text: Desperate to provide for his teenage son, Jarvis pulls the black ski mask over his wrinkled brow, looks up-and-down the roadway, then swings the door open to Uncle Frankie’s One-Stop Shop, a local convenience store. Jarvis scans the store for shoppers or other staff members, then nervously approaches the counter. Reaching into his jacket pocket, he pulls out the handle of a pistol, showing the man behind the counter. He then pushed the barrel of the gun against the inside lining of his pocket and demanded all the cash in the register. The middle-aged man seemed calm and unfazed by the armed thief yet complied with his wishes. Opening the till, the employee began to pull out cash then paused and said, “You want I should put this in a bag for ya?” His strong Italian accent was difficult to understand. Unprepared for the question, Jarvis just nodded at the man. The burly Italian reached below the cash register, but when he stood back up, it wasn’t a bag in his hand, it was a double-barreled shotgun which he had aimed directly at the chest of Jarvis. Unable to move from shock, the only thing Jarvis remembered was an explosion followed by a flash and a searing heat in his chest. He fell backward toward the ceramic floor, and everything went black. When he woke, Jarvis was encompassed by a blinding light reflecting against pure white walls, floor, and ceiling. He thought for a moment that he was in a hospital but saw no staff. There wasn’t even a sound. Even his footsteps were silent. He searched unsuccessfully around the room for a doorway or window. Leaning back against the bed where he found himself earlier, he pondered every explanation. Jarvis considered that the man behind the counter may have kidnapped him and was keeping him stashed away in a back room somewhere. Remembering the blast from the shotgun, Jarvis looked down at his chest to see how badly he was injured, but there were no signs of damage to his skin or his shirt. “But, how?” he wondered. The room began to vibrate slightly, like the tremor of a distant earthquake. A high-pitched pulse began to resonate within his eardrums, and he pressed the palms of his hands tightly against the sides of his head. The pain increased, and he clenched his eyes closed. As the pulsing subsided, Jarvis removed his hands from his ears and opened his eyes. The room had changed. The ceiling was now a pale blue sky with wispy clouds that floated by like boats on the water. As he looked down, however, he saw tongues of fire shooting up from the darkened depths below. Instinctively, Jarvis ran for safety and hopped onto a spiral staircase that now circled upward into emptiness. A voice emanated from below. It was a quiet hissing noise, like that of a snake. It tried to coax Jarvis into joining them, promising everything that he could ever ask for in life. Jarvis searched for the location of the voice, and through the darkness, he spotted two piercing yellow eyes staring back at him. Jarvis backed away, climbing higher up the staircase. A breeze blew across his forehead, causing him to close his eyes once again. When he reopened them, a beautiful woman hovered above him. Her eyes were as green as clovers, and her long red hair cascaded over her shoulders. A bright glow shone from her long white gown as a peaceful smile gave Jarvis a sense of calm. “Who are you?” he asked this mystic being. “I am known as Christiana. I have been asked to speak with you, Jarvis.” “How do you know my name?” he asked. “We know all there is to know about you. There are no secrets here.” “No secrets? Well then, maybe you can tell me where I am?” “This place is called, The In-Between. It is a moment both in time and without time. It is a place of light and darkness, good and evil, and a place of choices.” “Why did you bring me here?” “It was not I who brought you here. It was Mister Gray.” “Who is Mister Gray?” “He decides which souls deserve an opportunity to correct their mistakes and choose their destinies.” “So, where is Mister Gray now?” “Mister Gray does not stay in this place. There are thousands of displaced souls being brought before him every minute of every day. He must have felt that you had more to offer, or else you would not be here.” Jarvis gazed around this strange place he was at. He considered the words that Christiana had spoke, and he asked her what he had to do next. “With every positive, there is a negative. This goes for every aspect of human existence. One does not live a full life without facing opposing sides. How you react to these opposites, is what will help create your destiny and guide you down one path or another. If you find an attraction to one side more than the other, then you will be drawn down that path, even if there is a resistance trying to pull you back.” Jarvis sat down upon the step and tried to make sense of this added information. He could now only assume that he died in that convenience store and is now stuck in some sort of limbo. The room began to vibrate once again. Christiana told Jarvis that she had to leave, and like a hummingbird, she went from motionless to a quick escape, darting out into the clouds above. Once again, Jarvis grabbed hold of his ears as the pulsing began once again. As before, when he opened his eyes back up, the room had changed. He found himself surrounded by beautiful women, tables filled with bottles of expensive alcohol, and succulent platters of food. A band played loudly as the dancefloor filled with partygoers. They were bumping and grinding, groping one another to the beat of the music. It was an erotic scene that was beyond the imagination of Jarvis. A man dressed in an expensive black satin suit walked up on stage and the room fell into silence. Jarvis looked toward the stage along with everyone else. The man slinked his way toward the center with his head held low. A black fedora rested upon his head. A spotlight lit up and was directed at this dark stranger. He raised his head toward the light, and two familiar yellow eyes reflected. Jarvis was taken aback yet intrigued by