"And I get nothing out of it?"

"To the contrary. You get the satisfaction of being a great teacher, and of returning to me with expanded wisdom and compassion."

Cherie
birth

Boss? Can you still hear me? I don't think I like this job already. It's getting weird in here. I'm crushed and battered by endless squeezing. I want to go Home. Isn't there another soul who can take over?

Ow. Pressure on my belly, sliding across. Then an opening above me, and warm wetness. I'm lifted out. No, please, I don't want this life.

Bright lights, cold, cold air, and hands all over me, moving me around, slapping, rubbing...

"WAAAHHH!" I scream as chest and vocal cords engage. I don't want to be here!

I'm slipping into an alien realm, out of control. Please, Boss, take me back.

No answer.

My awareness of Before is fading fast, but I still remember enough to realize that the Boss knows best. Much as I hate it, I'm born now. I surrender to my fate.

Cherie
twenty-eight years old

"Thank you Mommy and Sweet Sister Ally. I'm so excited you're both here. Can't we all just go home now?"

"Right now we're going to WalMart," the queen of spades says. Cockroaches crawl all over her.

"What would you like to buy?" asks the crown princess.

Through the magic doors. Lights sparkle, colors, products of every variety for your home, and the smell of...

"Popcorn! Extra-large! With lots of butter! Please, please can I have some popcorn?"

I follow the delicious smell, pushing through piles of boxes in my path. Make way, make way. Jesus's chosen, the Empress of Heaven, is coming, trailed by pretenders to the throne, the ladies-in-waiting who conspire to overthrow her.

They will not succeed. The Empress is on a mission from God.

Copyright Suzanne Gold, 2001. All rights reserved.