Joel meekly nodded - what could he say? Death was right - this was what he deserved and it wasn’t too bad of a fate - at least he didn’t have to be grilled like a chicken, he thought to himself with a wry smile. “I understand, Kai. I don’t think it’s that bad, to be honest. I fully accept it - it is what I wanted in my human life, anyways. Tell me, though.” 

Here he met Kai’s unflinchingly cold gaze. “Will I get to see her again? Malka?”

(Art Illustrated by FortunusGames, @ Tapas.io/FortunusGames)

There, standing near the lapping edge of the waves’ ebb and flow, the toes of her shoes nearly caught by the sway of the waves on shore, stood a young woman with scarlet hair and pensive, almost morose eyes. 

Joel wobbled towards her - no, stumbled, so eager was he to close the distance between the two, the distance he had willingly erected between the two of them just to prove that he didn’t need anything, only himself and his own thoughts.

“Malka?” He called out feebly. Like a defenceless baby animal calling its mother, he lunged towards her. Their eyes met, and in that moment, it was as if the past sixty years had never happened.

“Joel.” She returned his focused gaze, the corners of her mouth turned slightly downward before curving upwards again. “You’ve come.”

“Finally,” Joel murmured. “I’m finally back, Malka. I’m sorry you had to wait...so long.” Tears rolled down the man’s cheeks as he was consumed by shame and regret. “But I’m here to make my amends now. I’m speaking like I’ve never done before, loudly, clearly, and honestly. No more self-denial, Malka. No more.” 

How pathetic he sounded! Particularly since there was no response. She was silent. She just glared at him, her expression unreadable. 

Makes sense, he thought to himself. Not that he had expected anything from her. After all, it was all his fault, wasn’t it? He was the one who had subjected her to sixty years of loneliness, sixty years of pining after him! He saw how those years of isolation had affected her all those years as he looked into her eyes - images, smells, and memories of her wasted, empty life flooded into his mind, threatening to overwhelm him.

After he had told her that he had no interest in being anything but a friend to her, they had drifted apart. But what he didn’t know was that she had continued to hope for something impossible - that he would come back to her and tell her he loved her. 

Who else but you, she roared at him, had understood me so well? I knew you loved me, Joel, she spat at him as he drowned in her memories. 

I knew you did. There was no point in being with anyone else. I never wanted someone to fulfill a role in my life. You were the only person who wanted to look beneath life’s surface and challenge the raging superficiality of life, who comforted me that horrible night when my father got arrested for stealing and beating my mother. Who knew you were such a fool, though? So obsessed with proving a point that you would willingly erect a wall just to prove you didn’t need me. 

Well, look where you are now.

On his knees now, Joel looked at the floor, unable to return Malka’s steel gaze and proclaiment.

“You always wanted to be right. But are you now?” Malka mouthed softly but firmly, placing a hand on Joel’s trembling shoulder. “It’s too late now. I don’t want to see you. Go away!”

Kai stepped in front of the scarlet-haired woman. His gaze held hers calmly, understanding. 

“Miss Spitzer- do you remember me? We met earlier?” Kai asked her simply. 

“Yes, I do. You brought me here on the boat, Charon,” she responded, sounding somewhat detached.

He nodded. “Do you remember I told you this realm, this slice of reality, if you will, was your own blank canvas? That it is up to you to fill the void of this canvas with your will and the vision of your will?”

She nodded. 

He continued. “Do you also remember I had something to tell you? I had forgotten it on the ride here. I remember it now. Ah, you’ll both despise me for quoting Kierkegaard again- but here is what was said- 

‘Love is the expression of the one who loves, not of the one who is loved. Those who think they can love only the people they prefer do not love at all. Love discovers truths about individuals that others cannot see.’ ” 

“You two have an eternity to begin here. Your wasted mortal lives stand behind you like a fraction, a grain of sand, if you can imagine it. Consider what you two could create here.”

Kai walked away, boarding his boat, setting onto the flow of the water. 

“My rude manners are rubbing off on you, Joel.  It’s only decent you should give your guest a gift! You’re the host now here. Perhaps the pearl will suit Malka?” Kai suggested, calling out from the boat. 

“I’ll leave you two to think over this. My work here is done. Good-bye to you both, Joel Farber and Malka Spitzer…” Kai departed upon the waters. 

Joel and Malka watched as Kai departed, leaving them to their own devices. Their hearts beating with an unfamiliar emotion - Excitement? Fear? Or renewed love, Joel wondered, somewhat facetiously - they slowly turned to face one another.

“I love you, Malka,” Joel suddenly blurted out. “I don’t know how else to express it, and I’m not sure if you’ll ever forgive me, but I needed to say it.”

Malka nodded, still silent and morose. “We do have the rest of eternity to figure things out though,” she responded curtly. “So take your time. Think about what you want to say and what you really feel.”

Joel nodded. A part of him had hoped she would at least embrace him, but this was no cheesy soap. This was reality, a strange reality, but reality nonetheless. But there was always the hope that what he had crushed beneath his heel all those years ago could take root again and bloom.

“I-I-I h-h-have something to give you, Malka,” Joel stuttered, hiding the pearl behind his back. 

“Hopefully it’s not a thought experiment,” she retorted sharply, somewhat jokingly.

“No, it’s this.” He clumsily produced the pearl from behind his back, holding it between his thumb and second finger as he gently placed it onto the soft palm of her hand.

She gazed at it. It was still a pathetic, beat-up looking thing, a shoddy excuse of a gemstone (were pearls considered gemstones? Joel had no idea. He was no connoisseur).

“It didn’t have to be this way. Sixty years ago, it was still a beautiful thing to behold.” Malka paused and looked at Joel’s face with a mixture of tenderness and spite. “But who knows? Perhaps one day it will regain its lustre.”

“We have eternity ahead of us, after all.” Joel nodded.

“An eternity to rebuild and regain what was lost and perhaps more.” Malka continued, nudging Joel towards what looked to be a dilapidated wooden house some thirty feet away from them.

As they neared the house, they saw that there was a note pinned to the door - what remained of the door, anyways.

Penned in a flowing script, typical of pen and ink of an older time, the note read:

“Determination sets the foundation. Understanding forms walls to safeguard those within, while a union raises the roof. But it is initiative that opens the door first. Take care to follow all the steps. You two should build a good house here. Here is the start- build from the wasted wrecks into a new home- it could be a handsome manor. Good luck. 

• K.H.

• P.S. Please dress in better colors-Joel.”