Hell, of sorts

It was Jack Towne’s first day on the job, so to speak, and he was understandably a little nervous. He had very little detail to go on. That was routine, he was told.

Gabriel had said that nervousness was normal for a spirit in transition, as he called Jack who agreed it sounded much classier than ghost. That word in Jack’s mind conjured up a rather confused image somewhere between Patrick Swayze and a number of other cinemaland permutations. Gabriel conceded Swayze did a good job with the material he was given. But he thought most of it missed the mark. ‘Typical of Hollywood,’ Gabriel had frowned. 

Jack thought back to when he first met Gabriel and smiled at the memory. How long ago was it. Hard to tell. Every time was now in Jack’s new realm.  It could have been a century ago or just a moment.

‘Here’s the deal, Jack. Technically you’re dead, at least in worldly terms.’

Gabriel got up and came around to the front of his desk, leaning casually on one corner. Barefoot, he was dressed in a spotless white jump suit, his blue eyes made even more vivid by his light attire, his blonde hair flowing with a gentle wave to his shoulders. He shrugged slightly settling his collapsed wings in place between his shoulder blades. ‘Only for display on special occasions like Christmas or Easter,’ he had explained earlier on Jack’s arrival.

It was one of many questions that had spilled out of Jack Towne’s befuddled mind when the angel introduced himself. Jack’s last real memory was of suddenly leaving the driver’s seat of his Jaguar, flying through the air, plunging into darkness then finding himself in front of this imposing but gentle creature opening a set of golden gates and waving him in.

Ethereal was the word that came to Jack’s mind as he followed this creature through the gates and into a shinning stainless steel windowless structure that stretched up above the clouds. ‘The Boss is on the top floor,’ Gabriel gestured with his thumb. You can’t see Him, but he knows you’re here. Come in.’

Now sitting in an office-type room, desk, chair etc. and an angel perched in front of him, Jack knew it had to be a dream. It was like a Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings movie. It had to be a dream.

Gabriel smiled sadly. ‘It’s no dream Jack. You see, you are what we up here call a spirit in transition. In your parlance, a ghost.’

No, this must be a dream. Jack ran his hands up and down both arms, touched his face, felt his nose, ran a hand through his hair, pinched the top of one hand. ‘Ouch.’ 

‘Take it slowly,’ Gabriel said. Right now you’re in an in-between state. Half back there, half here. As I explain things, you will begin to understand what you are experiencing and come to terms with it. Trust me, it’s good news really, depending on how you look at it. I mean there is sadness and loss. But on the plus side, well the positives are indescribable. You’ll see. . . hopefully.’

Jack shook his head as if it would help clear his mind. Okay, he said to himself. Let’s just ride with this. I know it’s a dream. It’s kind of interesting and this Gabriel character seems benign enough, so just lay back and enjoy the ride. He hoped he would remember some of the details so he could tell Ellen when he woke up.

‘Jack, look! Gabriel pointed to the wall on the right. Suddenly it became a scene in a dimly-lit hospital room as viewed from overhead.  A woman lay in the bed, hooked up to numerous feeds and monitoring devices. ‘Ellen’s alive, Jack. Just barely, but she will live another fifty years.’

‘What! Are you for real.’ He got up and walked to the wall. Close up he could see it was his wife. He touched it and the image disappeared. ‘This is some kind of bullshit!’ A sudden anger surged in him. He moved towards Gabriel who simply raised his hand in a stopping motion and Jack froze in place. 

Gabriel shook his head slowly, a disappointed expression on his face. ‘It’s your temper, Jack. Your fatal flaw. That’s what got you here. Remember for a second. Look.’ Gabriel pointed to the wall again and with a circular motion of his finger, turned Jack around. The scene now was of the interior of a car, viewed from the rear seat. Gabriel snapped his fingers and the sound came on. Jack and Ellen were arguing violently with Jack looking over at his wife and screaming. It was nighttime, the twisty road was slick with rain. Jack reached over to grab Ellen’s hair. The wall went blank.’

‘Seen enough, Jack?’ Gabriel paused for a moment then said gently, ‘Come sit down.’  His spirit broken, Jack walked back to his chair. He stared at the floor, shoulders hunched, slowly shaking his head. ‘I didn’t mean it, any of it. It’s just that- ‘We know that, Jack,’ Gabriel said softly. We can see into your heart. Now take a few deep breaths and I’ll explain your journey.’

Jack looked up. ‘This is for real, isn’t it?’ Gabriel just nodded.

Over the next period of time – there was no sense of minutes or hours or even days, it was just now, now as it was yesterday and now as it will be tomorrow and forever. Jack listened as Gabriel explained what would transpire.

‘First, let me say that all of this,’ Gabriel swept his arm around the room,’ this desk, this ledger, even myself, are a creation of your mind.’

‘I don’t understand.’

‘Of course not. No one does at first. Although I have to admit I was surprised how slowly Einstein grasped what was happening considering he really had a jump on the rest of you with his theories of relativity and all that. 

