The Silver Lining

 

(2^nd Draft)

 

by Mel-o-rama

 

Chapter 3

 

“Each Life that Touches Ours for Good”

 

Uselessly, Thomas tried to comfort his wife. She showed no signs of realizing his presence. Tom tried to tell her everything that had happened to him and that it wasn’t all bad. He described heaven, talking about God and Jesus. He also tried to explain how Nephi was trying to convert him back to Mormonism. “Isn’t that funny?” he said to her. “They never give up – even in heaven! He says I never left the Church. He’s so funny! He says we’re not married anymore.” He was sure Carolyn would enjoy talking with him, but didn’t hear a single word. To her, I’m gone and there’s no way to bring me back. Nothing could ever give her comfort.

Throughout the day long, Carolyn did one of three things. She was on the phone making funeral arrangements; entertaining people who dropped in to comfort her but wouldn’t go away; or she was crying in some corner.

Little Angela spent a lot of the day sleeping. She got up a couple of times to eat. She looked sad like her mother, but didn’t seem to fully understand what was going on, except that Daddy wasn’t coming back and that Mommy needed lots of hugs.

Eventually, Carolyn tired and went to sleep for the night. She lay in the bed for a while before sleep overtook her, and finally, she was at rest.

It wasn’t good to see her in such agony. Thomas wanted to be there for her – to hold her and give her comfort, but it wasn’t going to happen. They were worlds apart now.

Seeing that she was finally asleep and resting, Tom wished he could join her, or if not sleep – at least disappear from this living nightmare. As Nephi warned, he didn’t feel physically tired. Even if he could sleep, he wouldn’t know how to do it.

There were so many things could do now, like flying around the neighborhood or up to the moon, but he just wasn’t in the mood. All the fun was gone. Will I ever do those things? Why would I want to?

Tom just wanted to be alone. He said goodbye to Carolyn and retreated to heaven. The ever-changing green fields of grass came back into view. I’m not in the mood for this either. As if by command, the field of grass grayed out to nothing. Yes, that’s it. I want to think about nothing. I don’t even want to exist. He soon became comfortable with the nothingness surrounding him. He stayed there for hours, never wanting to come out again.

He knew he couldn’t stay forever. Suddenly, he felt compelled to return. “It’s time.” The voice was distant but familiar. The green grass returned around him, and there stood Nephi. “I hope you’re well rested. It’s time to go to your first assignment.”

“How did you bring me back like that?” asked Tom.

“I didn’t do that,” Nephi answered. “That was you. I called out to you, but you could have ignored me if you wished.”

“What was I doing anyway?”

“You were meditating. It’s the closest we’ll ever get to sleeping. So, are you ready for your first job? We better get there before she wakes up.”

Tom snapped back to reality. “Wait a minute! Where are we going? My funeral is today. Do you really expect me to go on assignment? I only died yesterday, for goodness sake!”

“Don’t worry,” replied Nephi. “You won’t miss anything. I’ll make sure you’re there for your funeral. Besides, you died the night before last, so it’s been more than a day.”

“Actually, I’d prefer to be with my family right now. This is a really hard time for them,” said Tom.

“And what could you do for them? You’re only a spectator here.”

“Well,” said Tom as he was thinking. “I’m sure I could do something. I could …”

Nephi interrupted, “You could hope to communicate the smallest message of comfort, but then you would be disappointed when you realize they can’t hear you. Why don’t you admit you want to stay there for your own good? Trust me. It’s not healthy to hang around your family twenty-four hours a day. It’s all too easy to let yourself wallow in sorrow and self pity, when you could be out doing good. There’s a lot of work to be done up here in heaven, and we’re in need of willing angels to do the work.”

“Yeah, but don’t forget I’m not a perfect angel. I didn’t come here to work. Heck, I didn’t even want to come up here! I mean, not just yet. Besides, I don’t think I want to do any of your Mormon work.”

Nephi laughed. “Mormon work? Is that what you call it?”

“What else would you call it? I know how the Church is on earth. After they baptize you, they give you a calling so it keeps you busy. When you’re busy, you don’t want to leave.”

“That’s funny. There’s some truth in that, though. You should know that working is good for the soul. A working angel is a happy angel. An idle angel is a fallen one. Perhaps it’s too early to start you on assignments, but I don’t think so. The sooner you get yourself involved in angel work, the sooner you can transition into this life. That’s why this assignment is perfect for you. Besides, I’ve already told William that you’d be there. We’d be hard pressed to find a replacement. You’ll have fun!”

“Well,” said Tom. “I’m not sure what I can do, but maybe it’ll help get my mind off of things for a little while.”

“That’s the spirit. Well, let’s be off!” Nephi connected with Tom, and they appeared in a room down on Earth.

“Good,” said Nephi. “She’s still asleep.”

Tom looked around the room. They were in an older house decorated with old-fashioned trinkets and dressings. The rising sun shone a bright orange through an easterly window. Framed photographs and cross-stitched crafts filled the room.

In the middle, in front of a beautiful piece of impressionistic art on the north wall, was a bed. There laid an old gray haired woman, soundly sleeping. She was hardly breathing, but Tom could make out her soft snoring.

Tom counted fourteen angels in the room. They were engaged in small talk, but yet they stood as if in position, waiting for something. One of the angels looked familiar. Tom had to look twice, but he recognized the one angel standing closest to the old lady’s bed. It was the man in many of her photographs, including one on her nightstand.

Nephi said, “Tom, I would like you to meet Olive.” He pointed to the old woman. “She’s your first assignment.”

