It was a god’s job to deliver divine intervention to his people.

The idea of God as an all-loving deity, welcoming anyone into his flock without question or judgement, seemed like a twisted and cult-like concept to Christian Ward. He scoffed at the thought of Christianity being anything more than a giant scheme, a clever way for men to gain followers and money through an old piece of paper. The ruthless practice of tithing had only reinforced his belief in religion as a means for control and profit..

As he ran through the bustling streets of London in 2004, Christian couldn't help but notice the booming economy and the frivolous spending of the people in their "shitty little island" of a country. The local balding ministers were probably thrilled to see all those coins being thrown into their collection plates by weird catholic tories.

Christian himself saw no reason to attend church. But in that moment, as he felt a prickling sensation crawl over his body at an alarming pace, he regretted not joining a Nan in prayer over dry food.

His breaths were visible in the cold February air as he hurriedly ran through one of the busiest neighborhoods in London, ignoring the bewildered stares of onlookers wondering where this cunt had to be.

Truthfully, Christian regretted not buying into the “bank” hype when they’d started, otherwise he could have a house he could panic over his new, very increasing, charcoal coat that was covering his body. Unfortunately, he’d been dumb to not consider that, maybe, stealing Lizzies off of people wasn’t the smartest way to live. Hey, it had gotten him the nice suit he was about to piss himself in, so it wasn’t so bad.

He ducked himself behind a back entrance, huddling against a garbage bin. He shakily huffed out, feeling his body be consumed by the charcoal.

The icy chill seeped through his layers of clothing, numbing his skin and stealing away any sense of touch. He shivered uncontrollably, desperately seeking warmth that could not be found in the frigid ground below. His vision blurred and darkened, as if he was trapped in a never-ending winter night. The street beyond the narrow alleyway began to fade into an endless expanse of darkness, making him feel like he was being swallowed whole by the cold. In that moment, trapped in the grip of this maddening limbo, he feared that he would never see the warm glow of the sun again, or feel its rays on his skin.

And then, there was light.

He opened his eyes, looking around to see an infinite expanse of grassy lands, accompanied by the occasional patch of flowers. He groaned…

He was in the ‘Garden.’

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the prodigal son,” Christian groaned at the comment,  looking up to see an upsettingly familiar face. Oswald was someone who Christian begrudgingly called a ‘friend’ of some sort, no matter how much he despised having connections to people.

“Ohhh… Christian, what did you do to get stuck here~?” Oswald chuckled, his voice ringing out melodically in the serene atmosphere of the Garden. Christian scowled at the sight of him, who always seemed to have a smug grin plastered on his face.

Christian rolled his eyes at him, “It happened… again.”

Oswald tutted his finger at him. “Christian… you know you have to eat, right? Don’t tell me you’re skimping on dreams again.”

“I’m not–!” Christian yelled, “I have been dream eating every night even, I even tried that dumb cure idea Hitomi-”

“Save it,” Oswald interrupted with a knowing smirk, shaking his head in amusement. “I know you have your special ‘issue’... sooo, how long do you think it’ll be before you resurface again?” He sat in front of him, crossing his legs and resting his head on his hand.

“...How long was it last time?”

“About three years.”

“Three years.”

Oswald laughed, “Do you want me to go and move you? You always choose the worst spots… I remember when I had to break into an active autopsy of you once.”

"I can't believe this is happening again," Christian muttered, standing up and dusting off his suit. "I need to find a way out of here before I get stuck for another three years."

His black-and-white acquaintance groaned, “You tried last time, not even Midmare could reconnect you to your body. I suppose you’ll have to stay here again.”

Christian gazed out at the idyllic landscape of the Garden, his mind racing with thoughts of how to escape this seemingly endless limbo. He couldn't bear the thought of being stuck here for another three years, unable to return to the physical world he knew… Oh, but what was even the point? Return to just being some petty thief who ate dreams every night? There wasn’t any real point of him returning to the human realm.. Was there?

“It’s fine, hold on.. Let me move your body, I’ll be back-” And just like that, Oswald was gone. Christian sighed… that cunt was just trying to brag that he could leave.

He walked over to the area with just a few small buildings, sitting at a park bench and moping.

As Christian sat on the park bench, he watched the vibrant colors of the flowers around him swaying gently in an unseen breeze. The beauty of the Garden was undeniable, but it held him captive in a way that made his chest ache with longing for the world he once knew. He missed the chaos and imperfections of life outside these serene borders, even if it meant struggling every day.

