I open my eyes. Nothing. I close them again, and for some dumb reason squint my eyes tighter and this time think the Psalm in my head. Man do I feel dumb though.
"Psalm 25:4-5? Impressive, Michael. You are, how do you mortals say, 'getting the hang' of things."
"Bath Kol."
I open my eyes. And I stop gliding through the air as I see him floating in front of me. Let's only hope the news I hear from him, is what I want to her. Well, it's definitely what I want to hear because I'm asking for it, but...never mind. I just hope it's
good.
"You seek guidance, Michael? How may I assist you?"
I clear my throat, because all I can think about are the things Father Damian mentioned about Lucifer. I'm scared and confused right now. Please, let me hear good things.
"Can...can you tell me about my Mother? I--Father Damian was not sure, but he hinted that all of this could be cleared up. He made sure that I ask you about my Mother. He emphasized it."
"Your Mother..."
I gotta say I'm uncomfortable with the moment of silence that takes place, but that feeling of being uneasy shifts and goes away I see a smile creep over Bath Kol's face. Didn't know the guy smiled.
"You mortals...you take so many things for granted, Michael."
"Tell me about it."
"You see, we angels...are less privileged. I do not speak ill of this, but merely state fact that you have what is called free will. This you know I'm sure you know about. That priest of yours is educated in the matter."
I nod, and allow him to continue.
"I was not brought into this world by a woman I can call my mother, but by only the one great Lord I can call my Father. God brought me into the world, as he did all the angels. But you mortals...if there is anything I could ever possibly envy, it is to love and be loved by a parent. One who nurtures you when you are young, and one that watches over you. It is...a different kind of love, you could say, than God's love. But...such a thing is forbidden to us angels."
He pauses for a moment, and starts to look up in the sky for a brief moment, and then slowly brings his head down, as if hanging his head. Only for a moment, he almost looks sad before he lifts his head back up looking over at me once more.
"But if I were to ever have such a choice...surely your Mother would have been the one I would desire. She was gentle. She was at peace. She was...an angel. Quite literally, although to be specific an Archangel."
"What? How could my mother be an angel if she--if I--"
"Exactly."
"But I thought angels could not make such choices! I thought...it was a blissful obligation to love God, and God alone?!"
And that is when Bath Kol's expression turns to a frown once more.
"Lucifer's punishment was not enough, your Mother still could not help but make a similar mistake. You see, your Mother longed to embrace to bear herself a child, and have a family. So much, that she fell in love with a mortal, and when she faced God's Wraith for her betrayal...she received her punishment."
I'm...speechless. I...I do not know what to say. What can I say? How do you react to such a thing? Countless things float around my mind, and I cannot quite think clearly. I feel...queezy, and sick. I can't...I can't...
"What was her punishment?"
Bath Kol doesn't respond right away. I think I'm going to lose it. It's becoming harder to breathe, yet my heart keeps racing. I must know!
"What was it?! What?!?!"
"...When God had learn of such betrayal from one of his adored Archangels, he grew furious. He allowed her to have her baby, for he would not cause her unborn baby suffer her punishment. He spared you, and gave pity the day you lived and the day she died. But, there is a contract that was made between God and your mother. The contract would not be forced upon you until you embraced the Sacrament of Confirmation. Your Mother wished it to be sooner, but you had to prove that you held strong your Faith; such was God's will. And here you are, Michael. All these years and you never have forgotten your Faith. Your mother would be proud..."
"What is this contract?"
"I remember the day the Lord himself gave me such words to pass on to you. First, the words to spread on the day of your Confirmation. Next, the words to give you on this day...I shall recite them for you, in his words."
Bath Kol closes his eyes, and brings his hands together before him, as if to pray.
"Michael must change the life of one person every day, so that he will not be condemned to the same Fate as his mother when he dies. Only through these deeds, shall Saint Peter's Gates be open to him.
Should he fail to do this not by dying, but merely failing his task, he shall be stripped of his powers, and only through his own means may he continue to pursuit his goal. There will be no aid from the Archangels, and nothing he could do to redeem himself.
And should Michael die in The Archangel State, however, he shall not ever be able to gain entrance into Saint Peter's Gates. He would instead, be condemned to Purgatory. Should Michael fail his duties, he will be condemned to Purgatory. Only through servings God's will, for his Mother had failed to do so, shall Michael receive Penance, and enter Heaven."
Bath Kol separates his hands, and he opens his eyes. He looks over at me, and he remains calm. Funny, because I'm not anymore calm than I was before; which is not saying much. You hear all of those Bible Stories, mainly in the Old Testament, about how Powerful God can be, but if you ask me all of those guys in those stories got off easy. Me? I've got quite my work cut out for me. Purgatory? Geez! Something doesn't quite seem right though. He never answered my question about my Mother. Or did he? All of this is to avoid my Mother's punishment? This is God's 'contract' with me to save my soul?
"Bath Kol...where is my Mother now? In Purgatory? Was that her punishment I must repent for or I share the same Fate? I do not understand."
"No, Michael. Your Mother...your elegant, kind, beautiful, Mother...remains in Hell."
It hits me like a kick in the nuts. I lose all control of my emotions, and I let out a scream of anguish. God.
My God. The God I have believed in ever since I was bathed in holy water on my Baptism, and walked down the aisle on my First Communion...does this? How could he hurt me like....
"...HOW?! I NEED ANSWERS!"
"Michael, Wait!"
"WHY?!"
I'm soaring through the sky, heading upward. It may all be fun and games and fiction, but in all the little kid stories, Heaven is way up high and Hell is way down low. Well, I'm going to have to talk to The Big Guy upstairs real quick. So I kick it up a notch, and I propell myself further. Bath Kol follows behind, but with worry on his face.
"Michael, you must stop!"
I pay no attention, and I just keep on flying. I do not know how quite high above the ground I am, but I know something for sure. The air is...so thin. This is no exaggeration like before, I literally cannot breathe. My...my angel-fire wings, they go out, and I transform back into my previous form. I...I cannot...I'm falling. Why is everything getting so...dark...