“Really,” answered Tom trying not to get too excited. He didn’t really feel like joining this group of angels who were looking a little bored at the moment.

Nephi continued, “And this is her husband, William. ” He gestured to the one angel. “He’s in charge here until his shift is up.”

William spoke to Tom, “Hi. It’s good to meet you, and I’m so glad you could help us out here.”

He then motioned to one of the other angels. “Bartholomew, you can go now. Your replacement is here.” William was certainly cheerful. He seemed to be someone with lots of patience.

Tom said, “It’s good to meet you, too.” He shook hands as well as spirits could, but then he wasn’t sure what to say. A little sarcastically, he said, “So, what exactly are we doing here?”

Nephi answered in mild surprise. “Tom! Don’t be so rude! Sorry William, he’s new here. He only died a couple of days ago.”

“Oh, it’s quite alright. Tom was merely asking an honest question. You see, Tom, I’ve been dead myself for five years now. Olive and I used to live together in this house, but then one day I suffered a stroke and I didn’t live much longer after that. Now it’s just her in this house. I didn’t want to leave her. I really thought that I’d live longer, or that we would die together, but it just didn’t work out that way. After a year or so, she was getting so lonely, so they assigned me to watch over her. Of course I was happy to do so. She seems to be much happier now.”

“Wait a minute,” said Tom. “You mean she knows you’re here?”

Nephi answered for William. “When humans get older they become more in tune with the Spirit. They become better able to recognize those who have passed on. Olive in particular has advanced pretty far into senility – I hope you do not mind me saying so, William.”

“Quite alright. It is the truth though. She’s senile as a puppy. Or at least she pretends to be!”

Nephi continued. “So, she can feel her husband’s presence. She knows he is gone, but yet she knows he is near.”

Tom asked, “Why are all these other angels here? They don’t seem to be doing much.”

“You shall see soon enough,” answered William. “Just you get ready. She’s waking up! Places everyone! Tom, just do what we do.”

Tom was confused. “Right.” He had no idea which way to go.

Olive struggled to get out of bed. She tried to pull herself up slowly. William spoke to her, “You know you can’t get up that way. Why do you keep trying that? You have to roll out and put your feet on the floor.”

As if on cue, several of the angels joined in saying repeatedly, “Come on Olive. You can do it. Roll out.” “Roll, girl!” “Be careful to land on your feet.” “There you go!” She rolled out of bed, just as she was commanded.

Tom asked Nephi, “Can she hear us?”

“So to speak. She can’t hear the actual words, but if you had enough angels yelling the same things at you, I’m sure you would get the message. She hears our promptings through inspiration. Through our efforts, she feels reminded that she needs to roll out of bed, so she remembers and we save her from pain she doesn’t need to bear.”

Olive was now standing and she slowly began to walk. “She’s headed to the bathroom!” yelled William. “Prepare the way!”

“Oh no,” said one of the angels to Tom. “Why does she have to start with the bathroom?”

One of the other angels pointed saying, “Hugh, that magazine on the floor!”

“I see it!” said Hugh. “Thanks, Joe. I got it!” He gestured with his hand and softly the magazine shifted up against the wall.

Yet another angel yelled, “Jennifer! She’s losing her balance on your side.”

“Don’t worry, Ron, I’ve got her covered. Just a little nudge here,” and Jennifer pushed Olive slightly with her finger until she got her balance back. While regaining her footing, Olive said in an old widow’s voice, “Oh my goodness!”

Tom joined in, yelling, “This way!” and “That way!” though he didn’t understand why, knowing she couldn’t hear them. Still, it seemed to be doing the job. She was listening and responding.

This continued until she reached the bathroom. There, an angel named Eric helped her to push open the door. Once inside, their job was not yet over. Tom couldn’t believe how much effort went into ensuring Olive’s safety. The whole time, William looked anxious, yet confident. How many times has he done this before?

When she was done, Olive headed back toward the bed. “This isn’t a good sign,” said William. “She’s going back to bed.”

Nephi explained to Tom, “Usually, she eats breakfast first thing in the morning. She must be lonely today.”

William said, “Andrew, go and see to the bishop. Inspire him that my wife is lonely and needs a visit as soon as possible. He should be getting ready for work. Maybe you can catch him before he goes out the door and gets too much on his mind. You know how gets when he’s driving.”

Andrew hurried off the scene, saying as he left, “Consider it done.”

“It’s a shame,” said Nephi to Tom. “Olive is like a lot of other old widows. She is easily forgotten. Most of her friends and loved ones have either passed on or are in no better shape than her. Her children have their own life to worry about. Years ago they moved to another state to get away from their parents. They seldom come around to visit. Her neighbors think she’s senile. They tell jokes about her, especially around Halloween. If it weren’t for the church, she would have died of loneliness ages ago.”

“I take it she’s a Mormon?” asked Tom.

“Yes. So was William, and it’s a good thing, too. Her bishop is a good man, who is sincerely concerned about her wellbeing. He prays about her everyday. He has members of the church visit, as well as missionaries. Unfortunately, they can only do so much. Many church members choose not to visit because they’re too busy. Many don’t visit until after much prompting by the bishop.”

“She really is a Mormon. That’s interesting.”

Nephi looked confused. “What are you getting at?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I’m just thinking out loud.” Then to change the subject, Tom said, “Back there when we were helping Olive walk, that angel moved that magazine without touching it. How did he do it?”

“Oh,” answered Nephi. “You mean Hugh? Jennifer can do it too. I’ve tried, but I can’t do it.”

