Chapter 2: Chapter 2 – Are You There God(dess)?

Slowly, John came to realize light was trying to peek through his eyelids. It felt almost like taking a nap underneath the noon sun, minus all the warmth that the sunlight brings. 'Am I in the hospital? Guess the ambulance made it on time,' he thought to himself.

 

Slowly, John opened his eyes. All around him was nothing but an endless void of white light, stretching forever in every direction he glanced. 'I guess it's not really a void, more of an anti-void I guess? Certainly not the worst place to spend eternity.'

 

From behind(?) John came a lilting alto voice, sounding slightly bemused, "Whoa, who said anything about spending an eternity here? Also, who are you?"

 

Turning around, John noticed another person now present in the anti-void with him. There stood a beautiful woman, about 5 foot 5 (~165 cm), with a head of hair like a roaring fire, wearing a non-descript robe. Even as beautiful as she was, John could still see a fierce grace in her, like she would fit in as well wearing a flowing dress, or leather armor, holding a spear and shield. Her electric blue eyes only added to the effect.  John stood, somehow pressing against a hard surface in the anti-void, and faced her.

 

John took a moment attempting to find his voice. He managed, through a throat half closed with nervousness, "I'm Johnathan O'Reilly, but you can just call me John. I feel inclined to ask, so who are you, and how did you appear in my afterlife?"

 

After chuckling lightly, the woman replied, "Your afterlife? John, you're dead, but this isn't your afterlife. This is the space I inhabit when I'm not interacting with the people on Earth. It's something akin to my 'home' as you humans would put it."

 

Having had one question answered, John nodded, as if half understanding. "That still doesn't answer my other question though. Who are you?"

 

In an overly cheerful tone, the woman said, "Oh, I'm Macha! I'm the great, merciful, extremely just goddess of war, and life, and death! I've been worshiped many times over on many different Earths, but on yours, the ancient Celts were the ones who worshiped me."

 

"For a goddess of war and death, you seem pretty bubbly."

 

"I try not to let it get me too down."

 

In a slightly biting tone, John says, "Well, good for you I guess."

 

In a slightly hurt tone, Macha asks, "Are you mocking me?"

 

"Why yes, yes I am. That's not the important thing here though. Why am I here, and why do you seem surprised to see me here?"

 

Steadying her face, which had flown through a dozen a dozen different emotions in the span of a dozen seconds, Macha took a breath, and said, "To be honest, I am surprised to see you here. I'll explain more, but is there any place you'd feel more comfortable having this conversation?"

 

"I mean, probably my living room, but I'm dead right? That's impossible!"

 

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"Not for a goddess!"

 

The anti-void changed, morphing into John's living room from back when he was living. John gazed around in wonderment. There was his mom's old corduroy couch with the wine stain on it, and the TV console, with the little 32 inch TV he'd gotten while living in the barracks. The bent blinds were on the windows, and the blackout curtains sitting below them, from when he'd worked night shift, left in place when he'd left for his trip to Japan. Even the faint smell of Fresh Linen Febreeze in the air was the same as his tiny apartment back in Pennsylvania.

 

"How'd you do that?," John asked incredulously.

 

"I'm a goddess, dude, and this is my space. I can do anything with it that I please. Do you believe in me now?"

 

"Yeah, kinda."

 

"Well, that's good enough. Now let's find out why you're here." With this, Macha made a small gesture with her hand, and a large screen-like apparition appeared in the air in front of her. On it was darkness, and a big triangle play button. 

 

"What's that for?," John asked, almost under his breath.

 

"It's like a movie version of your life. Not everything, but the important things. Most people lead boring lives, so they end up in Heaven or Purgatory. Only those who were really good or extravagantly evil end up in a God's or Goddess's space. What did you do to end up here?

 

Ignoring her question, John nodded his head as if he understood Macha's words, murmuring, "I see."

 

"No you don't jackass, don't act like you do. The Gods and Goddesses don't even fully understand it, so don't act like you do."

 

Cowed, John nods again, this time apologetically, saying, "I'm sorry. Won't happen again."

 

Nodding in satisfaction at having properly scolded John, Macha says, "Well, nothing to do but watch it. I'll judge what to do with you after it's over. Until then, just sit over there."

 

Sitting in the middle of the couch, John nodded one last time. "Wait, you didn't explain anything!"

 

Macha turns towards him, putting a finger up to her pursed lips. "Shh, I'm trying to watch!"

 

Resigned to marching at Macha's pace, John mutters an, "Ok," before settling further back into the couch. 'May as well settle in.'

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