FOUR
"All because of one man?" asked Piper.
"He subverts the natural order," responded Death.
"He's right," Leo said. "Death is a natural part of life no matter how distasteful someone finds it."
"That's correct," Destiny said. "Life is an ever-changing, ever-progressing process. Death comes to all mortals eventually. The old must make way for the new."
"If it doesn't," said Samuel, "I can't perform my function."
"Why not?" Phoebe asked.
"The souls I deliver are in direct proportion to the souls taken by Death," Samuel said. "As a rule one soul is delivered when one is taken. In some cases, more than one replaces the one taken. To balance the affect that one soul had on humanity."
"Each soul is allotted a specified amount of time here," said Death. "When that time is over, the soul must be taken. It is why I cannot be resisted."
"Occasionally," continued Destiny, "The time allotted to a specific soul can be extended for a period. These cases are actually quite rare. But even then they must eventually be taken."
"As I said." Samuel said. "The two are in direct correlation. I can only bring new souls once Death has taken the old ones. That is the natural order."
"And Harris has upset this order?" Piper asked.
"Yes," Death said. "Harris was supposed to come with me almost ten years ago. Just after he discovered this alternate plane. Because he is physically on the other plane, I cannot take him. He uses his astral from to return to this plane. But I must take the soul from his physical body."
"Since Death cannot take him," Samuel continued, "I'm unable to bring the souls that are to replace him. In addition, his death would have impacted other lives. Lives that were scheduled to end long ago."
"We have put off taking Harris as long as we could," Destiny said. "But we can't put it off any longer. Even now, hundreds who were supposed to have been taken haven't been. And hundreds more who were supposed to have been brought here wait in a kind of limbo. The affect is beginning to become exponential. Within a short time, Death will be unable to take anyone until he can take Harris. And because of that, Samuel will be unable to bring any new souls."
"My baby," Piper said suddenly.
"Is fine," Samuel said. "That soul was brought some time ago. Your morning sickness proved that. It's your body's way of adjusting to having two souls in it at the same time."
"Samuel is right," Destiny said. "As you are aware, a human body cannot normally hold two souls for any length of time. That's essentially what a pregnancy is. Two souls inhabiting the same body. As the fetus grows and develops the baby's soul will naturally inhabit the body fully. When that's complete, the child is ready to be born.
"Morning sickness is usually the mothers' body's initial reaction to the second soul. You might say it's her body's ways of trying to reject the second soul. As the baby's soul begins to settle into its own body, the morning sickness will abate and finally go away all together."
"So my baby is okay?" asked Piper.
"Perfectly normal," Samuel said smiling.
"Thank goodness," said Leo.
"So all we have to do," Phoebe said, "is go to this other plane and bring Harris back here. Is that about the size of it?"
"No," said Destiny. "You must persuade him to return voluntarily. You can't force him."
"You want us to persuade a man to return here?" Phoebe asked. "With him knowing if he does, he'll die the minute he does?"
"Yes," said Destiny.
"All because of one man?" asked Piper.
"He subverts the natural order," responded Death.
"He's right," Leo said. "Death is a natural part of life no matter how distasteful someone finds it."
"That's correct," Destiny said. "Life is an ever-changing, ever-progressing process. Death comes to all mortals eventually. The old must make way for the new."
"If it doesn't," said Samuel, "I can't perform my function."
"Why not?" Phoebe asked.
"The souls I deliver are in direct proportion to the souls taken by Death," Samuel said. "As a rule one soul is delivered when one is taken. In some cases, more than one replaces the one taken. To balance the affect that one soul had on humanity."
"Each soul is allotted a specified amount of time here," said Death. "When that time is over, the soul must be taken. It is why I cannot be resisted."
"Occasionally," continued Destiny, "The time allotted to a specific soul can be extended for a period. These cases are actually quite rare. But even then they must eventually be taken."
"As I said." Samuel said. "The two are in direct correlation. I can only bring new souls once Death has taken the old ones. That is the natural order."
"And Harris has upset this order?" Piper asked.
"Yes," Death said. "Harris was supposed to come with me almost ten years ago. Just after he discovered this alternate plane. Because he is physically on the other plane, I cannot take him. He uses his astral from to return to this plane. But I must take the soul from his physical body."
"Since Death cannot take him," Samuel continued, "I'm unable to bring the souls that are to replace him. In addition, his death would have impacted other lives. Lives that were scheduled to end long ago."
"We have put off taking Harris as long as we could," Destiny said. "But we can't put it off any longer. Even now, hundreds who were supposed to have been taken haven't been. And hundreds more who were supposed to have been brought here wait in a kind of limbo. The affect is beginning to become exponential. Within a short time, Death will be unable to take anyone until he can take Harris. And because of that, Samuel will be unable to bring any new souls."
"My baby," Piper said suddenly.
"Is fine," Samuel said. "That soul was brought some time ago. Your morning sickness proved that. It's your body's way of adjusting to having two souls in it at the same time."
"Samuel is right," Destiny said. "As you are aware, a human body cannot normally hold two souls for any length of time. That's essentially what a pregnancy is. Two souls inhabiting the same body. As the fetus grows and develops the baby's soul will naturally inhabit the body fully. When that's complete, the child is ready to be born.
"Morning sickness is usually the mothers' body's initial reaction to the second soul. You might say it's her body's ways of trying to reject the second soul. As the baby's soul begins to settle into its own body, the morning sickness will abate and finally go away all together."
"So my baby is okay?" asked Piper.
"Perfectly normal," Samuel said smiling.
"Thank goodness," said Leo.
"So all we have to do," Phoebe said, "is go to this other plane and bring Harris back here. Is that about the size of it?"
"No," said Destiny. "You must persuade him to return voluntarily. You can't force him."
"You want us to persuade a man to return here?" Phoebe asked. "With him knowing if he does, he'll die the minute he does?"
"Yes," said Destiny.
