amawitch's blog: "My Book cc/2007"

Death took a another chance, " NO. NO. I was taking care of some business,remember,andI thought I might see if your ding ok,andmay you can help me now." "Oh yeah, you lost a body or something, huh? You mean you didnt find it yet. I thought you is would shrivel up to nothing. how long does that take? aint, er, isnt it about time you found her?" "Thats why Im here. I dont know here tolook. I asked everyone I know,andtheyjust laugh at me.they thnk its a great joke that Death would have lost a soul." "Well, I think thats cruel, what kindof friends are those to have. I tell ya bob, you gotta be careful nowa days. You never know whos gonna double cross you, trust me I know." Melissa crossed the short space between themand sat next to Death,once again raching out to grasp him gently on the arm bone. Looking into his eyes, she simply stated " Bob I am your friend. I promise." " Will you help Melissa?I mean as much as you can. I can pay you, you won't want for anything ever again, I cang et anything you want." "Whoa there big guy, I earn what I need, though you might mark it in your little book that I am doing a good deed for once." she gave a little chuckle as they both Melissa and Death, better known now as BOB on earth, planned what they could do to find his lost soul. What they didnt know was that Marrissa, that lost soul was busy reeking havoc and chaos on all of those people that had given her a hard time in her life. And now she was at a turning point, having run out of "fun" things to do to her ex friends, she was turning to people in need. Here her story begins again......

Death haveing rested a bit, and played with his bony friends in the lake, shook out his cowl and decided it was time to return to Melissa. Never having had to worry about looks before, he thought last time about what Melissa said he should try , the red cowl, and liked it. So he willed it, so it was. Looking at himself in the lakes reflection, he thought he might look better, hard to tell with all that fog and mist. But he felt better for trying and winked out Melissa's hiome once again. this time it was dark and he saw no one in the fron room. He waw a dim light coming from another part of the apartment, so he guietly went toward it. the door it led to, was open jusat a scant bit, enought for Death to see Melissa on her knees in front of the bed. He thought "prayng, perhaps she is." Opening the door...... "Hi, Im back, and Im all clear to listen to...." Death backed quickly out of the room as things began to fly toward him. he could hear her as she was coming out" what in the name of all that wrong in this world are you doing here again, and now of all times. Couldnt you see that I was busy? Shit, what does it take to get through to you? I am a working girl, dont you know what that means?" Melissa was naked, and beautiful eyes were flaring fire daggers at him. " I I I " Death didnt know what to say. He had ver little experience with humans, and Melissa was the first one had ever really talked to. Not knowing what he had done wrong, be just stood there with his bright new red cowl hood pointed down to the ground, shuffling his boney feet, rattily noises coming from his toes. "I have a guy in there, BOB!!! I was trying to pay my rent and buy some school books at the same time BOB!!! I was trying to earn a little extra BOB!!! Until you, BOB, decided that it was once again okay to interrupt my life, BOB!!! Death couldnt say a ting. this was worse than facing any of Herselfs Goddesses on a bad day. Melissa went back into the room and Death heard a quiet but furious conversation being held. obviously this guy didnt like what had happened, and Melissa was stating pretty loudly that he had gotten his moneys worth, so pay up and leave. the man was having none of it, and he heard Melissa exclaim out loud in pain after what sounded like a slap on skin. Death not liking that his his friend might be in there hurg, and helpless, he barged right in again. what he saw was Melissa laying across the bed, her hand on her reddening cheek, the man standing over her, equally naked ready to strike his Melissa again. the man looked over toward the door, not really understanding who he was, started to step toward him. "No, Bob, dont do anything to him, just get out of here!!!."Melissa screamed This pansy assed red gowned faggot is gonna do what to me?" The man turned full bodied toward Death. At this point Death looked up and now the man could see the skull under his cowl hood." "What the hell?" and he dropped to his kneews, groping for his clothes blindly. Death was thinking " hell, exactly". When hed had his pants, he scrambled out eneath Deaths gaze, out of the door, throwing bills after him for melissa. Neither Death or Melissa moved until they heard the front door shut loudly. Athe same time Melissa reached for a robe, Death backed out of the room, gathering as he went what he knew was earth money, laying them on the coffee table and sitting down. Melissa came into the room, her robe tightly wound around her, glancing at the bills on the table, she reached for them and giggling toherself as she counted them, "wow almost makes it worth it. he left me twice what I was hoping to make." She sat opposite of Death and looked at him. "I guess i should thank you, though zi dont want to." :S-ok," Death said guietly. He didnt really know what to say at this point or how to start. It seems like every time he met up with her it ws like he had just met her again. If he had a tongue, you might say he was tongue tied, once more. "Well its been about another year, is this gonna be a yearly vacation for you, or are ya just checking to see when its my time to go. cause I tell ya, I am not ready to go, not for awhile yet."

