Redemption (Open Novella Contest 2019)

1

Heather Murphy would have been fine with going to hell. She would have strode into the fiery pits, surrounded by screams of anguish and distress. She would have ignored the torture and hopelessness, she would have suffered through whilst her feet were chopped off over and over again, whilst her eyes were burned out or whilst she was whipped every day and night by demons with midnight black eyes and monstrous grins.

So when she was handed a letter, sealed with the blood stamp of Azrael, and guided out of the queue, it didn't strike panic or worry into her. Heather was filled with a state of euphoria unlike any she had felt whilst living. Thomas has been saved. His life, worth thousands of hers, was to be lived. The only distress that she felt was that his life couldn't be lived with her.

Nonchalantly opening the letter, her intense brown eyes carelessly flicked through the neatly handwritten words. She had been challenged, by the angel of death himself, to complete a series of tasks. That caught her attention. The reward would be a resurrection. Those golden words, every dead soul would want to hear. A chance to be redeemed. To be a new person. To carry on living the life you lost so carelessly. Or in Heather's case, the life she lost to save another.

The demon she followed wore an unreasonabley opulent suit, with a black tie, not what she would expect from a servant of the most mischievous angel in the known universe. She was taken into a modest room, void apart from a wall-sized window, showing the judgement area. It was like a TV show, where the spirit would plead his or her case to the judges, before being swept away to either Heaven or Hell.

Standing with extreme stillness in front of her was a man, the most breathtakingly handsome man she had ever seen, apart from Thomas. His face was chiselled, with shoulder length, onyx black hair pulled away from his face in a half up, half down fashion. He also had an exquisitely trimmed beard, framing his mouth which was in the position of a small smile, almost as if he was trying to mask emotion. His suit was of purple velvet, perfectly fitted and neat which caused him to look as though he had never actually done a days work in his life.

"I am Azrael, the angel who sent for you. My challenge is simple, win and you live, lose and you are sent straight to hell. Regardless of how you lived your life. I don't think you should have any problem with that" He gave a small, knowing smile before continuing.

"My first challenge is for you to make an alliance with one of the other competitors. There are 29 of you, one shall be left unwanted. Val, take her away."

Before Heather could utter a word, she was whisked away in some kind of teleportation device, and was now in another room, white walls and floors, with just a screen on one of the walls, counting down in bold red numbers from 60.

Heather watched in trepidation as the numbers slowly counted down, she tapped her foot and bit her lip, it would be wonderful if she could see Thomas again, to live the life they'd wanted together.

The same teleportation was thrust upon her and now she appeared in what seemed to be a large courtyard. 28 other people, of all ages and ethnicities, stood with the same alarmed face and dazed stance as they too came to be in this new place.

Heather remembered Azrael's challenge, form an alliance. One shall leave. So that is what she must do, and saw the realisation dawn on everyone else's face. Her plan was simple, find the closest person, befriend them. No need to be picky if one shall be leaving if they do not cooperate.

So she strode across the luscious green lawn to a girl with dark red hair and many freckles that covered almost her entire face. They locked eyes. Heather could now tell that this may not have been such a good idea, for the girl was glaring daggers at her, vicious blue eyes sparkling with anger, a raging ocean in a storm. But Heather pursued her still, and with her head high carried on with her confident walk.