The Broken Seal

A Chapter by S.G.Burns

Chapter 3

Charlene had turned around, seeing a guy in a white robe clawing at his face, and screaming in pure agony. As his skin caught on fire, he was turning to a crisp, and poking his eyes out of his socket.

"Whoa! What the hell's going on with him?!" Charlene was scared, and was starting to wonder if something was attacking him.

Miyako came running up from behind them, "Get away from him! Stand back!"

A.J. and Charlene obeyed, along with everyone else. The man in pain was screaming for help, when a black hole had erupted from below him, and black shadows were flying around him. One of the shadows hovered infront of him, and grabbed his heart. It ripped it out, and started eating it. The man started to cry, and collapsed into the hole, along with the shadows, and the shadow eating his heart. After the shadows and the man fell into the hole, the hole disappeared into the ground, as if it had never happened.

"Miyako, what happened to that man?!" Charlene cried out.

"Charlene ... that's what will happen to you if you don't accept your fate. Those are the demons of the chains. They're held responsible on capturing the person who had not passed the first test. They dig out their own eyes automatically, to blind themselves from the truth, since they never learned it. So they'll live the rest of their lives down with the fallen angel, blind, dumb and stupid, because they never accepted their fate. There are different demons for each test." Miyako stood where the man once was, "This is what will all happen to you, if you do NOT accept the fact your in limbo. You must tell your mind that this is real, so that your mind may give your heart the strength it needs to break your chain." Miyako said aloud.

A.J. looked down at his heart, "So ... if I never accepted the fact that this is real, I would have been gouging out my own eyeballs ..."

A.J. held his heart with as much love as he could, "I'm going to pass all these tests. I won't allow myself to live in damnation. My family wouldn't be very proud of me, and I wouldn't be proud of myself. I'm not going to let that happen to me." A.J. stepped over to Miyako, "Please, beautiful lady, lead me to my second test."

Miyako looked at him, and smiled, "I'm very glad you've chosen your fate. You are very kind, with a very strong heart. I have confidence in you, that you'll make it to God." Miyako put her hand on A.J., and A.J. blushed. Charlene was jealous, even though she didn't know why.

Charlene walked up to Miyako, "Miya ... I have a problem. I know I'm here in limbo, and I know I'm dead. I've accepted it, truly. I know there's no going back, and I know I want to complete these tests, to live with God, but even though I've faced the fact I'm here, my chain is still there. What's going on?"

"Charlene, I'm glad you have accepted the fact you've accepted this. But you must believe with your heart as well. You've done the first part of the test, and now your only half way there. Your mind has believed the fact you're here, but your heart is still denying it. You don't have full confidence in the fact your here. But it will, hopefully before your time runs out. Your chain will break, when your mind gives your heart the strength it needs to break free. I promise. Just give it time."

Miyako's advice wasn't that helpful, but it'd have to do. She just really didn't want to be scratching her eyes out.

"Miyako, lead me to the second test." A.J. said firmly.

Miyako looked over at him, "Abhratamakya Jarimah, I will lead you there eventually, and help you through your second test --" Miyako had looked at Charlene, "-- but you need to help Charlene see the truth with her heart. I feel you two will be needing to work together through this."

Charlene had had enough of Miyako's 'know it all' attitude, "Okay, that's IT!" Charlene grabbed Miyako's robe and pulled her closer to herself, "How do you know all this stuff? What makes you so 'high and mighty', why do you act like your the most important person here that knows everything about everything?! Why aren't you taking our OWN tests?"

Miyako simply closed her beautiful crystal blue eyes, "For your information, Charlene, I have finished all my tests. All but one. My last test. I am simply awaiting my last trial, which is the judgement. That's why I'm helping you, because I feel the more I help, the more I'll be a better angel when I reach heaven. I also feel that God is awaiting me to help others, to help him finish his decision." Charlene dropped Miyako, "So before you start thinking that I'm a know-it-all, just remember; I've been through what you're currently going through, and I know what's to come. So right now, I'm your best bet." Miyako's tone sounded so serious. Where did all the cheer go in her voice?

Charlene sighed, "I'm sorry Miya, I guess it's just stressfull being here. I'm afraid. This is all just happening too fast," Charlene's voice started to crack, as she was trying to hold in tears, "I never even got a chance to say goodbye to my mother, or my little sister. If I would have known that Death came to me in my dream, I would have lived my last day completely different" Charlene couldn't hold in her tears anymore, and started bawling, "My mother and I got into a fight, and I told her I hated her, and that I never loved her. She just got me so mad! I wasn't thinking. I stormed into my room, put on my pj's, and went to sleep. Then I wound up here, without even telling her that all the things I said, I never meant! I wish I could just go back for 5 minutes to tell her I love her, and that I'm proud she's my mother."

A.J. had tears in his eyes, along with Miyako, "Oh Charlene ... I'm sorry. I don't even know what that's like, but I wish I knew so I could help you better." Charlene continued crying, looking up at her, "But I'll tell you what, I hear when you pass all the tests, you can have 1 final wish, and if you'd like, you can wish yourself 1 last day with your mother."

"Really? I can spend the day with her?!" Charlene sprung up with joy, "Yes, you can. But you won't be alive, you will be like that of a ghost, and the only one who will see you will be your mother. She will believe you, I promise."

"Oh thank you, Miyako, thank you so much! This makes me so happy, I would give anything just to see her again, even if it means to pass every last test on this damn island!" And just like that, her chain had lit up, and disappeared. Her light skin that was covering her heart and lungs, had finally became rich and full, just like as if she were back to normal. She could breath easier, and that was when she finally realized, that what Miyako had said was right. She needed more confidence. "... It's gone. I'm free!" Charlene yelled, dancing in circles. A.J. laughed at her.

"Congratulations, Charlene, you've passed the first step! You're already on the road to true everlasting life." Miyako had tears of joy in her eyes, and she ran up and hugged Charlene. Both of the girls were crying and laughing, as A.J. was just staring at them, with a big smile on his face.

"So! I know your anxeous to get on with the test, A.J., but death's seal is gone on both you and Charlene now. You have all the time in the world, and you can even stay here in limbo. A lot of people actually just stay here until they feel they are ready, as fear that they won't do good on their tests. It's up to you two on whether or not you're going to go on, but I suggest you rest up, and get to know each other better. You've got a long way to go, and you'll need all the energy you can get!" Miyako smiled, and walked away, "Come and find me when you're both ready!" she said, running away.

"I wonder where she's going?" A.J. had questioned, "I don't know, but who cares? I'm going to live!! I'm so happy. But I suppose we should take Miyako's advice. Do you have anywhere to sleep?"

"Yes, I have a little house that Miyako had given me. I guess she gives houses to everyone. She must really want to make a good impression."

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