Jesus in Hell Day 1, Part 11: Back at the House
Previous Chapter: Day 1 Part 10
Back at the house, Dismas and Gestas talk with the mother of the children.
"Come in, come in! The very least I can do is make thee a fine meal."
"I'd be happy to, Ma'am, but we have to get our friend. He's just over there."
"Very well, bring him in as well!"
"Ehm," says Dismas, scratching the back of his neck. "That might be... a little...."
"What? What is the problem? Go! Hie thee hence, collect your friend, and bring him inside!"
"Oh.... kay...." says Dismas, clearly uncomfortably.
Dismas and Gestas head back to the tall grass where they've left Jesus.
"Mister... Jesus?" says Dismas, quietly, leaning into towards him. Jesus does not move a muscle.
Dismas and Gestas look at each other. Gestas shrugs. They get down to pick him up.
When Dismas touches Jesus's hand, the wound on Dismas's hand closes and is magically healed.
"Look!" Dismas holds up his hand and shows Gestas. "It's gone!"
They both wonder at it for a moment. Slow dissolve.
"What's wrong with your friend? He looks... dead."
Dismas and Gestas are walking with Jesus between them, his arms around their shoulders. A small boy is speaking to them.
"We're all dead, here," says Gestas.
"Yes, of course, but he looks... extra-dead."
As Dismas and Gestas eat dinner, the mother speaks to them.
"Yes, 'tis very crowded down here. Everyone who ever died is down here. There are only a few million upstairs but there are billions down here, and it's not a large space. As you can see, it's very overcrowded. We're very lucky - we can afford a house, and in a pretty nice town. Most people are homeless. Many are quite desperate - just roving masses of people, stealing what they can. A lot of them - as thou saw - are just decaying, turning into horrible, feral fiends. And it's not just that... something else has happened, too. The Gods... the Gods have changed. Something terrible is happening to them. They've gone bad. 'Tis a wicked place."
"Yes, well, we're leaving," states Dismas flatly.
"Oh no, stay the night! Thou art my guests."
"You misunderstand me, Ma'am. I don't mean that we're leaving your house. I mean we're leaving this whole world."
"Dismas, you know that's impossible." Gestas turns to the woman. "I told him, but he's in denial. He won't listen."
"Actually," says the woman, "It... might be possible. There's a hole, not far from here. And some people say they saw a prophet who left here and went upstairs. I've even heard that there's a ladder. He used to go up and down, freely, any time he wanted. But I don't think it's been happening as much, recently.... Those Girgashites against which thou battlest today - I think they're marching in the direction of the hole. I think they're trying to escape from this place. If thou followest them, thou mightest rise up, thyself."
"Then it's decided," says Dismas. "We'll head for the hole as soon as we're done here."
At this point, the child cuts in, tugging on Dismas's sleev and saying, "Did you say your name was Dismas? I know a girl who would always talk about someone named Dismas."
"Must be a different Dismas," mumbles Dismas, uncertainly. He tries to play it off cavalierly, but his lower lip is twitching.
"But Dizzy, what if it's -" Gestas's words are cut off, when Dismas smashes his fist down on the table.
'Must. Be. A. Different. Dismas," he bellows.
"Sin- that's what changing this world," the woman continues, oblivious to this side conversation. "Sin works differently down here than it does upstairs. Thou must have noticed. Every time one of those fiends touches thee, thou accretest more and more sin on your soul. Too much, and thou collapsest. But lately... it's like all of Sheol is dying. Sin is transforming this whole world."
She goes on: "Look, I know thou art anxious to leave this place and find that hole. But if that doesn't work out... well, I can't offer thee a home. Houses are very hard to come by down here. But I can offer thee something. Come with me."In the back of the woman's house is a little plot of land.
"This could be useful to thee," says the woman. "Thou couldst plant a small garden here. I know it's not much, but it could be the difference between eternal horror and a bit of stability and peace. I hope thou use it. Here, take a mustard seed." With that, she pulls a tiny seed from your pocket and hands it to you. "Go on, plant it wherever you like."
"Ma'am, I'm sorry, but I'm not the planting type."
"Oh, nonsense. Go on. Do it."
Uncertainly, Dismas walks out among the patches of dirt.
"Hast thou picked a spot yet? Then, dig! Dig!" she calls to him.
He kneels down and scoops out a small hole with his fingers. Then he gingerly drops the seed inside.
"There. Can we go now?"
"Thou hast to cover it up again, thou man of folly!"
Dismas sighs and starts throwing dirt back on the seed.
"Gently, gently!"
Dismas exhales with exasperation and slows down, eventually patting the dirt on top and making it smooth with the dirt around it.
"Good. Now go to the stream and get a handful of water to put on it."
"What?!"
"Thou heardest me! Go!"
Dismas looks at Gestas. Gestas is loving this. Dismas looks humiliated but in a huff he and Gestas head over to the stream where they previously got water for Jesus. Dismas cups his hands and then carefully tries to walk back to the field without spilling.
"Hey Dismas!" says Gestas, a little too loud. Dismas spills the water all over himself. Aggravated, he walks back to the stream, cups his hands, and gets some more water.
"Dismas," Gestas begins again, "Why wouldn't you listen to the boy?"
"Leave me alone," snaps Dismas.
Eventually, Dismas manages to get back to the field, where he pours the water over the seed. "Finally!" he mutters to himself.
"Well done," says the woman, "Now just do that every day, and thy garden shall grow into something beautiful."
"Look, lady," says Dismas, "We got your kid, I planted your seed, now we're getting out of here. End of story."
"Very well, very well. But I do know someone who I think could help thy friend."
"You mean Jesus?"
"Yes, there's a healer, east of here, by the name of Elisha. He lives over there in region they call the Wood of Suicides. Perhaps he could bring Jesus back."
"Dismas," says Gestas, "Maybe we oughta bring Jesus to the healer. Then we can follow the Girgashites out of this place, if you want."
"Alright, fine, let's go."
Dismas and Gestas pick up Jesus and begin to carry him in the direction of the woods.
The boy runs after them, with panic in his voice. "Don't go! Don't go into the woods!"
"Why not?" says Gestas.
"It's a... bad place."
"Sorry, kid," says Dismas. "See ya."
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