Marissa knew if she had a chance in hell or heaven of being reborn, she had to figure out where Death was. Being a soul, her options were limited. She could enter the outskirts of Heaven, and she could enter the outside of Hell, but she could mostly stay right where she was, in between. First she decided to try Satan again, since he was the one that wanted her in the first place.
How does a soul travel, she thought. Like that old commercial about drugs, "just do it", came to her. So she willed herself to Hell. And there she was, approaching the Gates, a demon stepping out in front of her. " Who are you? Is Satan here? I need to speak to him about something."
" and I'm cliff, drop in some time," the demon roared at what on earth was a very old joke.
"Seriously, what do you want here? Satan is very busy, sending souls through purgatory and then shipping them back out to Himself for rebirth."
" I'm lost", the woman said. " Death never came to get me, and I cant go anywhere. Satan came to me earlier and even told me I was supposed to come to him, but I had to wait for this death angel. Well, he never showed, so now I need help."
"Suicide huh? We get a lot of those lately. what in that world is happening down there that can be so bad."
" The usual, sir demon. Rape, robbery, politicians, lawlessness, sin everywhere. You just cant take a breathe without comitting some kind of no no."
"Well I cant help you, you poor lost soul, your just going to have to wait for Death to decide your ready and he will have to bring you along. Until then my hands are tied."
" Where do you suggest I look? I mean I cant go to Himself. He's furious with me right now that I misused my freewill to ruin this life he gave me. He definitly is not going to talk with me. So where do I go?"
"Let me look at my schedule here, and see where Death is supposed to be next. I cant tell you exactly where he is, but I think Satan wouldnt mind if I told you approximately where he could be."
The demon consulted his book, a huge tomb, fire guilded, seeming to weigh as much as the world itself. With many "uhms', and "ahs", he finally looked up. He is supposed to be in a living room at noon earth time and if hes not there then his next stop was a hospital room. An old soul has been passed, was the body of a child, so sad you know. And then a junkie who overdosed. That one is anyones call, she could come or not, he might be waiting for her to make up her mind. Best I can do lady. Good luck." With that he closed the huge book, winked out himself after snapping his fingers for effect. Leaving her outside the gates alone, the young soul, even more confused decided a break was needed. "Maybe a glimpse of the Pearly gates would put me in good spirits," she thought.