“I guess I can’t either. You saw me in my house yesterday. Whenever I touched something, my hand went straight through. I didn’t move anything.”

“Well,” Nephi explained, “we are spirits, you know. We can’t move matter in the way we used to. When we had bodies, we could move things by brute force. We could use the matter in our bodies to push things around or pick them up. Now we don’t have bodies, so we don’t have that option. Still, there are other ways to move matter.

“You see, each speck of matter has a duality. Each atom is one part physical and one part intelligence. Having intelligence, matter can understand and follow commands. Matter follows a set of rules already dictated by God. These are the Laws of Physics. We can also command matter. You know how they say faith can move mountains?”

“Yes, sure,” said Tom. “You don’t mean to tell me we really can move mountains!”

“With enough faith, sure you can. All it takes is to command the mountain to move. Then all the collective intelligences that exist within the mountain will move it for you.”

Tom responded, “It can’t be that simple. Else, everyone would be doing it.”

“It’s not an easy thing to do. I still can’t move even the smallest speck. For one thing, it takes faith. It also takes a certain level of righteousness that the intelligences can recognize. The intelligences won’t obey just anyone who doesn’t appear to have the proper authority. Most of us have to build up enough righteousness to accomplish this task. I’m just not there yet.”

“But you’re slated for the highest level of heaven. How much more righteous do you need to be?”

“I’m still not perfect. I could still fall. It takes a lot of personal development to do these things.”

Tom asked, “Why can’t you connect with Hugh or Jennifer and ask them to show you how they do it?”

“It’s no good. Unlike transporting yourself anywhere you want to go, it takes more than technique to get the atoms to obey you. I’m told that it helps to think righteous thoughts.”

“Sounds like Peter Pan to me,” mused Tom.

“I suppose it’s not far from that,” said Nephi. “Eventually, we’ll all learn to move matter, especially if we are to become gods. How can you be a god if you can’t create planets?”

Tom interjected, “Wait! This just hit me. Do you really believe we can become gods? Do you know anyone who’s become a god?”

Nephi answered, “Well, no. That takes a long time. You can’t do it in a couple of years. That’s really a tangent, and we can talk about that later. Even though some of us have to work on moving matter, it comes naturally to a few, like it does to Hugh and Jennifer. Some even learn the talent while they are yet on earth.”

“You’re talking about telekinesis?”

“What do you think telekinesis is,” answered Nephi, “but simply being able to command atoms to move without having to use brute force?”

“How do you know if you have this talent?” asked Tom.

“You can try it and see what happens.”

“I don’t know. What if I can’t do it?”

“Give it a try!” Nephi insisted. “Now that you know it can be done, perhaps it’ll increase your faith. Where there’s more faith, there’s more chance you’ll succeed. Why don’t you start with something small like the thimble on her dresser?”

Tom was a little hesitant. “Wouldn’t that freak her out?”

“Don’t worry about it. She’s fallen back asleep, and even if she sees you, remember she’s senile. It would be nothing out of the ordinary for her. She’s seen the magazines move as we push them out of the way, but she never freaks out or reacts. Go on. Move the thimble.”

Tom stared at the thimble. He tried to feel the intelligence inside it. He stretched out his hand and said, “Move!” but nothing happened.

Nephi said, “Intelligences don’t really respond to verbal commands. It’s all in the mind, I think. Someone told me this once – when we were on earth, we could command the atoms inside our body. Supposedly, if you understand the relationship between your mind and what used to be your body, you understand what it takes to move an object. That advice doesn’t help me much, but perhaps you’ll find it useful.”

Tom said to himself, Thanks – that advice is meaningless to me, too. He got closer and pointed a finger at the thimble. He tried to be one with it. Come on! Move! Still, there was nothing. I wonder. Is it laughing at me? “I can’t move it!”

Nephi laughed. “Well, at least you tried. Even if you’re a natural it could take awhile before you realize what you’ve got.”

Tom gave up. Since Olive was asleep, the other angels were engaged in small talk. Tom listened and then joined in. Happily, they asked many questions about his family, and especially Carolyn. Okay, so we can make new friends in heaven.

After awhile, Andrew returned from his errand. “I caught him just in time,” he said. “The bishop is going to come this evening. He’s even planning on bringing someone with him.”

William responded, “Well done, Andrew.”

Tom looked at Olive who appeared lonely in her sleep. The evening is a long way away, but she looks like she needs someone now. He asked William, “How long has it been since she’s been visited?”

William answered, “It’s been almost three days.”

Tom wasn’t sure how to respond. If she’s been waiting three days, what more are a few hours? Is she used to this? Tom lost himself in his own thoughts while the others continued their small talk. He thought about Olive and about how awful it was for her to go through this ordeal.

Then he noticed a new spirit enter the room. This new arrival entered in quietly. No one said hello to him or acknowledged him in any way. He seemed a little out of place, as if he didn’t belong. He moved slowly toward Olive. Tom asked Nephi, “That spirit over there – see him? He just came in. Do you know who he is?”

“No,” answered Nephi. “This isn’t my regular assignment. He’s probably here to relieve one of the others.”

“He doesn’t feel right,” said Tom. “He’s different.”

“What do you mean, different?”

“It’s like he doesn’t belong. Almost as if he wants trouble. Look at how he’s not talking to anyone. I think he’s avoiding us.”

Nephi looked at the spirit in question, who still approached Olive without any resistance. Spirits around him kept on talking to each other, as if he weren’t there.

