Minnie Goes to Heaven (37)

(a novel continued)

As well as praying at the lake, all that week Minnie took part in the heavenly game. Each of heaven's newbies received a personal invitation, a purple tunic with a twine belt and a small pouch. The kick-off for the game was held in Samuel's meadow. 

Hamilton, an angel, called everyone to attention. “I am here to proclaim the rules of the heavenly game. This game is about your education. By the end of the week you will have determined your place in school. Rule number one: there are no playing rules. Object of the game: find the Tree of Life. Playing field: the woods at the far side of the meadow.” 
Everyone turned to look at the large forest behind them. 
“The game ends in five days. Any questions?”

“What do we do when we find the Tree of Life?” someone shouted—although there wasn’t a need to shout—sound travelled easily in this meadow. Minnie wondered if  her very thoughts were audible.

“There are instructions inside your pouch.” Hamilton answered.

A woman, not far from Minnie, asked, “May we leave the playing field during the game?” 

“Of course. You may go wherever you wish, whenever you wish. Simply know that the game will be completed when you hear the shofar. Then we meet here.”

There were no more questions. Hamilton encouraged the participants to go in peace and with joy of the Lord in their hearts.

Minnie set off with the thousands of others from every nation of the world. There were men and woman of all colours and many ages. She fell in with a black woman. They shared their stories. Lydia had lived in Kenya until she died at the age of 80. Now she looked ageless, except for eight barely perceptible lines around her eyes. 
“That’s the age graph,” Lydia told Minnie. “You have four lines and the beginnings of another so you must have died in your forties. I asked my angel about the lines.”

Lydia and Minnie stopped at the edge of the great woods. “We should make a plan rather than wandering aimlessly,” Minnie said.

Lydia agreed.