A Man on Trial in Heaven

"All rise!", called out a stoic angel, armed to the teeth in the shiniest steel armor imaginable. The gold accents on the breastplate and helm caused minor light refraction from the crystal chandeliers high above the court floor. The tall angel scanned the room and looked up to an old man sitting at the Judge's seat. His sparkling eyes reflected the perfect light off of his perfectly white robes. His long beard was just as white, if not whiter than his silk robes. He had the look of the richest man in the world, without the aid of any jewelry or symbols of power; no crown, not scepter. He nodded and the doors opened under the arms of two angels and a comparably smaller human stumbled in.

Compared to the luminescent atmosphere, he could probably be noted as a protoplasmic tarnish on an otherwise perfect room. The man walked to his defendant's table and remained standing behind the table, carved with a gilded knife to maintain it's perfect linear dimensions. The man observed the judge and noted his brazen look, his pleasant stare and the feeling of other worldliness. The angels, almost as equally glowing stood still as statues, staring into seemingly empty space. However, there was no space empty here. The man observed that his breathing was heavier than it normally was, perhaps the product of high altitude. He wasn't sure. In fact, he wasn't sure where he was. Was he in a dream? As his thought process got more involved, two others walked in. The smell of sulphur invaded his air-space.

The two walked in step to their table, the plaintiffs. The taller of the two was in a black Armani suit and adorned with many rings and necklaces; diamonds in all of it. His orange-spray tanned look made the man think of New Jersey Italians. His face was spotted with burn marks, as was his suit, and ashes even fell out of his eyes. To secure his appearance, the being, now establish as a demon in the man's eyes, smoothed back his greasey black hair and took off his sunglasses, revealing two things; one- no eye in their sockets, two, a raccoon looking tan line around his eye sockets. The second of the two looked similar, however, he had no skin! On noting this, the man had to look away in disgust. The second demon also took off his sunglasses to reveal that he too had no eyes. He also opened a suitcase and took a dictionary looking book. From what the man gathered, it was a file; on him.

"The honorable Saint Peter!", called out the angel. The old man nodded at him and the angel stood with his feet apart now.

"If the plaintiff would list offenses on the defendant," said Peter softly.

"Beings of the court," began the taller demon, "I bring to your attention this book. What is this book, though? It is a file on this man, this human standing before you now! His offenses, clearly stated for the court to read, are as follows... In generalities. For the man's offenses are so great! So many! We would keep him here until his mortal death."

The demon slammed the book on his table and began to list.

"At age 16, a hit and run in his school's parking lot. That year, he also went a little too far with his girlfriend in terms of human affection. (He added a hint of disgust to this statement) At age 20, he lied to a clerk asking for some money for cancer research! Ahah! An enemy of the cure! Also then, he even stole money from his mother to make a payment he owed... To her! Disgusting... He then married at 23... And cheated on his wife! Infidelity and right after his vows were taken! He's been publicly drunk a majority of weekends since he was 18, and has even participated in the partaking of recreational drugs! Beings of the court, this man is sick! What's next? Murder? Rape? This man has broken the holy establishment of speed limits every day since he first got his vehicle license and driven drunk numerous times after wards. Beings of this holy court! This man belongs with us. He belongs in Hell. Thank you."

The demon, after his emotioned address, sat down and stared down the man. He was, and rightly so, awestruck that this demon knew all this about him. Has been under demon oppression this whole time?

Peter looked down at the man. "You look a little pale, boy. It's your turn to address the court."

The man looked up, obviously downtrodden. He was done. All was lost, all was over. He was going to die physically, in a few years or so. And then he will die eternally. What would happen to his eyes?! The man began to cry and under his breath, he prayed.

"God, if you're real, help me. I'm guilty of everything that they've accused me of. I'm guilty and I will die. I can no longer help myself, nor can I escape this under my own power. If you're real, only you can help me."

As he finished, the door opened revealing a man of a more intense glowing than Peter had. His attire was simple; white robes with a red sash. His sun-tanned face and black hair still seemed to glow, despite their complexions. His look was determined as he walked to the defendant's table and sat.

"If the plaintiffs remember," said he, who just walked in, "my client is innocent of all charges. He has been pardoned. This trial is a non-trial."

The demons smirked and went for the book again, but it was gone. The man who had walked in now had the book in his hands. A smile crossed his face and he touched the man on the back with scarred. "Go and sin no more."

Those were his last words to him. The man woke up in his bed. It had been a dream. But it felt so real to him. He sincerely thought he was at the edge of death, looking into the pits of hell. He had almost died... Forever. And who was the man who said to him, "Go and sin no more?" That dream was weird. He thought to himself that that may have been the worst drug dream he had ever had. Sitting up in his bed, he grabbed the courtesy Bible from his hotel room's bedside table.

And he sinned a little more, but recognized his faults. Although he was a sinner, he was forgiven. Although he once lived in sin, he now lived in Jesus, the man who took the book from his trial.