He felt his insides shift… Oswald must be moving him now. Great. Now he felt ill on top of feeling angsty.

Someone sat next to him, he looked over to see what seemed like a Japanese school student. Their eyes were devoid of any light, they seemed perpetually miserable. Hitomi looked over at Christian, muttering a small greeting.

Christian glanced at Hitomi sitting beside him, their melancholic presence adding to the weight of his already troubled thoughts. They were one of the few in the Garden who didn't seem to belong, their aura of sadness palpable even in this ethereal place. He had known them for quite some time, a companion he had come to appreciate in this strange world beyond reality.

"Hey." Christian replied quietly, acknowledging them with a nod. Hitomi didn't often engage in conversation, but when they did, it usually was about troubling topics like these.

“You’re stuck again… Hitomi was so sure it would work this time too.” They sighed.

Christian copied them, “Any other bright ideas?”

Hitomi thought… “Maybe… you should stay here.”

Christian was taken aback by Hitomi's suggestion, his brow furrowing in confusion. Stay here? In the Garden? Forever? The idea was both terrifying and alluring, a tempting escape from the struggles and uncertainties of the physical world. He glanced around at the peaceful landscape, feeling a strange sense of calm wash over him despite the turmoil in his mind. Perhaps staying here wouldn't be such a terrible fate after all. But then he thought of his old life, of the people he left behind, of the dreams he had yet to fulfill.

"I don't know," Christian murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know if I can just give up on everything out there."

“Hitomi thinks you should. The world is rejecting you for a reason, Hitomi thinks.”

Hitomi's words lingered in the air, weighing heavily on Christian's conflicted heart. The world rejected him... Was he truly meant to remain here in the Garden, cut off from the life he once knew? The thought sent a shiver down his spine, a wave of uncertainty crashing over him like a relentless tide.

Christian turned to look at Hitomi, studying their expressionless face for any hint of emotion. They seemed so resigned to their own fate, so accepting of this liminal existence. Was that to be his future as well? To simply fade away into the tranquility of the Garden, leaving behind all that he once was?r

As he gazed out at the serene landscape, a surge of determination coursed through Christian's veins. No, he couldn't give up just yet. There were still things left unfinished, dreams left unfulfilled. He couldn't abandon his old life, no matter how difficult it had become.

“I can’t do that… I just… I’m old as dirt and yet I haven’t lived, I think? I haven’t truly… found anything that makes me happy. I’m chasing all these temporary highs… there hasn’t been anything long term.” Christian pondered, considering his life thus far… How old was he again? He was at least older than 150… immortals stop counting early on. He couldn’t even remember his own birthday.

"You seek purpose…" Hitomi spoke softly, their voice barely more than a whisper in the tranquil air of the Garden.

“I seek purpose.” Christian agreed.

“Hey guuys-!!”

Oswald had returned, beaming a cheeky smile. Christian jumped, before staring behind him at the bastard. “I assume you moved my body somewhere decent…?”

“Yup! I moved it into someone’s apartment.”

“You WHAT?”

Oswald's grin widened mischievously as Christian's eyes widened in horror. "Relax, it's just temporary. I figured you'd prefer that over some alleyway or abandoned building," he said with a shrug, clearly amused by Christian's distress.

Christian let out an exasperated sigh, shaking his head at Oswald's cavalier attitude towards the situation. "You better hope that person doesn't call the cops on me for breaking and entering."

“That would be awkward! No, no, I think the person’s gone long term. I snooped through their cabinets and everything was expired. They all taste good though-!” Oswald dug through a box of snack cakes, offering the most disgusting looking one of the box to Christian and Hitomi. “Want one?”

“Uh… no thanks.” Christian grimaced. Hitomi just simply shook their head.

With a greedy gleam in his eye, Oswald began devouring the food, much to Christian's annoyance. "Suit yourselves," he mumbled through a mouthful.

Christian let out a tired sigh, feeling uneasy about being in someone else's home without their permission. "You'd better be right about them being gone... I don't like the idea of trespassing in someone’s flat."

"Flat? It was more so dimensional, if you ask me," Oswald retorted with a sly grin.

Christian rolled his eyes and couldn't resist mocking Oswald's American accent. "Oh, 'apartment'? You bloody Americans are all the same-"

A mischievous glint sparked in Oswald's eyes. "Oh, is someone grumpy that they can't make it to teatime~?"

"Shut it!" Christian snapped.

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