THIRTY-THREE
'Life is Eternal;
And love is immortal;
And death is only a horizon;
And a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight'
- Rossiter W. Raymond (1840-1918)
"I'm going to watch you die?"
Martin paced behind Ezekiel as his future self strode purposely towards the beckoning call of the field that contained the tree of knowledge.
"Yeah, well… It's was pretty obvious, wasn't it?" The old man said wiping away the tears in his eyes with the right hand before looking round briefly at Martin. "All that crying… All those long goodbyes… What else could happen on 'The Last Day'?" He smiled gently at Martin then returned his gaze forward towards the ash tree. "But don't worry… It's all quite magical… It gives the book it's ending. This is how it was always going to end…"
"But…"
"Oh, Martin! Wait until we get to the tree and all your questions will be answered, I promise you." He pointed at the giant tree that stood majestically in front of them. Its golden leaves shimmered alluringly with pure, divine light whilst its trunk was a solid, dark brown twisted, and yet sculptured, to perfection. "Look at that! Have you ever seen a more beautiful tree?"
Martin stopped and tried to take in the sublime perfection of the scene in front of him. His mind felt like it was in sensory overdrive. It wasn't just the tree, with all its 'Tree of Life' importance, it was also the entire surroundings: The picture perfect mountains, the tranquil, velvet lake, the light blue sky and perfectly placed sun. It all had a dream like quality…
And it wasn't just the surroundings, it was the entire concept of why he was there in the first place; apparently now to see his own death played out in front of him and to finish writing the book that contained the 'Truth' of all things. And now here he stood in front of the mystical tree that he'd seen so many times in his dreams over the last few weeks. Here he stood; awaiting the last revelations and the moment he would witness the end of his days…
"The tree at the end of the dream…" Martin whispered. He then walked silently forward to join his future self in the shadow of the great tree…
Two hours later and the two men who were really One were sat underneath the Tree of Life putting the final touches to their 'world saving' book. No more had been said about Ezekiel's forthcoming 'death' or how it would even occur. In fact, the mood had been almost jovial with the older man on wonderful form with his infamous 'joke within a story' anecdotes. They'd already eaten their pack up, made up of mainly cheese and onion sandwiches, and were more than halfway through their second flask of coffee. And, most importantly, they had almost finished the book now, only a handful of blank pages were left at the end…
Martin closed the book of 'Truth' gently and placed it down on the soft, green grass next to him. He looked over at the older man who was now leaning his head back onto the stump of the great tree.
"Ezi?" Martin said softly "I just can't hold back from asking you anymore…Why do you die? What is it that kills you? Are you unwell?"
The old man reached out and placed his hand slowly on top of Martin's. He squeezed it gently whilst watching their hands making contact before looking up directly into Martin's eyes.
"Well I was fine… My health was first rate until recently and then… the pain started" He kept his hand on top of Martin's and looked down at it once more.
"Pain?" Martin quizzed.
"Yeah… I'm ill, Martin… I'm terminally ill. My illness… it's called T.E.S…'Temporal Erosion Syndrome' apparently… According to The Doctor, that is… It's side effect of the 'Blinavitch Limitation' law…" Ezekiel shifted in his seated position but didn't move his hand. "It gives me all sorts of aches and pains… And it's killing me… Literally…"
"But how? What is it? How long have you had it?"
"Well… How long have you been here?" Ezekiel sank his head slightly further down the tree stump.
Martin was puzzled as to the line of questioning, but answered anyway "I arrived on Anya's birthday so… I've been here slightly over two months, I think"
"Well then I've had it… slightly over two months, I think" The old man said quietly.
"What?"
"Temporal erosion, Martin. It's the price you pay for having two aspects of the same person in such a localised area in the time field. Apparently been in the same proximity as my younger self has eroded away the tachyon particles that hold my entire body together in the first place. It seems this space/time continuum just isn't big enough for the both of us. It's a bit of a downer but I can't say it wasn't expected… and at least it's symmetrical" The old man laughed at his own sentence.
"What are you saying?" Martin pleaded, "I don't understand what you mean…"
"I mean… It's you… You been here… That's what's killing me" He rubbed the top of Martin's hand then squeezed it gently once more.
Martin quickly moved his hand away. "What?" He eyes were large and questioning. "What do you mean? That me been here has given you this illness? That my very touch is literally killing you?" He backed away from the old man but his eyes remained transfixed on his future self who was simply nodding knowingly.
