The Door

Written from the POV of my character, Thomas Hardesty.

What stood before me was a simple wooden door, or so it appeared. It was humble, not like anything else that I had found myself standing in or around while I was up here. Laura, my beloved, had killed me; well she was possessed by Lilith at the time, but still. It was a long story before that, but that's the short version of how I ended up here, looking at an unassuming wooden door in Heaven.

Streets of gold, spires of crystal and substances I never could have imagined upon Earth. Endless rows of mansions of all varieties, and great and terrible powers and principalities in an assortment of forms singing praise to God in the Highest. It was nothing I could have ever imagined when I was a human being that still drew breath. It was more than anything I could have ever hoped to be worthy of in my life.

That was when He offered me this choice. He, as in Him. The Big Guy. God. Creator of the Universe. Most powerful Being in existence. You know Him, well, not one of us truly knows Him until we stand before Him here in Heaven. Not really. He told me I had served Him well, His Son called me a good and faithful servant -- yes, that Son. Jesus.

Anyhow, they offered me a choice. It seems the Guardian of the Gates of Purgatory was ready to retire at last. A man, even so blessed by God could only endure so much on the earthly side of Heaven, and I had proven myself by tracking Lilith across the globe as a mere mortal. Thus came the offer, to be the first man sent back to the world I had come from to take the job, rather than being offered it while I was still there.

Let me tell you something, free will is the greatest thing our Lord has ever given us. That said, free will is an utter bitch. Yeah, I can honestly say that I never thought I would tell Him that I would go back, that it was His will for me. I'm leaving paradise to go track the demons of Hell, to help people through Purgatory, and to maybe one day banish Lilith for good.

That's what brought me here. To this door. It's made of a simple wood, built by a carpenter that once roamed Galilee. It's interesting isn't it? Time has no meaning in this place, kairos some call it, God's time. This door was here before the Son used it, but the Son made it while upon Earth. It stands outside of time itself, just as this place does, just as the Son's sacrifice does. The eternal moment.

There's three sets of footprints where this door has been used before, I guess I should mention that. One is that of the Son when He left His place on high. When He chose to go to Earth and sacrifice Himself, to be born of the Virgin. The Virgin heh, never thought I'd address Mary as such, but it was she who walked me here with a knowing look. Second is the footprints of a young child, brought back to life by Christ while He walked the Earth, one of His many miracles. The other set of footprints belongs to Lazarus, the friend of Jesus who was risen from the dead by His friend's grief.

So, I guess I need to add my own now. I wonder how long we stand from the end of time? The Virgin said something about having a feeling that my footprints would be the last here through this door until the Son of Man rode once more upon the Earth. No one leaves Heaven but angels on missions, no one forsakes Paradise willingly. No one I guess, except for me; but even I do it out of obedience to what I think is His will. Milton once wrote that it was better to rule in Hell than it was to serve in Heaven; I will do neither, for I will serve Heaven in between, within Purgatory and upon the Earth...and should the need arise, I will emulate my Savior and descend into the depths of Hell to contend for the souls that rightfully belong to Him.

I guess this is it. Time to open the door and head back, and Heaven only knows when I will see these golden streets once more. Thanks for accompanying me Mary, close the door behind me, will you?