The Heaven

On 10 September 2001, Mary flew in New York to meet her husband, David. At night, when the cool air was blowing in the New York City, Mary and David were walking hand in hand in the City Hall Park.
Mary asked her husband the name of the tallest building in New York.
“Twin Tower of the World Trade Centre.”
“Are you working in that building?”
“Yes.” David looked at Mary with a smile.
“It's great!” Mary looked in silent admiration at the building.
On September 11, Mary and David took breakfast in Lower Manhattan. At 8.20am, David walked in the World Trade Centre to his office.
“Good-bye!” Mary waved her hand.
“See you in evening.” David parted from her with a smile.
Mary walked back to her apartment, standing at corridor. She was admiring the Twin Tower which was the highest building in New York City and once the highest building in the world. All in a sudden, a hijacked commercial jet, crashed into the North Tower. Looking at the smoke billowing out from North Tower to the sky; Mary was shocked and she tried to call her husband David.
At 9.06am, another hijacked commercial plane with full fuel-laden, speeding towards World Trade Centre and it slammed into the South Tower. The plane exploded, like a huge bomb and it melted the steel structural building of the Tower. Thousands of workers were trapped in.
Mary holding the phone, cold sweats was flowing down her forehead. She tried to ring David in his office, but in vain. She saw people leaping or falling to their death from the upper floors of the two burning towers.
“My God!” Mary shouted for help, “God... please help David! Help, help... him....”
Mary fell onto the floor and she fainted. When she regained her consciousness, she raised her head with terror stricken eyes, watching the towers collapsing and thousands of terrified pedestrians fled from all directions with high-heeled shoes, kicked off by woman as they ran...
Mary collapsed on the floor in comma.

(2)

Mary woke up. She dashed to the Twin Towers. Staring at the huge debris, she shouted and cried. Sweats and tears, liked drops of wax, were streaming down her grief stricken cheeks.
“David, David! ...” She kneed down on the floor and cried, “Help! Help! My husband is trapped in the collapsed building!”
A woman came and consoled her.
“Why... they wanted... to destroy the building and killed so many civilian working... in... it?” Mary asked.
“Terrorists destroyed the Towers!” The woman stared at the collapsed building and she said, “My son was in the hijacked plane.”
“Was he rescued?”
“All have been killed... included the hijackers.”
“Why they intended to attack America?” Mary asked.
“It is a long story... conflict between ethnic communities and a modern warfare among religious gods.”
“Suicide bombers must be mad; why they are not scared of death?”
“When their enemy's tanks rumbled into their land, hatred fire sparked off; they had no weapons to fight against the giants, so they used their body as a bomb; we named it suicide bombers, but their religious leaders named it ‘sacred explosions’ and they regarded themselves as ‘martyrs’.” The woman continued: “They believe that in holy war, they die, but their spirit will be ascended into ‘heaven’, in the bosom of the green birds of paradise.”
“Heaven? Heaven?! Why they killed so many innocent people even children in earth to pave the way to heaven? Why should people use religion to fight for their aim?”
Mary sat down on the rubble wall with her head bending down. She sobbed and whispered: What is the meaning of holly war? How to achieve social justice? And what is the purpose of religion?
In the past years, Mary tried not to have profound hatred of enemy and she devoted her life to pursuit of god's love. Through the power of love, we could live in peace and harmony. But now, her dream turned into ashes. Her husband was the victim of religious war; he was burnt and massacred by the fire of hatred. Mary was told that gods were pure and perfect; in the kingdom of gods, no war and conflict. But now assassination and massacre were all over the world. If religions caused separation and jealousy in our life, then, why should we have them?
Mary was dragging her weary body, strolling in New York City. She looked at the faces of the people passing by. She wanted to search for the master-mined who planed the bombing and killing. A tall black man was approaching to Mary. Mary stopped him and she asked angrily:
“Are you the mastermind behind the attack?”
“Are you mad?! My son is a fireman; he has been trapped in the Twin Towers.”
“Sorry then.” Mary apologized.
Mary walked with jolty legs along the street. She was so tired, she intended to lie down; but she did not stop walking. Before she collapsed, she had to try to catch the terrorists who tried to destroy our civilization, our peaceful world. When she saw the Daily News with photo of ‘Bin Ladden--the killer!’ at the headline, she grasped the newspaper and she looked him full with piercing eyes and she asked:
“Why...; you are a clever man; you wanted to start a holy war and misled the young suicide bombers? Why...?” Mary sobbed for a few seconds and she asked: “Besides suicide attacks and terrorism, you can't fight for justice by other means?”
Mary was weeping. When she was tired, she felt asleep on the bench in the garden.
Mary got up; she slipped on the ruins of the Twin Towers; to search and look with her cavernous eyes for her husband and the hijackers.

