Chapter Two
"Jess?"
"Jess?"
Jessica stirred and immediately became anoyed that Barry had woken her up.
"What?" she snapped.
"We're not at home..." he said.
Jessica's eyes snapped open then and all sleep left her.
She looked around.
Barry was sitting on the chair from the sitting room, and she was lying in her bed...but around them was a forest, covered in snow.
"What...the hell is going on?" she stammered, bewildered and quite frightened.
"I...I'm just dreaming." Barry was muttering.
Siezing her opertunity, Jess pinched his arm hard.
"Ow!" he barked.
"Not dreaming!" she grinned, eyes full of glee.
He rolled his eyes.
Jessica soon calmed down though.
"Alright then, if we're not dreaming, then what IS going on?" she speculated.
Just then, they heard someone behind them.
Barry couldn't look due to still sitting in the chair and restricted by his ability to twist and turn, but Jess immediately looked for the source.
Her eyes quickly fell on to a man of around 30. He looked middle-eastern maybe and was wearing your average outdoor gear - just enough to keep warm.
His eyes were kind and Jessica felt at ease with him at once, and knew she would like him.
"Hey!" he called over.
Jess jumped out of bed, and for God knows what reason, made it.
"Uh - hey!" she called back.
She quietly went over and helped Barry get up from his chair.
He could do it himself for most of the time, but sometimes needed a hand.
The middle-eastern man smiled and walked over to them.
"Hey - do you know what's going on?" Jess asked.
"What's not going on more like." the man grinned in reply.
Jess was confused, but the grin was contagious and she unwittingly let out a small giggle.
"Why are you laughing?" Barry asked.
"I like him." Jess replied, still smiling.
"You don't even know him!" came the argument.
Anger flared and Jess glared at him.
"Why do you have to ruin every good feeling I have!?" she growled.
This startled Barry.
"I don't!" he argued.
"Come on now, don't argue! I like you too Jess." the man interjected kindly.
The anger dissapeared and she grinned at him.
"Do you know where we are?" Barry asked.
"Yes, we are all exactly here." the man laughed.
"Oh God, you're not going to be any help!" Barry snapped.
"Don't be so rude!" Jess snapped back.
She turned back to the man.
"I'm sorry about him - but er, we are getting a bit cold...do you know anywhere near that we could go please?" she asked politely.
The man nodded.
"Yeah, come on, there's a shack up that hill - I've got a fire going inside if you wanna warm up...?"
"Oh that would be great! Are you sure we wouldn't be imposing?" she replied a little worried but very grateful.
He shook his head and held his hand up.
"Honestly, it's no trouble...I'd be happy for you to join us." he smiled happily.
"Us?" Barry asked as they began walking up the hill.
They were going slowly for his pace as he struggled up the hill.
"Yes, that is my family and I - my mother and...sister..." the man answered.
"Well we're very honoured - but we haven't got anything to give back to you?" Jess worried.
"Kindness should only be rewarded by kindness - go out in the world and just be good to other people, instead of doing bad, and that will be your payment for my kindness." the man replied gently.
Jess nodded and smiled.
"You are a very, very good man, aren't you?" she asked, "I can tell straight away."
"Thank you." the man smiled, "And for what it's worth, you look like a very, very good woman."
Jess was momentarily flattered, before guilt came back.
"Ah I'm not so sure about that..." she cleared her throat, "so uh, what are your mother and sister like?"
"Oh they are wonderful!" came the reply, and immediately, Jess could hear the excitement and love in his voice.
"How far is the shack?" Barry asked, getting out of breath.
Secretely, Jess grinned at his discomfort.
"It's just up this hill buddy - another couple of minutes walking, it won't kill you." the man answered.
Jess snorted in amusement but tried to control herself - generally she tried to behave in a respectful and kind manner and was only usually mean when she lost her temper.
So, she cleared her throat.
"Hey, er, are you sure your mother and sister won't be imposed by us? Just with them not knowing we're coming."
The man shook his head.
"Absolutely not - they openly invite anyone in need and we actually expect it - its cold out here, and we love offering the warmth." he replied.
"Ah that's really nice...you wouldn't happen to be religious would you?" Jess asked, wondering if the morals were based on a religious background.
