Infinite Loop - Chapter 46

Surprises

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Chapter 46

The couple hurried to catch Dio, who now stood near the entrance into the steeple.

“Think of it as the final act of Dante’s Divine Comedy,” her words echoing in the room.

“Wait, what are you saying? I’ll remind you that some of us don’t carry around knowledge of every bit of trivia,” Warren snorted. “And we’re not hanging out at the library, and I guess the Internet is tough to get here, so it’ll be tough to look up.”

“Nothing worthwhile is easy,” Dio reminded him with a smirk as she opened the door.

The bright light of the midday sun forced them to shade their eyes. She moved aside while ushering the couple to leave the building.

“Of course not,” Phillips groused under his breath.

Amber elbowed him in the ribs. Dio chuckled when she saw their antics.

“It’s not as hard as you might think. Simply follow the road in front of you,” she explained. “Once you leave here, you will find there are infinite possibilities awaiting you on the road ahead. Nobody of authority ever said your afterlife was all about the pearly gates.”

“Wait,’ Amber stated, suddenly horrified. “That’s a trick. How can we decide on our future? If we make the wrong decision, we’re stuck.”

“You’ll make the decision that’s right for each of you. Take the path and follow the good in your heart. I must attend my duties.” Dio told her as she pulled the door closed.

“Wait, what if we can’t make a decision?” Warren panicked and grabbed the door.

Dio sighed as she looked him in the eyes.

“Then you will come back to Mili until you do. The path will return you in the morning.” Her gaze hardened.

Be warned, deception, treachery, and foolish thoughts come with your journey. There are those who wish for you to follow the wrong path. A misstep can be costly if you cannot remember the good inside of you.”

The gatekeeper turned and disappeared. Through the partially open door, they heard her footsteps walking away.

Amber remembered something, and she quickly stuck her head in the doorway entrance.

“I forgot to ask. Who are you, really?” She blurted out.

The echoes of Dio’s footsteps stopped for a moment.

“I carry many names, be it Abathar Muzania, Brahmā, or Kiraman Katibin.” The woman’s voice drifted out the door like a draft.

“Given your background, you probably know me best as the disciple whom Jesus loved. I give the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Amber felt the handle slip from her hand, and she jumped back. Both man and woman stared at the white door in stunned silence as it closed by itself.

After a moment, they walked down the steps feeling unsure. Warren felt like he was in a trance as he considered what they had heard. Amber appeared lost as she thought about Dio’s assurances. Neither person understood their next steps.

“Well, I guess we go there,” he nodded to the flow of people who walked in front of them.

The steady stream of young and old followed the broad road under the large trees, many strolling along like they were taking an afternoon walk for pleasure. Feeling somewhat like a condemned man, Warren took Amber by the hand. She intertwined her fingers with his and they walked down the steps.

After a short walk, the road widened, bring them to an area with multiple water fountains along either side. Beds of flowers which gave the area the look of a grand estate surrounded each fountain. Between the ancient trees was thick foliage with rose and lilac bushes. A small footpath went between the green bushes at times. People would stop and look at the paths occasionally. It gave Amber the impression they were window shopping.

They came upon a small crowd who had stopped in front of one path leading through the thick bushes. When Amber passed by an opening in the crowd, the background and movement caught Amber’s eye. Turning her head, she saw something that made her stop.

“What is it?” Warren asked, just as he stared at the spot where the woman looked. Amazed, they pressed through the small crowd.

On the other side of the brush, they observed a busy sidewalk. In front of them stood a massive skyscraper showing a plate-glass window. Female mannequins dressed in short dresses in colorful patterns of vivid moss green, mustard yellow, and burned orange caught their attention.

The curb on the other side of the sidewalk held parked cars and trucks from the 1960s, while other vehicles silently passed by. A young man with a beard and long hair walked toward them before passing through like a ghost in front of a camera lens. The image was close enough they could have touched his brown fringed buckskin vest and bell-bottom pants.

“My god, what is this?” Warren finally asked.

“It must be one path that Dio spoke about,” Amber whispered as the realization sunk in. “What am I saying? She said she went by many names. In bible class, we talked about Saint Peter is the gatekeeper to heaven. But Saint Peter was a guy.”

Warren smiled and looked over.

“According to my brother, angels can take any form they want. I think Peter held the keys to heaven,” he said. “That must be what she was talking about with the realms. Right now, I wish I had listened to Frank a little more. Remember, Dio gave us other names as well. My guess is those names are the gatekeepers or something like that for other faiths.”

“It would explain those we’ve seen appear to come from other times and places,” she agreed.

Amber took him by the hand, and they rushed to the next opening among the bushes.

“Come on, I want to see more.”

“Dio told us this place was like a train station. Then, that means a place to travel to a destination. The sci-fi types would call it some type of portal,” Warren guessed aloud as they slowed to a stop.

The vision they beheld was an open prairie, where a small village of mobile huts stood. Colorful blankets covered many of the hut entrances while the white canvas-covered structures sat inside rough wooden pens. They saw small horses and motorcycles inside the pen as well. While they stared in amazement at the scene, a short man stepped next to them.

“Bi gertee butsakh,” he told them with a smile.

The man went through the portal. He looked back with a smile before he entered the hamlet. Somehow, both knew they were looking at an isolated village in Mongolia.

Warren pulled Amber away from the portal. “I swear I understood what that man just said to us.” His voice was barely a whisper.

“Something like I return home?” She finished his thought.

“That’s it!” he exclaimed.

“This place is fantastic. Come on, there’s another spot over there where we can look.”

He nearly sprinted to the next place that gave them a view of an ocean beach where men and women in heavy two-piece bathing suits sat under large umbrellas. A few men remained in the background, standing in their tight black butler suits and holding silver trays of wine and spirits.

“I remember something like that on television,” Amber said. “Before the first world war, nobles going to the beach. This is so interesting.”

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