Hereafter

Hereafter: Part II Graduation Day, Chapter 35

35

THE TWO GUARDS DREW THEIR weapons, turned, and positioned the gun barrels right on my forehead, the cold steel pointing back so that the exiting blood and bullets would be projected onto the thick oak wooden chair with a high back. I closed my eyes and heard the gun hammers drawn back and click in place.

An eternity of time passed without the trigger being pulled. President Cain became livid, drew his pistol, and raced in my direction.

“What are you waiting for . . . end her miserable life!”

I opened my eyes and saw my executioners, guns drawn, looking at me with such troubled eyes. Then, they turned to look at each other and with a slight nod seemed to agree that they couldn’t let this travesty of justice and decency take place.

Instead of my execution, first one turned to drop President Cain with a shot to the chest when he was only ten feet from me. The other took out the Chief Justice with a bullet through his heart and a second kill shot to the head. Together, they mowed down the remaining justices. There were many other military and security officers in the Square, but they’d all impulsively agreed to support the guards who’d decided not to be responsible for my death—no matter the consequences.

EVERYTHING HAPPENED SO QUICKLY, but when the many onlookers realized that I’d been spared and there wasn’t going to be any brutal retaliation, they broke out into resounding shouts of cheer and boundless expressions of joy!

I was strapped into the witness chair, stunned by the shock of still being alive. I fully expected to be crossing over into whatever mysterious new reality the hereafter might hold. Instead, President Cain was lying in a pool of his own blood only a few feet from me. In the last moments of his death throes, dying along with him was everything he represented—all the tyranny, injustice, and hopelessness that tormented the people of Calidari. But, what brought about this massive miracle? It wasn’t easy to believe what I was seeing.

The revelry would not be contained. All the other prisoners were released, including Birkhoff. Song and dance, laughter and glorious glee filled Raftalgar Square and quickly spread throughout the city and beyond, to every part of the Kingdom of Calidari as the good news spread that the ruthless ruler from the Citadel who had a stranglehold on our people had been vanquished.

In the midst of all this unbridled joy, I suddenly had the sobering sense that I wasn’t going to be here to live out this dream so dramatically realized with my friends and family.

AS THE SUN BEGAN TO SET, Calidari’s dual moons began to rise, and without a cloud in the sky a series of seven rainbows could be seen arching over the sun, one larger than the other. Within a few minutes it became apparent that the sun had stopped setting and began growing into a glowing, fiery, rust-orange fireball a hundred times its normal size, but this was just the beginning of the spectacular celestial star show that was about to take place.

Where the rainbows ended, the sky darkened making the cosmos visible. Shooting stars started streaking every which way apparently heralding some momentous occasion. As if fireworks, the comets and asteroids began colliding in a kaleidoscope of mesmerizing colors.

Clouds began to gather over the sun, slowly taking the shape of a face, neither male nor female, but projecting an overwhelming impression of universal unconditional love. Now filling up half the sky field, the revelry in the Square quickly subsided as people began to notice. What we were seeing was visible to everyone in Calidari, as was the scene in the Square through some form of telepathy.

Despite the extraordinary events, no one was fearful. The respectful silence spread throughout the kingdom. Like a spectacular scene from the Wizard of Oz, this Great and Powerful Oz, clearly a materialized form of the Creator, finally began speaking with a great and regal, but fatherly voice.

“This is my beloved daughter, in whom I am well pleased. My children of Calidari, you have chosen love over hate, justice over tyranny, you have taken the first important step to joining Us on a higher plane. The Sacred Words that stirred your hearts and refined your souls were but the beginning of a journey toward wisdom. My daughter was sent to begin this process. Her work is done and you will all soon see her leave the material plane of existence in your world. Do not despair, however, as I will call on others to continue her work, providing your people, your society with ongoing spiritual guidance. Though you will not see us like this again, know that we are only a prayer away. Peace be with you all.”

FOLLOWING THAT FINAL SALUTATION, a whirlwind composed of countless swirling white-winged angels came down from the sky and surrounded me. Without a chance to say goodbye, I waved farewell to Birkhoff, Elizabeth, and Daniel, the others who I came to know in the caves, and as I was lifted up and over the Square to everyone who could see me slowly vanishing into the heavens.

Once out of sight, two Messenger Angels took charge of escorting me into a wormhole and an instant later I was standing in the portal of the Soft Landing Café. Looking around at the familiar surroundings, I was allowed to remember the knowledge of planning my Diva Deity Mission.

“Well done, Fallon. By all accounts your mission was a great success. There will be a formal debriefing at Mission Control in an hour, so be sure and head over there right away. It was an honor to be called upon to bring you back home to us.”

WITH THOSE KIND WORDS, the angels went back into the wormhole and I walked up to the counter to order my favorite moringa chai latte.