"Yes… That's exactly what I mean"
"Well then I have to go…" Martin rose from his seated position, "I have to get away from you and…"
"Martin, Martin…" Ezekiel shook his head, "It's far too late for that… The damage is already done. The tachyon break down has been happening within the cells of my body since the moment you arrived. There's nothing we can do to stop it. It's eating away at me like a cancer… I'm dying… Here… Now…Soon… This is how it ends"
Martin sank to his knees, his head bowed in defeat. "But it can't end like this… With me… well, with me almost killing myself!"
"You've not killed yourself, Martin…" Ezekiel's voice was broken but soothing. "It's the T.E.S that has killed me, as I always knew it would. I've known since…" He looked at his younger self and let out a gentle laugh, "Well… Since now, really… When my dying future self told me about it" He smiled warmly at Martin his eyes glistened reassuringly. "Don't worry… I'm almost happy about it… My death was the greatest gift I ever gave to myself"
Martin was heart broken "But how? How can this be a gift?"
Ezekiel's smile grew even more "You'll see… You'll even thank me at the end"
"But how can the TES be affecting you and not me? Shouldn't I be dying too?" Martin remained standing casting a long shadow over Ezekiel's face.
The old man pointed to himself "Well you are, in a way, but I know what you mean" His face dropped a little as he indicated Martin to sit beside him. "It'd be wrong to think it's not affecting you… because it is"
Martin moved over to sit back underneath the tree "How? What's it doing to me?"
"It's affecting your brain, Martin…Your memory to be precise… It's making you forget all that you've learned" The old man's voice was brittle and dry. He reached down to take a sip of his cold coffee.
"What do you mean?" Martin's eyes narrowed as he watched the old man drink.
"What's in the book, Martin? What's in the book of 'Truth'?"
Martin's frown increased "Well, it's The Truth, I hope" He said pointedly.
"Yes but… Can you remember everything, or even anything, you have written?"
"Well, I know we wrote about the nature of the soul and it's relationship to God… conscious creation… The key to future world harmony… Loads of stuff…"
"But what about specifically?" The older man asked gently "Can you remember anything specifically… word for word… from the book?"
Martin thought about what was in the book but to his alarm found somehow that he couldn't quite latch on to the contents properly. "I… I sort of remember bits of it… Glimpses of it…" He began to panic "Why can't I remember?"
Ezekiel placed his hand once more on Martin's and looked him directly in the eye. "Don't worry, Martin… It's the TES… It's eating away at the words and eroding your memory with every temporal shift… You've been forgetting things right from the beginning… And even before that! But it was always meant to be like this because you're mind isn't fully open enough to contain 'The Truth'… That's why we've been writing it down in the book… The book contains 'The Truth'… as does your everlasting soul… But your mind can only hold the briefest of its echoes… Like tiny splinters taken from an essence of ultimate reality…"
Martin shook his head "You just sound more and more like The Doctor everyday" He allowed himself a brief laugh.
"And I wonder why that is?" Ezekiel's smile was bigger than ever.
"He's behind all this, isn't he?"
"Of course he is!" Ezekiel lowered himself further down the tree stump so he was almost lying flat, with only his head raised slightly. "The Doctor's behind everything that's been going on. He's 'The Man with the Plan'… Oh, you've got a big secret to learn about The Doctor yet. He's not quite who you think he is…"
"Well who is he then?"
"What? Do you think I'm going to tell you now?" Ezekiel seemed genuinely shocked. "Where would the fun be in that? That's not how it works, Martin… And you know it" The old man still managed to grin at his younger self "You'll learn soon enough… It's a bit of a shocker but it gives you a great chapter ending" He winked at the younger man.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"For the book" Ezekiel nodded over to the book of 'Truth' that lay on the grass near Martin's feet "It's all about the book, Martin… All of it… Which reminds me… Have you got the glasses?"
"What?"
"The glasses The Doctor gave you… The ones that 'break down the fabric of reality and let you see other dimensions'…" He rose both hands in a 'quote' sign "And the ones you nearly used to spy on us with… that night in the garden" Ezekiel chuckled to himself which made him cough briefly.
Martin reached inside the top pocket of his jacket and withdrew the black spectacle case. "Yeah, I've got them… I've taken them everywhere with me"
"Good…" Ezekiel said breathlessly, "You're going to need them soon". He then began to cough again this time he banged his fist on his chest as he convulsed.