Death winked back to the shore of the boggy lake he lived by and found an absolute throng of souls milling around, thousands upon thousands. As soon as he appeared, the souls convdrged on him,guestions,laments,shrieking, a veriatable cacaphony of noises. "Souls, please listen up. Hey, back away from the cowl, now, back away now. I cant help any of you until I understand how manya re here and see with my eyes whos sho.... i said BACK OFF from the cowl. yeah yeah I know its red, ok.... Now its black." Death finally got some room to think quickly about matters. "Now listen up, accidents will happen, so listen closely. Suicides to my rights, and that includes drugs, alcohol use or anything else that may have caused you to pass before your time. On my left, old age, still born, or just not your fault. In front of me I want simply accidental deaths. Has everyone got it now? Please be timely, Im on a schedule here, and you must get going. Begin now. As the souls started doing as he requested, Death got out his little book. Not that he would really eed it, he had only to into their eyes and he would know if they were ging to heaven or hell. Approaching the group on his left, " in a line please, get in a line", since they had had enough of just milling around they were quick to isten. Death approached each sould individually, and began the process of ookin into their eyes. They were all in the right group and ging to heaven,so he told the others he would be right back. Winking once again he arrived with the whole group in fron the the Pearly gates. Peter was beside himself impatient. " Its about time, some of these should have been here long ago, what were you think of Death, or are you thinking at all lately?" "Peter, their here, isnt that good enough for now, just get them through, here they are, good bye." Death winked back down to this lake shore, where the waiting souls were milling around. "Ok, now, please may I have the next group to go? the group there, on my right, follow me over here by the shore there, and line up one by one. there you go, now remember, you gotta to be in a straight line so that I can look quickly into your eyes." " Hey ugly, does that mean we get to ride int he boat? I want to ride in your boat across the lake, I heard thats part of it" Death made a special trip over to look into the mans eyes," you dont get a ride in my boat, your a piece of garbage and your going straight to hell, what do you think about that," and stepped right into the man, enlarging himself to full skeletal heighth. The man quickly stepped back into line and close "mouth". Death passed in front of each one, finding only on misplaced soul. the person had died of a drug overdose, but not of his/her own doing. All of you except this one, please stay together. You I will take care of in a minute. Are we ready then?, All righty, lets go to HELL!!!" And before anyone could even begin to complain, they materialized, of course then there was alot of complaining and whining, but at least it wasnt all directed at him this time it was Orda, that wicked demon of Satans that was getting most of it. "What the meaging of thie Death. you cant just come in here with a thousands souls and expect to just leave me to take care of them." Orda was horrified that that was exactly what Death had in mind. "Well of course, they are yours to deal with now arent they, and you were complaining earlier that you had nothing to do, am I right? Well now you do." And out he winked. Arriving back at the lake his last impression being of Orda overwhelmed with the souls and his mouth hanging open, the new horn, smoking. It gave Death great satisfaction that he could finally get even somewhat with both Peter, Orda and Satan. Death was feeling pretty good about having taken care of a years worth of sols in just a short ime. "Please line up the rest of you, including you the accidental overdose, please stand in the line. Thats right, just like that." this group would be a bit harder, because even though they were accidental, some would be bound for hell because they had things to attoin for, some would go to heaven. he needed to do a bit more work with this grouup. As he passed each one looking into their eyes, he either pointed to the left or the the right. Since netiher group knew which was going where, all was pretty quiet. When he was done, he told one group the standard statement of being right back and to pleae remain patient. He shortly took the troup materializing in front of the Pearly Gates once more. " Peter heres a few more for you." He smiled as he caught a glimpse of Peter, with sweat soaked brow, wilted wings molting, working frantically in his book to get these souls processed. And out he went before another word could be said. "Ok now, no