(3)

Mary entered the cave, she walked through the gloomy passage. A few faint gleams of sunshine lit up the gloomy mountain. She walked around the hill; she saw a signboard with ‘heaven’ hanging at the hillside. She looked around, no road leading to heaven.
Mary has never seen ‘heaven’ in her life. People imagine that ‘heaven’ is a perfect living place; people sacrificed their lives for the purpose of being qualified to ascend to ‘heaven’. Heaven was the house of gods and angles or good people to live in after death? A gentleman's wife passed away, he said that God took her home or was called home to be with God and live with peace and joy. If so, what kind of gods should be in heaven? And what kind of people would be ascended into heaven?
Mary looked upon, she noticed the slogans were written on the huge rock: ‘A heart empty of hatred is like a priceless gem’; ‘When people believe in love, peace and order can be seen; when people disbelieve in the power of love, disorder and chaos reign supreme’; ‘Destiny can be altered through virtuous deeds’; ‘Influence a person never to kill, thousands of lives are already saved by you’; ‘A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones’; and ‘The gate of paradise are opened to the virtuous, the sincere, the charitable’. Mary looked around with smiling face; no door was opened for her to enter the heaven. “I am not qualified to.” She said it with a sigh.
Mary turned to the other side; she walked several hours and she reached the ‘hell’. She saw a few small gates which written ‘3 lower realms’; ‘ghost realms’ and ‘hellfire’. The main door was opened. Mary entered and she noticed people were concentrated in working: Farmers working at the hillside, fishermen catching fish in the sea. Mary hanged around; she could not see her husband David.
At noon, she reached a small town. She sat down and she took a cup of tea. While she was drinking, a thin woman, with a child clung to her body, appeared. She begged for money and food.
“Why should you be a beggar, instead of working?” asked Mary, “what is your name? Where you came from?”
“Sefia, from Nigeria; I was sentenced to death by stoning.”
“Why?”
“I had conceived a child outside marriage; I was guilty of adultery...”
“This is the child you conceived?”
“Yes.” Sefia looked at her child, a daughter of one and a half years old.
After tea, Mary walked along a busy street, she saw a woman standing on a show stage.
“My name is Delia; I was named ‘Bandit Queen’!” She smiled and continued, “I lived by the gun and I died by it.”
“Why?” a man asked.
“Before I made use of a gun, I was bullied, raped and put in jail...”
“What a pity.” The man said.
“When I could not tolerate any more,” Delia holding a gun and she aimed for her enemies, “I fire!”, then a row of statue (bandits) lying on the floor; blood was streaming out from the dead bodies.
“Am I a queen or terrorist?” Delia asked.
“A beautiful queen!” The men shouted.
Audiences clapped their hands. Some lined up to give money.
Mary approached to Delia and she asked:
“Have you seen my husband David?”
“When did he arrive?”
“I suppose... the eleven of September .”
“I registered all new comers in the hell, but I did not come across of such person.”
“Besides this hell, any other place is provided for the dead person to stay?”
“Gods’ paradise--recently, a lot of people in the hell were recruited to gods' paradise for war.”
“War in heaven?!” Mary was downhearted and she continued, “In our earth, people were involved in wars, fight to qualify to heaven; now dead people still have to fight in gods paradise--for what purpose?!”
“They fight for the name of a true and mighty god!”
“Really?”
“Yes,” Delia continued, “the bastards raped me, I took revenge and I vowed to kill them; I was accused of a terrorist; killers and terrorists entered gods kingdom secretly. Now, they are fighting for powers and to be a super king.”
“Why can't you try to cease the fights?”
“If someone can assist me, I have dared.”
“I'll assist you.” Mary said it without hesitation.
“Good!” Delia said with a smile.
Mary gave her a hug.

