The prayer served as our closing line - our last chance of redemption.
It took all the strength I had to proclaim the words I remembered from being alive.
When I finished the prayer, I closed my eyes and succumbed to what my life would become. I succumbed to the humiliation, the torture, the pain, and the horror. There was nothing left to do.
Darkness swept over my mind. For a moment, everything was silent and peaceful. I escaped into the darkest corners of my mind and sought solace and found it. I was able to be by myself, until I heard a soft and gentle voice whisper to me:
"Open your eyes, Avery."
I recognized the voice. I didn't necessarily recognize the voice because it belonged to any of my family members or friends in real life, but because the voice reached the deepest parts of me, as if calling me by my name and summoning me. It soothed me and brought more comfort to my body than I had ever felt. I instantly obeyed the gentle command; like a moth drawn to a flame, I was drawn to the voice that knew my name.
I opened my eyes.
I no longer hungupside down. I couldn't hear people screaming and crying; I didn't hear the demons laughing behind me. It was white. Everywhere was pure white-it was so bright that it took me a few moments to be able to take it all in, since I was so accustomed to seeing dim colors and darkness.
It seemed empty all around me, and for a brief moment, I felt scared. What if I was destroyed? What if I simply ceased to exist? Where was I?
"Avery."
Harry. He grasped onto my hand and pulled me in for a hug. I clung to him tightly and wept against his chest.
I didn't know how I wept, because I was no longer alive, but I did. Harry wept, too. His body trembled against mine as he clutched me against him, as if he was afraid I'd disappear.
"We're saved," He whispered.
Saved?
"We broke Lucifer's hold," Harry said, cupping my cheeks and leaned his forehead against mine.
I felt like I had been in Lucifer's universe for years, even though time didn't exist. To think that Harry and I were saved was extraordinary, and for a moment, I feared this was another one of Lucifer's deceptions - that he intended to make us feel like we were saved, and we'd suddenly be sent back to his universe, to make the torture all much worse.
But the atmosphere in the realm was calm and comforting. It didn't seem deceitful; it seemed honest and open. There were no shadows to hide anything from us. There was no mystery.
When I looked past Harry, I found the dark, cloaked figure standing a distance away. I whispered Harry to turn around, and he followed my gaze to see the figure as well.
We stood there in mutual silence, just staring at one another.
Then the figure spoke.
"It's time for you two to go home. Do not fear, for the Lord will guide you. Have faith, and you will reach the gates of Heaven."
The figure visibly vanished into thin air.
"Who is that?" I murmured.
"An angel."
"How was the angel able to find us?"
"They're always with us. Every moment we spent in Lucifer's domain, they were there. We just weren't able to see them."
It hit me. "Because of our lack of faith."
"Remember when I told you that the only reason you saw me was because your faith was weak? It was a lie to get you to believe how weak your faith was. But He never lies, nor does his followers. We weren't able to see His angel because we were caught in Lucifer's deception. As soon as we started having doubts, we were able to see him."
"That's why I saw him outside of the cave, because I thought of how nobody deserves an everlasting punishment."
"Precisely."
"And the only way out of Lucifer's scheme is to love."
"Yes." He grabbed onto my hands and kissed me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and brought our bodies closer in the bright abyss around us. For all we knew, nothing else existed. Nothing else mattered. All I knew was that I had completely fallen in love with this man and that our souls were intertwined. "I love you, Avery Smith."
"I love you, too." I closed my eyes and revelled in the moment of pure bliss, to feel his arms around me, protecting me rather than causing me harm or trapping me. It was amazing to think that at the beginning of our journey, Harry was something else entirely.
I was something else entirely.
"What happens now?" I murmured.
"We ascend."
When I opened my eyes, Harry was fading. I was fading, too.
"What's happening to us?"
"I don't know. Just hold my hand and close your eyes."
I shuddered a shaky, nervous breath, unsure of what was happening to us or where we were going. I closed my eyes, tightened my grip on Harry's hands and felt myself dissipate. It wasn't painful; it was elevating. I felt as though I was flying; wind brushed my face, kissing my cheeks gently, and I could've swore I smelt a salty scent, as if we were near an ocean.
Sunlight peered down on my face, warming my features. I felt a warm fire blazing, a comforting blanket falling across my shoulders. The distant, soothing sounds of waves reached me, gently rolling across the shore in a melodious rhythm.
And suddenly, all was silent.
I still felt Harry holding onto my hand, so I wasn't as nervous, knowing I wasn't alone.
"Open your eyes, Avery." He whispered.
I opened my eyes.
Everything was white again, except thick clouds thriving in the air, licking at our ankles and hiding our feet. In front of us was a steep stairway consisting of seven stairs, and the very top was obscured by the thick, white clouds.
Something told me to climb the steps; the very top beckoned to me, whispering my name in a voiceless whisper. I hesitantly took a step towards it, tugging on Harry's hand to follow me.
I paused in front of the first step.
"I don't know how," I whispered. "Harry, I don't know how to climb this."
"Me neither."
