then I will spare this world, and destroy the infestation.” He held his hand out.

I gave up the box.

With his free hand, he withdrew an eyepiece from his pocket and touched it to the top of the cube. Hesitantly, he lifted the box to his eye and looked into it-- for a long long moment. moment.

Had the program found his wife and daughter? I looked at Kitaya. She stood with the gun behind her back, and gave a small shrug.

Finally gaza let out a sigh and pulled his head up from the box. At first his face was expressionless, but then quickly distorted into a look of rage. He stepped away from the rail, hauled the box back, and launched it over the edge. ”ARRGGHHH!”

I covered my head and jumped back. ”Now, Kitaya! Now!” ”Now, Kitaya! Now!”

But there was nothing. The air became still. Did the pistol misfire? Was it out of bullets? I turned and looked at her.

She was there, quietly holding the pistol. Only, it wasn't pointing at Gaza. It was pointing, at me. me. Her lovely face lit up in a sweet smile. Her lovely face lit up in a sweet smile.

Then...

she pulled the trigger.

CHAPTER 30.

DANTRA.

001001011001110.

Being dead was not at all what I had expected. It was actually quite cozy. The red velvet surface beneath me was incredibly soft, and the sweetest melody from a flute was drifting from somewhere nearby.

Two faces appeared above me. One was Annie's; the other, my mom's. Both were crying.

”He looks good,” said Annie between sobs. ”Don't you think he looks good?”

”Yes.” Mom sniffed. ”Very handsome.”

”I always loved that suit.” Annie blew her nose. ”The funeral parlor did a nice job with him.”

Funeral parlor! I grabbed the side of the coffin, sat up, and hauled myself out. I grabbed the side of the coffin, sat up, and hauled myself out.

Mom and Annie continued to stare down at the body in the open casket. It was me-- and I looked dead. But I did NOT look good! good! Why do people always say Why do people always say dead dead people look people look good? good?

I waved my hand in front of Annie. No reaction. I jumped up and down waving my arms. Still nothing. Was I a ghost? Was my spirit bound to earth for some crime I had committed? I turned and scanned the room. Samuel and Rebecca were sitting in the front row, dressed all in black. If they saw me, they made no indication. I walked to the edge of the platform and looked down at all the sad faces-- row after row of relatives, friends, business a.s.sociates. ”Huh.” I shrugged. All things considered, it wasn't a bad turnout.

A face in the third row caught my attention. She looked familiar-- but I couldn't place her. Her clothing was odd, either foreign foreign, or out of date, I couldn't decide which. I recognized her radiant blond hair and piercing green eyes. Yes, I knew her! Ariel! From the Abby where I'd studied for my appointment as sky searcher. Sky searcher? Sky searcher? I knew the term, but, what did it I knew the term, but, what did it mean? mean? Ariel smiled at me. Could Ariel smiled at me. Could she she see me? I stepped down from the platform and walked up the aisle toward her, all the while keeping my gaze fixed on hers. see me? I stepped down from the platform and walked up the aisle toward her, all the while keeping my gaze fixed on hers.

The room began to warp and expand until I found myself alone with her in a dense forest. Her lovely face turned up toward mine. ”I waited,” she said softly. ”I knew you were busy with your studies, but I waited.”

I crouched in front of her and found myself saying, ”I know it is difficult for you, but my workload is demanding.”

”You will gain what you seek, Charm. I only hope I may share in your journey.”

Memories like a distant dream began to surface. Memories of an entire life lived in a beautiful and peaceful world-- peaceful, that is, until the G.o.ds came.

I stood and took a step back.

Her countenance fell. ”What's wrong?”

”I'm-- Sam Dejal.”

”We don't have time for this,” came a gruff voice from behind me.

I twisted around and was surprised that I was still in the funeral parlor. Standing before me, unmoving, was a priest with an annoyed look on his face. There was a long pause, and I began to wonder if he had spoken at all. I leaned in close-- looking for a hint of movement.

”Can we speed things up!”

”Whoa!” I leaped back.

The priest rolled his eyes.

I squinted at him. ”Do I know you?” I asked.

”My name name is Clayton P. Wentworth,” he said gruffly, ”but you know me as Humphrey.” is Clayton P. Wentworth,” he said gruffly, ”but you know me as Humphrey.”

I let out a laugh. ”That's right! Of course you're here. You're dead too!”

”You're not dead, ya dope!”

”What?” I looked around. ”Then, what's all this?”

”It's not real. You're creating this out of the substance of Dantra.”

As he said the word, there was an impression. I knew Dantra. I had been here before. In my mind I saw a wide white bridge with a mult.i.tude of people moving across. Angels of G.o.d in brilliant orange flame were flying beside the bridge, protecting us from the fallen ones. Explosions of yellow plasma erupted as the ancient ones did battle. G.o.d had called us to save one man, Robert Helm.

Humphrey smiled. ”That's it, that's a good memory. Hold on to that one. And let's go!”

”Please, Humphrey, I need more.”

Humphrey looked past me and his brow furrowed.

”What is it?” I glanced behind.

”I have been reminded that time is not an issue, and--” his voice lowered and he looked away, ”that I need to be more patient.”

”Who reminded you?” I looked around the funeral parlor.