Nephi went to William and said softly, “Hey William. See that spirit right there walking toward Olive? Who is that?” The spirit was now by the head of Olive’s bed.

William responded hastily, “He’s not one of us.” To the others he barked, “Stop that man!” as he pointed to Olive’s bed.

It all happened quickly. The other spirits came to attention as they realized the intruder who had eluded them. Olive was deep in sleep – completely oblivious to what was happening. The unwanted spirit lifted his finger and touched the picture frame that hung above Olive’s head. The picture frame leapt ever so slightly off its nail and proceeded to fall.

The bottom of the frame hit the top of the bed’s head with a crack that awakened Olive. As she opened her eyes, the top of the picture frame was coming down on her, pivoting at the bottom. An angel yelled, “Hugh! Jennifer! The picture!”

Hugh and Jennifer held their hands out. The bottom of the picture frame moved as if slightly pushed, and it went behind the bed, taking the rest of the picture with it. It fell to the floor with an even louder crack and glass shattered everywhere. Olive, clearly startled, jerked and sat up in her bed.

Before anyone else could react, the intruder jumped to the foot of the bed and levitated in front of Olive’s face. Suddenly, he appeared to be covered in fire and brimstone. As he glowed red and cackled heartily with mal-intent, Olive’s eyes went wide. She looked as if death had finally come to claim her. She can see him! She moaned, “No! Go away!” She pulled her blanket and pillow over her head as fast as she could, and she cried in fear.

Still, the evil spirit got closer to her, burning and cackling. “No, you can’t hide from me! You are mine!”

A dozen angels converged on the intruder as they pulled him down to the floor. Yet they couldn’t hold him. He disappeared from among them suddenly, leaving them in silence, except for the fearful moans coming from Olive as she cried under her pillow.

Nephi said to Tom, “The coward knew he would lose this battle. He meant to come in quickly, do his harm, and leave quickly.”

Tom asked, “Why would he want to kill her like that?”

“He wasn’t trying to kill her. He was going for maximum pain and torment. That picture could have cut her face up badly, but it wouldn’t have killed her. We saved her from the pain. We stopped the picture frame, but we didn’t stop his appearance. If he couldn’t get the pain, he would settle for torment.”

“How did he show himself like that?”

Nephi didn’t answer. Instead, William said to everyone, “I’ve been given permission. You’ll have to back away from the bed. And Jennifer, I may need some help with the covers.”

Tom obeyed. As he backed away he asked Nephi, “Permission for what?”

“Just watch.”

Olive continued her heart-wrenching cries under her pillow. William stood next to the bed. He changed his appearance to be an older man dressed all in white. A bright light emanated from him as it filled the room. He said softly, “Olive.”

She cried, “Go away. Leave me alone!”

“Olive, it’s me. Don’t be afraid.”

“No!” she said.

William motioned to Jennifer, who slowly pulled the covers down. Olive lifted her head in fear as if expecting the inevitable deathblow, but instead saw William in all his brightness. “Daddy?” she said.

“It’s me, Mother.”

Olive pulled herself up as if to embrace William but he urged her to lie back down. “Don’t get up. There’s glass all over the floor and I don’t want you to get cut.”

She lay back down and started to cry again. “There was a demon,” she spoke slowly and with much effort. “It wanted to kill me.”

“I know,” answered William. “We cast him out. He won’t be coming back, because I’m here.” William gestured as if he was tucking her in bed. Jennifer picked up on the cue and moved the blankets to cover Olive gently.

“I miss you,” said Olive. “I see you every day.” She pointed at his picture on the nightstand. “But you’re not here.”

“I miss you too.”

“Are you coming back to me?”

“You know I can’t come back.”

“Are you coming to take me with you?” Olive asked hopefully.

“No, it’s not your time yet.”

“I’m ready,” she said sadly. “I want to be with you.”

“I’m here,” he said. “I’m always watching over you.”

“But I can’t ever see you. How much longer must I wait?”

William answered, “Just a little while. Now, get some sleep. The bishop’s coming over tonight. He’ll clean this mess for you. In the meantime you’ve got to stay in bed. Do you promise? I don’t want you to get cut. Okay?”

“Okay.”

William sang Olive a lullaby until she fell asleep. Then the light faded and he returned to the younger version of himself. He said, “That was very tiring. I’m going to take a break. Joe, do you mind being in charge until your replacement comes?”

“Sure thing.”

William left and Nephi said, “I have to go as well. My own assignment is awaiting me. You’re on your own, now.”

Tom responded, “Before you leave, could you explain what just happened?”

“Sure. I’ve got a little time left. What do you want to know?”

“How was William able to do that? He spoke to her and she could hear him, and even see him. They were carrying on a real conversation. How did he do that?”

Nephi answered, “That’s called Appearing. It’s how we angels can communicate with the living. The scriptures are full of similar instances. There are the angels that announced Jesus Christ’s birth to the shepherds. You also have the angels who appeared to Elijah, Jacob, and the disciples of Christ. In each case the same technique is used.”

“Do I have the power to do this Appearing thing?”

“Yes,” said Nephi. “We can all do it. It’s not really that hard.”

“Can you show me how to do it?”

Nephi hesitated. “I could, but I’m not really supposed to. You’re too newly dead, and you would be tempted to misuse the power if anyone taught it to you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, if I were to teach you, what would you do?”

Tom answered, “Why, I’d talk with Carolyn. I’d let her know everything is okay.”

