Chloe (30 page)

Cleopatra sits in front of a laptop and a blank screen with
an oddly familiar blinking cursor. She looks at a picture on the table of her
and Patrick on their wedding day. She smiles and begins typing.

•

Somewhere far above, in a dimension beyond human conception,
Chloe stands gazing into time. Sands and streams float and swirl before her.
Any blemishes and imperfections in her human body have been burnt away by holy
fire. In the vast expanse beyond, she can see images of her mother and father
and a battle half shrouded in mystery. Two lives, intertwined by a series of
choices, mistakes, and victories, are woven together in the ribbons of light.
Changing. Evolving.

She sees beyond the physical barrier of her world into a
hidden world, and a world significantly different from hers, but familiar all
the same… as though she has been there before.

As though she lived there during a time long ago… in a
dream.

The shifting winds toy with her golden hair, hanging loose
and cascading down her back. Her white gown sparkles under a light more
magnificent than the sun. A radiant smirk lingers on her equally radiant face—a
perfect body in a perfect place. She abides here. She has, to her knowledge,
always abided here. Free of sorrow and pain, she dines with the divine,
existing in a constant state of celebration and thankfulness. She fords silver
streams and travels streets of gold. Around her, heavenly choirs rejoice in a
ceaseless chorus. The living kingdom practically oozes music—angels and
ancients singing praises for God’s glory.

In the center of this crystalline kingdom is the enormous
Tree of Life, constantly growing and under construction, representing every new
believer in and out of the world. From this tree flows the River of Life,
running in rivets throughout the city. This is a place of light and never
darkness where the light of the Lord shines at all times. Here, it is neither
day nor night. And there is no need to rest, as there is no weariness or burden
here. No illness. No sin.

Behind her loom great castles forged from precious stones,
housing riches in sums unimaginable to the human mind. And in the largest
palace, the Living God, Jesus Christ, sits on His throne, watching over His
beloved world below. Standing beside Chloe is a four legged beast. It could be
mistaken for a giant tiger had it not been covered with an innumerable amount
of eyes. For this is God’s creature, and God sees everything. The beast turns
its head to behold her adoringly. It beckons her back. It beckons her home.

She smiles. “I’ll see you soon, mom and dad. We’re all
waiting.” Chloe turns with the beast and strolls off down a golden path towards
the city of treasure. The rolling fields that frame the road are magnificently
decorated with soaring trees, scenting the air with blossoms and ornamented
with thick, heavy fruits. The grass is impossibly green, soft, plush, and
palpable. This is a place like Earth, but completely different. Better.
Peerless.

Perfect.

The pinnacle, the epitome, of
freedom
.

You
will always have a choice.

Just
make the right one.

I sincerely hope that you have
found my book thought-provoking and helpful in your Christian journey. If you
enjoyed reading this book, please consider helping more people find it by
leaving a review on Amazon.com or recommending it to others.