Redemption - A Darla Gray Novel

by Tina Marshall

  “And that’s it?”

  “That’s it,” confirmed Michael.

  Darla exhaled deeply. “Well here goes nothing,” she mumbled to herself. Closing her eyes she cleared her mind all except for the image of her son. Hearing his voice in the back of her mind she imagined herself in heaven holding him in her arms. Holding her breath she waited.

  A warm tingle raced down her arm and then… nothing! Just as she was about to speak the hairs on her arm raised and Darla felt for the first time the true power of her gift. Her eyes flew open expecting to see her arm glowing or a shining light but instead there was nothing just a definitive feeling of… power.

  A tiny spark leapt from her fingertip cracking the fabric of reality directly before her before bursting into life, revealing a shimmering portal of white light. Darla could feel the connection between her and the portal. It resonated with power. Without hesitation or fear she moved toward it.

  “Darla.” The Archangel stopped her in her tracks. “Remember, this is just a visit. You do not belong in Heaven; it is a place for the souls, not the living. You cannot stay,” he warned.

  Darla nodded solemnly. “If I see my son even for just one moment it will be enough.” Stepping fearlessly through the arched portal she did not hear the parting words of the Archangel.

  “It will never be enough to say a final goodbye to one you love.”

  The light engulfed her erasing her from sight.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Having already experienced the fall into Redemption as well as a blinking shift with Quinn and whatever it was Michael had used to move them; Darla braced herself not knowing what to expect. Piercing noise? Static electricity; blinding light…? What she hadn’t prepared herself for was nothing.

  One moment she had been on the roof of the mountain among friends and now she was in…Heaven?

  Stepping through the portal had been no different than stepping through a doorway from one room to another, only this time she had stepped into another realm, a realm that was filled with the bright clarity of daylight causing her to protect her eyes while they adjusted.

  Taking in her surroundings, she found herself standing at the base of a rolling hill carpeted in a blanket of soft green grass beneath a sky of clearest blue. The effects were surreal; almost dreamlike, except here she could feel the soft caress of the breeze on her skin, smell the crisp heavenly scent of the grass. This was no dream!

  With no sign of the portal and only endless sweeping fields behind her Darla decided on the hill. A higher view point would hopefully offer a better view of where to proceed.

  Almost to the top, she noticed a tree, the only object to be seen in an otherwise unbroken landscape. Approaching the crest Darla was surprised by the sheer size of it; a beautiful weeping willow. Its huge branches reaching up towards the sky before majestically arching back down towards the ground stopping just short of the earth beneath giving the overall illusion of fingers lovingly caressing the grass beneath in a tempo that matched the gentle sway of the breeze. Besides the beautiful willow stood a wooden bench very plain and simple in design and yet never had a spot looked move peaceful and inviting. Clearing the crest of the hill she stumbled on past the wooden bench in a daze.

  The beauty of the vision that lay before her had previously been obscured by the curved peak of the hill but without that obstruction what she saw was beyond belief. An overwhelming rush of emotion threatened to consume her leaving her unsure if to laugh or cry.

  In a sprawling valley at the base of the hill there stood a city unlike any other.

  Tall gleaming spire’s reached for the sky shimmering with light, each and every one of them glistening with diaphanous transparency. The vast city that supported the gossamer towers was no less inspiring. The ethereal buildings displayed a sheer crystalline quality that danced and shimmered in the light. The stunning vision gave off an illusion of being there one second and gone the next as if the entire city existed in a perpetual state of flux. The one and only constant appeared to be the immense set of golden gates that stood together but apart from one another in the middle of the sprawling field between her and the distant city.

  Like silent sentinels they majestically rose from out of the plain, their colossal size a beacon of their godly creation. Beautifully moulded from what looked like solid gold their fascia’s depicted scenes of celestial cherubs and heavenly angels in a master-piece the likes of which had never been seen.

  “Spectacular isn’t it?”

  Darla jumped, startled by the unexpected sound of a male voice behind her. Spinning around she saw an elderly gentleman resting comfortably on the bench beside the weeping willow. His kind face was lit up by a smile that made his eyes crinkle at the edges.

  “I am so sorry; I really didn’t see you there.” Darla said with genuine honesty. I could have sworn the seat was empty when I reached it, but then where else could he have come from? No-one had followed her up the hill and had anyone approached from the city surely she would have noticed.

  The man waved her apology aside. “Oh it’s Okay, I get that a lot.”

  “What, apologies?” she asked unable to resist a smile, his warm and pleasant manner was both settling and infectious. There was something about him that seemed so familiar, something she couldn’t quite put a finger on.

  The man chuckled at her witty reply. “No, being over-looked of course. Please,” the man held his hand out indicating the empty seat beside him, “Would you join me I have been waiting such a long time to meet you.”

  Trying to disguise her surprise Darla graciously accepted the seat whilst continuing to figure out from where she knew him. Surely such a distinguished looking gentleman would stand out in her memory.

  His silver grey hair sat neatly above the collar of what looked to be a well-tailored three-piece suit. His close cropped goatee complimented his handsome features, features that exuded kindness, but it was his eyes that drew her. An unusual shade of the softest lavender they reminded her of warm summer days. Deep set lines in the corner of his eyes told her he was no stranger to smiling.

