Original Sin

Chapter 16

She should be dead. She distinctly remembered dying in Alex's arms. 

So why did Hailey still have consciousness? Why were her memories intact? A person's soul is suppose to become dormant in Heaven, an eternity in peaceful slumber, or restless in Hell, an eternity of punishment and pain. Nowhere had she heard of an existing consciousness that accompanied a soul. 

Even her death was in no way akin to a typical mortal. 

Hailey was groggy, sitting up holding her head in her hands. Huh, she thought, I don't feel any pain. Hailey looked at her hands, body, hair...Everything was still here. She still had her earthly physical form and her memories. 

But not everything was the same- Instead of her sand-riddled shorts and T-shirt, she wore a simple white tunic. She had no wounds, and there was no sign of blood, no signs of any injury. She was in perfect condition. 

Perfection.

Hailey stood looking at the white landscape that surrounded her. It was empty, a vast white nothingness that stretched on forever. Her bare feet made no sound as she stretched her stiff muscles and walked around. This couldn't be Heaven, and it sure wasn't Hell. Alex assured her Purgatory was reserved for dead angels and demons only. She knew no place on Earth like this.

Hailey stopped, tapped her foot incessantly, and put her hands on her hips to think. "How does one get out of a place when she doesn't even know where she is?" Her voice echoed and reverberated into the nothingness. 

"It's simple really. Just listen and obey." A commanding voice echoed back at her. Hailey's eyes searched high and low for the source. She knew that tone. That voice condemned herself, her lover, and humanity to a world full of pain and suffering.

God. 

Here He was again, making a mess of her existence. Hailey couldn't hide her annoyance. This was all His fault in the first place. She would make sure He never forgot that. 

"I don't like those words, Listen and Obey. They never sat well with me." Hailey spoke and continued walking, knowing He could hear her wherever she went, no matter how softly she spoke or how well she hid her thoughts.

"Yes. I suppose I can understand why."

"What do you want?"

"Always so direct. You never have been one for chit chat."

"I've had enough chit chat lately, and it nearly killed me." Hailey muttered, recalling recent events on the beach. "Speaking of which, why am I not dead?"

"Good question." God's voice paused. Hailey stopped walking momentarily, waiting for Him to continue. 

"Please don't toy with me. I am far too confused to be trifled with right now." Hailey's patience was wearing thin. Then again, she never had much patience for Him anyway. She thought of the Jeopardy theme song. 

"Do you enjoy making fun of me?"

"Yes," Hailey admitted. No shame. However, enough chit chat. "Again, let me ask you: Why am I not dead?"

"It's the Divine Light within you. It refused to let you die."

She recalled a light emanating from beneath her eyes as she "died" in Alex's arms. "Divine Light? What is that?"

"You don't remember reading about it in the library?" 

Hailey continued walking aimlessly in the white abyss. Movement helped concentrate. "I think I came across it in a drawing while researching the Rock of Ages. It was pictured in a document outlining the First Nicaean Creed. But yet again, you didn't answer my question." 

"People who possess Divine Light can manipulate the Rock of Ages to do their bidding."

"So how does one possess Divine Light? I can understand if angels obtain it, but I'm human."

"An immortal human. One personally touched by Me."

Hailey sneered at the thought. He believed she was "touched", like it was some sort of blessing to be immortal. Hardly. "So when you cursed us, I was granted Divine Light? Is that what you mean?"

"Yes."

"Wow. You won't even deny the curse, the punishment that sent everything into a chaotic, metaphorical Hell on Earth. You have some nerve, even for a Creator."

Silence. Of course He was silent when the conversation turned into one that blamed Him. He refused to be implicated for the situation on Earth. Amazing that so many people actually believed the same idea, that God was always innocent of wrong-doings. 

When He spoke again, the voice was even-toned, restrained. "You are the perfection I desired to create. Imagine the unrest within mortals and immortals alike if perfection was allowed to ally with angelic grace? It would usurp the power I hold over all creatures."

Hailey rolled her eyes. She scoffed at His need to remain in control. Unfortunately, He wasn't entirely wrong; someone had to reign-in angels and other-worldly entities. If they were left unchecked, they all might end up like Michael.

"Then let me ask you again: What do you want from me?"

"Michael has been a thorn in my side since Creation. His power is too great now. I want you to use the Rock of Ages to eliminate him!" God voice thundered with anger. His distaste for the arch angel equaled Hailey's. At least they could agree on this much.

"So I use the Rock of Ages to kill Michael, then..."

She was cut-off by God's raging voice. "Not kill him! Eliminate him! So that there is not a single atomic particle left of his wretched existence!"

"Alrighty then," Hailey replied, slightly annoyed by His authoritarian tone. Touchy much? "What happens to Alex and I afterwards?"

"The Rock of Ages will consume your Divine Light entirely. There will be nothing left for your life force to draw from. You will have the mortal death you've always wanted, Michael will be gone, and Lucifer will perish alongside you, as he wishes. Do this, and the curse will be over. Humanity will be in control of their own destinies, as it should have always been."

Hailey breathed a deep, guilty feeling sigh of acceptance. She had no right to choose Alex's fate for him. She was hoping to avoid his death. The idea was not something she could argue with, however. Alex's words resonated in her ears: If eternity doesn't have you, I don't want it. His word was his life, and he devoted what was left of his life to her. 

She loved him as much today as she had in the Garden of Eden. She could no longer deny it. Even now, in a state of nothingness, she yearned for his calloused hands and all-consuming eyes. It sent shivers down her spine remembering images of their last night together in Istanbul.

"Could you please refrain from lusting after him until you are returned to your human body?"

Ack! God was still here. Hailey hoped He noticed her utter annoyance and grievances at His eavesdropping. "You could just tune me out, ignore my thoughts at the very least."

"If only it were that simple."

"Oh, I'm sure it is. You just love to complicate things."

Her retort went unchallenged. Instead, God said, "You should go now. He's waiting for you."

Silence. That voice, His presence, was gone. She couldn't feel Him listening-in anymore. 

Strangely, she felt rather sleepy. Try as she might, Hailey couldn't keep her eyes open. Slowly but surely, the vast emptiness gave way to a comfortable, familiar darkness that weighed her down and pulled her under.