messing around, lets get going." Before they could even utter a peep, they were at the gates of hell. Orda had done a wonderful job ofgetting his souls through, he was almost finished. "Heres a few more that got caught in between. See ya!" And out he winked. Death took a well deserved break at his lonely and dismal shore. Never had it looked so, well homelike and peaceful before. But his fellow angels were in an uproar. Peter had finally finished processing his souls and was in the Big room complaining to Himself and Herself. At the same time Orda had also finally finished his work and was giving Satain a horn full also. Neither entity paid very much attention to their helpers, they just pretended to listen. himself thinking about a new creation, and Herself wondering how to talk Him out of it. Satan only wondered how he could find a few more souls to tempt and what he should try to do to continue havoc on earth, a new drug, hmmm. typical office procedures were followed, and life, well heaven and hell went on much as before.

Death listened but was thinking, " same old girl I met before, doesnt know when to shut up and let me talk." "And another thing, just what were you doing here the first time? You never were very clear about that. I remember being in the hospital, they gave me meth, and then I was home. You followed me there didnt you? I clearly remember asking you to sit down and have a talk with me. and that satan dude shows up.... My god it was all real, it wasnt just a dream or a mirage or anything like that. You came to take me away didnt you?" At that Melissa finally shut down. We call Him, Himself, and Her Herself." Death said quietly. Melissa justlooked up at him again waiting for something else... and clearly Death was not sure where to begin. so Melissa being who she was, friendly escort girl and all, put her talents to work. Reaching out she gently touched Death's arm, " Ok, lets start at the beginning of this crazy scenerio. I was high, you came, we talked, you left, I got clean, your back. Whats missing? Why are you here big fella, why do you look like some one cooked your dog?" Death did that sign thing again, and opened his bony jaw to begin speaking. it was hard to break millinias worth of rules aboutnot talking to the humans. "Uh, yes, it was me and Satan did come and yes I thought I was there to take you. but...." Death took another huge gasping empty breath to brace himself, " I got the wrong one. I was somehwere I was not supposed to be. I was scheduled to pick up a soul named Marrisa,m but she was in the room that you were supposed to be in. So instead of sending the sould where it belongs, i got distraced with your gibberish...." "Hold it right there, I never came to you and started anything, you came to me and your the one who thought you knew what you were doing, lets get that straight. My talking had nothing to do with it." "As I was saying I got distracted by your, uh by you, and never got to the right oul. Now shes been wandering all over and is shriveling as we speak, and if I dont find her, we will be responsible for having lost a possibly reborn human." " What do you mean me, Death, not me. You did this all on your own. I had nothing to do weith it remember? And what do you mean by shrivels.? Like into mush, or metls...." " no shrivels as in into nothingless, no ,,, thing,,, there. and I need your help I dont know where to look. Its been a while year earth time." Death waited for her coments again, knowing it was coming, she couldnt help but talk, so he tapped his boney foot and waited. " Well I dont see how I can help. I dont know this soul, or girl, or whatever, and I dont know anything about your job except that you came to me, by mistake. I dont need the big fella up there mad at me because you screwed up!" "I DID NOT SCREW UP!" Death was at his most fearsome. " I just wanted or thought perhaps you might be able to help me. Now can you think of anything I can do, where to start?" Death need to clam down a bit. "I gotta tell ya BOB, can I still call you BOB?, i would be worried about all the new souls waiting for you to show up first, take care of them and then search out this other lost one. I mean, while we're here arent alot of people dying or something? I always heard that it was in the thousands a day. where are they at right now?" before Melissa had even finished, he understood where she was going with this and reached the same conclusion she did.... "Oh hell, your right, I'll be right back." And out he winked. Melissa sat there for awhile, thinking aobut how she could use this to her advantage. After all,m whe was a working girl, coming up n the world, and she needed to take care of herself. "I wonder if anyone has ever blackmailed Death and gotten away with it?"

