I'd like to thank the Divine Ms M and the Puff for not only their words of praise and encouragement, but for their eagle sharp eyes and command of the American language.
I'd also like to thank AJ and Dash for their patience and support and confidence in me.
And to all the people who have written to ask me for new stories.
I'm workin' on it, guys.
BCW
Chopsticks
Anyi looked down at the small, dark head of her only son. How so much like his father he was; proud, headstrong and stubborn to a fault.
He and his best friend were not speaking. . .again. The cause, another argument, this time over something trivial that neither boy would speak of. But the experience had left both children sullen and angry. Not willing to talk out their differences. Neither willing to 'give in'.
Shaking her head, Anyi sat down on the edge of her son's bed and gently grasped one slender shoulder with her hand.
"Tell me what troubles you, little one," she asked in hushed tones as she lightly combed her fingers through the silky, black hair.
This only made him bury his face deeper in the pillow. "Nuthin'," came the muffled reply.
"It is a glorious day. Would you not like to be out in the sun?" she asked with a smile.
"No."
She laughed, her voice sounding through the air like tiny, silver bells. "And why is that?"
Then the child lifted up to gaze in his mother's face. "My head hurts, Ama."
The large green eyes Anyi knew so well were red and swollen. "Oh, my little one," she cooed as she gathered the small child in her arms, "I want to tell you a story. . ."
"Is Hell really as hot as they say?"
"Who told you Hell was hot?"
"That's what everybody says."
The senior angel laughed. "Not if they know the truth."
"What truth?"
With a wave of her hand, they disappeared. Moments later rematerializing in a lavishly appointed banquet room, a huge table in the center completely covered from one end to the other with all forms of finely prepared foods and desserts and every type of beverage one could ask for.
The delicious smells caused the angel-in-training's mouth to water.
The young angel blinked in astonishment. "This is HELL?" he exclaimed.
Just then, a small crowd of people entered, quickly taking their places at the table in the exquisitely upholstered chairs waiting there.
"Yes."
"I don't believe you! Hell's supposed to be a place for penance, misery and punishment! Look at all this!" he hissed, gesturing around the room wildly.
The teacher touched a single finger to her lips. "Shhh," she said softly, pointing the finger of her free hand to the crowded table. "Open your eyes."
The recruit again looked towards the table and focused his attention on the group of diners.
They were all reaching across their table settings to pick up two long sticks of wood that were resting there.
"Chopsticks? I thought those were decorations. They must be at least five feet long! What are these people supposed to do with chopsticks like that?"
"Shhh."
As he watched in dismay, each diner took the pair of sticks in one hand and used them to lift a piece of food. Then tried, unsuccessfully, to get the food into their mouths.
Then, for the first time, the young angel noticed each diner's emaciated state of being.
"Why don't they just use their hands?" he asked after watching several moments.
"Shhh," his teacher said again.
After several attempts to feed themselves, several diners threw the chopsticks down in defeat. With almost a united howl of frustration, they began attacking the delicacies spread out before them with their hands. Some even burying their faces in the food.
"About time!" the recruit muttered under his breath.
"Watch," his teacher said.
And as he did so, the elaborate dinner dissolved into small mountains of sand.
"What happened?" the student asked.
"They broke the rules," she answered, turning away from the heart
wrenching scene.
"Rules?" he asked, following his mentor. "What rules?"
"They can only eat with the chopsticks," the teacher said quietly.
"But they looked as if they were starving."
She nodded. "Hell," she replied, walking on.
"And Heaven?" the student asked apprehensively. "What's it like, then?"
The teacher smiled back at her pupil, then waved her arm again.
In moments they stood in a lavishly appointed banquet room, a huge table in the center completely covered from one end to the other with all forms of finely prepared foods and desserts and every type of beverage one could ask for. This time, before the delicious smells caused the angel-in
training's mouth to water, he turned to his teacher.
"This is a trick!" he said in outrage. "We're in the same place! Are you telling me Hell and Heaven are the same thing?"
The teacher only said, "Shhh," again, and, "watch."
Again the student watched the same scene replay before his eyes.
"Same table, same people, same food, same chopsticks!"
"Watch," the teacher said.
The student closed his mouth and did as she bid.
After several minutes of observation, the student began to smile.
"Are you ready to go now?" his teacher asked.
The student nodded and they turned to the door.
Anyi hid her smile. "Yes, little one?"
"Why are you stopping? That can't be the end! What did they see? "
The tiny woman only shrugged as he rose to his feet.
"Ama! What kind of story is that with no ending?"
She stopped at the door. "There was."
The child swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat up. "Ama," he whined. "Heaven and hell."
"Yes," his mother said quietly.
"There wasn't a difference."
She raised an eyebrow. "No?"
"No," he answered with a pout. "In the end of your story, they are both the same."
"Are they, little one?"
"It is your ending!"
She shook her head. "How do you think it should end?"
"Me?!" He seemed to wilt. "This is a lesson, isn't it?"
She smiled indulgently.
"I hate when you tell me a lesson in a story, Ama."
She walked back and kissed the top of the bowed head. "The lesson is stronger when the solution is your own, my son!"
He rested his cheek against her stomach as his thin arms circled her body in an embrace. "But what if I'm wrong, Ama?"
She hugged him back before using her hand cupped beneath his chin to raised his gaze to hers. "You are a good person, my son. If you follow what is in your heart, you will not be."
"But that could take HOURS!"
His mother smiled. "I think not, little one. The answer is already there." And she kissed the frown-wrinkled brow.
Two figures walked slowly through the city's half-deserted streets. The few people they passed walked by them unseeing After four days under the strict of instruction of a new recruit to God's angels had finally worked up enough courage to verbalize a question that had been bothering him for some time.
Great green eyes, finally clear from the redness of tears, returned the intense stare of his mother's dark gaze. "Ama!" he admonished as sternly as his youth would allow.