mountain in the middle of a rain forest. The breeze carried the smell of vegetation and exotic flowers. Bliss’s eyes widened with incredulity as she looked around at the beauty around her.
“The natives call this Deus Janela , the window of God,” Caim said quietly. Bliss turned from the exquisiteness around her to stare at him silently. He continued talking as he walked closer to the edge. “I feel closer to home here, as if I could reach out and touch heaven. It’s like it is so high that I can feel it and talk to them even though they don’t hear me anymore.”
“What do you mean, Caim ?” Bliss asked. She hesitated coming closer to him.
“Long ago, I was one of them.” Caim’s voice was subdued.
“One of who , Caim ?” Bliss shouted in exasperation.
“I was an angel in the high courts of heaven before I was cast out over a thousand years ago,” Caim explained. “I sinned, and for that, I was sent to hell. I became a fallen one.”
“A demon.” Bliss gasped and stepped away from him. Her mind tried to grasp but was unable to believe what she was hearing. “Belial said you were the same!”
“When did you see him?” Caim asked urgently. “What did he say?”
“He tried to get me to sign away my soul to save you. He said it was the only way. He said you worked together!” Bliss cried out and turned away.
“Bliss, we are nothing alike! Caim took her by the shoulder and forced her to face him. “He was created in hell, a demon spawn. I retain my soul, except there I have to fight so hard not to be corrupted. I am nothing like him, and I never will be!”
Bliss could see the sincerity of his words on his face. She needed to know it all. “How did you fall from grace?”
“Long ago, when the world was still young, I saw an injustice that I thought should have been punished, a woman stoned for her convictions and her faith in the Almighty. I begged the Father not to let it happen, but he said it must be done for the world to understand.” Caim turned his face away from Bliss in shame. She reached up her hands and cupped his cheek, bringing his face back to hers. “My heart filled with vengeance, and day after day, it got worse until I could no longer stand it. I took my vengeance against those who stoned her. I took their lives, and for that, I was cast out.”
“But why? Everyone should be allowed forgiveness.”
“I was granted my forgiveness, but I could no longer live in heaven. You see, I was a pure creation, a being made by God’s hands. For my sin, I was punished to a thousand years in service to Lucifer. This is the last year, tomorrow is the last day, and you are my salvation.”
Bliss shook her head. This was so much to take in all at once. “How can I be your salvation, Caim ?”
“I fell from heaven, and after a thousand years, I can fall once more, leave the realm of angels and demons and become human. You have to be there to catch me when I fall, Bliss, to save me from eternal death.”
“Catch you how? Do I stand under a tree and hold out my hands?”
Caim smiled gently. “No, my love, when I fall, I will be leaving my immortality behind. I will be human, hurt, and on the precipice of death. Your love, your heart, and your voice, as long as you are there with me, will bring me back.”
“And what if I can’t?” Bliss wanted to know. She could feel the dread surrounding the question.
“I believe you can.”
“But what if I can’t?”
“Then, my darling Bliss, I will be lost. I will die just like any other human would. And even that is better than being in hell with the likes of Belial.”
Caim stepped away from her and let his true self show. Wings burst from his back in glorious beauty spread against the wind that caressed and ruffled each feather. Bliss gasped as she remembered the feather she found in the hallway of the hospital. It was his! she thought,
“The natives call this Deus Janela , the window of God,” Caim said quietly. Bliss turned from the exquisiteness around her to stare at him silently. He continued talking as he walked closer to the edge. “I feel closer to home here, as if I could reach out and touch heaven. It’s like it is so high that I can feel it and talk to them even though they don’t hear me anymore.”
“What do you mean, Caim ?” Bliss asked. She hesitated coming closer to him.
“Long ago, I was one of them.” Caim’s voice was subdued.
“One of who , Caim ?” Bliss shouted in exasperation.
“I was an angel in the high courts of heaven before I was cast out over a thousand years ago,” Caim explained. “I sinned, and for that, I was sent to hell. I became a fallen one.”
“A demon.” Bliss gasped and stepped away from him. Her mind tried to grasp but was unable to believe what she was hearing. “Belial said you were the same!”
“When did you see him?” Caim asked urgently. “What did he say?”
“He tried to get me to sign away my soul to save you. He said it was the only way. He said you worked together!” Bliss cried out and turned away.
“Bliss, we are nothing alike! Caim took her by the shoulder and forced her to face him. “He was created in hell, a demon spawn. I retain my soul, except there I have to fight so hard not to be corrupted. I am nothing like him, and I never will be!”
Bliss could see the sincerity of his words on his face. She needed to know it all. “How did you fall from grace?”
“Long ago, when the world was still young, I saw an injustice that I thought should have been punished, a woman stoned for her convictions and her faith in the Almighty. I begged the Father not to let it happen, but he said it must be done for the world to understand.” Caim turned his face away from Bliss in shame. She reached up her hands and cupped his cheek, bringing his face back to hers. “My heart filled with vengeance, and day after day, it got worse until I could no longer stand it. I took my vengeance against those who stoned her. I took their lives, and for that, I was cast out.”
“But why? Everyone should be allowed forgiveness.”
“I was granted my forgiveness, but I could no longer live in heaven. You see, I was a pure creation, a being made by God’s hands. For my sin, I was punished to a thousand years in service to Lucifer. This is the last year, tomorrow is the last day, and you are my salvation.”
Bliss shook her head. This was so much to take in all at once. “How can I be your salvation, Caim ?”
“I fell from heaven, and after a thousand years, I can fall once more, leave the realm of angels and demons and become human. You have to be there to catch me when I fall, Bliss, to save me from eternal death.”
“Catch you how? Do I stand under a tree and hold out my hands?”
Caim smiled gently. “No, my love, when I fall, I will be leaving my immortality behind. I will be human, hurt, and on the precipice of death. Your love, your heart, and your voice, as long as you are there with me, will bring me back.”
“And what if I can’t?” Bliss wanted to know. She could feel the dread surrounding the question.
“I believe you can.”
“But what if I can’t?”
“Then, my darling Bliss, I will be lost. I will die just like any other human would. And even that is better than being in hell with the likes of Belial.”
Caim stepped away from her and let his true self show. Wings burst from his back in glorious beauty spread against the wind that caressed and ruffled each feather. Bliss gasped as she remembered the feather she found in the hallway of the hospital. It was his! she thought,
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