Melissa had made a lot of changes in the last year since she met Death. she had kicked her heroin habit although she still drank and indulged once in a while in the natural drugs. She was going to school and had decided that she wanted to get into a business she could make lots of money at. To suppliment her income she till "escorted" men and the tips were great. This was something she had thought of doing as her business, but the way things were in society, she would never have the respect she felt was due her in that field. after all society still called it prostitution, or hooking. But Melissa knew it was more than just that. Along with the sex came alot of talk. these poor men needed someone like her to dump their troubles on, or to just get things off their chests. And she was more then willing to listen. bonus being that she got paid for it, but she wa also very receptive to the woes and chains of agony that these guys came to her with. After all seh was a sensitive kidn of gal. and of course it paid the bills. she was just in themiddle of calling it a night, well a morning really and get some sleep before her noon class. Never in her wildest dreams did she think someone would be waiting for her when she pulled open the shower curtain. But there he was. "What the hell! You were a dream, a hallucination, a product of what my councilar said was guilt over my drug use..." And she slipped, grabbing the shower curtain with her as she fell flat on her ass in the tub. Death looked down on Melissa in wonderment. The same beautiful eyes, staring right into his. But she was heavier, now, brighter, she glowed with health. For a few seconds all either of them could do was stare silently. In a rush then, they both started to say something at the same time, " why are your here?", " "You look so good". and they both shut up again. silence. "Will you just hand the towel to me over there please?" Death looked where she pointed saw a cloth and handed it to her. "Would you mind stepping out into the other room while I get dressed?" Both were clearly baffled at their reaction to each other. As Death retreated to the other side of the door, she hurried and dried and dressed. Looking into the mirror, she combed her hair talking to the image in front of her. " So, is this a black flash, old gal, or is he really here.?" Death was studying the TV when he heard the door open. turning he saw Melissa enter the room, pass by him and sit on the couch. Pointedly she patted the seat next to her for Death to join her. Sitting, they bothlooked at each other waiting for the other to speak first. death made the plunge. "You look good Melissa. I know its been a while, but I was hoping you would remember the last time we spoke. I didnt know hwere else to go, so I thought I might drop in and ask you for some help." "First of all, I aint... I am not the same person I was before. I had convinced my self you were a herion high hallucination. For days after I dreamed about you coming to visit me. I read books, I talked to priests and pastors and stuff. they all said it was in my head. that Death could not have possibly come to visit me, because you only visit those souls that are passed or passing. Now a year later I change my life, give up my favorite pasttime, learned to act fine in society, and here you come again like its no big deal. Well let me tell you its a big deal fella. You really put me in a tizzy there for ahile. i lost al lot of my friends, my folks thought I was nuts, and my shrink said get over it. gave up drugs for you Mr Bob. If you think thats fun, you should try it sometime. Oh yeah, you probably dont hve those kinds of problems. well too bad... I puked gallons of stuff, shook like a scared Turkey, ate until I was sick again, and started all over the next day. the sweats, the anxiety, the panic, the need of the drug ate into my sould, the one you wanted. But it didnt kill me, so why the fuck are you here again?

Death expected to have a difficult time with Orda, but this was beyond even his ability to cope. What in the world was he going to do now. death slowly walked away, fading as he went, because he just didnt have the energy to wink out. Head slumped on his boney shoulder, hands swinging slowly at his sides, jungling as the finger bones met, shuffling his feet, cowl fluffling out with eac slow step. Death looked not so much like the scarey human version of tht proud entity as he did a little boy who knows his time is short and he has just been caught doing something bad. Suddenly he knew what to do! Why hadnt he thought of that before? He would go see his friend Melissa. she will know what to do. And with a much lighter and quieter step Deth winked out, to find his "friend", who by the way had forgotten all about meeting Death a year earlier.