(4)

Mary and Delia went in the gods’paradises. Gods' palaces were built along the mountain. Mary and Delia passed palace B. The god offered condolences to those who fought and died for his pride.
“I pray with your family for my blessings; you lost your life for cause of freedom and a civilized world.”
“Is god B really fighting for freedom and civilization?” Mary asked.
“He fights for his pride, his future; and he intends to rule the world with his military weapons and wealth.” Delia said in feeble voice.
While Mary turned her body and intended to leave; a woman carrying a son dashed to palace B for asylum.
“Please help! They want to kill me!”
“Why they want to kill you?” Mary asked.
“We were hungry; I stole a loaf of bread from the rich to my son.”
A group of god's soldier from palace O, rushed out and they caught the woman with ropes and dragged her back to palace O. Her hands being tied up and she was forced to march in the street. The verdict and punishment was written. She would be hanged in midnight. And her severely malnourished son was crawling on the road and he clung to his mother's leg and he used all his remaining strength in weeping.
“Delia, do something before midnight.” Mary held Delia's hand and Mary looked her full and begged her to rescue the mother and the child.
“I can't.”
“Why?” Mary looked at Delia with her glaring eyes, “you were heroine before, you dared to revolt, fight with the fierce men.”
“I can't die twice.”
“You are a coward!” Mary said angrily, “you should not be named Bandit Queen.”
“Listen to... me!” Delia held Mary's arms.
“Leave me alone, I don't want to make friend with a coward!”
Mary ran away from Delia and she went in the big crowds, looking for her husband David for help. Whenever and wherever she saw a man looked like David, she shouted ‘David’ loudly, but all of them turned away and said he was not David.
Mary rushed back and she looked for Sefia and asked her to help. Sefia agreed.
At 10pm, Mary and Sefia holding knives, they hid in the bushes. When the guard was nodding at 11pm, they dashed out and cut the ropes. Sefia carried the child and run away with the mother. Mary was trapped in a net.
“You dirty bastard; how dare you revolt and act against our god's will?!”
The soldiers tied her up.
“What kind of creature are you?! Why you all are so cruel and ill-treat the woman and the child?!”
“You shut your mouth right now or I kill you immediately!” the soldier shouted,“Do as you are told, don't give any hassle!”.
“I'll... die for justice and love; you... live... to be a... butcher!” Mary said with her teeth chanting.
“Open your blind eyes;” the god's soldier said in his fury, “Do you see the gallows? You are going to be hanged together with the prisoners, the shirkers of holy war!”
Mary closed her eyes.
The clock struck twelve, it sounded the time of death. Some were weeping in silence. The moment the god's soldiers put the gallows round their necks; their faces were stricken, their eyes were dim.
Mary raised her head and she looked full by her own eyes. Some died fast; some were dying in slow agony. A strong young boy; when the executioner put the ropes round his neck, he yelled:
“We want a harmonious world, without terrorists, and holy war; we want justice, peace and... lo...ve.”
Mary looked him full with lolling tongue of death.
Mary was the last one to be hanged. Before her chair being drawn away from her feet; a storm arose; it rained without ceasing.
Delia put her finger on the trigger, she fired a few shots; the executioner fell on the ground. Mary was lifted to the horse, they disappeared in the jungle.

(5)

Mary was lying on a marble slab. The execution had left traces of terror on her face. The sun was rising from the sky, the sunlight shone on her face. She opened her eyes. Delia jumped down from the horse and she passed breakfast for her.
“Thank you Sister Delia!” Mary looked at her with a smile.
When Mary was pulled up from the floor, Delia's warm body touched her cold one; Mary felt a stream of warm blood flowing down her body and she felt safe when she was together with a friend.
“You... are very brave.” Mary said in feeble voice, “Thank you for your help.”
A great trail of smoke was rising up from the jungle.
“Something is going on--We change and go.”
Delia passed a shirt and a cap for Mary and she put on a man's shirt and a big cap.
“Cover your head!” Delia shouted as a commander. Then, Mary's cap was on her head. “Bare your head!”
Mary's cap was removed as quickly as lighting.
“You are a good woman soldier!” Delia looked at Mary with a warm smile.
“You are a good commander too.”
They went up to the waiting horse, ran out from the jungle. They saw a big crowd, gathering in front of the stage. Delia and Mary were hiding in the crowds. A giant swordsman standing at the stage and he yelled:
“Bow your head before our lord Samak arriving; he is our mighty god. He'll announce and give an order to you.”
Together with a whirlwind and smoke, Samak descended from the sky and he said:
“I'm the king of gods! With my power and your faith, we can conquer and rule the world!” god Samak paused for a few seconds and he continued, “to-day our heroes had done a miracle job--we killed thousands of our enemy and we had destroyed their landmark and their pride!”
People clapping their hands in delight; some danced in time to the music and they yelled:
“You're our mighty god, a mighty god!”
A young man stepped out beside god Samak and god Samak announced:
“Mohata is a brave man, he was the chief attackers—through his faith and bravery, we have achieved our target. Now he will be lived in ‘paradise’”.
Mary's heart was beating fast; when she saw the terrorist who killed her husband; she gritted her teeth; she almost wanted to dash out to kill him. But Delia pulled her back and said, “don't be silly, we reserve our energy and life; wait for the right time.”
“Mohata, Mohata!” shouted a woman, “don't go away; come back to me, come back! I'm your mother.”
Mohata turned his head; he looked at the lady and without seeing her directly.
“I taught you to practice mercy and charity; to help people they need... help...” cried Mohata’s mother, “but now, you are a killer! I was shameful of you; I dared not face people, I committed suicide because of you...”
“Mother..., I...” Mohata was weeping.
With a billowing of smoke, god Samak caught Mohata and they disappeared.
“Mohata! Come back! don't be charmed and misled again...” cried the mother.
A week later, a detective jet was flying from palace B to palace O. The soldiers of god O gunned down the jet and captured two pilots from the kingdom of god B. The two pilots were executed. The war of fire sparked off. Thousands of civilians died; many of them died in starvation.
Mary and Delia left the palace and they lived in palace I.