this man’s style and popularity. He wondered who he was. The man raised his hands above his head, then lowered one arm, and with his right index finger, he pointed at Jarvis. He then turned his wrist, so his palm faced upwards, and he signalled for Jarvis to approach. Jarvis felt all eyes in the room suddenly on him. Feeling obligated, Jarvis inched his way across the dancefloor. The wall of people separated as he neared, opening a clear path toward the man with the yellow eyes. When he finally stood at the foot of the stage, Jarvis looked up at the stranger. He wasn’t sure if it was because he was standing on a stage, but the man seemed to tower above everyone in the room. His eyes seemed to be looking into Jarvis’s soul. He suddenly felt vulnerable. The man just stared and smiled a sinister grin. Jarvis wasn’t sure if it was the lighting in the room but swore that he could see tiny faces and hands pushing out from inside the man’s face, trying to escape. Jarvis broke the gaze of his yellow eyes and was able to think more clearly. Jarvis spoke up and asked, “Who are you, sir?” “I am but a humble servant of one that is eternal. One that can make all your fantasies become reality. I am called, Azazel.” “What do you want from me?” Jarvis asked. “I am here to offer you salvation. You can live eternity in luxury, feeding your heart’s desire. All you need to do is ask.” Seductive women caressed his chest, pulling Jarvis down toward to floor. He felt himself weak against their touch. Suddenly, his mind filled with visions of his son. The teenage boy who struggled with his own demons. He knew that he needed to find a way to get back to his son. Jarvis pulled from the grip of the seductresses and stood back up, facing Azazel once more. “I wish to leave this place,” he demanded. The pulsating began again. This time, Jarvis looked forward to what was to come. As he opened his eyes, he found himself in a dimly lit room. Shadows moved slowly across the walls surrounding him. He felt unsure of this place. One of the shadows approached him slowly and began to take human form. As the shadow man came into the light, his features appeared more clearly. He was elderly, in his early eighties, and had pale gray eyes that showed a sense of understanding and kindness. With an outstretched hand, he introduced himself. “Welcome, Jarvis. I am Mister Gray.” “Mister Gray?” Jarvis repeated, surprised to see the man who is too busy to personally see anyone. “Yes, my boy. I have been watching you for a long time. I want to ask you something...What is the most important thing of all to you?” Without hesitation, Jarvis answered, “My son, Jake. I would do anything for him, which is what brought me here in the first place.” “Please, lie down on the couch,” mister Gray suggested as he pointed toward a leather sofa. Jarvis did so. Mister Gray stood over Jarvis and pulled a flashlight from his pocket. As he turned it on, Jarvis was temporarily blinded, and shaded his eyes from the light. Then he heard a familiar voice. “Dad! Dad, can you hear me?” As he removed his hand from in front of his eyes, Jarvis saw the face of Jake smiling back at him. He was in a hospital room, and to his right, stood a doctor holding a flashlight. “Welcome back, Mister Marks. I’m Doctor Gray. You are at St. Gabriel Memorial Hospital. You have been in a coma for three days. Do you remember what happened, sir?” Still groggy, Jarvis tried to recall the events of what happened prior to his coma. “I remember going into a convenience store. My son’s birthday was coming up, and I didn’t want to disappoint him by not giving him a present that he wanted, so I decided to rob a store for the cash. I remember the store clerk shooting me. How can I still be alive?” The doctor replied, “The man in the store wanted to scare you off, so he shot you with rock salt, but you fell backwards and hit your head on the concrete floor. You went into a coma and when the police found out who you were, they went to retrieve your son. He has been by your side ever since.” Jarvis looked at Jake and squeezed his hand tightly. “I’m so sorry, son. I tried to do what was best for you, but I guess I screwed up this time. Wait, it’s been three days? That means I didn’t miss your birthday! I have one more day to make it right.” “Dad don’t worry about it. I don’t need some video game. I got the best present right here. I’ve got you, dad. I love you.” It had been a few years since Jarvis heard his son say those words willingly. He thought Jake was outgrowing his father’s love. It warmed his heart to see that he did something right. It wasn’t easy for them ever since Jake’s mom left them when Jake was just two years old. Neither of them had heard from her since then, and Jarvis never found another woman to be with, so the two men grew a tight bond over the years. Doctor Gray interrupted. “I’m sorry, but the police would like to speak with you.” Two officers entered the room. Jarvis filled them in on the events of that night at the convenience store and was ready to face justice, but then the senior officer spoke up and said, “The store owner decided not to press charges. When he found out you were a single dad and you were in a coma, he had pity on you and dropped the charges. Besides that, he knew you couldn’t do much to him with the toy gun you had in your pocket.” Jake leaned over and gave his dad a strong embrace. Jarvis didn’t want that moment to end. As the officers were leaving, a nurse entered the room. She had flowing red hair and green eyes. “How are we feeling today, Mister Marks?” she asked. “My name is Chrissy. If you need anything, you just hit that buzzer beside you, and I will do what I can to help.” She gave Jarvis a wink as she turned and walked away. “I think she likes you,” Jake blurted out before the nurse was out of ear shot. Nurse Chrissy looked back over her shoulder once more and gave him a pleasant smile. Jarvis had a feeling that he knew both her and the doctor but could not remember from where. He was simply happy to have a second chance at life.