The man looked down, grinning.
"That honestly depends on what you'd call religious...its highly complicated, but if you like, we can talk all about it over a nice cup of coffee in front of the fire." he invited.
Jessica's eyes sparked up.
"I'd love to!" she nodded eagerly - most religious discussions with Barry ended in furious rows and just general pettiness...she suspected that was one of the reasons she was shy.
That and all the guilt...
"Is that it?" Barry asked, now really struggling.
Jess felt a stab of sympathy for him.
The man nodded in reply.
"Yep, that's it - not far now." he encouraged.
He was right of course - they arrived at the door in minutes.
"Bet you could use a drink?" the man laughed.
Barry nodded.
"Oh yes!" he agreed, actually cracking a smile.
The man opened the door and called in.
"Sarayu, Papa, we have some guests!"
"Papa? I thought you said mother, not father?" Jess asked, cocking her head.
The man grinned, and before he said anything, a figure rushed out the door ad swept Jess into a fierce hug.
The sudden affection shocked her, but Jess found she liked it.
"Jessica Annmarie Kelly." a large black woman greeted, with true happiness in her voice, looking at a stunned Jess with a huge smile on her face when she released the hug.
"I er - thanks for the hug? How - do I know you?" the young woman stuttered, unsure how to deal with the strange turn of events.
"You sure do sweetheart, just not in the way you think you do - that's why you're here, don't worry!" was the reply.
Jess cocked her head to the side and glanced at Barry, dumfounded.
"Barry Kelly!" the woman now exclaimed, pulling him into a hug.
Barry was less receptive, but not too rude.
"Hey...uh please don't, I don't really like...who are you?" he asked.
"Don't worry Barry, both of you are going to get to fully know us here."
"How do you know our names?" Barry asked.
"Oh, I'm God." came the reply.
Jessica's eyebrows shot up and her heart immediately fluttered - she was terrified and amazed at the same time, but logic comforted her that the hug and invite meant she wasn't in any danger.
"Ooooohhh that's why your Papa! And you're Jesus!" she exclaimed, pointing at him.
He grinned, eyes shining.
"Are you the holy spirit?" Jess asked a third figure sheepishly...she was incredibly beautiful and looked like she...floated?
"Sarayu." she smiled as she nodded.
Jess felt slightly overwhelmed, but incredibly happy at the same time.
"Ohhh this is amazing! Like seriously!" she stated... "uh, without daring to sound rude, why are we here?"
Papa held her shoulder.
"Don't worry, it's not the final judgement or anything scary. We just want to spend the weekend with you and help sort your life out."
"Oh you're answering my prayer?" Jess asked before she could think - she suddenly turned betroot red and looked down, feeling stupid and shy.
"Yes, we're answering your prayer." she heard Papa.
Slowly she looked back up and chanced a smile, which was returned, much to her joy and excitement.
"Oh Jess stop being such a follower!" Barry suddenly snarled, "these idiots aren't God - they'll probably rob us next!"
Fury engulfed Jess again...in these moments, she truly despised him for his sheer arrogance, and his need to take any happiness away from her unless it was him making her happy.
"Rob us of what?" she snarled back, "our happiness? You beat them to it!"
He looked surprised again and glared at her.
Jess all at once remembered that she was literally in the presence of God and the anger vanished, to be replaced by guilt, and she looked down...almost trying to hide from the situation.
"Don't worry Barry - you will come to see that we are far more than just a tale for the strong to control the weak." Jesus informed him, and momentarily, both Barry and Jess felt cold...during an argument just days ago, that is what Barry had said about the concept of God.
"You know, it is pretty cold out here - how about we all go inside and get warmed up?" Sarayu suggested.
Jess loved that idea, but Barry was - of course - reluctant.
"I don't know..." he started.
"Well I'm going in - you can freeze out here if you want!" she growled, literally tasting sourness at the end of her tongue.
Then she felt guilty again...she hated it! One second she was angry and full of hate and the next she hated herself for acting that way!
Papa unexpectedly wrapped an arm around her.
"It's ok Jess - really. We're going to work on it together." she smiled.
And Jessica believed her in a second.
"Come on." Jesus instructed, leading them into the shack.
Reluctantly, Barry slowly followed.