(6)

Mary and Delia enjoyed a short period of peaceful life. Later, palace I was attacked by neighbor palace P. It was an ethnic clash between two different communities. They fought for their religious belief and to preserve their territorial integrity. They sparked off hatred fire along the border. They tried to kill each other out of sheer vindictiveness. Most of the people living in terror and utter degradation. Words full of venom and gall in the children's mouths; they liked to see their enemy suffering by bomb, gun fires and lying on blooded floor, struggling death and life...
“This is our holy land!”
“This is our homeland!”
They argued for their motherland. Both parties on alert at the border line; they were holding bomb and weapon; explosion and shootouts along the border. Mourners carried the coffin of dead; shouting slogan in the streets.
“A hero died for holy war!”
A mother cried for her assassinated daughter; a wife was in grief stricken as her husband was slaughtered.
“The war will never end?!” said Mary.
“Never end.” Delia replied.
“Why?”
“The fire of hatred can never be put off!”
“Why can't? Why can't we do something to stop the conflict and massacre?”
“The conflict and killing lasted several decades--The hatred in the young people's heart like a jungle fire, it's very difficult to be put off.” Delia said.
“Why can't we try to spread ‘love’ to both sides of the people?” Mary shook Delia hands.
“Ok, we'll try.” Delia said emotionlessly.
Night fell. There was a fierce battle along the border.
“Stop fighting!” Delia jumped out from bushes and she yelled loudly.
“We are all brothers and sisters!” said Mary, “Co-existence! Co-existence! We should live harmoniously!”
Both parties pointed their guns to Mary and Delia. Soldiers opened fire. Delia fled; Mary was caught by the soldiers of god P.
“Are you a spy from our enemy, the devil of palace I?”
“No, I'm a traveler; I don't want you all fighting for nothing!”
“We fight for our motherland, our mighty god!” a soldier answered.
“Are you not scared of death?”
“Why should I scared of?” the militant looked solemnly and said, “My body died, my spirit will ascended to heaven.”
“don't... be stupid; you should not be fooled by your agitator--put down your weapon, instead of killing each other; look for the value of our life.”
“You dare to say something against our leader?” the fighter looked her full. Mary was put in solitary confinement.”

(7)

