JUDGED CHAPTER THIRTEEN

A/N Thanks again for all the lovely reviews. And one more apology for having to make some of these characters the 'bad guys'. A few mentions of violent injuries.

David led the trembling woman to the doors that could bring her salvation or torment. These doors were a little different. One said "truth" and the other said "dare". Like the old childhood game.

The door on the left, 'truth' opened. A frighteningly severe-looking woman sat there before Rita. Her eyes bored into her.

"I will have the truth from you if you choose this door. Do you understand?"

The last words were barked at Rita sharply.

She nodded. And her knees went weak. Maybe this woman would hear her confession and send her to hell.

"Now look at the other door, Rita."

She looked inside the door marked "dare" on the right. A party seemed to be in progress. People drinking, dancing, laughing.

"Just in time, Rita."

A cocktail was being held out to her.

And, for the first time in her life, Rita Freeman faced up to the truth. These party people, who she'd so badly wanted to fit in with, and failed, wouldn't care what she'd done in the past. And what kind of people didn't want to know a bit more about somebody before befriending them? There was something wrong about them.

She took a deep breath. She'd brave the first door and confess to the old woman.

"I want the door on the left. Truth."

David ushered her in. The old woman motioned her closer.

"Come here, Rita. Tell me everything. All the little lies you've used in the past, all the mean little tricks you used. Sit here."

She indicated a stool at her feet. Rita crouched on it, and began to speak. The old woman held out an imperious hand, stopping her.

"And when you've confessed, Rita, my dear, that will wipe clean your slate and you can enjoy the life you've chosen here. Peace. Safety from the world outside."

The old woman's eyes seemed softer; there was even the trace of a tear in one eye.

"Just one moment. She must see what she rejected before she speaks to you" David said, his voice full of respect for the older woman.

He led Rita to the other door, the one marked "dare" and pushed it open. The people looked different; their eyes harder, their voices more shrill. A young girl walked unsteadily into the room, and Rita gasped at the state of her. She was struggling on broken legs. Every step was obviously pure agony.

"We dared her to jump out of the window, didn't we, Isabel?" shrieked one of the party guests.

"She did it! And when she does it tomorrow… and the day after that… she'll be even more smashed up. Well, tough, Isabel. You chose our eternal parties, didn't you? This is what you get!"

David led Rita away, back to the strict but kind old woman, who nodded at her.

"Speak, child."

As David closed the doors on Rita, Robyn felt sick with fear. But she had no choice, and went haltingly after David.

He showed her to the first door, the one on the left.

A room, full of tired old furniture. It wasn't dirty but everything looked so old, and the sofa and armchair didn't match. Books were piled on the table – oh, she could do so much with this room!

Then she remembered why she was here, and stepped away. She looked up at David, saying softly:

"I think I need to see the other door, please."

She was in a TV studio and the host saw her.

"And here we have little miss fix-it herself, Robyn Miller! You know Robyn, folks. We should all give her a big, big hand for her contribution to society!"

The audience were all on their feet, clapping as if they loved her. But something was very wrong; Robyn could sense it.

"I don't like this room" she said simply, like a child would, "I want to go into the room on the left."

David nodded.

"You need to see why you don't like this room, Robyn, isn't that right?"

"Y-yes."

"Then stay a little longer."

The game show host was running down now, seizing Robyn's hand, running with her to the stage.

"Here she is, the girl who made her kitten, her schoolmates and even her parents, folks, hate her! Wow! But you ain't seen nothing yet! This girl here, ladies and gentlemen, did a mercy killing – on a guy in remission! How's that for messing up, folks?"

The audience jeered at Robyn. David took her trembling hand, forcing the smirking host to release her, and led her quietly to the door on the left.

"You chose this, Robyn… but you have to accept it as it is. No more fixing, do you understand?"

She nodded. He led her inside – and from the ugly old sofa, Glen got up and walked to her, arms held out.

She ran to him.

"Hello, darling. Don't cry any more. I love you. Nothing matters but that, does it?" Glen soothed her.

She nodded, knowing she didn't need to change a thing. Not for all eternity.

David came back to Iain and Max.

"Just me and the loser, then" Iain said, defiant to the last. He got up.

"Don't bother showing me to the doors. I can walk on my own."

"Be my guest" David replied coldly, his voice like steel.

Iain's grin widened as soon as he saw the room on the left's interior. Officers, one at least a General, were looking at him in anticipation and were holding out a small case. Iain could partly see the inscription on the medal inside it. "To Iain Dean, for-" damn, he couldn't see so much. But he didn't need to. It must have been for what happened on my last visit to Iraq, he thought smugly, I must have saved a hell of a lot of people before that guy got to me. I don't remember how, but-

"Now the other door" David reminded him.

"Ah, to hell with the other door; I've seen what I need to, thanks."

"You keep to the rules. Look inside this door."

Iain looked inside, his lip curling. What a shower. A load of sloppy-looking squaddies.

"Other door" he snapped, without so much as a please or thank you.

David motioned to him to go inside. The atmosphere in the room had changed. It was cold and clammy. The officers, too, looked – diseased. He finally saw them as they were. Walking corpses. One of them sniggered, and held out the medal, which said "To Iain Dean, for Excessive Bullying."

"Let's put it on you" said one officer, his breath almost causing Iain to gag.

He jabbed it into Iain, right into his chest. The pain was sharp. Iain began to tremble.

"I-I changed my mind" he whimpered.

David laughed coldly.

"Too late, Iain. You have to live with your choice for eternity."

He led Iain inexorably to the door he'd rejected, and Iain saw the fGriendly faces of the men he'd dismissed as squaddies. He knew they'd have been good mates to him for ever. Too late for that now, he thought bitterly, as David led him to the place he'd chosen to stay in.

"Let's start the fun and games for real" said the General, and the officers closed in on Iain.

Max stood up to meet David as he returned.

"So" he said, trying to sound brave, "My turn for the doors."

David shook his head.

"No doors for you, Max. No choices."

"I go straight to hell?"

David shook his head.

"We have a different method for those who take their own lives. You have to begin again. Follow me."

Max walked after David, who led him to the entrance of a long, dark corridor.

"I'm scared."

"Life scares all humans, Max. Keep walking; soon you'll be back… go now, and good luck."

Max began to walk, then realised the corridors were closing in on him. Yet he felt warm, secure. He walked on unsteady legs, then lost his balance altogether, and found he was just letting the force carry him along through the tunnel. It was dark, so dark… he was truly frightened now and gave a sobbing scream as he was forced into the light. He seemed tiny, almost weightless. Somebody was holding him very gently.

"There you are, Mrs Walker. You've got a lovely, healthy little boy."

David looked back on the empty room. Soon more would come, to either eternal joy or torment, depending on their choices. He wished he could influence some of them, but then the decent ones, like Ben Chiltern and Ethan Hardy, always seemed to choose the right doorway. He sighed heavily. He himself didn't even appear as people expected him to. They expected him to be semi-naked with a fluffy white wingspan. Another false illusion. He sighed heavily. Being an angel wasn't the easiest of callings.