“MyMaker, I mean no disrespect … but I said a lot of things toMina.”
TheMaker laughed.“Let me refresh your memory.You said to herthat this life isn’t for you andperhaps the Maker has another life for you toexperience.”
“Yes,now I remember.She was scared, and I’d heard that it was possibleto have a new life if you willed it for us.I wanted her to feel atease.”
“My dear, dear boy.There are so many lives one can have.”The Maker smiledagain and watched them both.
Cajfound himself wonderingwhatthe Maker was telling him.“Maker, please no more suspense.I knowit’s bold of me to ask this, but I can’t take it.”The words wereout before he could stop them, and he tensed.
The Maker’s formseemed to glow even brighter.“A new life for you and Mercy.You’veboth done extremely well in what I needed to have done.”
Cajheard Mercy cry out, and helooked over to see tears running down her cheeks.
“Oh,thank you, thank you!”Mercy exclaimed.
“Don’t thank me sosoon.You both will sleep and then you will have to findone another in your new life.”
“My Maker, we arewilling to do whatever we have to,” Caj saidquickly.
“Starting over means youwill be human.”The Maker came even closer to where theystood.
Cajfelt himself tremble in Hispresence.“Will we know each other?”He held on to Mercy’s hand astightly as he could.
“You will both be born and go throughlife, and I can assure you that youwill find one another again.The heart knows what it wants.Are youprepared for this and willing to sacrifice what you havenow?”
“Yes!” Mercy andCaj both said at the same time, and they laughed.
“Canwe saygoodbye?”Caj asked.
“Yes… you can,and then it will be done.”
Cajturned Mercy in his arms.“Anew beginning for us,” he spoke softly, pressing his forehead tohers as he wrapped his arms around her.
“Yes.”Mercy stood on her tiptoes and kissed him hard on the lips.Thenshe pulled her head back.“Remember me…”
“I could never forget you.”He pressed his lips against hers.
“I’ll never forget you,” Mercy said.
Aheaviness came over Caj as he pulledMercy down with him to his knees while still holding on to her.“It’s happening.”
“I can feel it,Caj.”
“I love you, Mercy.”
“I love you, Caj… my sin-eater.”
Caj heldonuntil Mercy closed hereyes, and then he did the same, holding her tight until his lastbreath.
Epilogue
“I willlook for you in every lifetime and love you there.”
—KamandKojouri
Mercy
Twenty-one yearslater