“Of course, and that’s exactly why I can’t show you. You can’t just appear to anyone at anytime you wish. There are rules and common sense you have to follow. If you were to appear to Carolyn like that, how do you think she’ll take it? She wouldn’t believe it was you.”

“No,” said Tom. “She’d know it was me. I’m sure of it.”

“Alright, let me ask you this. Do you remember seeing anyone come back from the dead and appear to you?” Tom was silent as he considered the question. Nephi went on, “You met all those descendents. Don’t you think any of them wanted to see you? It is just not meant to happen all the time, but only when it serves some purpose.”

“My father,” answered Tom. “I think he appeared to me, sort of.”

“Yes, he did, but you were in a coma. His purpose was to help ease your journey to the other side. He had permission. You, however, cannot appear to Carolyn. It wouldn’t serve any purpose and would only make your death more painful to her.”

“The demon was able to appear without receiving any permission.”

Nephi responded, “Yes, and if I were to teach you how to appear, there would be no stopping you either. To go against the will of God is to sin. The demons don’t seek to fulfill the will of God. They do whatever they want. You, on the other hand, should be concerned about staying away from sin.”

Tom was frustrated. “I just don’t see how appearing to someone can be see a great sin.”

“I know you can’t. That’s why I won’t teach you at this time.”

“Fine,” said Tom giving up. “I can wait, I suppose.”

“Good, do you have any other questions for me before I go?”

“Yeah, I have a lot of questions.”

“Go ahead,” said Nephi. “I don’t have to go just yet.”

“Okay, that evil spirit just walked in here and no one seemed to notice until it was too late. How did he get past those other angels, and why didn’t they stop him sooner?”

“That’s a good question. First, realize we are no longer in physical form. We can make ourselves difficult to see. Followers of Satan are very adept at making themselves invisible. But if you know what you’re looking for, they cannot hide. After you pointed out the offending spirit first to us, we could all see him.”

“There’s still one thing I don’t understand. How was I able to see him?”

Nephi answered, “I’m still trying to figure that out myself. When you were alive on earth, you always seemed to be a good judge of character. Whenever you had a bad feeling about someone, we always found something bad about them. When you were my roommate, at first you were a little hesitant to befriend me, but you saw the potential in me, and you helped me to become what I am now. It was almost as if you could see through my façade and see the real me. Can you tell me a time you ever judged a person and turned out to be wrong?”

“That’s a funny question to ask me, but I think I can see where you’re going. Now that you mention it, judging character was always easy. I always seemed to know when a person was honest or up to something.”

“Then it’s obvious to me,” said Nephi. “You have been given the gift of discerning of spirits. You can look at someone and know immediately whether they’re good or evil. It also means evil spirits can’t hide from you. When you saw that demon, you said that he felt different. Remember that feeling. Next time you feel it, you’ll know that the spirit is evil or bent on malcontent.”

Tom replied, “I’ve felt that feeling before. That’s what I felt yesterday when we were visiting Carolyn.”

“Are you sure?” Nephi looked a little overly concerned.

“I’m certain. You remember that spirit I yelled at?”

“Well, there are plenty of evil spirits walking around. There were a third of the hosts of heaven who fell and followed Satan. They lost their opportunity to go to earth and gain a body. They’re doomed to Outer Darkness forever. They know this so they roam around trying to cause pain and grief. After all, they have nothing to lose, because they’ve already lost it all. They try to coax the living into making wrong decisions. They recruit other angels like you and me to join their ranks. This easily results in hundreds of evil spirits for every one person alive on earth. I wouldn’t be too surprised if you saw one outside your house yesterday.”

Tom said, “Still, why did he run away before I had a chance to take a good look at him?”

“I don’t know,” said Nephi. “I still wouldn’t worry too much about it. There are just as many, if not more, good spirits who are around to fight these evil spirits. On the most part, the living are safe. At least now I can see why you’ve been assigned to Olive.”

“Oh? Why?”

“Clearly, you are to alert the other angels to any evil spirits who try to walk in unnoticed. You have a unique talent, and you can put it to good use here.”

“Well,” said Tom. “I don’t mean to sound selfish, but why would I choose to protect Olive when I could be doing this at Carolyn’s? She doesn’t have any angels guarding her. It’s because she’s not Mormon, isn’t it?”

Nephi answered, “No, it’s not that. You’re still used to being in the physical state. You still assume that if you don’t see any angels they’re not there. Well, Carolyn does have angels watching over her. You just couldn’t see them.”

“What? I didn’t see any!”

“Evil spirits can’t hide from you, but angels slated for a higher level of heaven can. Carolyn doesn’t have as many angels guarding her as Olive does, but there are always one or two there at all times.”

“Really,” said Tom. “Why only two? Why does Olive get more?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Carolyn’s not exactly old and senile. She doesn’t need at many angels looking over her.”

“Still, why do those angels hide from me? Shouldn’t they introduce themselves, and let me know they’re there?”

“Do you really want to know who’s there? They’re going to respect your privacy. Chances are, they left when you came. Once you were around, they wouldn’t need to be around,” said Nephi. “However, I’m sure if you asked, they would show themselves.” There was a pause.

After Tom didn’t say anything, Nephi continued, “Well, I really must be going now. Time is getting short.”

“Before you go,” said Tom, “I have one last question. In order to move matter, you said that you needed a certain degree of righteousness. Yet, that evil spirit was able to move that picture frame off the wall, with no problem at all. Is he more righteous than me? How can he do what I can’t?”