"When do I use them?" Martin opened the case and took out the glasses.
Slowly controlling his coughing, Ezekiel made a 'wait' gesture with his hand whilst he took out a bottle of water from his rucksack and then began to drink it appreciatively. He swallowed hard and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
"You put them just after I…" he hesitated slightly, "… after I go" He looked out across the meadow. "That's when you see it…"
"See what?" Martin whispered his eyes following the old man's gaze.
"You see the truth of how we go on… How we return home… And who is there to guide us" Ezekiel turned to look at his younger self. "No more words… Lets have silence now for a few minutes… I really want to take in this view" He gestured out to their surroundings "After all, this is the last thing I'll ever see with these old eyes… And then I'll explain to you this 'Tree of Life', you'll write it in the book and it'll all make sense… But for now…. Sshhhhhhhh…. Let's listen to the beauty inside the quiet… "
The two men who were really One stared outwards in silence, away from the Tree of Life and waited for the end to come…
From Martin's personal journal:
I don't really know where to start this entry. How can I sum up how I'm feeling now? I've got some time to try as Ezekiel feel asleep nearly an hour ago… So here goes…
I'm writing this as I'm sat underneath 'The Tree of Life', having just had its real meaning fully explained to me by Ezekiel so I could write in down in the book. For right now I totally understand it all … All the majestic simplicity alongside the infinite complexity… and it's so beautiful. I don't know how long I'll be able to hold it in my mind before the TES steals it from my memory but at least I know it's written down so I'll be able to read it back when I get home at some future date…
… or, in fact, some past time (this time travel business plays havoc with the tenses!)…
Ezi told me that I'd have to finish the rest of the book of 'Truth' on my own. The last two chapters I have to write solo. I really don't know what I'm going to write but he assured me I find the words. He says that when he first read it, the last two chapters were his favourites. That didn't really make sense to me but I let it pass… He's answered enough questions for me. And I'm sure he just said it to be encouraging…
So, anyway, I'm sat here waiting to find out how all this is going to end. I was hoping The Doctor was going to turn up suddenly and be with us both for this 'final journey', but Ezi told me he doesn't show up until 'after'… But when he does everything is 'ok' so not to worry. He even told me that The Doctor takes care of his 'body' and makes sure it gets home. He already has the funeral booked, apparently, and the invites went out last week! Which is either coldly logical or lovingly respectful… I can't quite decide which. I asked if Yasmin and Anya know what's going to happen today and he said simply 'They've always known… How could they not?'
I had a little cry at that point. I know that telling 'my' Yasmin and Anya about this day will be something I do as soon as I get back home to my time… I've got nothing to hide from them… It'll be hard for them to hear but I want them to know of the hope… I want them to know of this perfect future, this ongoing world and I always want them to know and hear the Truth of my heart.
Love is Truth expressed. That's something I've remembered…
Ezekiel's been asleep now for over an hour and a half. He said he needed a little nap but not to worry because he wakes up one last time before the end. He smiled when he said it and he looked so… complete. We both had a little cry at that point too. There's been a lot of crying going on today. Hardly surprising really…
So, here I am, about to watch myself die… How strange is that? I really didn't think my story would end here… And it's here now beside me. Literally… My future self. He's talking in his sleep and looking frail and ancient. I know that the next time he opens his eyes… it'll be the last.
Reading this back, it's become apparent, despite my original intention, that I've not written down how I actually feel, have I? Maybe I cant right now. My brain is fried. My heart is in pieces but, at the same time, my soul is lifted. I saw a broken rainbow earlier. It hung in the sky looking so sad yet so beautifully 'right'… Like an ultimate contradiction…. That's how I feel right now… That's the only way I can describe it…. Sorry I can't do better than that…
Anyway, why am I apologizing? Who to? My 'Journal'? Maybe I'm writing to the 'others that are on the journey with us'… whoever they are? I've yet to find out about all that, haven't I? I've still got so many questions that haven't been answered yet. I hope I get chance to ask them…
So I don't really know who I'm writing this for, but whoever you are… Thanks for sharing the journey. I hope the ending lives up to your expectations… For all our sakes.
I'm blathering now. Time to say goodbye…
M
Ezekiel was still in a restless sleep. He was laid totally flat with his head rested on a folded blanket, his arms down to his sides. He'd been calling out to Yasmin in his sleep before a coughing fit woke him briefly. Now he was snoring again: a broken, brittle sound that was more like a quite, desperate gasp.