‘You see. I and my fellow angels and all of the occupants of this realm and even the Boss exist but in a way that is difficult to comprehend until you are in that realm as well. But in order to get you there, we first have to enable you relate to us in a way that as a human you can comprehend. 

‘My appearance, as flattering as it is, thank you very much, is based on your own preconceived ideas you picked up from others along the way.’ Gabriel smiled wryly. ‘I think it was Botticelli way back in the fifteen hundreds who first came up with this wings business and we’re stuck with it.’ Gabriel shrugged.

Jack thought for a moment. ‘So you are not what I see but rather what I think you should be.’

‘Exactly!’ The angel tapped the desk in an affirmative gesture. 

‘And the same applies to me as well?’

Gabriel shook his head. ‘Not exactly, Jack. That’s the tricky part. You’re what I said earlier, a spirit in transition. Right now your essence, your spirit, is partially connected to your physical self. To complete your journey, you need to sever the connection.’

‘How?’

Gabriel nodded. ‘We’ll get to that in a minute. First, let me explain the why.’

The angel went back to his chair and looked down at the giant ledger, flipping through a few pages. Arriving at the desired spot, he used his index finger to trace down. ‘Again, Jack, this is more symbolic for your sake. But you get the idea that we have some kind of record.’

‘Of me?’

‘Of everyone.’

‘What kind of record?’

‘Simply put, pluses and minuses. Good, not so good, bad, evil. That sort of thing’

Jack leaned forward. ‘You mean like who goes to heaven, to purgatory or to hell. That sort of accounting?’

‘There is no hell, Jack. How can an all-loving God, impose eternal punishment on any of his creatures.’

‘So nobody’s punished for his sins. How does that work?’

‘Let me tell you a little secret. Very few people, especially the really big baddies you know were never put off but the notion of hell. They did what that wanted to do regardless. Organized religion came up with that concept to keep the majority in line. The little people so to speak. No, Jack, hell doesn’t work.’

‘What about somebody like Hitler?’

‘Ah, a good example, Jack. A real tough case. I know the Boss had a good think about him.’ Gabriel paused as if visualizing something then continued. ‘Adolph’s shaping up nicely. Right now he’s in a refugee camp in Gaza.’ Gabriel looked at his watch. ‘And in an hour he’s about to get bombed out again. Then he’ll move on to another task, having acquired a certain degree of empathy for his fellow man.’ Gabriel thought again then said, ‘As I remember, he has another century to go but we know he will get there. Everyone does eventually.’

‘Get where?’ Jack asked.

‘I guess you’d call it perfection. But it’s more than that. It’s just an inexplicable state that you have to experience to understand.’

‘How long did it take you?’

‘Gabriel smiled. ‘I was lucky. I sort of came along with the Creation package. I have always been here to help along with Michael and Raphiel and the rest of the bunch including Chloe and Edwina and their groups who are a little cheesed off because they never get a mention. I know that’s something the Boss is working on.’’

‘Okay, okay. I sort of get the idea. What about me? What’s the deal?’

‘Bear with me a minute, Jack.’ Gabriel consulted the ledger, flipping back a few pages. Looking up, Gabriel began nodding, ‘Not bad, not bad at all. Fifty years max it looks like.’

‘Jesus,’ Jack exclaimed. The angel grimaced. ‘It just went up to fifty-five, Jack. You got to watch that. The Boss is quite sensitive about his relatives, Mary Joseph. Yahweh, Allah, etc.’ 

 Jack nodded. ‘Okay. What’s next?’

Gabriel leaned forward and explained.

Jack found himself in a city he didn’t recognize. He headed across the street to the building Gabriel had described. He found walking difficult, having not yet mastered the knack of maneuvering in high heels and the dress didn’t quite fit right. At least the color blue was nice. Jack caught a reflection of himself in a display window and stopped dead. He was beautiful, full figure and all. Gabriel hadn’t mentioned any of this.

The office Jack sought was on the 10^th floor. The receptionist gave him a quick up and down then smiled slyly when he announced his appointment. ‘Figures’ she said under her breath then more clearly, ‘Knock and go right in through there.’ She pointed to a door on the left. ‘He’s expecting you.’

With great trepidation, Jack knocked and walked in. The man was sitting at the end of a long conference table and didn’t bother to stand up. ‘Come in, come in. Sit here next to me so we can get acquainted.’ He patted the chair immediately next to him. Jack sat down as instructed.

Up close he could see the man’s tan was sprayed on and his hair was bleached blond and sprayed in place. He smiled vulpine-like and placed a hand on Jack’s knee.

‘You know my dear we will be working close together.’ He gently patted the knee. We must get to know each other very well. Don’t you think?

Jack just smiled and nodded.

‘Good, good. I saw from your application that you are a solid MAGA fan and know in your heart I was cheated out of both elections. We have a lot of work to do in the next four years. Day and night,’ he added with that smile.’

Jack just looked back blankly and heard again Gabriel’s parting words. ‘Remember, Jack. Temper, temper.’