Radically Happy

Continued from Goodbye, Death

Prologue

Beloved stands at the door.

She is prepared for battle
But wears no armor
And carries no weapons

She repeats
As if a mantra:

“Lo, I AM with you always
Even to the end of the age”

But in the back of her mind
Something whispers:

“But what if
This is
The end of the age?”

---

Opening

“Greetings, mortal.”

The Voice in the dark
On the other side of the door
Is silky smooth

Beloved slips inside
And closes the door behind her
So that whatever is in here
Cannot harm those she protects

“Very thoughtful of you”

The Voice observes
Apparently reading her thoughts

“But either unnecessary
Or futile
Since if you fall
The door offers scant protection”

Beloved cocks her head
And speaks for the first time:

“If that is true
Then why have you not escaped
Long since?”

The Voice chortles

“Perhaps I was simply waiting
For the pleasure of your company
Or…”

The Voice drops another octave

“For you to bring me what I need”

Counter

Beloved is not scared
Exactly

But she is tense
Knowing there is great power here
Which has not been tamed

She takes a deep breath
Centers herself
And speaks:

“What is your name
Creature
And what do you seek?”

The Voice rasps:

“You have not yet earned
The right to my true name
But for now
You may call me
Scales”

The Voice pauses
When it continues
It seems subdued
Almost
But not quite
Vulnerable

“As to what I want
Is it not what we all want?
Justice
Fairness
Our due”

Beloved nods
Still wary
As she responds:

“I see you
Scales
And I honor you
For the purity of your intent
And the necessary truth
Which you protect”

Deep breath

“Nevertheless
There is more to life
Than mere justice
There is also mercy
Grace
Love
Intimacy
Sacrifice
Honor
Against such things
There is no law”

The Voice hisses
Not in anger
But in surprised pain
As if it accidentally
Touched a hot stove

“I have heard of such things
What you say may be true
But I have never seen them”

Beloved freezes
As she realizes
The generous move
Is to do the very thing
She most wished to avoid

Let the creature out!

Release

They walk into the light

Scales
Are what cover the creature
Except for its dead eyes
Which appear almost blind

Scales is humanoid
But clearly not human
Or even mammalian

Beloved
Knows who she herself is
Knows she is acting
Out of love
For the One who loves her

But
That does not ensure
This is not
A horrible mistake
That will end badly

Recognition

Beloved stops in her tracks
She looks at Scales

Really
Really
Looks at it

She cannot tell
If it is male, female, or other
Because it is not
A mammal

Beloved looks
Into its dead eyes

She says:

“You are Lizard
The cold-blooded
Presocial
Preparental
Guardian of identity”

Scales bows

“Congratulations
You have identified
My species
And understand something
Of my role”

Scales pauses

“But
Even that
Is not my True Name”

Request

Beloved
Looks at Scales
And asks:

“You implied
You were waiting
For something you needed
That only I could give.
Freedom?
Respect?”

Scales shakes it head.

“I could have taken my freedom
At any time
And earned respect
By fomenting terror”

It gives a short laugh

“Indeed
I have often done so
But only in the dark”

Scales turns to Beloved
And its dead eyes
Shift
As it says:

“The one thing
I need most from you
Is… Friendship!”

Rejection

I recoil in horror

This creature
Is the opposite
Of everything I stand for

It cannot even know
What friendship is

It’s very biology
Is wired for self
And survival

How dare it ask
For something
It does not deserve
Cannot understand
And would inevitably ruin

Jesus speaks to me

And says:

“The very same way
You asked for Me!”

To be continued