The Empty World | The Empty World Sequence [complete | rewriting]

Ten (these events are Eleven in revised scene list)

"There will be a girl seemingly touched by all three of these beings here. She seems, like Angels do, she may split, only because she's Human she'll be two minds in one body. Moved by her, I make a body. Inspired by her, I become pregnant with the thought: Opium Tripp Smith; her body the very mirror image of the girl. Then I conceive the rest: the black eyes, the ability to see into people, the talent to manipulate image, to see and make song and picture. The reason she is made is to save the girl, but in saving her, we have to leave her."

Jibril left Eden to take his three creations down to the lowland where Humans traveled by caravans. He sent them off into the world in different directions.

Time came when the Angels were preparing to leave. Raziel packed up his library and observatory, Gabriel packed away her biology lab. The Seraphim chose the instruments they would take along, and crying destroyed the rest. They couldn't leave these advanced devices and constructions for Humans to find, that had been their mistake, giving Humans too much too quickly. The sad thing was that the memory of recent wars would probably keep most from ever revealing a thing to Humans again.

Raphael and Michael had been out, and came into the city long enough to ask Zerachiel if she understood what she was to do according to their plan. She knew, of course, all to well. Raziel and Gabriel left, without telling the other Archangels, having as usual an agenda of their own that included revealing mysteries to Humans. They slipped through the gate, speaking to each other of their friend John Mark. Michael and Raphael left again soon after them. The rest of the Archangels: Raguel, Uriel, Remiel, Zerachiel, Caziel all went about the city, making sure the other Angels had properly disposed of or packed away their belongings.

Jibril came to Opium and Morpheus. "Leave Eden before us. I know that you will find you way over if you want to join us, but leave now so I don't worry that another city will be destroyed with you in it."

And so they took just a few trinkets away with them and went to Jerusalem. As it happened, they came to a private garden in the evening and entered it. They were sitting in a tree when he came into the garden with three friends, two of whom were young and looked like brothers. He stood with them a little while, looking fearful and anxious. One of the brothers laid his hands on their teacher to comfort him. His teacher only pressed the hands away. He smiled weakly at the boy, "John," he said and then sighed, "My soul is sorrowful to the point of death."

The boy looked stricken and went pale.

"Wait here for me, stay awake, there is nothing else you can do for me now."

Morpheus sat with gaping mouth as the teacher came through the trees, closer to them. "That's Jesus?"

"Yesua, actually...I think. Be quiet," Mother told him.

Jesus walked past them, a strong man obviously, and a Jew, but his skin was brighter than most, his hair and eyes just slightly radiant because Gabriel had made him part Angel. He stood surrounded by thicket on every side, in a small clearing, and two Angels came to him from the other side of the garden. They were Michael and Raphael, and Michael was disguised as a Roman soldier.

"Put his disciples to sleep," said Mother, and Morpheus caused the three men to sleep.

The Angels bowed their heads to Jesus then. "Yesua Messiah, it is for this great purpose we have waited for the one with the talent, it is for all our good that you will open the doorway. Do you feel strong enough? Is there any last thing we can do for you?"

Jesus fell to the ground. He cried something softly to the ground and then, "If you would take this cup from me...but let it be as you would have it, not as I would have it."

"You will be with us soon, but we must fly, have strength," said Raphael. And then they rose into the air, unfurling their wings, and ascended higher.

Jesus called after them quietly, "Hurry, fly, to the city, I cannot do anything until you reach it."

Jesus got up then, nervous, and went back to his friends. They were asleep. "Simon! Are you asleep? Had you not the strength to stay awake one hour? Pray that you are not made to sleep again, the spirit is willing but the body is weak."

Jesus went back to the thicket, wondering perhaps if his guardians had time to get back to the appointed place.

Once again he went to look on his friends, but they were not even able to answer.

And so Jesus went back to the thicket again and went down on his knees. Morpheus was still in the tree with his mother, and she held a finger before her lips. Everything was silent.

The Angels had waited till they saw the birth of one with the talent to hold open a doorway to another world wide enough, and long enough, for them all to cross over. It had little if anything to do with sins. But, this feat was draining him, as moving objects through space drained Mother. Jesus was is such anguish, determined to hold open the door, that capillaries in his skin burst under the stress, blood came from his pores like sweat and his own salt sweat stung him, and yet he pushed himself on.

Jesus looked about to fall. Morpheus wondered if Helen had looked like this, a much lesser talent, willing open the doors of the menagerie. She had died in the process. He had not been able to help Helen.

Morpheus slipped from the tree branch and caught Jesus in his arms, as he was about to hit the ground. He remained there, supporting the talent until Jesus just let go and collapsed. Morpheus slipped away quietly. Mother was no longer in the tree, but stood waiting. They walked to another part of the garden where they watched, until they saw Jesus carried away by the Chief Priest's posse.

They saw a young man dressed only in his bedsheet running after the guards. "Teacher, Teacher!" he cried. One of the guards grabbed him then, but he ran away naked.

Mother laughed, briefly. "That there was Gabriel's friend," she said.

Several days passed, and they stayed in Jerusalem. They knew that Jesus would be crucified, and walked to Golgotha on the appointed day, mixing in with the crowd. They saw Jesus fall under the weight of the cross beam he carried on his shoulders. Some women near him cried, and he spoke to them. Then, one woman ran from the crowd, and taking the veil from her own head, used it to wipe Jesus' face of sweat and blood.

Guards came and pushed her back into the crowd, but Morpheus had seen her face clearly. "That was Joy!" he said.

When he looked at his mother, she was smiling.