I didn't know how neither of us knew how to climb a stairway, especially one of its size, despite the steepness of the stairs. We stood there, both wondering how to go about climbing the steps and not knowing where to start.
I closed my eyes, and the image of Asmodeus lying on top of me entered my closed vision. I remembered the pleasure he gave me, the feeling of raw need seizing every fiber in my body as he brought me to the edge of climax. I heard myself calling his name, begging for more, and I saw him greedily giving me what I asked. I saw his fingers run over the planes of my skin; I saw the unquenchable fire blazing in his eyes.
I climbed the first step. Harry stood next to me, just as quiet as I was.
I then thought of earth and my human life; I saw so many times how I drove with my mom and found homeless people sitting alongside of the road. Their empty, desperate eyes searched for help, and they rarely got it because of the mystery of their identity.
We don't know who they are, voices said. For all we know, they'll use the money we give them for drugs. They're thieves, drug addicts, and impersonators.
It was almost Christmas, and my family and I spent an entire day unloading boxes given to the poor for charity. Chris complained about it being cold; I remembered how flushed his cheeks were, and how his smaller body trembled as he carried packages into the church. Nonetheless, he pressed on. He eyed some of the children toys with envy, though he never voiced his thoughts. He knew that some other child needed it more than he did.
I then saw a family travelling in a car. Wealthy class. They ate chocolates yet complained about the turkey they just ate. They didn't like how plain it tasted.
They could've used more seasoning, they said. And did you taste the stuffing?
They never finished their plate. They ate as much as they wanted and threw the rest away in a trash.
They saw multiple homeless people out in the cold of the night, shivering against their rags and barely enduring the weather. The family glanced at them and never once thought of sharing their goodness, not even in the freezing temperature or time of the year.
I stepped onto the second step. My legs trembled. I felt my eyes filling with tears, but I pursed my lips and pressed on, with Harry by my side.
Next I saw men breaking down a door. They wore dark masks to hide their faces, and there was a Christmas tree sitting in the family's living room. The lights were dark. Everyone was asleep.
Quietly, the men took the Christmas presents, stuffing them into a large, black bag. The presents weren't large or heavy, and there weren't a lot, either. When they finished, they went through the drawers of the kitchen in search of money.
The family worked very hard to buy a tree that year. Their son asked for a tree for two years, and since the father was unemployed from being laid off from his previous job and unable to find work, they weren't able to fulfill their son's wish until this year. The mother worked all night as a stripper; she fought constantly with her husband over her employment, but what else could they do? She would rather feed men's hungry gazes than see her son starve. The husband eventually found a job at a gas station, but their income was barely enough to pass by. They weren't able to enjoy luxuries like others, and they often complained about the cards life handed to them. But in the end, they had each other, and they were content with that.
The men found the mother's purse and pulled out the small wad of cash she earned the night before. Then, as silent as a mouse, they were gone with what they took.
I could only imagine the devastation the mother would feel when she woke the next morning, to find the money she earned gone. The son would cry upon seeing no presents under the tree, and the father would be furious, to think someone would rob their home on Christmas.
I felt faint as I successfully stood on the third step. For a moment, I opened my eyes and stared at Harry. His eyes were closed, and he breathed stiffly through his nose, eyebrows furrowed, as if he was thinking of something unpleasant.
It was 1843.
I was in the eyes of an eight year-old child watching her father beat a colored man to death.
My father was cruel and heartless around the plantation, but I was his world. After my mother died shortly after my birth, I was all he had left to this world. He used to read to me as a child; we used to have imagination games together, out under the large, willow tree sitting in the backyard.
I came to ask him a question when I found him whipping a man with darker skin. I recognized him as one of the workers on our plantation. He was tied to a pole, and blood oozed from his back, sweat mixing and trickling down his face. His back was bare and raw from the whip slicing through his skin.
I froze upon the gruesome sight. I had never seen something so horrific, and I couldn't understand how my father-the same man who held my hand as I learned to walk, and the same man I climbed into bed with when I had nightmares-could do this to someone.
I should've helped, but I didn't. I was afraid of what my dad would do. I was afraid of the whip. I let fear stop me from doing what was right, and I turned and fled from the room to endure nightmares for the night to come.
I bit my bottom lip so hard it should've bled and stepped onto the next step.
April 29, 1945.
Adolf Hitler's will, written shortly before his suicide.
"...Centuries will pass, but from the rubble of our city, our hatred of those who are to blame, international Jewry and its lackeys...I have made it clear that if they treat the nations of Europe as tools that may be bought and sold by these international swindlers for money and material support, then that race, the Jewish race, which is truly responsible for this murderous struggle, shall bear the consequences...Above all, I oblige the national leadership and its followers to observe the racial laws scrupulously and subject the poisoner of all nations — international Jewry — to merciless resistance."
Adolf Hitler: The man responsible for the extermination of eleven million people. In his eyes, they were the reason for Germany's faults; they needed to be out of the picture for his country to flourish. He had the vision of a Master Race of Aryans who would have control over Europe. He convinced the country that the only way to do that is to exterminate the country of degenerates and racially inferior people-the Jews, Jehovah's Witnesses, Roma Gypsies, priests and pastors, homosexuals, the disabled, and African Americans.