Martin sat beside the old man watching every twitch and moan with increasing concern. His future self looked visibly older with every minute that passed and his skin had taken on a grey, withered texture. He looked thinner too, almost like time itself was literally eating him away.
"…Na…Na…" Ezekiel's snoring was now sounding more like talking. "…Na… Nana…" He gasped hoarsely "…Nan…" The old man began to cry in his sleep…
"Ezi?" Martin shook him gently on the shoulder "Ezi? Are you ok? You're dreaming…"
Ezekiel opened his eyes slowly, his gaze shifting to Martin's as soon as it could focus. He reached out for the younger man's hand and found it waiting for him.
"Oh, Hello, Martin…" Ezekiel smiled softly, his voice was now just a broken croak. "I'm glad you're still here…"
*You were calling out in your sleep… To Nana, I think…" Martin stroked the old man's hand gently. "Did you… Did you see her?"
Ezekiel nodded "Yes… I saw her… She's come for me… It's nearly time for me to go…"
Martin felt his heart sink, his throat tighten and his eyes sting painfully as desperate tears pleaded to be released. He looked down at his older self: This brilliant, clever, funny, loving old man he'd come to love and respect so much over the last few months. He looked into his eyes… and saw his own…
"But I don't want you to go…" Martin could hold back the tears no longer and he wept openly, his head bowed and his shoulders slumped and dejected.
Ezekiel remained silent and watched his younger self with a knowing, compassionate smile. He knew he should let Martin let out as much emotional energy as he needed to. He even reached inside his own shirt pocket and handed him a clean linen handkerchief.
"I brought this especially for you…" He said with a slight grin. "I knew you'd be needing it… I saw that broken rainbow too, remember?"
Martin laughed within his tears and took the handkerchief appreciatively. He wiped his eyes and blew his nose for several minutes before finally calming himself and returning his attention to the dying man.
"There… Are you done?" Ezekiel asked gently.
"Yes… Sorry…"
"Oh don't apologize, Martin… I'd be a bit miffed it you weren't crying, to be honest… So you go ahead" He tried to grin one of his cheeky grins but instead it looked more like a grimace of pain. Perhaps it was. "But there's no real need for sadness… This has been the most expected death that anyone could ever wish for. This is a gift…. And I am grateful for it. And you'll be thanking me for it by the end, I promise you… And look at this…" Ezekiel made a faint motion with his hand "Look at where we are… and what we have done. Look at what we have shared and what we have written. If you could choose any death… Would it not be this one?" He face softened as his eyes twinkled with the embers of life. " I've said my goodbyes to those that I love… We're out amongst the beauty of creation…I'm seventy seven… I've lived a long and relatively painless life… I've written a book that will save the world… I'm about to show myself the most life affirming sight I have ever witnessed… " He paused and looked out across the great lake. "And I'm about to go home… Back to God… And love without condition…"
He let out another painful moan as he shifted position slightly.
"Are you…" Martin began before stopping himself.
"Ok?" Ezekiel's eyebrow was raised. "No, not really… This old body of mine is wearing a bit thin…" He sank his head back further into the folded blanket and tried to get comfortable. "Going soon… Time to say goodbye… It's the end…"
"…But the moment has been prepared for?" Martin finished the sentence for him. "Where have I heard that before?"
"Oh, it's just something The Doctor said once…" Ezekiel said dismissively. "We both heard it… a long time ago…"
"But…"
"Martin, I haven't got long…" The old man's voice was fading in volume and his vocal chords sounded even more craggy and broken. "There's things… I need to tell you…"
Martin leaned in closer "Yes, I'm here" He placed his right hand on the old mans chest with his left hand still in Ezekiel's palm. "What is it?"
"Remember… You must teach what you must learn… The way you live your life is your spirituality demonstrated... Love is the key to all understanding… It is the only way to peace and the true nature of God…"
"I know… I…."
"Remember love, Martin… If you remember love you will remember God… And God is the truth of all things… You have only got to remember that and you will remember it all…"
"I'll remember…" Martin's voice was shaking "No matter how much this 'disease' eats away at my memories… I'll remember"
Ezekiel pulled him closer his tone was lower and more urgent…
"Then remember this… The rose…you must give it to Anya for me… You must show her it was from me… Do you understand?"
"Yes… I think so…" Martin looked over at his rucksack where he'd packed the rose. "When do I…?"