  “I don’t like to appear rude, but do I know you? You seem very familiar,” she asked.

  The old man smiled warmly. “No child, we have never met before now, though we have spoken on many occasions and I should confess,” he added leaning forward slightly in a conspiratorial manner, “that is my mark you are bearing.”

  “Your mark…?”

  With his warm smile still in place the grey haired man nodded towards her arm covered in the unusual glyphs.

  “Oh the glyphs…” she replied having almost forgotten that they were there. Suddenly realising the significance of his words her eye’s widened in shock. “Oh… but…but then that would mean that …you’re…”

  “God?” he added, finishing her sentence, chuckling lightly at her surprize. “My dear child, you really shouldn’t be all that shocked. After all you are in Heaven.”

  Unable to remain seated Darla leapt to her feet and began rapidly pacing, whilst continuing to casting furtive looks in his general direction. “I never expect…..I didn’t think I would meet...” she mumbled quietly to herself.

  Allowing her a moment to gather her thoughts God finally spoke. “You are telling yourself that all this can’t possibly be real.”

  Darla stopped dead with the realisation that he had just voiced her exact thought. And not just her thought, but the precise way in which she had spoken it inside her head.

  “And you are now thinking that I know the exact words that are in your head,” he added.

  Darla gasped.

  “There really is no need to be surprised my dear. I have always been with you.” Holding out his hand he added. “No matter how you want to look at it, this is Heaven and I’m as real as you are.”

  Darla hesitated before shakily taking his hand. The soft warm of his skin was not what she had expected. The reality of his touch confused and yet soothed her all at once, anchoring
her back to reality.

  Allowing him to guide her back to the bench she once again took the seat beside him. “I know I have expected much from you and in such a short space of time, but I promise you Darla you are strong enough to deal with this. You have opened your mind to all walks of life since arriving in Redemption, is one more too much to ask?”

  “But you’re God!”

  He smiled. “I am, and this is exactly how you always imagined me to be.”

  Darla realised that was why he seemed so familiar.

  “This is just a small part of who I am,” he explained. “I appear in whichever guise the most devout imagine their God to be; hence the point that I am all things to all people.”

  Recognising the validity of his words Darla’s mind swarmed with a deluge of questions.

  “You have an endless array of questions?”

  She nodded mutely.

  “Well then, let’s see if I can’t relieve you of a few. Why do I seem so normal to you?” God tsked at her. “Didn’t you ever learn that ‘God made man in his own image’? Why would you assume I would be anything but ‘normal’?” Why do I look so dashing?” he asked, his eyes crinkling playfully. “That my dear is all you. After all, this is your representation of God. But between me and you I much prefer this to Michelangelo’s image,” he said smoothing a hand over his fine suit. “To my beloved angels,” he added, “I appear in my celestial form; energy more than substance, but in their case it is that energy that sustains them, nourishes them. I can also appear as a cloud of smoke or even on occasion simply a voice; letting you know I am there; guiding your way.”

  “You were my voice.” Darla whispered.

  “I was,” he said solemnly.

  “You stopped me from jumping in the tower,” she frowned remembering the moment it had happened. “You risked Heaven to stop me. Why?”

  “Oh Heaven was never in any real danger, I always knew someone would see your worth and plead your case,” ignoring her questioning stare he continued, “besides which, I wasn’t ready to lose you after waiting so long for you to arrive in Redemption.”

  Darla was astonished. “But it was your voice that stopped me from arriving any sooner. Every day for two years I begged you to release me from my pain. If you’d wanted me so badly, why make me wait so long?”

  Gods smile vanished. “Because you simply weren’t ready; you weren’t strong enough. It was your pain and suffering that gave you the strength and fortitude that you need.”

  “Need for what?” she asked.

  “Your destiny.” God hesitated, his focus moving to the celestial city before them. “There is only so much I am allowed to tell you,” he said sighing heavily. “The time I gave you was time that you needed. Time for you to heal, for your mind to grow strong again and emerge from behind all those barriers you had erected.”

  He turned to face her once more his expression sombre. “You may not be aware of it, but when you finally allowed your walls to come down, you were not only ready to live again, you welcomed it, embraced it. You are tougher, stronger, and more courageous than you ever were before, because you have already lived your worst nightmare and survived. You Darla, have faced your demons, and has it change you? Yes! You have finally become the woman you were destined to be.”

  Darla shook her head in denial. “You are painting me as some kind of invincible warrior, but I’m not. If that’s the kind of woman you need for this supposed ‘destiny’ you repeatedly allude to, then I can only presume I will fail. I am not the person you imagine me to be. Yes I can fight if needed but I am only human and I have limits.”

  “Your limits will eventually only exist in your mind. The gift I have bestowed on you today is just the beginning.”

  Darla shook her head starring at the exotic glyphs that decorated her arm, not ready to believe what he was saying was true.

  “Many more gifts will follow,” God added. “Each will be more powerful than the last. And when the last gift is in place you will finally be ready.”