After one month, Mary was released. She walked along the streets; it was a cloudy morning with drizzling in the sky and icy wind from the sea.
Mary intended to crossed the border to the kingdom I. She noticed a group of young people hiding at the building wall and they threw stone to the I soldiers. The I soldiers were angry, one soldier fired a warning shot; but the children from kingdom P were not retreated. They bent down their body hiding in a roadside drain and they threw petrol bombs to the battle tanks. The furious soldiers fired a machine gun, one child was killed on the spot, some injured. The dead body was carrying to the streets for procession. Mary rushed there and she tried to help them to move the injured bodies to a safe place. She tore her shirt and wrapped the bleeding leg of the child. Looking at the child's grief-stricken face, Mary asked:
“Why you all hate the I people and try to kill them?”
“They are our enemy, they occupied our land.”
Mary crossed over the border and she went in a fast food centre. She ordered a burger and a drink. When she was sitting in the fast food centre and eating; a gunman from kingdom P, dashed in and he opened fires to the civilians working and eating in the food centre. 6 woman and 2 children were killed, 22 injured. Instead of escaping, this gunman rushed to the police station and shot dead two police men. When he was seized, he pulled his pistol and shot himself to end up his life. Before he died Mary held his body and asked:
“Why you intended to be a terrorist?”
“This... is... the only way... for... revenge.”
“Why?” Mary shook his arms, “Why you can't forgive the innocent women and the children?!”
A van was driven near the dead gunman. I policemen fired a few shots to the dead body and they carried him and threw him into the van.
Mary stood up, stared at a policeman and she asked:
“Why you all have to... kill each other?”
“This is our land, god given land; P people are not entitled to stay here.”
“Your mind has been poisoned, your god is... selfish.” Before Mary could finish her words, blows rained down to her body. She fainted; when Mary regained her consciousness, she found out that she was in a servant room of the president's house.
“Our new president Bin saved you.” The maid continued, “He is a good president, he want to see people to live peacefully.”
Mary walked out the maid's room, she saw a big crowd, gathering in the garden of the president's house. After addressing, the president started to sing the ‘song of peace’. A young man hiding at a corner and he gunned the president down before he could finish his song.
Mary ran to the young man, she caught him and asked:
“Why should you kill your president?”
“He betrayed our nation and people—he supposed to lead us to fight and destroy our enemy; instead, he wanted to live... peacefully... with our... enemy.”
After finished his sentence, the young man fired a shot and he committed suicide. Before he died, Mary asked:
“Why you wanted to commit suicide?”
“I shortened my life, so that I... can be together with... my lord... in... heaven.
“Heaven; where is the heaven? Both parties claimed that they sacrificed for their mighty gods and all of them imagined that they would be ascended to heaven. Where is the heaven?” Mary asked herself.

(8)