                  Nephi considered the question, looking a little anxious to leave. Tom feared he would save the question for later, but Nephi finally said, “Let’s see. The intelligences respond to a general sense of righteousness and not necessarily the overall righteousness of the commanding entity. Does that make sense? Some evil spirits can imitate righteous commands, so they can deceive the intelligences into doing their deeds. This is typical of the way demons work. They take truths and mix them with subtle lies. Often, an unknowing victim recognizes the truth, but they fail to realize the subtle lie. In this way, evil spirits gain a small amount of power over matter.”

“Wow,” replied Tom.

After another slightly long pause, Nephi said, “Well, I can’t wait any longer. They’re going to wonder where I am. You have a lot of questions, but we’ll have plenty of time later to discuss them. I’ll come back to get you before your funeral starts.”

“Thanks,” said Tom. “Catch you later.”

The next couple of hours were uneventful. No more evil spirits tried to infiltrate the room. Olive remained sound asleep, though she was probably hungry. William returned looking more refreshed. Tom was heavily engaged in the small talk, especially being the new angel in heaven. He learned more about those he was working with. In the course of discussion, he learned that Hugh was a Mormon, or at least he used to be.

“Really?” said Tom. “I should have known at least one of you was a Mormon. William and Olive are both Mormons, so it makes sense. What about the rest of you?”

The angel named Eric said, “You really are new at this, aren’t you? What’s a Mormon? If you put a ‘Mormon’ and a ‘Presbyterian’ side by side, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between them.”

Tom said, “You guys must have been talking to Nephi. He was trying to tell me the same thing yesterday.”

William spoke up, “Look at it this way. Up here, we see a lot of what used to be unseen down on earth. We have more information. People believe whatever they want, and some do hold on to their precious beliefs, but for those who open their eyes, there is only one true belief system from earth that really carries over. If you want to call us Mormons, then you’re going to find a lot of Mormons up here.”

Tom said, “Great! You’re all Mormons!”

“Actually,” said Joe, “I’m a Catholic.” Everyone laughed.

Jennifer said, “Technically, he hasn’t been baptized yet. But you have. Does that make you a Mormon, too?”

Tom answered, “I don’t know what I am anymore.” Then he thought to himself, A majority of Mormons – very interesting. But they don’t want to be called Mormons. I still don’t understand. Maybe this is one of Nephi’s tricks. He surrounds me with Mormons so I think they’re the only ones in heaven. Are there really no non-Mormons up here?

The small talk continued until Tom forgot all about Mormons. They discussed how much William and Olive missed each other. As he spoke, Tom thought about Carolyn. Years from now, I’m still going to miss her.

William explained how he was with her at all times, but he couldn’t speak to her or hold her like he used to. I know how he feels! He talked about how much he longed for the day when they would be reunited.

Tom asked, “So, why wait? Why does she have to suffer like this? Why can’t she just die now? Then you would be reunited.”

William was a little taken aback. “I wish it were that simple, but everyone has their appointed number of days, including Olive. It is God’s will that Olive remain here on earth a little longer. He has his reasons, though I don’t know what they are. Perhaps he’s testing her family, friends, and church members to see how they’ll respond to her. Will they visit her, or will they ignore her? Will they take care of her, or will they make fun of her? This is also building her character as it’s building mine. Believe me, when she dies, she will be ready to see me, and I will be more than ready to see her. That day will come, and it is only a short while away.” William looked at his wife longingly.

She looks ready to now, thought Tom as he watched the couple.

Shortly afterwards, Nephi returned with another angel named Michael. “Well,” said Nephi, “It’s time for your funeral. Michael will take over for you.”

Tom said goodbye to his newly found friends and went with Nephi to the old Presbyterian church. Materializing in the chapel, Tom saw it held immediate family members. Tom’s mother was there, as were all his brothers and sisters. Carolyn was there with Angela, and so were her parents, but that wasn’t all. There were also several spirits Tom knew, including his father.

“Dad! You’ve come also?”

“How could I miss your funeral? You came to mine,” said his father.

Nephi said, “It looks like we came just in time.”

At precisely 2PM, Pastor Brown stood in front as he explained the purpose of the viewing. It was only for immediate family members, while the funeral that would start in an hour would be open to the general public. Two men dressed in dark three-piece suits wheeled a coffin in front of the stained glass window of Jesus. Tom felt a chill as he realized his body was in there.

The attendants opened the top part of the coffin, revealing the face. “It really is me!” His body lay there lifelessly, and he felt a sudden desire to be alive again. Wouldn’t it be something if I could just get back in there and come back to life in front of everyone? It would be a miracle and everyone would be so happy!

One by one, the people went up front to see Tom one last time. His mother couldn’t hold back her tears.

Tom’s father said, “It’s been twice she’s lost someone close to her, and they both died almost the same way. Twenty years ago, she imagined us living long as one happy family. She never planned on having two of us die. To make matters worse, you look a lot how I looked in the coffin. I suspect she’s reliving my death.”

Tom’s brothers and sisters all paid their respects. They all said something like, “We’ll be together again.”

Carolyn’s family then paid respect. Lastly, Carolyn and Angela came to the coffin. Carolyn tried to smile away her tears. She pushed up her veil and said, “Tom, do you know how much I’ve missed you? Do you realize how perfect you were? I was so happy. When I had you, I had everything. You were the one I was destined to be with, and now God has taken you away.” She broke into crying. There was no other noise as everyone listened.

Angela said, “Hi Daddy. Mommy says you’re not ever going to wake up. I miss you too. Who’s going to tickle me?” She cried as she hugged her mother. Carolyn started to lead Angela back to the pews, but Angela said, “Wait. Daddy, can I ask you a question? Are you in heaven now?”

