Hell (Part Four of the Purgatory Series)

Chapter Fourteen: To Hell with You

Chapter Fourteen: To Hell with You

Jelani was happy. He was. 

But he wasn't. 

Rather his mind told him that he should be, but for some reason his heart would hurt occasionally or leap in fear for no reason at all. The angels told him that he was having trouble letting go. Moving on. But from what? 

They told him in order to find out he'd have to leave. But he didn't want to leave. He was happy here. Wasn't he? 

He needed to decide soon. He could sense whatever was happening in his old life that he couldn't let go of was time sensitive. 

Before he felt he had even decided an angel appeared at his side. 

"You wish to leave," it affirmed. 

"I--I feel like I have to," he replied, uncertain. 

"You do not," it assured him. "We have discussed this. All will go according to plan with or without your involvement."

"If it's all the same, I think I won't be settled here until whatever happens is over."

The angel brushed a wing across Jelani's forehead and suddenly he remembered everything. Vampires, Purgatory, Thea. The literal end of the world.

"Do you still wish to leave here, knowing you cannot change the outcome?" 

Jelani sighed. "Would I be human? If I went back?"

The angel's wings rustled. "You cannot go back."

Jelani frowned. "I don't understand. You implied I can leave."

"Yes," it agreed. "But dead human souls only go one of two places: heaven or hell. You can choose to leave heaven, but the alternative is hell."

"What about limbo? The place for ghosts."

"That is a space created through dark magic. It is not an afterlife."

Jelani nodded. "That actually explains a lot. But why can't I just go back to being a normal human?"

"You are dead," it replied, as plainly as if it was talking about something as boring as cardboard. "We cannot return you to life, only give you the options that are left."

He sighed. "So my options are stay in the best afterlife imaginable or go to the worst afterlife imaginable?"

"Yes."

"Hypothetically, if I did go to hell, would I ever be able to get out? Like would I be able to escape back to earth?"

"I cannot say."

Jelani narrowed his eyes. "Can't or won't?" 

"I cannot. I have no way to determine what your soul will or will not do if it leaves this place. You may be stuck there or you may escape – both are possible."

"Oh. Right. Because ultimately my actions don't affect the future." Jelani sagged in defeat. "And there's no possible way I could help anyone even if I did manage to escape hell."

"Many things are possible, even probable, but you are correct in saying the future outcome will not change regardless of your decision. However, that is not to say that you could not be 'helpful', as you stated. It is very possible your presence in the events could be positive to those around you."

Jelani raked a hand across his eyes. Surely, surely, he wasn't stupid enough to give up heaven to sacrifice his eternal soul on the off chance Thea might be helped by his 'presence'. The angel had even stated his actions wouldn't change anything! Why was he even considering this?