"There is only one moment and you will know that moment… You will tell her what you see here today… and you will remind her that her Dad will always be with her… That his love for her knows no bounds… And that I am but a thought away…" His voice trailed off as if he was listening to a distant echo.
"I'll tell her…" Martin could only whisper in response.
"She will be the first person you will tell 'The Truth' too… She will be the first of many… When you return home…back to your time…you will tell everyone… 'The Truth'… You will share the book with the world… And the world… will be saved" Ezekiel was growing increasingly short of breath.
"I'll try…"
"You will do it, Martin… I've already seen it… I've already lived it" Ezekiel's speech was slowing down and his breathing became heavy and laboured.
"Ok…"
"Martin…" Ezekiel gripped the younger man's hand tighter "Tell Yasmin… I love her… Tell her I'll see her again soon… Tell her… I saw God in her eyes…"
"I will…" Martin's own eyes were full of tears as he stared into the pain-riddled face of his older self.
With his voice now more like a breathless rasp, Ezekiel focused directly in the younger man's pupils…
"And Martin… As for you… You that are… My living past and my perfect pupil… My beautiful 'self'… I see God in your eyes too…" He smiled the briefest of smiles and then closed his eyes and became still…
Martin looked worryingly at the old man. "Ezi?" He touched Ezekiel's face softly. "Ezi? Are you ok?"
His older self remained silent and unmoving. Martin hesitantly moved his ear closer to the old man's mouth and tried to listen for breath. He heard nothing. He then moved his head further down the old man's chest and pressed it against his left side rib cage. He heard no heart beat… No trace of life. He kept his head rested there hoping to hear one last beat… one lingering echo. He finally heard it… a faint pulse… a glimmer of hope. He quickly looked up to Ezekiel's face and saw the old man looking directly at him, his mouth poised ready to speak…
"It's time for you to put on the glasses…"
Ezekiel's head fell backwards; he closed his eyes for the last time and let out his last, short breath…
"Ezi?" Martin remained still. It was as if his own heart had frozen whilst his gaze was transfixed on the lifeless form in front of him. "Ezekiel?" He knew they could be no answer… The old man was dead… His body had reached its journeys end…
Martin remained perfectly still staring into Ezekiel's grey, lifeless face. He then slowly bowed his head and began to allow himself to cry. The cry soon turned into a soulful howl. It was a deep, primitive release of suppressed emotion that over took his whole body, making him shake uncontrollably. It lasted for several minutes, its intensity surprising even Martin.
He slowly began to control himself whilst his breathing became measured and precise. He dragged his eyes away from the old man's body and looked all around him at the great lake and the rolling hills, at the twilight sky and the majestic tree of life. His eyes then focused on his rucksack resting on the soft grass just off to his left. Suddenly a thought struck him and he patted his own jacket pockets urgently…
"The glasses…"
He found what he was looking for, reached inside his jacket and brought out the black spectacle case. He flipped it open and snatched at the black-rimmed glasses, his hands shaking as he did so. He quickly slotted them onto his face and then looked around him again, this time in jerky, urgent moves. The glasses seemed perfectly clear and un-tinted, his eyes didn't need to adjust in any way to wearing them. In fact, everything around him looked perfectly 'normal'. He looked down at the body of his future self. Again, he could see no difference in perception. He remained silent for several seconds, his eyes darting from one area to another looking for something 'different' to suddenly present itself. He could see nothing that seemed 'changed'. Were they working properly?
"I don't understand what I have to do, Ezi" Martin said aloud. "What am I supposed to be seeing?" He knew that no reply would come… so when it did it made his heart miss a beat.
"You're supposed to be seeing me, love" It was a warm, female voice that seemed to come from behind the tree.
Startled, Martin stood up quickly and looked in the direction the voice had come from. A figure was slowly emerging from behind the left hand side of the giant tree trunk. It was a woman… An angelically beautiful woman… Martin recognised her instantly…
"Nan?" He gasped.
"Hello again, love" She smiled in the way that only she could and then moved towards him gracefully. "You didn't think there was ever a time I was not here, do you?"