“Watch this,” said Tom’s father. From outside the chapel, sunlight suddenly shone through the stained glass window. A focused beam of light emanated from Jesus’ face to Tom’s face. The white light gave Tom a majestic and angelic appearance.

Carolyn said, “Tom?” as if hoping he was coming back to life.

Tom asked his father, “How did you do…”

The father interrupted, “Shut up and tell her you love her.”

Tom didn’t waste any more time. “Carolyn, I have always loved you, and I always will. I’ll be watching over you, and I’ll be waiting for you. Know this - that you’ll never be alone.”

Carolyn turned to the spirit Tom, almost as if she could hear him. As she looked back down at the body again, the beam of light rescinded, and the coffin went dark. “No!” said Carolyn. “Don’t leave me, Tom. I need you!”

“I’m here.”

Broken up, she ran out of the chapel, leaving Angela behind. Tom went after her. She ran to the courtyard and found the bench just outside the stained glass window, and she threw herself down as she sobbed uncontrollably.

“This is where we first met. This is where we kissed for the first time. And this is where you will say goodbye to me,” Tom said.

She cried for a good fifteen minutes as the clouds rolled above, alternately lightening and darkening the courtyard. “Why did you have to leave me?” Tom stayed with her, though he knew he couldn’t comfort her.

“God,” Carolyn prayed. “Why did you have to take Tom away from me? Are you punishing me? What have I done to deserve this? Have I not devoted everything to you? Where is your love for your children? What am I supposed to do now?” She paused as if waiting for an answer. She looked at her pansies growing healthily near the clock tower. Angrily, she pulled them out of the ground. “You stupid pansies! I hope I never see another pansy as long as I live!”

Pastor Brown was watching. Carolyn looked embarrassed, but he wasn’t accusatory. In a fatherly voice, he said, “I need to close the casket before we start the funeral.” Carolyn went with him back into the chapel.

She went to the casket and said, “Goodbye, Tom. I will never forget you.” She watched as an attendant closed the casket, never to be opened again.

Tom watched as he realized the finality of the situation. This is it! I can never return now. I’m really dead. What hope is there for Carolyn? His wife placed the veil over her face again and sat down with Angela.

At ten minutes to 3PM the organist played prelude and Pastor Brown opened the chapel doors. Tom saw many friends and acquaintances of the family. He was impressed with how many were able to come, especially those from out of town. Even his old repulsive friend, Robert from IBM, came to bid farewell.

The funeral wasn’t very long, and Pastor Brown provided a positive experience for everyone. In the ceremony, he gave the eulogy.

“We are here today to remember a loving father, a caring husband, and a thoughtful friend to all of us. Thomas was everything we could hope for, and nothing less. Born thirty years ago to a good Christian family, …” Tom’s mother smiled. “… he not only learned good Christian principles, but he also internalized them. He learned how to be patient, kind, humble, and honest in all his dealings.

“The first day I met Thomas was the same day he met Carolyn. I knew instantly he was a good man, and I knew that day, he would eventually marry her. I had the privilege of marrying them, and it didn’t take long before their beautiful daughter, Angela came along. He had a good family, and he took care of them. He sacrificed a lot for them and did a lot for the sake of the family.

“Now I stand here to give his eulogy, which is nothing I never expected to do. Thomas was supposed to live a long, healthy life and continually help the world become a better place. He was one you wanted to live forever, but God has taken him up, away from us. And why? Doesn’t God want this world to be a better place? Then why does he take up his best souls?

“I wish I had an answer to this. God works in mysterious ways. Though I don’t know the reason, there is yet purpose in Thomas’ death. Even in his dying, this world has still become a better place. As we remember who he was, we will each look into our own souls, and we will wish to emulate his example. We have all witnessed how Thomas let Jesus into his life, and we can also let Jesus into our lives. And as we do so, the world will indeed become a better place.

“I also know that Thomas has gone to a good place. He is with Jesus right now, and because of that, we should all rejoice. One day, we can hope to go where he has gone, and we shall see him again. Until then, we will live out our lives with only the memory of him. Our sadness will only be temporary.”

Pastor Brown then turned to face the coffin. “Thomas, we will miss you, and we will always remember you. You have touched every one of our lives for good. I pray … we all pray that you may rest as you enjoy eternal life with God.” After a dramatic pause, he concluded with, “Amen.”

Tom said to his father, “Does he know I’m here? He was talking directly to me!”

“Actually, he was talking to your body,” answered his father. “He senses something. He’s a good man in tune with the Spirit.”

“Yeah, and he’s not a Mormon!”

“At least not now. But I’m sure he’ll convert.” He almost sounded as if he were joking.

After the funeral, the pallbearers placed the coffin in the Hearse. When the people were ready, a police escort led the procession of cars to Tom’s interment. Carolyn rode in the front car as someone else drove. She was crying as cars stopped on the road to let them pass.

The clouds were thickening, and thunder was rumbling in the distance. When they arrived at the gravesite, it started to rain. Why does it have to rain? This is my funeral, and I’m only going to have one. I hate rain! Tom thought about asking his father to stop the rain, but then decided against it.

Everyone gathered at the gravesite, which was freshly dug. A tent was erected overhead, and a few chairs were laid out.

As Tom looked around, he noticed several spirits that were not part of their group. They were each hanging around specific gravestones, and appeared to be grieving. He asked Nephi, “Do you see those spirits all over the graveyard? What are they doing?”

