Chapter one (2 page)

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Chapter Five

In the moment before the crash, James discovered that the most terrible and fascinating thing about being involved in a vehicular accident was the rush of adrenaline and an odd sense of impending doom.

The accident was that terrible.

As passengers shouted out to their creators, James was only concerned about one girl, Tessa. The bus hit the articulated truck with a bone jarring sensation. Glasses shuttered and bodies were thrown forward. James heard the screams intermingled with the blaring of horns. He hit his head against metal and felt a metallic taste in his mouth. As he felt his consciousness slipping away, he did that which he had failed to do in so many years. He asked for forgiveness. Then everything went blank.

***

 He dreamt of his past. He saw himself sitting beside a dinner table. His mum, dad and little sister were there. They had always been a tight family until his sister’s death. That was before he went to the university and the ties between his families broke down. His favorite part of dinner was the saying of grace. He recalled how his mother used to lead the family in prayers. As a child he had always loved Sunday services.

He woke up in a hospital bed and noticed an old man sitting beside him. He struggled to recall how he came to be there. Memories poured into his mind and he tried to sit up but cried out as pains flared all over his body. “Easy there, young man. You were banged up pretty badly.” The old man calmly said to him.

“Who are you?” James managed to croak. “A lot of people in their life time wish to see me and yet when they do don’t even recognize me.” The old man smiled benignly at him. James felt his head pounding and recalled Tessa.

“I was with a girl when the accident occurred. Where is she? I need to see her.”

“She will be fine, James” The old man answered. “How do you know my name?” James

began to get suspicious and wondered where the nurses had gone to. The old man stood up and was surprisingly strong for someone who looked that ancient. He was six feet, broadly shouldered and had donned a white suit. He was groomed remarkably well for an old man. James realized he could not really place the colour of his eyes. Strange he thought to himself.

“Well James I am here in answer to your prayers on the bus.” “I don’t get you “James said with mounting trepidation. They stared at each other for some time until James looked away. He recalled vividly in the moment before the accident how he had prayed to God asking protection for Tessa and most of all regretting the life he had led, blaming God for his mistakes and wishing he had a chance to redo everything again.

“Are you telling me you heard my prayer? That is ridiculous. That would make you…” “God” James looked at the old man with sheer disbelief written across his face. James wondered when this terrible nightmare would end. He could smell the waft of the antiseptic used in hospitals and realized it could only mean one thing.

He was not dreaming and indeed the old man was God.

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Chapter Six

James had been shocked at many points in his life. But not like this. James wondered to himself when this terrible nightmare would be over. “This is not a dream, James. You prayed and here I am” the old man said. “So you are God” “Yes.”

The incredulity must have shown on the face of James. “Seldom do I interfere in the lives of mortals but you a persistent person.” The old man looked at James belligerently.  “If you are God, where were you when my sister died? I prayed to you every single day and now after all this years you are here now. Well forgive me if I am not pleased oh mighty God but you have been absent all these years.”James fumed.  “You are very interesting mortal. I will not begrudge you that.” The old man smiled at him. The old man now looked at James sternly and said “I am here now in answer to your prayers. When we are done here, you will find yourself at where you have always wanted to be and remember James what you do is up to you?” “What about Tessa? You could just heal her if you really are what you claim.” James said to him. A nurse walked in as he was talking. The nurse looked at James in amusement and asked who he was talking to. James pointed to the old man beside the bedpost. The nurse stared at him and wrote something on a pad she was holding. “Well it seems your head was badly affected in the accident. I will bring in a doctor to check you up very soon.” The old man looked on all this with an amused smile. “You are enjoying this, aren’t you?” James said to the old man as the nurse walked away. “I have watched over you James. I have seen the bitterness you carry in your James. Life only gives us one chance but since you seem to feel you have been wronged you will get the opportunity to see things from a different perspective. On the stroke of midday your prayers will be answered”

The old man straightened up and prepared to leave to leave the room. “How do I know this is real and it’s not just some imagination?” James asked. “Have faith son. Sometimes things are not always what they seem.” At that moment the doctor entered the room oblivious to the presence of the old man. “Are you okay?” the doctor asks. “Yes I am. “ James answered and gazed at the image of the old man as he walked away. James turned his head to stare at the doctor who smiled at him. The doctor was of average age, with flecks of grey in his hair. “Having strange visitors? “The doctor said to James. James knew the doctor was patronizing him but smiled back at him. “The injury to your body is not serious but we might admit you for some time just to be sure.” James enquires of Tessa and he was informed she was in a stable condition. He sighed inwardly. He was made aware of some the casualties. “You will limp a bit for some time but that would heal in a few weeks. You are one lucky man. It seems to me that someone up there is watching over you.” The doctor said. As James heard what the doctor said he tried to recall what the old man said to him. “What is the time doctor?” the doctor looked puzzled as James asked him for the time. “Um it’s eleven fifty eight pm” “thanks.” The doctor shrugs and bade James goodnight.

James could feel his heart hammering as realization of what the old man said to him. He could hear the tick of the clock as it’s clock hand slowly moved towards the twelfth mark. He began to feel drowsy and felt his consciousness slipping away. He recalled what the old man told him “not everything is as it seems.” He finally succumbed to the hands of sleep as the clock chimed twelve.

Chapter Seven

James could not believe his eyes but he was standing in the living room of their house. He vividly recalled where every item and furniture stood. He could hear voices outside. He moved to the front door. As he attempted to clasp the door knob, his hand passes through and he found himself standing outside. It felt so surreal. He saw his mother and father engaged in an animated discussion. James could not comprehend why he was being shown this memory. He saw his sister and his younger self playing scrabble together. He could see his sister winning. A sense of déjà vu passed through him. Memories of them playing scrabble together invaded his mind. As these thoughts swirled through his mind James could not comprehend why he was being shown this aspect of his life. He looked on longingly as his younger self tried to desperately beat his sister.

