Photo by Trung Pham Quoc on Unsplash
Way Up Heaven
by Edward Koay
Author's Note:
- The intention of the story is neither to convert nor offend the reader;
- This is an homage to "The Divine Comedy" by Dante Alighieri.
Inferno
"For, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
- Romans 10:13
The stench was overpowering.
I glanced at my watch and sighed. It was the first Tuesday of the month (also known as Purge Day), and the authorities, as usual, had sent maintenance down to our block to spray clouds of insecticide. Dozens of cockroaches had scurried around in fear, before unceremoniously dying in the middle of the void deck.
The lift finally came. I breathed a sigh of relief. Paradise was nothing more than ten floors up and then sinking into a nice warm bath... I hopscotched over an expiring cockroach to enter the lift when the nightmare began.
The "dying" cockroach suddenly decided to drop its facade and flew into the lift. Startled by the cockroach's change in priorities, I scrambled out of the lift, trailing curses.
Seeing no one around to witness my embarrassing escape, I focused on the new challenge that had emerged:
It didn't take me long to figure out that I was stuck in a state of perpetual limbo.
Like any callous free-thinker, I prayed to every god/deity/spirit I could think of, hoping not to invoke some kind of unholy retribution.
"Dear God,
Please help me get rid of this cockroach and I will owe you an IOU. No questions asked.
In Jesus's name I pray,
Amen."
Then, Jesus took the wheel.
Like any callous free-thinker, I prayed to every god/deity/spirit I could think of, hoping not to invoke some kind of unholy retribution.
"Dear God,
Please help me get rid of this cockroach and I will owe you an IOU. No questions asked.
In Jesus's name I pray,
Amen."
Then, Jesus took the wheel.
***
Purgatorio
"He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys.”
- II Kings 2:23-24
It's almost impossible to describe something when you're in shock. Your mind goes blank. The alphabet morphs into hieroglyphics. But in that moment of shock, I genuinely felt the presence of something holy.
Actually, I sensed it before I saw it. The blazing gold of fur, majestic tail swaying gracefully like daffodils in Eden, saint-like whiskers sprouting from jowls chiselled by the Creator himself. It floated down the staircase by the lift with kingly grace and stared at me with the warmest kaleidoscopic eyes, before lighting me up with unbound energy. No word needed to be spoken for me to grasp that God had sent to save me... a cat.
Jesus Cat stalked up to the lift. With its paws outstretched and back arched like a crossbow, it telegraphed that something was about to go down. It gave me a nod so reassuring it relaxed every muscle in my body.
I knew what it wanted to do.
Tiptoeing, I went over to the lift button and pressed it.
3, 2, 1!
Jesus Cat shot into the lift like a bolt of lightning as the doors opened. By the time the weakened cockroach reacted, its head was already in Jesus Cat's mouth and devoured in seconds. (Now, I know what you're thinking. Yes, it wasn't the holiest of scenes, with decapitation and everything, but you had to be there.)
Adrenaline shot into me like rocket fuel and was still pumping gallons, when Jesus Cat turned to me and purred. He turned a corner and disappeared. I could only look on in awe and gratitude.
***
Paradiso
“Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”
- John 21:25
Two months later, I met Jesus Cat again.
Mr Lee had passed away peacefully at the age of 73 and his family had invited the neighbours to his wake at the void deck. It was more a formality than anything, since we were on a "Hi-Bye" basis with the Lees. My family went around dinner time. I was offering my condolences when Jesus Cat appeared next to the casket. Like a wrinkle in time.
Time slowed down as I stared at Mr Lee's lifeless body with Jesus Cat by my side. The people around me blurred into oblivions, like pieces of an unsolvable puzzle. It was just me, Mr Lee and Jesus Cat in the entire world. It was beautiful.
I picked up the cat and cradled it in my arms. It touched the casket with its paw, purring softly, then closed its eyes for good.
I conducted Jesus Cat's funeral immediately after the wake. Well, I had to, after the Lees found out I was mourning the death of their loved one while cradling a dead cat. It was private, but dignified - I think (it took a long time convincing my parents I wasn't insane). My dad said a simple prayer, we left the cat in a dumpster, and we all went home.
When I'm being honest with myself, I feel like I should confirm a few things: Has the cat found its way back to Heaven? Did it fly on the edge of a rainbow? Maybe hitchhiked on the backs of angels?
I never bothered though. I imagined it wouldn't be appropriate anyway.
I still dream about Jesus Cat: dreams in which he is an old, hungry feline. But also dreams in which he is a god/deity/spirit, purring peacefully in my arms, while I chat with Mr Lee as I join them in the afterlife.
I liked the latter dreams more.
|
Edward Koay is a 20-year-old student waiting to enter the National University of Singapore. He loves writing poems and short stories in his free time and is a self-described neurotic. His other interests include music, especially alternative R&B and indie rock, and cooking.
|