“Oh,” said Nephi. “Those are ghosts. They’re spirits who have yet to pass through the veil. You remember how you resisted coming through? You remember how much you wanted to return to your body? Well, these spirits have the same desires. They didn’t want to leave their bodies, and they’re continually grieving their own loss. They usually follow their bodies to the grave and frequent the gravesite. They also hang around their families, or try to haunt those who killed them. For whatever reason, they have rejected the veil and have trapped themselves here.

“They don’t realize they’ve created their own version of Hell. They can see the mortal world, but interacting is difficult. A very few learn how to move things, but they can’t talk to mortals face-to-face. Let me show you something else. Come with me.”

“Okay,” said Tom as they approached the nearest “ghost.”

Nephi said, “Hi” to the spirit, and tried to get her attention. He flew around her and waved his hands directly in front of her face, but she didn’t react at all. “As you can see, they can’t see beyond the veil. That means that they can’t talk to us face-to-face, either. They’re completely alone.”

“How do they live like that?” asked Tom.

“Do you see now why we were all insistent on you crossing the veil? We didn’t want you to suffer uselessly. Now that you’ve crossed the veil, you can see so much more. You can talk to me, and you can talk to your ancestors. You can do all the things this lonesome spirit can do, plus more. You can still visit your family and/or your gravesite. You could even haunt your murderers if you had any, though that would not be good.

“You see,” continued Nephi as he held his finger directly in front of the ghost’s face, “Truth is only this far away from her. All she has to do is open her mind and accept her passage through the veil. This could happen at anytime. Eventually, she’ll get there. It’s inevitable for everyone. But until then, she’ll suffer, and there’s nothing we can do to help her. She has to do it on her own.”

Tom witnessed the spirit in agony over her lost body, and he felt pity on her. He remembered how difficult it was to decide to pass through the veil.

Nephi and Tom returned to the funeral, and they listened to what was being said. Suddenly, Tom felt something was wrong, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Is it the rain? It’s starting to come down pretty hard now. Is it my death? Was it really a mistake? Am I supposed to be doing something here and I’m about to lose my opportunity? What could I possibly do? I’ve already told Carolyn that I loved her. What more can I do, especially since they can’t hear me?

Finally, Tom realized that strange feeling the day before, and the one he felt today in Olive’s room. Looking around the gathering, he noticed one person he thought was a mortal, but just now realized he was a spirit. How did he keep himself hidden from me for so long? I thought I had the talent.

The spirit looked directly at Tom as if realizing he was discovered. He appeared unusually handsome, but Tom could see straight through that and see the darkness inside. The spirit walked away. Tom called out to Nephi and his father. “Did you see that?”

“Yes,” said Nephi. “Do you know him?”

“I can’t figure it out. It’s like I’ve known him for a long time, but for the life of me, I couldn’t tell you who he is.”

His father responded, “He certainly seems to have taken an interest in you. Is he an old friend from your childhood?”

“No. He’s definitely no friend. I think he was the one outside my house yesterday. At least he’s giving me the same feeling.”

“Are you certain?” asked Nephi.

“Yes, and it feels personal. He wants to harm me.”

They all watched as the handsome spirit walked into a light blue Plymouth Reliant. That’s strange. What would a spirit want with a car? Promptly, the car revved up and drove away leaving behind a dark oil cloud. Carolyn turned to look briefly at the distraction.

Tom said, “No way! Is he driving that car?”

“I don’t think so,” said Nephi. “There’s someone else in there.” Sure enough, Tom saw someone sitting in the driver’s seat while the handsome spirit rode in the back. There was something familiar about the car.

“What does this all mean?” asked Tom.

“I have no idea,” answered Nephi. “Are you sure you can’t remember anything? There are a lot of evil spirits out there. Do any of them hold a grudge against you?”

“What can he do to me?”

“I don’t know. There’s not much he can do. Maybe he’s just happy to see you dead. Perhaps you foiled one of his plans, and he came to rejoice in your death now that you’re out of his way. Is he a co-worker?”

Tom’s father added, “There’s not much you can do anyways. Spirits roam wherever they wish. They have their free agency, and you can’t wish that privilege away. I wouldn’t worry about it. You probably won’t see him again.”

“I hope so,” said Tom.

As the funeral progressed, the coffin was laid into the earth. One by one, each person tossed a flower into the grave before they left. Last to leave was Carolyn and Angela. After Carolyn threw in her flower, she turned and walked away. This is it, thought Tom. This is the last goodbye. This is the moment you physically separate yourself from me, never again to be reunited in this life. As I struggled to let go of my life, this is when you finally let me go and walk away. There’s no purpose in mourning me forever. You must go on with your own life. Be strong. Oh, how I wish we could be together at this very moment, but we’ll have to wait a very long time. Goodbye.

Tom told Nephi and his friends, “I’m going to stay here a little longer.” They left him, and most of the mortals left. Alone, Thomas watched the cemetery workers unceremoniously put the dirt back into the earth above his coffin. He saw them lay the gravestone. Then they left. It was just a job for them.

Tom stayed by his coffin as the rain lifted and the sun set. He thought about the events of the day. He thought about his body lying several feet below him. He thought about the things Nephi and his father said to him, and he decided they were wrong. He wasn’t supposed to die. None of this was supposed to happen. His place was with Carolyn, and this was all one big mistake.

He walked up to one of the ghosts, and knowing he couldn’t hear, he said, “You know what? It’s true. I’ve been through the veil, and believe me, I’m no better off than you!”