She looked so young… Younger even than Martin…Her skin looked so soft and almost transparent… Martin gazed into the loving eyes of his radiant grandmother… He saw her perfect, beautiful soul… He saw the love of God reflected in her…
"Oh, Nan…" He was crying again. This time his broken tears were made of joy…
"It's alright, love, don't cry… There's nothing to cry about… Literally… I'm here to take you home…"
Martin composed himself once more and then reached out his hand slowly to touch her face. To his alarm his hand passed straight through her form. He looked at his own hand and then back at the corporeal figure of Alice Briggs. He snatched away the glasses from his eyes and she disappeared from his vision. He quickly returned them to his face and there she was again.
"They're clever those glasses aren't they, love?" She nodded at the spectacles perched on Martin's nose. "And, when you think about it, what's even cleverer about them is they can make you hear me too, even though they're not even touching your ears"
Martin let out a little laugh. How typical of his Nan to notice such a thing. "Well spotted, Nan"
"Oh, I don't miss a trick, love… Especially now" She smiled again and then reached out as if to stroke Martin's face. "I can't physicallytouch you… And you can't touch me… I can only touch your spirit…And this I'm doing now… I exist in another reality… A different dimension… I'm from the realm of the Absolute… Where God is… The other side, if you like…" She looked down at Ezekiel's dead body for the first time "And I've come to guide him home…" She turned again to face Martin and then seemed to look behind him and over his left shoulder "Oh look, love… it looks like we're about ready to go…"
Martin spun around to see where she was looking. About twenty feet away from him, against the backdrop of the velvet lake and the majestic mountains, a tiny pinprick of light hovered in mid air. It seemed to be growing larger with every passing second; its brilliant pure light was somehow blinding and yet gentle on the eye all at the same time. It grew bigger and brighter until it became a gaping hole in reality and a gateway to another dimension… A door to Heaven itself… It made no sound… It simply existed… A passage of blissful light…Hidden away from 'normal' reality…
Martin couldn't take his eyes off the tunnel of light. It seemed so warm and beckoning and it felt as if his soul was been drawn towards it. As he continued to gaze transfixed, he could see shapes appearing inside of it. Figures were collating within the cascade of light and slowly becoming visible.
"Who else is coming?" Martin looked behind him at his Grandmother's spirit and then back at the light.
"Oh, I think you know, love…"
Martin strained his eyes tighter to try and make out the materialising figure and, as the face became focused, he breathed in sharply…
"Mum?"
The Angel smiled as her soul touched Martin's.
"Hello, love… are you ok?" Her voice was soft and compassionate, just as it had always been. Martin's Mother had always been the kindest and most loving soul he had ever known in life. Joyce Briggs had always been the epitome of the perfect Mum. And now here she stood… The definition of the word Angel…
"Mum…" Martin could only speak within tears "Why are you there? When did you die?" He'd not stopped to think about it before but it was rushing through his mind now. He quickly worked out that, even if she had lived a long life, his mother was bound to have died by 2045…
"Don't worry about that, darling… Time has no meaning where I am… It doesn't exist… All is love… All is one…" She was completely visible now, her face angelically serene and her eyes filled with unconditional love. She seemed to glow from within and literally radiated love.
Martin looked back to the tunnel of light and could see more figures moving inside the blissful radiance. He couldn't make out any faces just silhouettes of half formed apparitions.
"Who else is here?" Martin asked gently.
"All those that you have loved… All those that you will love… We are all here… Waiting for you to come home" Her smile was composed entirely of mother love and it melted into Martin's heart.
"I love you" He whispered the words
"I love you too" She whispered back, her voice full of truth.
"Mum…What's it like… On the other side?" was all he could gasp.
The spirit of Joyce Briggs let out a gentle laugh "Don't you remember?"
"Have I been there before?"
"Of course you have, darling… We all have… The circle of life is just that… A circle… Life is Eternal, remember?" Her words were so soft they almost caressed Martin's ears. "Life is God… And God is love… Eternal love… A love without condition… And a life without end…"
Martin stared compassionately into his Mother's face. His throat was tight as he spoke. "You showed me a love without condition, Mum… Every day of my life… You showed me"
Joyce's spirit raised a hand to his face and transfixed him with her eyes. "I've loved you from the moment you were born and every moment since. You are my son…and I am very proud. I love you through all your faults and failings… because I see none. I see only my son… My child… My love… I see you with a Mother's eyes… I see you with God's eyes… And God's love is even greater than mine"
"I find that hard to believe…" Martin whispered.
"Believe it, darling… I wouldn't lie to you"
"I know you wouldn't…"
The Angel moved in closer "The mind forgets what the soul always knows…"
"I know it does… Especially when I've got this TES disease eating away at my memory… That's why I'm writing it down" Martin nodded over to his rucksack that contained his manuscript.
