The Forgiven
By Daniel Cartner
It was a day just like all the others in Hell when he appeared from a mist of blue vapor. He looked as pleasant as any other angel, and his feet never touched the hot, cruel rocks that were the ground in this place.
The demon in charge of this area approached him and asked, "What is your business here Bird?"
"I am Arthur, and I have come to retrieve a forgiven," said the angel.
"You are all stupid birds to me. You have no purpose here, for all of these sheep deserve to be here." The demon waved his hand around at all the steel beds that had unconscious people under sheets. "So do me a favor and leave now before I lose it."
Arthur smirked, "We both know that you cannot touch me, and that you're only angry that I can walk freely in your turf and you can't step one foot in Heaven. Also, you may be an expert in major lies but you are an amateur in the little white ones. There is a forgiven here and I have come to set it free."
The demon sniffed with irritation.
Arthur walked past the demon and over to a bed with an occupant that was shorter then many of the rest. He lifted up the clipboard much like a doctor would. "This is Isabella. Died at age eight. She wanted to be a ballerina when she grew up."
"Oh, you're breaking my heart. She still broke a commandment," said the demon.
"Yes she did," Arthur said as he uncovered the girl. Her straight hair lay freely on the hard metal bed, and starting from her button nose, she had freckles that scattered like stars on her face. As the angel placed his palm on her forehead she awoke and sat up slowly. Arthur said, "Good morning."
"How do you do?," she asked.
"Do you know where you are?" asked the angel with a smile.
Isabella looked around as if remembering and said, "I'm in Hell."
"But, do you know why you're in Hell?"
"I disobeyed my mommy when she told me to sit still," she said as she looked down in shame.
"That's right," the demon said, "she broke a commandment."
Ignoring the demon's words, Arthur knelt down and looked the child in the eye. "You know, when I was alive and at your age, I almost never listened to my mother. That disobedience made my mother very mad, and let me know how my actions affected those close to me. It made me into a better person. So I did good in my life and after it was over, I was able to receive grace. You can't let your small mistakes condemn you when your good deeds help the bigger picture."
"But I should have listened to Mommy," said Isabella.
"You didn't listen to your mother. This is true. But your intentions were pure. You tried to save your kitten from that speeding car."
Isabella thought about everything that Arthur had told her and didn't notice that she disappeared in a mist of blue vapor.
The demon moved closer to Arthur and after a moment said "You do know that you can get in trouble for lying to her in saying that you were a man. They don't like it when you say that you're something you're not."
"For once you speak the truth demon," Arthur said, "but unlike you, I am not afraid to ask for forgiveness."
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