Through the Darkness

Through the Darkness          
A Prologue          
         

         There was a pain through out his ear drums....almost like a whining scream. Mikel opened his dreary eyes upon consciousness, and he fumbles for the digital clock's buttons. Finding the correct one, and surrendering to the comforting silence, he attempted to read the bright green numbers.

         Blurry....he tossed it back to the side table, and sat up on the headboard. The covers slid casually off, revealing a toned body. He was not athletic, he worked out for the benefits of women. Like the beautiful dark eye beauty asleep beside him.

         It was still dark outside, which told him he could wait the usual five minutes for his vision to clear, his mind wondered at where he picked up the woman. He didn't remember a thing about the night before. It happened every time he drank...the black outs. A curse, he believed.

         Mikel usually woke up in good situations like the one before him. He also remembered the times he woke up with a flurry of throws his face. Just the other week he woke up slamming some girls drunk step dad's face into their truck's window with a two by four. Mikel didn't know what to do besides continue the fight, ending with the man unconscious halfway underneath their trailer due to a couple of stomps to the head.

         Lost in thought the girl woke up beside him. Hidden underneath the cloak of morning darkness her make up was smeared from a night of crying. " Where are you going?" She was quite beautiful, with hair that matched her eyes.

         Mikel found some cigarettes on the same table as the clock and lit one up," To piss." Walking to the bathroom Mikel became aware that he was fully naked, of course. You couldn't see it though because the morning sun had yet to rise, making the task of navigating to the bathroom tricky.

         Luckily the owner of the room kept it tidy, and he didn't step on anything. The light in the bathroom shocked Mikel into full awareness. It was a small fancy bathroom, with blood red squares made of marble. There was a swirl of black into the marble that gave the room a mystical sense about it.

         There was pair of jeans, and a plain black t-shirt laying folded on the toilet. Was this his place? The clothes fit, down to the socks that was hidden underneath.

         The sink black as to make it noticeable among the red. Mikel casually turned on the water, and splashed a hand cup full of water on his face. Looking at his reflection in the mirror, and the water rolling from his features, he thought he was getting old.

         His inner voice laughed at the thought, twenty two, and old. Still his features hinted age beyond his youth. Looking at the stubble of his two day growth, he was tempted to shave. Looking at the thick brown hair falling into his eyes he though he was due for a hair cut.

         But it didn't matter, he mused to himself. Who gave a two bit fuck about what a drug dealer looked like. How did his dark half manage to pick up so many beautiful women looking like this? A mystery to take to the grave.

         Mikel got dressed quickly so he could resume his sleep before daylight forced him to wake. Going back to the bedroom the sunlight was already painting the sky a deep blue. The faint light allowed Mikel to see the other door into the living area cracked open, and the woman was missing.

         Interesting, his drowsy mind pondered as he fell to the bed. Crawling to the top, he made himself comfortable for a nap.



         The sun rays pierced the room, so bright the finest of dust particles were seen in the room. "Fuck," Mikel murmed,cupping his hands over his face to cover his eyes. "I really need to invest in some curtains," he said aloud.                    
         
        There he was talking to himself again, but hearing sound made it easier to wake up. Minding it was not the alarm clock or any other beep, or buzz.

         Five minutes, and then he was off to start the busy day of a drug dealer. The daylight to Mikel was equivalent to a laser directly into the eyes. A bright one at that. Looking around suburban area it was a natural attraction for drug dealer. Making work somewhat difficult, and even at time hazardous.

         This particular day was a normal day to Mikel, waking form another lost night to another days work. It wasn't a normal day for one of his fellow customers.

         Mikel was sitting on the porch rolling a joint getting ready to write the prologue to his new story when Jon strolled up. John was homeless and his clothes showed it, from his holy jeans, to the filthy oil stained coat. Which for some reason when they first met struck pity into the heart of Mikel.

         Funny how pity just like life and even love sometimes fade with time. Mikel saw Jon every day, for the same reason. " Hey Mikey!" The usual buddy, buddy talk before business. " Whats up man! You up late huh, get ya another one last night?"

         Mikel sat back in the old red recliner on his porch and lighting up the joint," How many times do I have to tell you not to call me Mikey, Jon? Fuck dude, and stay the hell out of my personal life, it's none of your damn business." The words struck to the heart of Jon, a quality which geminis seem to command at will.

         Old Jonny boy looked almost sorry, but it was an act. That's right, the homeless learned to use that pity. "Hey I'm sorry man it's just your my best friend, I get excited. Won't happen again. Cross my heart." A yellow toothed smile. "Hey you think you could hook me up man?"
         Mikel laughed, the joint's effect full in place. Making him extremely generous to the beggar. "Here," Mikel tossed him a small bag, filled with rocks. "Have fun speedy."

         Any other day the beggar would have been delighted, but today he believed he was skillful enough to get more. "Ah man come on, one more, for later."

         Mikel wasn't laughing. He put down his notebook, and pen. "What the fuck Jon? You getting greedy on my generosity? Go the fuck away!" Starring into his eyes Mikel noticed there was no color in his eyes, it was all pupil. "Your fucking high right now aren't  you!"

         Flurry flushed through Mikel, this mother fucker was going to try to "jip" him. The adrenaline somewhat freezing him cost him a step on Jon, because he completely missed the knife he withdrew.

         That same adrenaline that caused it was the same adrenaline that took away the pain from the initial jab. Oh he still felt it, and he felt the warm blood ooze all over his hands and shirt. It was just somewhat numbed, which ended after a few more jabs just in the stomach.

         It tightened, and he coughed blood over his attacker. Jon smiled away, as he forgot about Mikel and began to go through his house, searching for anything but mainly his stash. Mikel couldn't think of any final words, just the pain. He thought he heard a woman scream in the background, but maybe it was his imagination. His life slipped away as the darkness fuzzed his vision. Come to think of it he did have one last thought. "God, not yet."


         The darkness was all encompassing around Mikel as he fell through it. It felt like there was a wind from the fall, but there wasn't. In fact there wasn't anything where Mikel was at. It was nothing, and it was nowhere. A fall into eternity into the deepest hole that had no end.

         How long had he been falling before, he was aware that there was something else beyond death? Before realizing that he was killed and now he somewhere that is not of Earth.

         It didn't really matter, for getting out was not a matter of time. It was a matter of that realization. At that moment he was no longer in that reality, and he was in a white room.

         This was a mighty room and mikel could see hints of gold etched into the white. Which was so bright you could not see anything expect the hint of the gold. There was a voice, one so beautiful that Mikel felt himself full of joy. So much joy that his eyes swelled with tears. "Let me ask you a question," it was soothing and melodic. "What do you see when you are here?" Firm yet loving, direct yet to the point.

         "I see nothing," Mikel replied in honesty," it is to bright for me to see. It hurts."

         "You've lived a sinful life my son, why have you not heeded my father's Word? Do not answer, for it is already known. Remember Mikel that my father his merciful, and he is your God the Almighty."

         With that Mikel was plunged back into the darkness that was where he originally started. Sadness fell through him, as the only rational thought went through his head. He was going to hell, and he had just been judged by Jesus Christ.