by Carl East
Brian knows what happened to me. He has gone out of his way to find a loophole or anything that could set me free from the pact of mine. I let him do whatever keeps him happy, but I know there’s no way out. I also know that I’ve done some good things in this life and have no regrets. Of all the things, I have accomplished the one that makes me proud, is seeing people who were lost and on the wrong side of the tracks, pulling themselves together and getting it right.
I look at those few people around me who believe, and changed their ways and I know I’m responsible for that. So fuck you Devil, I’m waiting for you.
The next day seemed like any other to me, but my friends watched me like a hawk. I guess they thought if there was any way they could stop what was going to happen they wanted to try, you have to love friends like that. However, even though they watched me all day, until late into the night, nothing happened. I was feeling fine and in the end, I just told them that I was going to bed.
I laid down that night completely convinced that I wasn’t going to wake up again, and although sleep didn’t come easy, I eventually managed to nod off.
The next time I opened my eyes I was laying in what looked like a hospital bed, but everything looked so white. I mean, there wasn’t any color in that room at all everything was a brilliant white. I got out of the bed and headed for the door, when Sonia walked in.
“Sonia…so I’m in Hell?” I said, sitting back on the bed.
“No, you’re in purgatory, and until this mess is sorted out this is where you’ll stay,” she replied, sitting down next to me.
Sonia was my guide in Hell, and a beautiful woman. She always came across to me as someone who was sad but hid it from everyone.
“I don’t get it…I made a deal with the Devil there should be no way out of that?” I said, looking her in the eyes.
“Apparently when your soul left your body it tried to go up, but the forces of darkness stopped it and tried to pull it down. Unfortunately, for them, they couldn’t do it as the good inside it was overpowering. The only thing they could do was turn it over to the Reaper who bought it here. Now the forces of light are arguing that a soul so filled with good shouldn’t be allowed to go to Hell, but on the other side of the argument you made a deal with the Devil and that deal is binding so they are at an impasse,” explained Sonia.
I smiled to myself, remembering the thoughts I’d had of how the Devil could justify taking my soul when it was filled with so much good, and now I knew.
“What happens next?” I asked.
“First of all there are some people here who would like to see you,” replied Sonia.
She then went over to the door, opened it and said, “He’ll see you now,” and then she opened the door wider. There in the frame of the doorway stood my mom and dad, and I suddenly had no control over the tears that rolled down my face. I leapt from the bed and took them in my arms together, and for those few seconds I was the most contented individual in the known universe.
“Hello son, I hear you’re in a bit of bother?” said my father when I eventually let go of them to see their faces.
I wiped the tears away as best I could, and Sonia filled them in on what was happening.
“So let me get this straight son, you actually sold your soul, just to prove that Heaven existed? Why couldn’t you just take it on faith like all true believers do, you wouldn’t be in this mess then?” said my father, always the logical of the two.
“I couldn’t believe that any God would take you from me so early in life, which in turn gave me doubts that Heaven existed or even God for that matter. I just had to know dad, I needed to know that you and mom had moved on to a better place and when I was in Hell I did believe and I was content,” I replied, seeing the tears streaming down my mother’s face.
“So what’s next Sonia?” said my father, as he turned to face her.
“The most likely event will be a hearing held in the great hall, where both sides will put their case and they will decide from there,” she replied, looking at me.
We talked for what seemed hours after that, and mom tried to describe Heaven to me.
“Geoffrey you can go anywhere you want to go when you’re in Heaven, in fact your father and I have seen things you wouldn’t believe like the stellar nursery and the rings of Saturn. Oh and best of all the universe is crawling with life, there are so many planets out their just like our own you wouldn’t believe,” said my mother excitedly.
The things I learned that day were mind blowing, but then it all ended when we were summoned to the great hall. Sonia led the way, and we soon found ourselves entering this hall. The first person I spotted was the Devil, and he looked straight at me as we entered, not once taking his eyes away.
“I see your boss is here?” I whispered to Sonia.
“Yes, he has a right to defend his contracts,” she replied.
“Does that mean God will show as well?”
“No…those people over there speak on God’s behalf,” she replied, pointing to three distinguished looking Gentlemen seated opposite the Devil.
Just then, a tall man sitting in the center rose and everyone went quiet. This Guy was the arbitrator, the person who would make the final decision of where I would go next.
“Let’s bring this hearing to order,” He said, “the case against Geoffrey Morgan is as follows: Ten years ago Geoffrey made a deal with the Devil to sell his soul in order to take a tour of Hell to establish if Heaven truly existed, the Devil accepted this contract and fulfilled his part of the bargain. Are any of these facts denied?” he said, turning to what I suppose was my defense.
“None are denied sir,” said the tallest of the three Guys.
“Then what is your case for stopping said soul from continuing on its journey?”
“Sir, Geoffrey’s soul is so filled with good that it seems an affront to God to permit it to reside in Hell, we would argue that to allow a soul that is filled with so much of God’s love is an insult to all those that believe good will triumph over evil,” said the defense.