To know more about heaven, Mary climbed up the mountain and she reached the entrance gate of heaven.
“What do you want, madam?” asked the guard.
“I wish to look around and find out how lovely the heaven is.” Mary said.
“No one is allowed to enter—except those qualified or holding permission from the board of governors of the heaven.”
“What about you?” Mary asked
“No chance—I went in once by chance.” The guard said.
“Isn't it lovely?”
“I can't see anything--heaven is a dream, an imagination.”
“Anyhow, I wish to see it by my own eyes.”
“You get a job and work here; by chance you'll be allowed to go in.”
Mary looked for job in heaven. A registration clerk was killed and the post was vacant. Mary went for interview, she secured the post.
At the beginning, Mary's work was simple. She issued forms for those intended to apply permit to heaven. Later on, the board of governors of heaven insisted that Mary had to question the applicant before submitting their forms in.
Mary sitting at the entrance hall next to the guard house; some time she turned her head to the entrance gate of the heaven; but most of the time, the solid gate was closed and locked, she could only peep in the heaven through the hole of the door when she passed in the filled application forms.
How heaven looked like? Mary was anxious to know. When she looked up the sky of the heaven, every thing was a blur. When she walked to the other side of the mountain, the slogan of peace and love was destroyed.
One day morning, a young man walked to the counter, Mary passed the form for him to fill. His name was Puli from East Europe.
“What have you done for qualifying you to heaven?” Mary asked.
“On 28 June 1914, I had done a great job--I killed the prince and princess.” He said when he passed in the form.
“Wait until we call.”
Puli walked away.
The next day no one turned up.
The 3rd day, a man from China, his name was Chin Ko.
“What is your intention to enter heaven?” Mary asked.
“To kill the tyrant who escaped from my country to heaven.” Chin Ko answered when he passed in the form.
The 4th day, a form was filled and presented to Mary. The applicant's name was Alto, a famous politician. But he was kidnapped and killed by his opponent. He was recommended to heaven with a letter from his master.
The 5th day, a supporter of Kovara, filled in the application form, Mary asked:
“Why your master wishes to enter heaven?”
“You know, my master was a revolutionist, he was killed and died for the poor, the oppressed; he died but he never stop his work. He intends to fight for justice in heaven.”
Mary was so impressed, she submitted his form in. The supporter walked away; halfway, he turned back and he informed Mary:
“My master was not a terrorist, he is a revolutionist, though he fought with the giants with terrorist measure—besides, we had no other way. Like a child, he could not using fist to fight with the attacker, he had to bite his finger and toe; but only the attacker's finger and toe, not other's”
The 6th day, a handsome, rich man arrived. His name was Rymond. He came from a small country of South America. He killed policemen and kidnapped ministers.
“Why were you so cruel to kill police and kidnapped ministers?”
“So that, my name can be appeared in the newspapers.”
“That's all?”
“That's all about.”
The 7th day, a Japanese red army Fong Sze appeared. She filled in the application form, Mary questioned her.
“When you were a leader, you sent out many groups of suicide attackers; all died except you survive--why you want to enter heaven now?”
“Interpol tried all over the world to catch me; heaven is an asylum to me.”
The 8th day, a woman reached the counter.
“What's your name?” Mary asked.
“Anna.”
“What had you done before?”
“On the 16th of March, I had done a great job—I kidnapped a prime minister; I killed him at last.”
“What's your intention to enter heaven?”
“To fight for a leader.”
The 9th day, a lady turned up.
“What's your name?” Mary asked.
“Bof... ” the lady said, “I was a red army leader in Europe, I did not achieve our target and I was arrested.”
“What did you do in the jail?”
“I hanged myself in the cell.”
“Why you wanted to hang yourself?” Mary asked, “And now why you want to come to heaven?”
“I couldn't achieve what I wanted in earthly world; and now I intend to come to heaven for my next struggle and mission.”
The 10th day, a young man named Charlis, arrived. He filled in the application form and Mary asked, “What had you done to qualifying to heaven?”
“I flew a light plane and crashed into a bank.”
“You're crazy!”
“Crazy for once.” Charlis answered.
The 11th day, Ebrehim reached the counter. Mary stared at him and asked:
“Why you left your god's kingdom and come to enter heaven?”
“I'm regret and I'm sick to see my followers are fighting among themselves; and I hope I can rest in heaven.”
“Do you think you should rest?”
“Other than that what can I do?”
“You should alter your scrip!”
“Then, how?” Ebrehim asked.
“Then, they are not misled and they would stop fighting.”
Ebrehim turned his body and he went down the track.
The 12th day, two gentlemen arrived. A minutes later, followed by a woman.
“My name is Sanimen, leader of black September !”
“My name is Jimel—the destroyer of black September !”
These gentlemen started arguing.
“I fight for my people--Palestine!”
“I fight for my people--the Jewish!”
“You two like to fight; fighting to your satisfaction; why should you make your people involved and in trouble?” the woman said.
On the 13th day, two gentlemen arrived from southern Europe. They were the great judges Koria and Liro. They were holding 367 warrants and 8601 sheets papers dashed to the gate of heaven.