Death was besides himself. he traveled to the Pearly Gates, rushing toward Peter and Azrial. " Peter, Peter, I lost one! I lost a soul, what am I going to do now? You have to help me please, Peter, help me find her before I'm responsible for her nonexistance." if Deth could be discribed as disheveled, that is what Peter would have said. Death looked frazzled, disheveled, distraught and decidedly scared, much to his delight. "Well my friend," Peter could afford to use a condensating voice now," just where did you leave her? You only have to back track and Im sure you will find her. After all, shes a lost soul, how far can she travel?" Peter thought this was delightful, a real kick in the pants. Imagine, Death scared!!! This one ought to be good for a few thousand years of laughter. Death turned away from Peter thinking " what now?" Perhaps Satin had an answer. Winking down there, he saw the Gates "manned" by his least favorite demon, Orda. he hated to think that he might have to ask him forhelp. But there was no other way around it. "Orda, I want you to keep a secret for me kay? this cant be talked about to any demon or angel. Its a matter of we, life and death, mine that is." Death tried his very best to look meek and humble., something very difficult with nothing but sketeltal features to help. " Your late, Death. I should have had several new souls here hours ago. where are they, hmmmm?" Orda already knew of course what waw going on because Marrisa had already talked to him, but he enjoyed putting Death in his place, so high and mighty he always thought he was. "Orda, promise me! I am looking for a lost soul. Someone I didnt find in time. In fact she passed right through my hands. Have you heard anything? Seen anyone wandering around perhaps. Its important Orda, no messing around." " Wellllll, it seems to me that a soul came through quite lost, in fact she seemed a bit shriveled. She had already gone to the pearly gates and decided to check here too." " Oh wonderful Orda, thank you so much, where di you send her, so I can go and get her?' then death realized the import of what Orda had said. " Shriveled did you say, how bad? Was she still somewhat whole, put together, you know not see through yet?" "She might have a few hours left yet, but you know how it goes death, once they start to shrivel, it goes pretty fast, and a yar is like a blink of an eye here. Its already been what, a year or so now." " No way, it cant be that late. I was just down on earth, and having the most wonderful conversaton......." Death tailed off, because he knew this was against the rules, and he had just told the most nosey, gossipy demon in the whole realm that he talked to a human. Looking at Orda he knew had made a mistake. Prda had heard and digested every word that Death had just told him, in fact he was fairly dancing on his tip hooves wit glee at this unexpected but welcome bonus tohis gosdsip stash. " Come Orda, you promised not to tell a sould about this, not demon or angel." " I never!! You asked, but I never promised." Orda was so happy that he grew another horn, right between his eyes, just a protuberance a nub really, but the beginning of a promotion for having learned something that would and could be used in the constant war for more power and position in the realm of the Dead and suffering. Oh, Satan was gonna be so happy with him. " Now instead of worrying about me, I suggest you find that lost soul, Marrisa is her name, right?" " So where did you send her?" A dejected Death asked. " Why where she first passed away, of course. where would I send her?" And Orda winked out without so much as a good bye, or a fair thee well, which he wouldnt have meant anyway.