His pride led to the slaughter of millions. But in the end, he took his own life and left behind a life of horror and misery for himself and the people around him.
Another step.
I saw two brothers walking in a field, talking to one another.
One of them smiled up at the sky, chuckling at something he said, and the other's face was grave and solemn.
As soon as the serious man tackled the other and started choking him, I knew it was Cain. Cain choked Abel to death right there in the meadow. Breathing heavily, his face panicked, Cain stood up and realized the aftermath of his actions. He knew God wasn't going to be pleased. He quickly pulled grass and threw it over his brother's dead body in an attempt to hide his deed.
Cain killed Abel out of jealousy, since the Lord showed more favor in Abel's sacrifice. His jealousy drove him to kill his own brother, and because of that, he was sent to wander the earth.
Jealousy drove people to do things they wouldn't rationally do. Sometimes, people were so overcome with jealousy that, like Cain, they resorted to violence. Others spent the rest of their lives wishing they had someone else' attributes, or they left their envy overshadow their happiness towards someone else's happiness.
There was one more step.
I hesitated a few moments, not quite knowing what to expect. Harry squeezed on my hand in a hope to console me, but I barely felt it.
I stepped up.
There was Chris, lying dead on the floor. Then I was at his funeral, clasping tightly onto his hand and whispering my promise to bring him justice.
I saw my fear when I first spoke with Harry in my room. I saw how he easily deceived me, though I saw the longing for revenge apparent on my face. It didn't take him long to convince me to sign the contract.
I saw Harry appear in the warehouse and kill every man inside with his bare hands. He was a monster, though he appeared as a human. The men shot him, but their bullets had no effect. They were terrified. Some ran, but none escaped.
The two were dragged outside and forced in front of me. I saw the sick look of satisfaction in my gaze as I shot them, and I saw the immediate relief I felt when they were dead. But there was something else. Guilt. Remorse.
I saw Harry when he was a human. Our times were different; he was alive years ago, though I didn't know the exact date. He was crouched under a desk in a dark space; his hair seemed curlier, and his cheeks were flushed as he rocked himself back and forth. His eyes were tightly closed, his lips murmuring a quiet prayer as his parents were being killed above him.
The killers weren't able to find him in his basement, since he was hidden well. They searched the room briefly, eager to get out of there as soon as possible.
When they left, Harry found his parents dead, and he found his sister had stabbed herself to death before the killers got to her. What he didn't know was that she thought he killed her parents; Harry had a notorious temper, and he was known to fight his father often, for the man was brutal and a tyrant when it came to his family.
When Harry found his sister, he wanted nothing more than vengeance. He spent two years searching for the men who killed his family; he killed them, along with every other member of their organization.
When he finished killing them, he slit his own throat and was delivered to Hell.
Humans were fascinating creatures.
We had the power to love, but we also had the power to destroy.
But despite all the horrors of what we could become, humans were born innocent and pure. How could a baby have the instant intention of slaughtering eleven million of people if it didn't know what death was? William Wordsworth said in one of his poems, "The Child is father of the man…" A child is blissfully unaware of the evils as it finds the beauty in all things. As we grow up, we tend to forget the beauty of simplicity. We start feeling other things and experience desires. We forget about what was there and focus on what we want.
The fate of a person was determined by their upbringing and how easily they let evil into their life. They started out pure, and throughout their life, they either become corrupt with the merciless world around them or carry out their true destiny. It's not up to the universe or God; it's up to them and the decisions they make.
Humanity can be so many different things, but the only thing I felt right now was compassion. There are so many perspectives in our world today that involve sins people commit. How could you condemn someone by looking at one perspective? How could you say what someone did was wrong when you didn't understand why they did it?
In a way, there was no right or wrong when it came to the universe, because in the end, everyone was a sinner. Nobody was flawless.
Like the beginning, we all die as pure beings, because we were never once evil. We were only corrupt. But the evil doesn't become us. It controls us and our actions; it even controls our mindsets. But our souls, which were made from God Himself, will always stay pure, and they will come home when the time comes.
And for me, it was time.
I was crying and smiling at the same time. A light blossomed inside of me, radiating past me and nearly blinding me when I opened my eyes to find myself surrounded by the clouds. The steps were behind me and practically nonexistent.
Harry and I ascended.
____
Well guys, this is it. That's the end. There won't be any sequel or anything; it took me a while to come up with the ending. I wrote three different types and had to choose one, actually. But anyhow, like I said, this ends the tale of Harry and Avery Smith. Like I said before, I'm not trying to shove any religion in anyone's face, it's just that Christianity is the focus of this fic so yeah, plus I know a lot about it so it works with me. And this is all fiction, so yay for fiction! I want to thank everyone for their kind and warm reviews and also for favoriting this story. Ya'll are the best. I fucking love each and every one of you, thank you for embarking on this literary journey with me! xx
:)SmilinForYa(:
