Stuck In-between... A Twenty Four Hour Short Story

"...but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die..."

I hovered in the netherworld, the world in-between, my domain, and I watched them build. Day after day they laboured, tirelessly trying to find another way to create gods out of themselves.

In a way I was amused, though it wasn't in the slightest bit funny, at least not to my kind. But the consistency with which these creatures betrayed Her Holiness made my job worthwhile sometimes.

And today it promised to be just that, and more. For today, man would put to test the latest of their creations of defiance. The Tesla TXV.. the machine which would bring them teleportation..

Or more importantly, the machine that would carry them through the netherworld.. through my domain...

And Her Holiness wouldn't meddle in this one. After all, she gave me her word. And obviously, God cannot lie...

Pixabay

Stuck In-between...

Annabelle watched the preparations go on below from the glass wall of her elevated office. Everything seemed fine..

"Going as planned", Matt, her assistant cum eyes and ears in the offices and workspaces below her had said.

But all those assurances didn't satisfy Anna. At thirty-six, she didn't rise to the top of Tesla motors by being satisfied with just perfect. She rose because she worried upon that which was considered perfect. And this project was proving too perfect for her liking.

So she stood, worried. Hovering like an eagle over her offspring, watching with keen eyes.

"You worry too much."

Anna breathed in sharply, then she relaxed. Over the years she had repeatedly had Matt creep up on her unexpectedly. Not that he did it on purpose though, it was just his way. And it was what had made him invaluable to her. Yet she never managed to get used to him.

"It's my job to worry." She said, as she turned and walked towards her desk.

"No, worrying for you is my job." Matt answered her, smiling. "Sometimes I wonder why you pay me."

"Sometimes I do too." Anna said, but without returning his smile.

Matt came away from the door, and walked towards Anna.

"Just think about it.." he said, gesticulating as he spoke. "National Monday headlines.."

Anna leaned on her desk, watching Matt without smiling. But a faint trace of amusement was beginning to register in her eyes.

"Annabelle Crawford.." Matt continued, with a certain note of tenderness now noticeable in his voice. "And a Leap Into the Future of Travel."

Matt reached close to Anna, her smile was now reflecting his. But she placed a hand on him to stop him coming any closer.

"Not here.." she said, in a near whisper.

Matt smiled, but his expression was more business-like now.

"Alright boss." He answered. "I'll leave you to it."

As Matt made his way out of the office, he thought about Annabelle. Not Annabelle his boss, but Annabelle his lover. The girl who didn't even know she existed. The one he intended to show her, soon. After the final human test...

Anna watched Matt leave the office, as quietly as always. But she wasn't thinking about him anymore. Her thoughts were already back on the project.

Teleportation wasn't possible, at least not in the minds of many. But she was going to take the 'im', and leave them with the possible. Because she was Annabelle...

She walked back to the glass wall of her office, and continued watching. The ever hovering eagle...

..........

"...Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever..."

..........

It was time. Time to bring God's words to bear. From my castle in nowhere, I watched the humans. Why, oh why did She make them in Her image? These creatures did everything to defy her. Worse than Lucifer...

I had let them do their first few tests. From inanimate objects to the lower animals. I had allowed them pass through the netherworld with no hitches, bodies and souls...

But this was the final test, the human test. The one which was not supposed to happen. The one which tipped the scales and brought Men closer to being gods...

I waited and watched...

The human called Annabelle stepped into the car. I smiled, she considered herself invincible...

But men will never be Gods...

I watched, the world watched, Her Holiness watched. Anna hit the teleport button, so confident...

No, not under my watch...

THE END

#SladenSpeaks

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Written for @mctiller's Twenty Four Hour Short Story Contest

This one calls so much for a sequel. Maybe, just maybe...

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