"Peter, Peter, these things have a way of working out. Simply find Death and you will know where to send the young woman." Himself wasd in a great mood having won an arguement with Herself about whether any new animals needed to be discovered on earth. He just loved to create and every once in a whle he threw a new species at his humans just to see the delight on their faces when they "discovered" it. Herself didnt appreciate it, as Her job became more complicated with each new creation. After all she was the care taker of the earth and it was up to Herself to keep the life going that Himself decided on a whim to create. Herself's job was infinitly more demanding, and for this reason she kept a tight rein on his creativity. Peter was flabberghasted. Never had he remembered Himself putting this much responsibility on Peters shoulders. He usually came down on his creations of humans like a wrath. A lightening show, a earthquake or two. but of course this was not a humans fault. Itr was an angels. Well Peter would show Himself a few tricks or two. He simply would not chase all over eternity for Death. Death would have to come to him, begging to know what Himself had decided. Marrisa found her brother in his living room feet propped up, a beer in hand, TV blaring. At first she just stood behind him watching the drival showing on the tube. How in the world she had ever thought TV was entertaining was beyound her. Scanning the room she searched for simple objects that she could practice with, before she actually tried to do something to him. Paul was always making fun of her as a child, pushing her around,m taking her toys and general being a pest of a big brother. She spied a clothes basket in the corner of the room. there were socks on top. That seemed easy enought to begin practicing on. After all, socks were pretty light when they were dry. Hovering over the basket, she needed to decide how to begin. She had no real body to speak of, so she couldnt see just reaching out with non existant hands to pluck a sock up, and yet, ghosts did it all the time. Maybe it was just a matter of will like taveling was. Marissa thought about the socks, she pictured the socks floating in the air. at first there was just a wobble, then a wiggle, and then finally she was rewarded with a shake or two. Now she needed to imagine the socks floating in the air, toward her brother. that didnt work, the sock just hung there shaking. thinking about it some more, she realized that what made it work was that she had willed the sock in the air, so she tried that. Willing the sock to hover over her brothers head.......and it worked. She ahd the hang of it now. Willing the sock lower until it tickled her brothers hair, he reached up annoyed and grabbed the sock without regard as that had really happened. She returned her attention to the clothes basket and willed all the socks to travel out, and hang in front of his face. this produced results!!!! Her brother Paul jumped off the couch , cussing and began battling at the socks. As they floated away from him like balloons, she forced her will on them and put them back in fron of him as he stared open mouthed. then he did the most curious thing!! he made the sign of the cross and loudly shouted " BE GONE". The socks dropped like rocks, he looked at the socks, looked at how many beers he had drank and hit the floor on his knees like when they were children. " please God or whoever, keep anything away from me, ok. Oh and Amen.. With that done he crawled in bed. Never in a million years had she expected this response. She willed the socks up, and found she couldnt lift a single one. Her brother had effectively shut her down with his little prayer. And of course Marrisa learned something new. Faith could be redeemed at any time in a person life. A simple heartfelt prayer was all it took. Sighing the sigh of a lost soul, she willed herself back to her apartment, where a beehive of activity was happening. An ambulance, medics, fire trucks, and police. Someone had found her body. More than likely her pesky ex. She watched as they loaded her body into the baack of the ambulance and whisked it away. She didnt even rate a siren, cause she was already gone.She followed along to the county hospital and floated by as they took her to the morgue. Marrisa heard snatches of conversation beween the senders and the recievers of her body. Phrases like " another one huh?", " dead when we got there", " a real looker,wonder what her problem was?" They stripped her body, and even though she knew she was not in her shell any longer, it still embarrassed her, well as much as a lost soul can be embarrassed anyway. they tossed her roughly onto a gurney, pulled a sheet over her head, one of the assistants saying they count cut her until next of kin was notified. "What could I have been thinking of, slitting my wrists over a jerk of a boyfriend, and now I cant even go onto whatever I need to do to get into heaven." Can a lost soul be embarrassed and sorry?She decided they could. Awareness of her surroundings reminded her that at hospitals people died all the time, surely Death would be making an appearance here soon enough, wouldnt he?