“What does God want me to learn from this?” James wondered to himself as stared at the past which was unfolding before him. No sooner had these thoughts entered his mind, he felt a pull in his body. The sensation felt like he was being hurled to somewhere. He suddenly felt himself pulled to different place in his past. He saw himself in his mid teens. It was a Sunday morning. He had not wanted to go to church that day but his mother had insisted. To make it worse she had insisted he wore his new suit. “Why do we have to go to church today too mum?” younger James asked. “Well James we have to thank God for our lives.” His mother said to him as he ruffled his hair. “Hey that’s my little angel” daddy said. James turned around and saw his sister. The sight of her nearly broke his heart. She looked very thin and pale. He recalled his sister’s illness with crystal clarity. The clinics, the prayers were to no avail. He had watched his once and proud sister ravaged by leukemia. The doctors tried all treatments to no avail. James recalled praying to God, asking for to be healed but it seemed the creator had forgotten about him.

His sister died at the age of fourteen. James had always wondered why her sister with all piety was not healed by God. James mused if that was not among the many reasons why he had such bitterness for God. James cringed as the memories kept replaying in his mind. He recalled 25
th
March as the fateful day his sister gave up the ghost. As he reminisced over these memories, the past caught up to him once more. This time he saw his parents and his younger self around a hospital bed. His sister was lying in it. She looked so pale. James saw his younger self running out of the room as he could not bear the thought of his sister dying.  James was tempted to follow him but something drew him towards the bed where his sister lay dying. He moved closer to the bed and heard her sister saying “I wished James was here mom.” “He is taking it very hard on himself.” Her mother said as tears poured from her eyes. His dad stood by comforting her while dealing with his own grief. As James stared at her sister’s shallow breathing, he wished he had been around to comfort his sister in her final moment.

“I could not have wished for a better family. Tell James he should never lose faith. At least I got to beat him at scrabble always.” Her sister said. This statement brought smiles on her parent’s faces. James could not help but smile at his sister’s words. “You guys promise to be strong even after I am gone. I will be watching over you.” His mother sniffed. If only she knew how her death had affected the family James thought to himself. A doctor walked into the room and said “hello Jessie!” the doctor said. That voice jogged something in his memory. Where had he heard that voice? He stared at the doctor standing over her sister and it dawned upon him.

James saw his sister smiling at the doctor despite the pain. The doctor said something to his parents but he only heard the latter part. “… Cherish the time you have left with her.” As the doctor turned to leave, he directly stared at James and smiled solemnly at him. James realized the old man had been at her sister’s side. James looked on as his family huddled closer to the bed to exchange last minute words.

“They look so happy even at the moment of death.” The old man said to him. His family was oblivious to the presence of the old man who just came in as the doctor. “This is what you wanted me to see right.” James said to the old man who he now knew as God. The old man patted James on the back and said. “Life seldom gives us a chance James. Remember that son. Use the knowledge you have gained wisely.” The old man walked away. His family had being oblivious to all this conversation.

James saw his mother sobbing as he realized her sister had finally given up the ghost. His dad put a comforting hand around. He should have been there for them. He now realized for the first time that God had never abandoned his sister. Even in her final moments he was always around. A tear could not help spilling from his eyes as the truth finally dawned on him. His sister had died but she was at peace now. He finally understood. He felt peace settling over him and realized he had learnt what was needed. He felt a tug and knew it was time to go home. He closed his eyes.

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Chapter Eight

The sea gulls swooped over the sea to feast on the fishes that were so bold to breach the surface. The setting sun casted a reddish glow over the horizon. James stood at the seashore barefoot. His feet were numb from standing in the water for far too long. He could smell the waft of sea salt as it was carried by the wind. He closed his eyes and tried to remember the fantastic encounter he had a few weeks ago. It had been one hell of a dream.

After he had been discharged from the hospital, he went to see Tessa. She was in a good condition albeit shaken up from the accident. He knew they were lucky to be alive since some passengers had not fared so well.

James sensed some one behind him and snapped from his thoughts. He turned around and saw Tessa standing there. For a moment he was speechless. She was clad in a white dress, her hair was loosed around her shoulders and the breeze blew it. The sunset cast a golden hue to her face. She smiled at him and caused his heart to leap in his chest. “Remind me again how I attracted the most beautiful woman in the world” James said slyly; “I sometimes wonder if it’s a dream.” Tessa blushed at that comment and stepped closer to him and put her hand around him and whispered into his ears “maybe God willed me to fall in love with your charming looks.” Tessa said knowing full well what her statement would evoke in James. James felt a lump in his throat. He had told her about the dream and she had never doubted him. He recalled her words with crystal clarity “sometimes God reveals to redeem.”

The subsequent weeks after the accident had being the hardest of his life. He went back home. Things were not as bad as he had thought. His parents had gotten back together. He had missed a lot being away from home. His parents had tried to contact him but could not get in touch with him. The reunion had gone well and for that he was extremely grateful knowing his sister’s dying wish had been granted.

As these thoughts swirled in his mind he wondered if his encounter with God in the dream had been a way his mind had tried to make him aware of separation from his family. The dream had been too real to be ignored as a hallucination. Maybe it was not his place to question validity of his dream but be grateful for the aftermath. He smiled to himself and felt a load lightened on his chest. He had almost forgotten he still held Tessa in his embrace. He cupped her face in his palm. She was everything to him. He had gained back his family and the most beautiful woman in the world and for that he thanked his stars.