Come

Psalm 28: Neither Death nor Life

Ikuto:

A girl was dying right in front of me, and I didn't do anything about it. Vlad tried to punch the dude, and everyone else cried or got really angry. I didn't do anything, not even cry for Amy. Does not crying for a little girl's death make me selfish?

I should've done something. The gun only works if the person looks at it. Maybe I could've asked Vlad to get into her mind and ask her to close her eyes. Maybe I could've changed into a cat and distracted her. Maybe I should've taken the blow myself (though nobody would be too pleased about it, especially Elsa).

All of the good maybes that exist, and none of them happened.

I don't know what Elsa was planning. She gave us sheet music and asked us to compose a sad sounding song. We did do it, but I don't think my heart was into it.

There was a memorial service later that night, for Amy. Mrs Luther asked us to lead the service.

And we were there, upon the platform. Elsa tapped the microphone, just like she did the first day she came. The whole crowd went silent.

"Hi everyone," she says sadly, then sighed. "Tonight is the memorial of a five year old girl, Amy. I only met her twice, but nobody, not even the worst criminal ever, deserves to be killed in cold blood like that."

"Yeah, let's go find whoever did this and kill him!" Someone shouted, and the rest cheered. "If God really loved us, he won't let anybody who truly loves God be killed!"

Oh dear. One, Noah's the killer. Two, this is getting out of hand...

Elsa put her hands up. "Wait! If you want to kill him, that means you're the same as the murderer!"

The whole crowd went silent, and Elsa started to cry. "I wish too that death doesn't happen, but God says that if we murder someone, we are guilty for it. And hating someone also counts as killing them."

Wow, I didn't know that. But Elsa continued on. "And God isn't the author of Death. Sin is. Sin is what caused Amy to die.

"Six months ago, my parents were murdered."

The crowd gasped. Well, technically, it was six months for her. Actually, more like four.

"I know my parent's murderer, and he's still alive. But I don't want to kill him. Bless my parents' souls, but if they didn't die, neither I nor my brother would be up here today. In fact, we won't even be here. Come probably won't exist. God takes an unexpected death and makes a plan for it. If we get through the trials of life, we can become better. Amy's death will not be in vain if we don't want it to be. And with that, I have a song for you."

And that's our cue to start playing. Anubis starts to play a sad melody on the guitar, and I extend the bow to play a single note.

And Elsa sang softly, still crying,

"They say death has lost its sting,
And that's why the choir bells ring.
But why does the world move on
And I don't when someone dies?

Is it okay to cry?
Okay to be angry?
God why do people
Have to die?

Two years later the town forgets
The world didn't know they existed
But I do remember when no one does.
Though people say death's not in vain.

Is it okay to cry?
Okay to be angry?
God why do people
Have to die?

They say that
It's because of sin
Because of Satan
And now I know
I'll see them again.
Cause neither death
Nor life separates us.

Up in Heaven
With us both in his arms.
So I'll be patient
Till the end of my days."

The song ends, and it starts with a few sobs until the whole crowd starts weeping. Even I was crying a little, and I felt a bit better.

Elsa turns off the microphone, and the band, including Neutron, gathers in a circle.

Elsa wipes her eyes. "If we don't do something, Noah is going to do this again, maybe even worse."

Anubis bits his thumb and closes his eyes. When he opens them, he says, "I don't want him to die; and I don't hate him. But we could face off against him in a final battle. I know Noah, and he likes games. We'll face off in a magical game, all of us. Our band, his tools. If he loses, he'll stop this. But if we lose, we'll stop the band."

The result was depressing. But we had to do this.

We all agreed. The final battle was to take place this Sunday.

---author---

Amy was in high school when she died.

Now that I think about it, she was my current age. Funny, even though I remember her being older than me.

I'm not getting into specific details, but she was murdered. By a gun two years ago. And great timing, since the day was in late May.

She went to my church. Even though I didn't know her other than a senpai, she brightened everyone's path and really believed in God.

Then that day came and everyone was devastated. The church put on a Sunday memorial service.

No one could even hate the murderer, since he died afterwards.

But the people around her wondered why. Why would God let someone die?

But let me tell you about two years later. A girl who was her friend started consistently going to church after that, and another friend of hers became active in church by becoming a student leader to little kids. Neither of them had considered God as their savior once before. They both do now.

If you know someone close to you that has died, I want you to think about how much you've changed since that death. And when someone close to you dies, don't blame God. I've said it before, but God is not the author of Death.

Just wanted to say this. I'm sure they're in heaven, and you'll see them again one day.