The arbitrator listened and then looked over at the Devil.
“What do you say to these remarks?”
The Devil stood up, and everyone was quiet.
“I will be brief; the fact is when I argued my case with God several thousand years ago He assured me that any contract made without subterfuge would be honored. I neither asked nor coerced Geoffrey Morgan to sell me his soul he did that of his own free will. According to God that is a binding contract, and I fail to see how or why you have stopped this contract from being fulfilled,” He said, sitting back down again.
The arbitrator turned to me next, and asked if I had anything to add.
“When I made this contract with the Devil, I knew what I was doing. I also knew that by the time he came to collect on his deal, I wasn’t going to make it easy for him to do so. He has a right to my soul, but I would argue that I have never done evil in my life. That begs the question in what part of Hell does he intend to place me. I have no lame excuses as to why I didn’t go to Heaven, and because I never did anything evil I do not deserve to be tormented, and I’m definitely not contemptuous of anything or anyone.”
I noticed at this point in the proceedings that everyone in that room was hanging on my next word.
“I will lose this case, I already know that but I did what I did for noble reasons I know in my heart that I am good, and taking me to Hell will not change that,” I replied.
The arbitrator looked thoughtful, but I could see in his facial expressions that he’d come to a decision.
“I am cognizant of the defense’s objections to this particular soul going to Hell, and fully understand the ramifications of allowing a truly good soul to end in such a place. However, what was said earlier was the truth; God did indeed say to the Devil many years ago that provided there were no miss managements of the contract He would not interfere. I want to rule against the Devil on moral grounds, but that would be my own feel
ings of this case taking over from the truth, and the truth here is that Geoffrey of his own free will and admission did make a deal with the Devil to sell his soul. I therefore have no recourse but to find in the Devil’s favor,” he said, looking down and not being able to make eye contact with me.
There were many raised voices after that, but I stayed calm. I guess I already knew what would happen, but it was fun playing with the Devil for a while there. I was allowed to say good-bye to my parents, and found out that they could visit me so I did have some good news from all of this. After a tearful farewell, they left and Sonia was responsible for escorting me to my new home.
She led me to a chamber that was filled with light and as we stepped into the light, I could feel myself moving extremely fast. By the time we’d walked out of the light, I could see where I was to reside for the rest of eternity.
Despair: it was the last zone of Hell and I suppose the Devil’s last dig at my defiance. I didn’t feel I despaired of anything, but then that was the Devil’s point wasn’t it, he wanted me to despair and perhaps in time staying here that’s what I would do.
“I’m sorry about all this Geoffrey I truly wish you weren’t assigned here. If you see my sister, would you look out for her? I believe she wanders the low lands, as if trying to find a way out. Her name is Pauline; she has long black hair and slender neck. I used to call her Pauli, and she hated that nickname,” said Sonia.
I told her I would look out for her, and then thanked her for being so helpful. With that, I wandered out into the bleak landscape before me, with a need to be by myself.
I must have walked for miles the first day of my incarceration, and didn’t see a single soul. Although it has to be said I heard quite a few, it seems that people who despair want their privacy. In fact, I must have been there for several days before seeing the first person, who, after spotting me turned around and went off in the opposite direction.
After that, I decided to wait for the first person to come along, as I found the need to talk with anyone by now. I don’t know if it was fate or just a fantastic coincidence but the first person that came along that trail had black hair and a slender neck. She hadn’t seen me sitting in the rocks, so I waited until she was very close before saying anything.
“Hi Pauline, it is Pauline isn’t it?” I said, making her jump.
She started to walk away a bit faster than she had approached, but then she stopped and turned around a few feet away.
“How did you know my name?” she said.
“Your sister told me to look out for you, and I told her I would,” I replied.
“My sister is dead,” she replied.
I realized straight away that she didn’t know she was dead as well or didn’t want to acknowledge the fact. I decided to tread lightly at that point.
“She told me before she died,” I lied.
“How did you know my sister?” she asked, as she got nearer.
“I knew her in school, Sonia was always getting into trouble,” I guessed.
“Yes, she was always getting detention. I remember once she got detention and it wasn’t her that had done it, she was covering for me,” said Pauline, actually laughing from the memory.
“Well she told me that Pauline was the type of person that would always help those in trouble, so I guess I just wanted to ask if you could possibly show me around, as I have nowhere to stay,” I replied.
“There’s room in the cave, it goes right back into the mountain and that’s where I always go. You don’t snore do you? I hate being awoken by people who snore,” she said.
“I don’t think so, perhaps you could tell me in the morning if I snore or not?” I replied.
“I could do that,” she said, “it’s this way,” she added, and then started walking up the mountain path.