  “But ready for what?” Was it her imagination or did he suddenly appear sad?

  “As I said earlier, there are only so many things I can tell you. Too much information could inadvertently compromise the outcome. Let it be sufficed to say that you have an extraordinary destiny ahead of you, one that will ultimately decide the fate of the entire human race.”

  Her jaw dropped wide with shock. “You’re kidding right? Oh please, please, believe me when I say you have made a terrible mistake… it’s too much…” Darla held out her glyph covered arm. “Please just take it back… Please…I’m no-one… I can’t do what you’re asking. I’m just me.” She pleaded earnestly.

  Reaching out, God tenderly stroked her cheek brushing aside the flow of tears that now fell unleashed. “My darling child, you are so much more than you could possibly imagine.” He gently raised her chin until her eyes met his. The faith in their soft lavender hue spoke volumes. “You must understand I had my pick of an entire race. I chose you. All it takes is for you to start believing in what I already know to be true.” His eyes crinkled lightly in the corners with a smile. “I assure you, I am very seldom wrong. After all, I am God you know.”

  Could he be right? Was there some higher purpose to her life? Never once had she questioned her belief before, not even during her darkest hour. So why am I questioning it now? “I still have no idea what it is I am supposed to do.”

  With an energy belying his years God rose up from the seat before her spreading his arms wide. “It’s simple Darla. Live. Love.” His voice echoed with his exuberance. “Relish every moment of your new life, for the path you will follow has long since been laid out for you. Along the way you will be confronted with many choices the results of which sometimes you will get right and sometimes you will not. All I am asking is that regardless of the outcome you never stop believing in yourself, because ultimately, right or wrong, those choices will all lead you to your goal and a final decision that can only be made by you; my first chosen.”

  “And what if I should need help in making these ‘choices’?” she asked still not certain she deserved the unwavering faith he showed in her.

  “Anticipating your lack of conviction, I have assigned my most finest to assist you whenever you should feel the need. I have given you Michael.”

  Darla was astonished. “The Archangel!!!”

  Dismissing her shock God continued. “Should you be unsure, in need of advice or simply overwhelmed by the enormity of your new position, all you need do is call for him. But take heed Darla his place is to guide and offer advice, ultimately all decisions must be yours.”

  “So should I need---.”

  “So many questions,” he smiled stopping her in her tracks. “And here I am distracting you from the true purpose of your visit.”

  Darla was mortified, leaping from the seat. “Adam!”

  God placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “He understands your need to speak with me, but he now grows impatient.” With a knowing smile he swept his hand towards the ethereal city.

  Rapt with attention Darla watched the play of lights flickering in the heart of the wondrous city. Tiny clusters of small glowing orbs intertwined in a never-ending dance, twisting and turning with a purpose simply of their own, the beauty of which was astonishing.

  Understanding descended on Darla so suddenly it took her breath away. “Soul, they’re souls,” she gasped spinning to face God for conformation, only to find herself alone once more.

  Looking back at the city her attention was drawn towards one particular tiny white light that separated from the larger body and began weaving a steady path throughout the city. The further it moved from the confines of the city the more it expanded. Its bright light faded and a shadow formed in its place slowly increasing in density. Clearing the majestic gates its form restructured creating the beginning of a shaped outline. Arms, legs, torso; within seconds a fully formed figure of a man descended to the ground taking the
last few steps smoothly and flawlessly. Entranced by what she had witnessed Darla continued to watch his silent approach. Something about his appearance drew her. Had he come to take her to Adam?

  Short cropped black hair, strong forehead and generous full lips. No more than nineteen, twenty at most and very handsome, but it was his eye’s that intrigued her most; ice blue and identical to her own.

  “Adam?” the hoarse whisper caught in her throat.

  His face broke into an angelic smile that she recognised immediately, confirming beyond doubt. “Adam!” The name tore from her throat in a cry of anguish and joy.

  Racing towards him her breath caught in her throat producing choking sobs of over-whelming joy. She flew into his out-stretched arms causing him to take a couple of steps back from the sheer force of her assault. Clutching him fiercely in her arms Darla let go of all her years of pain and suffering and sobbed uncontrollably.

  Allowing her the time she needed Adam was content to just hold her. Suspended in a single moment in time, years of sorrow and unbearable suffering seeped from her body in a torrent of tears, healed by the loving arms of her son.

  Inhaling deep gulps of air in-between gasping sobs Darla drowned in a scent as familiar as her own. His appearance may have changed, but there was no doubt in her mind in whose arms she lay.

  Finally leaning back so as to stare into a face that had changed so much and yet not at all, her trembling hand swept his features in a loving caress, unable to voice the volume of love she felt.

  Adam took her hand and dragged it to his lips tenderly kissed her palm before placing against his cheek. “Sshhh, it’s okay. I have missed you too. I love you mom.”

  His gentle words melted her heart and renewed her sobs as she clung to him once more.

  Ironically it was he that now comforted her. Stroking her hair he gently lowered her to the grass where he held her tenderly for what seemed like an eternity. Her sobs slowly subsided and her breathing gradually returned to normal.