Smith leaned down, holding down a hand and helping Michael to his feet.
"Wha...what happened?" Michael wondered, feeling a bit dizzy.
"Simply put Michael, you're dead," Smith replied with a large smile on his face.
The two walked over to table, where an older gentleman was sitting and sat down themselves.
"Michael, this is Judge Othniel. He's going to decide your eternal fate," explained Smith.
"Mister Matthews, you've had a strange life. It's not going to be easy to decide your fate,"Othniel sighed.
"Why? What have I done that's so terrible?" demanded Michael.
Othniel looked over at the prone body of Michael lying on the floor, which was soon going be taken out to the ambulance. His stare went to Marian. Michael slowly followed his gaze.
"Do you remember what happened with her?" asked Othniel.
"Come on, that was...that was ten years ago. I don't care to remember that," Michael rudely replied, practically screaming it out.
"Maybe I can shed some light on this matter," Othniel calmly said, his stare going over to a nearby pillar.
It showed a younger looking Michael standing atop a stage. Marian, who was in her late teens, stood beside him. A masked man stood across from them, a gun in hand.
He shot at Michael but Marian pushed him out of the way, the bullet lodging into her knee. She fell to the floor in pain, clutching her leg.
"So you were in this little prank too? Well this 'sob story' isn't going to get you my sympathy," Michael told her, kicking her leg.
The picture faded. Othniel and Smith looked at Michael.
"You kicked her in the leg? Why?" Smith demanded to know.
"I...I don't know anymore," replied Michael, sighing.
"You thought it was the joke your friend was planning and you didn't realize until afterwards that it wasn't. Marian never fully recovered from the injury. The bullet hit something important in her knee. Some tendons or nerves I think. Anyway, it couldn't be fixed and the bullet was in such an awkward position, the doctors couldn't take it out," Othniel explained.
"So that's why she needs the crutches?" Smith wondered.
"That's right. She can't possibly walk with that knee," Michael said.
"She was dated a struggling musician and they loved each other. Marian was always an extra and they just made ends meet. She was going to audition for the lead role in a movie the very next day. The casting director postponed the audition for a few more days but it was wasted time. They didn't want a crippled lead. After that, both your careers went down," Othniel continued.
"No argument from me there. Nobody wanted me and my family deserted me," Michael agreed.
"Nobody wanted Marian either. Her boyfriend dumped her and she required much help from her family," Othniel told him.
"I'd give anything to have Marian trust me again and be friends with her again," Michael quietly and suddenly said.
Smith was shocked
"Can't he go back? Can he change all that?" he asked.
"Alright. Michael Matthews, you have three days and three days only to go back and protect a life: Marian's. All your memories will be intact and nobody will recognize you. You are a free agent in the universe and with the blessing of God Almighty and His Court!" Othniel told him, picking up the gavel and hitting it against the table.
TBC...
"Wha...what happened?" Michael wondered, feeling a bit dizzy.
"Simply put Michael, you're dead," Smith replied with a large smile on his face.
The two walked over to table, where an older gentleman was sitting and sat down themselves.
"Michael, this is Judge Othniel. He's going to decide your eternal fate," explained Smith.
"Mister Matthews, you've had a strange life. It's not going to be easy to decide your fate,"Othniel sighed.
"Why? What have I done that's so terrible?" demanded Michael.
Othniel looked over at the prone body of Michael lying on the floor, which was soon going be taken out to the ambulance. His stare went to Marian. Michael slowly followed his gaze.
"Do you remember what happened with her?" asked Othniel.
"Come on, that was...that was ten years ago. I don't care to remember that," Michael rudely replied, practically screaming it out.
"Maybe I can shed some light on this matter," Othniel calmly said, his stare going over to a nearby pillar.
It showed a younger looking Michael standing atop a stage. Marian, who was in her late teens, stood beside him. A masked man stood across from them, a gun in hand.
He shot at Michael but Marian pushed him out of the way, the bullet lodging into her knee. She fell to the floor in pain, clutching her leg.
"So you were in this little prank too? Well this 'sob story' isn't going to get you my sympathy," Michael told her, kicking her leg.
The picture faded. Othniel and Smith looked at Michael.
"You kicked her in the leg? Why?" Smith demanded to know.
"I...I don't know anymore," replied Michael, sighing.
"You thought it was the joke your friend was planning and you didn't realize until afterwards that it wasn't. Marian never fully recovered from the injury. The bullet hit something important in her knee. Some tendons or nerves I think. Anyway, it couldn't be fixed and the bullet was in such an awkward position, the doctors couldn't take it out," Othniel explained.
"So that's why she needs the crutches?" Smith wondered.
"That's right. She can't possibly walk with that knee," Michael said.
"She was dated a struggling musician and they loved each other. Marian was always an extra and they just made ends meet. She was going to audition for the lead role in a movie the very next day. The casting director postponed the audition for a few more days but it was wasted time. They didn't want a crippled lead. After that, both your careers went down," Othniel continued.
"No argument from me there. Nobody wanted me and my family deserted me," Michael agreed.
"Nobody wanted Marian either. Her boyfriend dumped her and she required much help from her family," Othniel told him.
"I'd give anything to have Marian trust me again and be friends with her again," Michael quietly and suddenly said.
Smith was shocked
"Can't he go back? Can he change all that?" he asked.
"Alright. Michael Matthews, you have three days and three days only to go back and protect a life: Marian's. All your memories will be intact and nobody will recognize you. You are a free agent in the universe and with the blessing of God Almighty and His Court!" Othniel told him, picking up the gavel and hitting it against the table.
TBC...