EPILOGUE - PAUL
EPILOGUE – PAUL
I’m standing in a mist of gold so thick, I can barely see what’s in front of me. But I know what’s there and I know what it means to walk through.
If I get that far.
Technically, I cheated.
Will this be held against me at the Final Judgment?
Maybe. And if that happens the last two thousand years was all for nothing.
But it would be a waste to cast me aside at this point.
Did I not complete the mission?
Did I not unleash the Apocalypse?
Were you not entertained?
Only a petty, spiteful God would condemn me for imaginative logistics.
So I let out a breath, take another in, and step forward?—
Suddenly, there is a flash of bright light. And I think to myself, Fuck, yes! I did it! I’m in!
But the light is coming from behind me, so I turn and find a shadow peeking through the curtain of gold. I squint. “Syrsee?”
“Paul!” She exclaims my name as she holds up a hand to make a shadow over her eyes. “I found you! I’m so sorry it took me so long, the mirrors were?—”
But I interrupt her. “It’s over, Syrsee. It doesn’t matter anymore. It’s… just… over.” Poor thing. She’s traveling through time. And not doing it very well, at that.
She opens her mouth to say more, but the mist takes her away.
She tried her best, though. She did come back for me. Several times. Though, after this visit, I’m starting to suspect that she hasn’t actually made those trips yet.
Which means they are some time in the future.
Hmmmm. I ponder this, then smile, satisfied. Because this little visit of hers tells me two things. One, she tried really hard to help me. And two, she doesn’t hold my betrayal of Ryet against me. So she’s thinking about me.
Hopefully for not all the wrong reasons. Reasons like Ryet isn’t around anymore.
But it’s all out of my control now, so I turn back to the waiting gates.
All I have to do is pass through.
If I do that—if I am allowed to do that—all my questions will be answered.
So I take another breath and step forward into my dubious future…