"I know" Joyce said softly. "It's a great book… I'm quite the fan"
Martin was slightly taken aback and then laughed with a brief snort. "Have you read it?"
"Of course I have… We all have… It saves the world, remember?" The smile remained on her face as sure as her eyes remained locked with Martin's.
"Oh yeah…" Martin said as if the implications of writing the book were only beginning to dawn on him.
Joyce Briggs spoke in the voice that could only belong to his Mother "I don't know… What are you like?" she said in the way that was always a false reprimand wrapped in affection.
Martin just nodded knowingly and allowed himself to laugh. "You know me, Mum… Always forgetting stuff… Now we know why…"
Martin and the soul of his Mother shared a look that meant more than a thousand words could ever convey and then the spirit slowly turned her head to look towards Ezekiel.
Martin followed her gaze. The old man's body was still lying lifeless at the foot of the tree but now he was joined by two more figures. The angelic Alice Briggs was stood to the left and to the right now stood a new corporal figure… A man…
"Ezi?"
Ezekiel's soul laughed. "Hello again, Martin…" The spirit still looked like an old man yet his voice seemed gentler. "It's good this, isn't it?" He said with a smile. He began to walk slowly over to where Martin was stood; his movements were graceful and measured. His facial features seemed to blur slightly as he moved closer until his face was only several inches from Martin's. "Look…" His spirit whispered gently.
Martin focused his gaze and found himself staring into his own face… Ezekiel's spirit looked exactly as he looked now.
"We are One" Martin's soul smiled at itself and all his questions were answered.
"Yes" He understood at last…
"It's time to go…" The spirits of Joyce and Alice Briggs were now stood either side of Ezekiel/Martin's departing soul. All three were joined at the hands as they slowly turned to face the light.
"Mum…" was all Martin could utter, his eyes were full of tears so he used his handkerchief to wipe them and the glasses clean.
The souls of Ezekiel and Alice Briggs moved gracefully forward in the direction of the light. Joyce's spirit remained for a moment more.
"Thank you…" Martin said looking into his Mother's eyes one last time. "Thank you for been here for me… Thank you for always been here for me… In life and in death…"
"I am always here for you, darling… In life and in death… I love you… I'll see you when you come home…" She gave him one last smile made of pure love, before turning to face the light and then moved, in an almost floating motion, towards the other two souls. They held out there hands for her and she took them gracefully. Martin followed their fluid movement as they walked towards the tunnel of light, the edges of their forms slowly blurring together.
Ezekiel's spirit made one last look over his shoulder. Again Martin saw his own face. This time he looked even younger than Martin did now. He smiled at himself and nodded one last goodbye before turning to face the blissful light once more. More figures seemed to appear before them and slowly join them in a loving, timeless embrace. As they departed further into the eternal light the edges of each soul were merging and becoming one. The light that shone from their collective souls was almost blinding and eventually the figures disappeared altogether and became one with the light of the tunnel.
The opening then slowly began to shrink in size as if the hole in reality was been gently repaired. Martin continued to watch as the brightness got smaller and smaller until eventually it was again the size of a pinprick of light. It then hung in mid-air like a speck of shining dust before floating on an unseen wind in the direction of the great tree and the body of Ezekiel.
Martin followed it closely, even getting within a foot of it at one point, but he didn't want to disturb its drifting path. He watched it hover above Ezekiel's lifeless body before it slowly descended onto the middle of his chest and disappearing inside.
Martin let out a small gasp in appreciation of the beauty of it and then knelt at the side of his future self and took off the glasses. With his hands still shaking, he placed them carefully back into the spectacle case and returned it to his jacket pocket. He then looked down at the body… his own body. He sat at the side of the old man and wrapped his arms around him, cradling his fallen self in his own arms.
"Thank you…" he said within his tears, "Thank you for showing me this…"
He began to rock back and forth, his arms still wrapped around his lifeless form, as if soothing a sleeping infant. He placed a gentle kiss on the old man's forehead and then rested his right cheek on the top of his head, his tears making patterns on Ezekiel's grey, cold skin.
"Thank you…" he repeated, "I'll see you when I get home…"
He sat under the Tree of Life, cradling his own dead body and waited for The Doctor to arrive…
'Our family chain is broken
And nothing seems the same
But as God calls us in One by One
The chain will link again'