Even Stars Die - 17. Chapter 17

The Council of Elders informed him he would have special powers on the earthly plain. One, with a grey eye and a blue eye, told him to use them wisely. Another elder, a bald, androgenous creation, understood the human condition, a recently departed soul had much to learn, he said. But, Alex's situation was different, the council of elders concurred. He stood in the middle of the auditorium, in the centre of a circle with a black outline, listening to their arguments as to whether he should go back to seek and find the truth before his soul could rest.

An elder with one hand and a permanent smile beckoned him to step forward. 'There are parents who are lying, there is a young, innocent man who needs guidance, and there are friends who will need understanding. You will have to convince them that your purpose is to engage in self-realisation, but you may not interfere in the balance. Your powers will make you do things you never thought possible, you will learn to use them wisely, they are not to be reckoned with. Once you have achieved what you set out to do,the universe will tell you, and you will return to rest.'

Alex did not speak. He could hardly believe that he would be returning. For how long?

'As long as it takes.' An elderly woman with luminescent hair leaned forward. 'Could be days, months, even years. You must understand, you will never feel the cold, the warmth of touch, the sun on your shoulders, you cannot be hurt, or killed. Your only mission is to find the truth and return.'

'However, there are things, certain aspects, that you need to know,' The man with different coloured eyes raised his index finger. 'You are able to manifest yourself, and, when your mission is done, everything that happened will be erased from your mind. Once you have returned, there can be no going back.' he returned to his seat.

Alex considered this circle of elders. He knew there was no way to go back without their permission. Heaven began here?Where were the islands in a vast azure ocean? Where were the lush, evergreen landscapes, and vistas shining in haloes of bright aura. He certainly never met Peter at the Pearly Gates. There were no angels to guide him. But there was peace here, a place of remembrance. There was no pain and no hurt. But this place had rules. The entire cosmos, including the spiritual world, had rules. He had been here, in limbo between heaven and earth, a long time. He sought answers. Once he knew these, he would be at peace. He had come to terms with being involved in a head on collision, still, he did not know his killer.

Killer!

The moment he died the release was quick, painless.

He stood to one side, at the edge of the precipice, his car a crumpled mess, bodies strewn across the road and the embankment.

Car spinning in mid air, landing ontop of the young boy lying on a berm where the precipise fell away.

Heavy metal fell on soft skin and bone and crushed his body to pieces.

Two bottles of rum lay shattered on the black tarmac.

A car stopped. Then two more. He watched as they scrambled about like ants seeking food.

A man dashed about on his cell phone. He heard him clearly calling for medical assistance.

There were two men in the other car. Both lie crumpled over the dashboard. One was headless. The windscreen had moved towards his head and the bevelled edge had sliced through his neck and his head lay a couple of feet away. Adark haired man with a stubble beard and bokkie, unseeing eyes had the expression of disbelief.

The other battled to breathe, releasing gargling sounds instead.

.Alex approached the head lying on the tarmac and recognised him immediately. He rushed in, reached for the door handle and pressed, but his hand swept right through the metal. He tried to grab his head to pull him out of the car, but his hands swiftly glided through his shoulders and sank into the seat.

He remembered yelling, 'Help me. Save him.'

Too late.

A helicopter approached from the south side of the mountain and the medical team scrambled into action the moment the chopper landed, on the highway mountain pass. The operation was over in twenty minutes, with all surviving and the two fatal casualties, aboard.

He remained there for two days, trying to understand the meaning of it all. He knew he had come from somewhere, he knew he was heading somewhere, he didn't feel cold, nor hot. He was with someone, but who? He seemed to be invisible to everyone, but he was there. And so he began to walk.

Towards a bright light that appeared beyond the horizon.

He needed to go back. Find the answers. Cross over.

'What if i don't want to return.'

The man with the eyes seemed to be the leader, he leaned forward, 'There is only one way. You will be given that chance only if you find the purest, true love. That love will keep you there.'

He couldn't believe he was hearing this. Like something out of a fairytale. Find pure, true love?

'Is this a joke?'

The man's eyes grew wider, his forehead lifted, 'On the contrary, Alex. This is how it is. You have lessons to learn.'