“Please fill in before you go in.” Mary instructed them.
“Please do it fast, time is essential; we have to catch the terrorists and prosecute them in court.”
“Are you a judge?”
“Yes.”
Mary noticed they were the two greatest, braverest judges in the world. They sacrificed their lives to upheld justice, rule and law.
“Terrorism to law is just like poison to food,” Mary asked: “do you agree?”
“Yes.” Liro answered.
“Then, why you dare to fight against them?”
“That's why we name ourselves as lawyers.” Koria said.
“Good luck--our great judges!” Mary said with a smile.
On the 14th day, a weak man arrived. He filled in his name--Swanz.
“Why your body so weak?” asked Mary.
“I had hunger strive for 67 days.” Said swanz, “at last; I died in the iron lady's hand.”
“Why are you so stupid? Why not using your endurance and strength to fight for justice?”
“I never knew, the prime minister's heart is made of iron—she really is an iron lady!”
On the 15th day, Ben Sing arrived.
“You're the murderer of a good prime minister!” Mary scolded him, “You supposed to protect your master, and instead, you shot her with your pistol!”
“I betrayed my master but I was faithful to my religion.”
“Why?” Mary asked.
“She destroyed our golden temple--our spirit and soul.” Mary looked at his handsome face and well-built body and she added:
“Religion is our savior in time of need; at the same time, it's an agitator, if we are misled!”
“What did you say?” asked Ben Sing.
“I meant... god can give us medicine to save our lives at the same time it may give us poison to end up our lives.”
“True?”
“Yes, like you,” Mary used her right finger pointing to Ben Sing and stared at him with piercing eyes, “she trusted you, you saved her life once by using your body to protect her; but killed her at the end. Because your mind was poisoned, you became a terrorist instead an honest body guard.”
Ben Sing bent down his head and he sobbed. After a few minutes, he jumped up and shouted: “God, you're my mighty god? Why should I betray my master she treated me so good?!” Ben Sing strolling about and he ran away with tears.
On the 16th day, a gentleman from Middle East, his name was Sedit, he informed Mary that when he was assassinated, his graveyard engraved: He died but alive, lived together with lord. Minutes later, another gentleman arrived, his name was Beli. He stood at the back of Sedit, he said:
“I did a holy job to kill you--it was my lord's will, he promised to take me home when I died.”
Mary was so surprised to see these persons arrived at the same time and both claimed that it was god's will, god's arrangement. Mary looked at them and asked:
“Your lord and his lord is the same god?”
“I don't know.”
“I don't know.”
Both gentlemen shook their heads.
On the 17th day, Ohari reached the counter.
“Excuse me, I wish to enter heaven.” He said, “I supposed to report duty three years ago, because of unexpected delay, I came here to-day.”
“What was the unexpected delay?” asked Mary.
“I supposed to carry out my duty to bomb... the embassy; my friend delayed the work and I was blown away from the building--If I sacrificed my life then, I would be granted a permit to heaven without delay.”
“Now it's still in time,” added Mary, “but, will you be qualified?”
“I don't know—anyway, I had done my best; do you know?!”
“I don't know--but I know you're stupid!”
On 28th Jan, a woman suicide bomber arrived. She was pretty and calm.
“What had you done to qualify to heaven?” Mary asked.
“I am the first lady suicide bomber in the world; I killed an old man of 81 years old!”
“Why?”
“No matter he is old or young; as long as he is an invader, occupied our land, he is our enemy.”
On 13th of April, a twenty years old lady reached the gate of heaven; she sat down at the corner of the gate and weeping.
“Why are you so sad?”
“I supposed not to leave my... father and my family.” Cried the lady, “I didn't say good-bye to him; I... served a cup of tea to my father and then, I... left my house--, I love... my father so... much; but... ”
“Why you wanted to leave him?”
“I wanted to be the 4th woman suicide bomber—to carry out my mission... and sacrifice my body to my god.”
On 29th of April, a youngest and most beautiful suicide bomber reached the counter, she bent her head down with her long hair covered her face; she was sobbing bitterly.
“Why are you so sad and why are you crying?” asked Mary.
“On 29th of March, I... killed a young... lady of 17 years old in a supper market.”
“Why you intended to kill?”
“In fact, I... don't intend to kill... an ant.”
“Then, why you want to be a suicide bomber?”
“To be a martyr--to kill all our enemy,” the young martyr cried sorrowfully and she continued, “instead, I killed an innocent civilian who loved her mother so much.”
“You felt guilty that you delay to report to heaven?” asked Mary.
“In fact, I tried to look for this young girl; I want to make friend with her; we work together to stop the conflict.
After the suicide bomber who came from Middle East, left Mary; a heroine from southern Asia arrived. She said:
“My name is Taliar; I'm the most famous suicide bomber in the world.”
“Are you the one who exploded the bomb while you presenting flowers to the Prime Minister?”
“Yes!” She bent her body.
“don't attack me with your bomb!” cried Mary
“I have no more bombs with me now.” Taliar said with soft voice.
“You are a black tiger, without fear of death; why now you look so shy and timid?” asked Mary.
“I fell guilty now...” Taliar said in feeble voice, “I...”
Before Taliar finished her words, her friend Soobok dashed in and exploded her bomb which hid under her skirt.
The gate of heaven was damaged. A big crowd of people rushed in the heaven. Mary followed the crowds.

