Higher Power

I created this piece because I was inspired after re-reading one of my favorite authors.

         "Hello, and welcome to, wait. Let me see." Turning pages in a vast, very ancient-looking tome. "Yes, well, what was your name again, please?"

         "Dalibor Ansill. Dalibor with a 'D'."

         "Dalibor with a 'D,' exceptionally good. And how do you spell your last name? Oh, never mind, I found it. One moment, while I read a few things." While reading, there were many clicks of his tongue, grunts, moans, and a few gasps. After turning a page, the reader shockingly explains, "No," then says, "Ah, that makes sense," closes the book, and looks over to Dalibor.

         "Well, you have led a, shall we say, an interesting life, haven't you?"

         "Huh? What do you mean I led an interesting life? Where am I? Why don't I remember getting here? Who are you? How do I get back home?"

          "I am frequently asked that question. Since your life was more complex than average, I must explain in more detail than usual. You no longer have a heartbeat."

          "I'm dead? You're saying I died? Am I going to heaven?"

          "Those are excellent questions. Allow me to answer each. The first question was, 'Are you dead?' No. Death is not something that exists. Death, as you know it, means the end of life. Everything is created of Matter, including life. Matter cannot be destroyed. It changes forms, grows, shrinks, disperses, and reforms.

          "So, am I in Heaven?"

          "Heaven? Before I begin looking, to which heaven are you referring? Islam, Buddhism's Nirvana, Judaism, Christianity, Creastians, to mention just a few."

          "Wait, wait, wait. Creastians? What religion is that? What country is that from?"

          "It is from the planet Ziccoth."

          "The planet Ziccoth? A different planet? A religion from a different planet? That's impossible."

          "Thinking your planet, let me check," Thumbing through the book again until he found what he was looking for, "Earth, planet Earth, is the only planet to exist, is ludicrous.Not to mention, to assume that your planet is the only planet where individuals have faith in a higher power reflects a perspective that may not fully consider other possibilities." Calming down and refocusing on his initial question, "What religious denomination did you follow/"

          "Christianity, of course."

          "Yes, of course." Opening the book once more, this time mumbling 'Dalibor Ansill, Dalibor Ansill' repeatedly as he tried to locate the entry.

          "Aha, here you are. So, you died in 2030 of a gunshot wound. The details of your death are confidential; I do apologize. Your essence, not to be confused with your physical remains, went to, you stated you were Christian, correct?"

          "Of course."

          "Just checking. It states that as you were a Christian, your essence went to the abyss."

          "What? Where?"

          "Hades, Gehenna, Hell, Eternal Suffering, Damnation, fire and brimstone, H-E double toothpick."

          "I know what you said. But why?"

          "I could go back and read more of your bio; however, you weren't a good person while you lived. I could be wrong. Want me to check? I could read your whole life story if you want."

          "That's not right. How long was I in, well, the bad place? Couldn't have been that long. I don't remember any of it."

          "You were there one thousand years for every single transgression you committed. Do you want me to tell you how long you were there?"

          "A thousand years for everything I did wrong. Why can't I remember any of it?"

          "You suffered your contrition. Every evil deed was forgotten once erased."

          Asking quietly, "How long was I there?"

          "You were there for over an eon, in your terms."

          "Over a billion years. Was I so evil?"

          "That has never been for me to decide or debate. Besides, now is not the time to think about what you should have done or how you should have behaved."

          "So, now that I have been there and paid my dues, do I get to move on to heaven?"

          "Of course not. You are to move on."

          "Yeah, like I said, move on to heaven."

          "As I mentioned, it's time for you to transform into what the universe requires. You might become part of a star, planet, or fuel for a galaxy, potentially creating new life. It's not up to me. It is part of a much, much larger scheme of things."

          "So, a deity or something is in charge of everything."

          "No."

          "No?"

          "There are forty-two of them."