I followed close behind but kept my comments to answers from her questions as I could tell she wasn’t herself here, and I had no wish to bring her out of her delusions, it wouldn’t serve any purpose. When we reached the cave she had referred too, I soon realized that she hadn’t been exaggerating when she said the cave was big. There were caverns leading off in all directions, and she showed me where she slept at night, and how she’d made a cot with branches.
I soon found myself copying her design and with her help, I had a bed of my own. There was running water in the cave, and we washed in it together. We also fashioned cups out of clay that we found in the water pool, and dried them over a fire near to where we slept. To Pauline it was like having a new friend to play with, but to me it was like caring for someone who was lost and needed a shoulder to cry on.
When I awoke the next morning, she was standing over me.
“You don’t snore, but you move around a lot,” she said, laughing.
“That’s good to know,” I replied, getting up.
“What shall we do today, is there anything worth seeing?” I said.
“I usually go for a walk, it helps to pass the time,” she replied, beckoning me to follow.
We walked for miles until we came to a large stonewall.
“This is where I awoke after killing myself; at least I thought I had. Yet someone must have bought me here as a punishment for trying to end my life,” she said.
“Why did you try to kill yourself?” I asked.
“My sister died, and I missed…I missed her so much. I wanted to be with her, but I guess I failed her even in that,” replied Pauline.
“You didn’t fail her Pauline, when you died she was heartbroken,” I said, trying to let her know the truth slowly.
“How could you know that if she was dead?”
I sat her down near the wall, and told her to listen carefully and to try to understand.
“You and your sister have died and crossed over to the other side. Unfortunately, you both went to Hell. You went because you took your own life, but I don’t know how or why Sonia came to this place. She showed me where you reside, and what I said about looking out for you was the truth I promised Sonia that I would.”
I noticed at that point that Pauline was rocking back and forth, and not really listening to anything I said. I picked her up and walked back the way we had come, only then realizing that nothing was going to get through to this girl. She was lost in her own world, and the truth meant nothing to her.
When we were back inside the cave, I lay her down and watched over her until she fell asleep.
“Even now you try to do good…but you’re helpless to aid this girl. Is it not frustrating?” said a voice behind me.
I turned to find the Devil standing over me.
“Come to gloat?” I said, turning back to watch Pauline sleep.
“You have nothing but contempt for me Geoffrey Morgan, but you refuse to see the need in my existence,” replied the Devil.
I turned back to face him.
“I don’t see the need for suffering and if you had any compassion you would help this poor girl,” I shouted, knowing that my words were falling on deaf ears.
“But I did show compassion to this one, don’t you remember, suicides go to the tormented zone. She can dwell here for the rest of eternity, instead of a place where she would be tormented. Is that not compassion?” he replied.
Having seen the tormented zone, I realized that of the two this was probably the better one. At least Pauline wouldn’t be tormented by others.
“I suppose you did,” I conceded.
“My mission, my only goal in life is to punish those that break the Lords commandments. There are times I’ve hated doing the things I do, but if I stopped doing them, someone else would take my place. It is a necessary evil, as good cannot exist without it,” said the Devil, calmly.
“I guess I’ve never looked at it like that before, but even now I still do not regret making that deal with you. I saved peoples souls, and that has to make you angry with me?” I replied.
“On the contrary Geoffrey, I only bought you down here to teach you a lesson. I always knew t
hat I wouldn’t get you, but it didn’t stop me from messing with you,” he said.
“What are you talking about?” I replied.
“You’re not in Hell Geoffrey you’re asleep in your bed,” he said.
“But…What about Purgatory, and my parents?”
“Purgatory was an illusion created by me you didn’t see your real parents although what was said was partly true. They are in Heaven and they can go wherever they want to. Everything else was true, even Sonia thought you were in Hell to stay. Now before I release your essence to go back again, I will do something compassionate,” with that he clapped his hands and Sonia stood before us.
“Take your sister to the Temple, and care for her there,” said the Devil.
Sonia looked at me and smiled, before picking Pauline up and disappearing. I looked up at the Devil in disbelief.
“You think you know what I’m all about, but you have no idea of the hard decisions I make day in and day out. I couldn’t take your soul because it was an affront to this place as well as Heaven. I could however mess with you, as you tried to mess with me. You are a good man Geoffrey Morgan, but you needed to learn that life isn’t as simple as you make it out to be. There are good and bad people, and there always will be. Go back now and enjoy the life you have left to live, and remember I’ll be watching you,” said the Devil.
Suddenly I sat up in bed, and cried out for my friends. When they all rushed in I told them what had happened, and for the first time in ten years, I was content. I knew my parents were in Heaven, and I’d gotten away with selling my soul. We all celebrated that night, and to this day, I light a candle to the memory of my parent’s death whenever that date comes around. I pray for Pauline often, and hope that Sonia is happy.
I suppose if there is a moral to this story, it’s that you shouldn’t judge people too harshly until you know all the facts. I choose to do good still, but that’s just me. The path you choose is your decision and yours alone: Choose wisely.
