Chapter One: Introduction
“Knock, knock,” Paul heard while lying on his bed. He was pondering the universe and how quickly life goes by. He got up and walked towards the door. To his surprise two identical males stood there staring at him. Before he had the time to inquire about the meaning of their being there, the gentleman on the left gave him a note. The note read: “Be silent, follow us.” Paul questioned their motives for a minute but since his life had been steadily going down the drain ever since he started living in his new apartment he wasn’t opposed to this new adventure. I mean, it couldn’t get any worse Paul thought to himself.
He grabbed his coat, umbrella, and Fedora hat. He liked to dress like he was living in the 19th Century because it reminded him of a certain goodness, a time when things were clearer, a time before AI (he could hardly grasp the concept), and coincidentally also a time where there was a remnant of faith in the magical and supernatural.
He followed the two identical males down the stairs of his apartment building and never saw the building again (he did not know this at the time or he would have gathered more belongings).
Once outside, things changed suddenly, like he was raptured (not far besides the truth). One of the strangers placed his left hand on his shoulder and whispered something Paul could not quite make out. It sounded like a foreign language to him, like a language he knew when he was a child but forgot about as an adult.
Things became blurry for Paul a minute after that. He woke up in a room surrounded by bright white light. A figure approached him and addressed him in English but in a childlike manner which confused Paul because the figure looked ancient with white hair.
“Paul, you’re going to become one of us. Your work has been exemplary and is much appreciated in this realm you now find yourself in.”
Paul thought he was losing it, he was after all, just an office clerk. So he mustered up all his courage and addressed the figure: “What work? My work and life are meaningless.” The figure thought for what seemed like an eternity (not far besides the truth), and replied: “Your fame has reached us, your research on angels and demons has sparked great controversy here, we need your help to rearrange Heaven and Hell.” Paul fainted, is this why he was here? The research the being referred to was almost a decade old, and due to lack of positive feedback Paul had quit to give himself over to debauchery and meaningless daytime jobs with which he paid his bills and hookers.
Chapter Two: Explicator
After his initial surprise a small white figure clad in black and white approached him. She introduced herself as Sophie. “Greetings Paul, I will be your guide and servant. I am available to you completely, even sexually if you so please.” Paul nearly fainted again and could only cough for two full minutes. He shook his head and said, “That won’t be necessary, just explain to me what is going on.”
“The Alma Mater spoke to you just now, do you remember her words?” Sophie asked.
“Yes, of course, it happened only a moment ago,” Paul replied.
“We have work to do, follow me quickly, we’ll have a meal first,” Sophie said before taking Paul by the hand.
Paul felt a strange warmth coming over him, her innocence and purity left him speechless. He noticed that Sophie was an attractive female, in her early thirties, her head covered in hair of the blackest black with many white strains. When he looked at her it was if he could see stars tingle, small lights dancing around her being, for a minute he thought he could hear them whisper. All of it seemed very peculiar to Paul. And this was only the beginning!