Death was having a cry. The first one he had ever remembered having. This woman was fun, witty, outraious, and had no fear of him at all. " So what should i call you, i mean i cant just keep saying Death this and Death that can I?" Those eyes looked up at him waiting for an answer. he knew all the names in the history of the humans existance, but none really mattered one way or another. 'What would you have me call myself." " I think that you look kind of like some of the rock stars around here, rough, scarey, dark and lean. Uhmm, lets call you BOB. Just Bob, that way if I get mad at you I can call you Robert too." Again with the eyes looking up at him. He had never expected or needed someone to look up to him, so this wasd a heady experience. " Bob, I like it." Turning around Death twisted it around on his suedo tongue, savoring the way the name just flew off of him, so short, curt, strong sounding. " by the way Bob, my name is Melissa. Glad to meet ya." She stuck out her hand in the way humans greet each other did. Death stiffened, backing away, "oh no, it cant be. Your supposed to be Marissa." Pulling out his notebook, he checked again. Right there it was, Marissa, his next soul. "You must be Marissa, you cant be anyone else. I dont make mistakes like this. You probably forgot your name in all the over dose and almost dying stuff. Please tell me your Mariss....". " ohh man, you must be nutty Bob. I know my own name. I am Melissa. Melissa Anne Davis. From the day my parents named me,. I mean I aint ever been so high that I didnt know who I was.." Realizing Death was shaking, she could hear his bones, rattling, she reached out and gently grasped Death's arm. " Bob, whats wrong? Its ok you know. We all make mistakes, its normal." Death pushed Melissa away roughly, whirled around to loom over her darkly, " I am DEATH....... I do not make mistakes. I have to go, now! Someone out there named Marissa is waiting for me, and I have to find her before she shrivels up into non existance. Himself will never forgive me for that one, and I sure as hell exists, will never get a better job." Death winked out as fast as he had arrived, leaving Melissa alone to decide if this was all a drug induced halluciniation, or if it really had happened. She decided either way, Death, or Bob as she had named him, was one cool dude.

At the Pearly gates Peter had returned from his meeting with Himself. Himself and Herself now knew that Death was acting up again. This wasnothing new to Him, his angels seemed bent on rebelliousness every few millinia or so. Peter returned to the gate doors podiam, relieved Azrial, resuming his post beside the book of judgments. "Excuse me, sir angel, do you recognize me in my human skin? Can I ask you a question?" Peter looked up and saw a lost soul. How those tugged at his heart. On looking closer, he noticed none of the light that should have shone around a newly rehabilitated soul. They always had a light shining around them and a weariness that just begged for relief. " What in the world are you doing here? Where is your halo? In fact I should know you were coming, but I have no new name on my list." " I'm lost sir angel, Death never came for me, and I dont know wht to do. I could cry if I could, but I dont think my soul can do that yet. Please tell me wht to do." "Your a suicide, I can tell. You definitly dont belong here yet., and what do you mean Death hasnt come for you. By the look of your shriveled soul you should have been in hell long ago, attoining for your sins. If you dont get there soon, your going to shrivel out of existance and then where will you be? No where I tell you, nowhere. You dont want that, no siree. So lets have it again slowly, so I can figure out what I can or cant do." And so the lost sould told Peter what he needed to know, from the moment ofher decision to slither wrists, to her visit with the angel Satan. " and you never saw Death? No ugly fellow with a black cowl and sickle, no misty fog and a waiting boat? are you sure you looked hard enough?" Peter was frankly astounded. This had only happened once before in the history of Himself's life. Satan had decided he wanted more power, love and special treatment, so had rebelled ruining Himself's experiment on earth. Himself and Herself had spanked Satan haard, allowing him only those souls that had committed very evil acts, and putting him in charge of rehabilitating them. In return he got one small favor. He was allowed to influence if he could those souls residing in their shells on the earth. He could tempt, cheat, and promise empty rewards. But he couldnt keep them, he had to fix them and send them on their way. Himself was a wise and benevelent personna, as long as you followed the rules. " Ok here's what I can do. You poor lost soul, go back to earth, look around, visit some folks, whatever. I will do what I can on this end and we will keep in touch." With that Peter turned around and blew his horn. Azrial appeared almost immediately. " I need you to man the gate again, somethings come up." Azrial being a rehabilitated angel was anxious to do anything he could to prove himself to the Boss. Marissa thought herself back to her home. Looking around everything seemed fine. But she really coulnt do anything. she had no corporeal body, so TV and Stereo was out, she couldnt turn them on. She couldnt eat, and she didnt really want to think about what souls do to rest. Since she was going to hell anyway, she might as well see if she could cause some mischief. Who has she, in life, really wanted to get back at?