Eight Years Ago

Wildflowers spread out before me. They came in every color of the rainbow. Birds chirped any flittered all about. Butterflies flitted on the light cool breeze. The sky was a most beautiful shade of blue. And there he stood. A man in a white suit. He was tall but not too tall. His face. IT was difficult to describe. It kept changing. One minute a young Caucasian man with a goatee. The next an older man with dark brown skin and a grey beard. Then still another it was a middle aged man appearing to be of Latino background.

I didn't need an introduction to know this was the face of my father's father. The creator of everything. The almighty. God.

I looked down at myself. The wounds I had sustained were gone. The pain. The searing pain was gone. Last I had heard was the medics trying to bring me back to life. I had thrown myself on a grenade to save my fellow soldiers. But here I stood before God completely healed.

His ever shifting face smiled. Warmth spread within me. "Hello Persephone." I both heard and felt his voice.

"Hello." I wasn't really sure of what to say. This reminded me off all these years ago in Hell when I met my father. Now I stood in…was I really in Heaven?

"Yes." It was like he could read my thoughts. "You are in Heaven, child."

I was still in shock. Words were difficult to come by. But I relented. "Am I dead?"

He nodded. Right now his face was that of a haggard old man. Wrinkles covered every inch. A long white beard hung almost to his stomach. "Yes, in the mortal sense."

Those words echoed what my father Lucifer had said to me once. I looked around. I could see the angels above us soaring overhead easily among the clouds. I could not see the sun but the light from it was evident.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" He said.

"Very." I sighed. Turning to look upon his again. He was now a young handsome man. Looked very much like a young Brad Pitt. Long blonde hair hung to his shoulders. A goatee rounded his face. Eyes as blue as the sky above looked at me with an uncanny warmth but held power beyond comprehension.

He stepped towards me. Hands outstretched. "Ask your questions."

I took his hand. It changed to a dark tan as I looked at his face again. IT was like he was all people at the same time. "So what do I call you? God? Grandpa?" I smiled. "Godpa?"

He threw back his head as warm laughter bellowed out. "Godpa. I like that." I laughed too.

"So what now?"

His expression became serious. His eyes now brown looking at me from the face of an elderly Native American. He leads me to another part of the meadow. A spring ran alongside us as animals of all kinds stopped to drink. We stopped at the edge. I looked over and saw my lifeless body lying on a gurney. A sheet had been placed over it as orderlies cleaned up. I saw my commanding officer standing just outside the operating room with tears running down his face. The man was usually a stoic figure. I had rarely ever seen him falter. He always wore a hardened expression.

My Grandfather looked over at me. Again he was back to Brad Pitt. "You are a hero. Your actions saved the lives of seven men."

I nodded. "As long as they are safe." I sighed. All of them had families to go home to. Young children and pregnant wives.

"Of course for a mortal this would mean the end of their earthly life. But you my dear are anything but."

His words surged through me. My father had reminded me of that fact a few times. This wasn't the first time I had died.

He continued speaking. His voice now that of an African American man. It reminded me of James Earl Jones. "Your job on Earth is not done. One day I may call upon you to serve here in Heaven but today is not that day."

I looked at him in shock. "You want me here? Someday…. even though I am Lucifer's child."

"Lucifer is responsible for his actions. As are you. Being the child of someone does not a make you guilty of their sins."

I got the sense that he meant both of my parents. I had strived all of my life to escape their shadows. Most people did not know who my father was. But they sure knew who my mother was. I had to live with the tabloids still speculating about her death. Still speculating about her life in general. Every so often the paparazzi came after me. That was part of why I had joined the Marine Corps. I thought I could escape the spotlight. My unique heritage had allowed me to excel in boot camp. I impressed my superiors. I was sent to the front lines in Iraq. Usually not a place for women. But they soon looked past that little difference.

Now I stood in Heaven beside God. I hadn't jumped on the grenade for honor. I just saw it as a duty. "I want you to know. I did not hate your father. He is my son. I love him with all of my heart. It's his actions that I am not overly fond of. Remember that."

I nodded. He again took my hands and kissed me on the forehead. I awoke suddenly. The white sheet covering my face. I sat up and listened to the blood curding scream of an orderly. I looked over at her. She stood white faced and frozen. Others ran into the room. More screams broke out. My commanding officer who wasn't afraid of anything stood there crossing himself. I looked down. The wounds were gone. No scars. No blood.

Author's Note: Yes I just dared tackled the image of God. Why did I use a shifting face? TO me if there is a God. If he is the creator of all things of all people I believe he would be a reflction of all races. Of all ages. So there is that. Stay tuned the next chapter Persephone gets to meet Detective Decker and Detective Douche.