(9)

Entering heaven, Mary looked around. Mountain and trees were covered by thick clouds.
The crowds entered heaven; hopefully they could find fortune and jewelry. They were so disappointed to notice that haven was poorer than our earthly world. The gods were so holy; they spent most of their time to pray. Their followers had to be holy too, they work for a while and they prayed for a long time. Without farmers to take care, crops were hardly grown. They had insufficient food to eat; they were thin and weak.
Mary walked along the hilly road, without car and train. The murmurs of insects and prayers mingled in the silent night. The glittering of the stars, decorated in the sky. Mary was so thirsty; she drank water from the road side stream. She was tired, she lay on the grasses and she felt asleep.
The next morning, when the moon was rising from the mountain; Mary got up, she noticed some people rushing to the gathering field. She followed the crowds and she reached the field. Flags and banners hanged around the field. It was an election campaign. A tall gentleman, who newly migrated to heaven, was standing on the stage and he was addressing the crowds:
“I am the agent of the most powerful god, if I'm elected to be the king of gods, I'll use this new scrip from my super god to be the law and rule and our powerful god will help you by miracle to get what you want.”
Mary walked further, she reached a meeting hall. A lady was standing in front of the hall, she said:
“I'm the chief angel of lord, who dies so we live; he'll love you and your enemy. In our paradise, love and peace without fight. You believe in me you'll be given a new and abundant life.”
Mary turned to the left; under a big tree; a man with short hair, he was carrying a banner, which written: Humanity, integrity, courtesy, wisdom, honesty, is the five virtues to a meaningful life.
Under a big rock, crowds of man with birds in their hands; a leader said: “I am your only savoir; I'll lead you to the only god and paradise. If you leave me; you'll be condemned in the hell, suffer for ever!”
Mary walked forward, she noticed a group of people carried banners which written:
‘As you sow so you reap, it is all put in your name.’
‘To commit killing will result in sickness and untimely deaths.’
‘Practice compassion... no killing, is one of the pure blessings.’
‘Come to join us and we lead you to the paradise...’
Mary walked up to a hill; she noticed a group of bandits newly migrated in heaven; they were holding machine guns on guard. A giant with mustard was riding on a horse, he yelled:
“Man and woman, you must vote for me; I'm your king of gods; without me, you all can't live in peace--I'll make all sorts of trouble against you; if I am elected, I'll protect your life and fortune...”
Mary walked down the hill. Near the river side, a hooligan was sitting on a big rock, he said:
“I'm your master, you all have to follow me; I'll rob the food and fortune for you; if I lost the election, we'll die together--I'll bomb and shoot every one against me!”
Mary counted the election parties in heaven; it should not less than twenty.
“Why there are so many election parties in heaven; even more than our earthly world?” Mary asked an angel, and the angel replied:
“Heaven is changed, no more pure and clean. Recently, a lot of terrorists migrated to Heaven secretly; they formed their gangs to fight for powers.”
“Don't you think of leaving heaven?” asked Mary.
“I intended to but I have no freedom to leave.” The angel said with a sigh.
Election was on. Those loved gods and believed scrip's and miracle; they lined up to vote for them. The hooligans and bandits were using weapons to force people to vote for them. Before the end of election, they sparked off the fire of war. Shooting, bombing, killing all over the heaven. The fighting continued for months. Each gang tried to get the most powerful weapon to attack their enemy.
A stolen nuclear weapon was sold and delivered to heaven. Suicide bombers attacked every corner. One day, an attacker bombed the nuclear weapon; the nuclear weapon exploded; Mary was blown out of heaven.
Mary was sitting on a rock near the entrance of heaven. Turning back her head, she saw a few fire balls were billowing up; after seconds, the heaven was destroyed.
Heaven disappeared in Mary's mind. She could only imagine it as people do.

(10)

Mary woke up at night. A drop of tear was streaming down her cheek. She was lying in a bed of a hospital.
Mary got up, she walked down the streets; she reached the site of the collapsed Twin Towers. She noticed two torches of lights were illuminating the sky of the land mark. She gave a sigh and two drops of tears liked wax rolling down from her eyes.
At dawn, the mourners stood in silent as mourning song was played. It was the closing ceremony of the collapsed Twin Towers; to remember the victims but tried to forget the incident.
“God, you are my mighty god; through your name and power, I pray before you and I hope that my husband will be ascended to heaven...” a fat woman prayed.
“I have been--to heaven!” shouted Mary, “heaven is a blur--, nothing was better than our earth.”
“Really?” a mourner asked.
“Yes.” Mary said firmly, “I have seen it, and I saw it by my own eyes that the heaven has been destroyed by bomb.”
“Then, why people sacrificed their lives in earth, hoping to be qualified to heaven?” asked a mourner.
“That's why I said they are stupid... so stupid that they want to commit suicide and try to destroy our lovely world.”
A few minutes later, photographers and reporters from all Medias turned up; they surrounded Mary and they questioned Mary:
“How comfortable the heaven is?”
“How beautiful sceneries the heavens are?”
“...”
“Nothing.” Said Mary, “It was blurring; as blur as you imagine.”
Mary was arranged for speech all over the world by Medias.
Mary spoke in her addressing:
“The heaven has been destroyed, the hatred has been dispersed--actually it was nothing special, rock and mountain. You can easily find it in our world.”
“No god in this world; if any, ‘peace’ is our ‘god’, ‘love’ is our ‘god’; devils and hatred has already been killed when the heaven was bombed.”
“We have to love and take care of our lovely earth. All men and woman in our world are brother and sister; are equal. We should live harmoniously; no war, no conflict. We should help each other; if we want to fight, we should fight for peace and justice by a proper way.”
Mary was stoning, cursing, condemning...
Mary was mad. She has to be mad.
She was laughing... she laughed that people deceived themselves by using gods' names to achieve their selfish targets from ancient until now.

(2003)