Ab Annuo, Per Diem, Ad Infinitiem

The lights dimmed and two large spotlights flicked on, focusing on a dark figure moving to the podium of the stage.1

No one clapped.2

Rows and rows of bowed heads and teary eyes filled the room, which, by the by, could seat a maximum capacity of over 70 billion. The dark figure took its place behind the podium and adjusted a microphone that would project his voice over one thousand speakers to suit the silent audience.3

No one looked up.4

No one lifted an eye nor even blinked.5

The figure's eerie eyes gazed over the entire audience. Looking down at an enormous book situated on the podium, he began to speak in a deep, dark voice: "Now," he said, "You are here, all of you. Men, women, children, but all of mankind's race. Destined to one fate. Death."6

No one flinched.7

No one shook their heads in disagreement.8

And NO one knew better.9

"I am your king. Your master. YOU are MY slaves. But even slaves are... 'rewarded'. Some of you I enjoy 'working' with, others I wish condemned. I know everything. I have ALL the POWER! I am your 'god'."10

No one hated him for it, no one even cared.11

"I would like to now give each one of you an award for your life's work. For over 6,000 years you have walked the earth, and now you shall see the harvest you have sown reaped."12

Everyone knew what they had coming.13

The dark figure began naming off the deeds of individuals, a ceremony that would take over a year. It went through the awards quickly. The "awards" including everything from "Earliest Premarital Sex Relations" to "Worst Pot Indulgence", "Worst Weed Indulgence", "Worst Smoking Habits", "Worst Drinking Habits", "Most Drunk in One Sitting", "Worst Liar", "Most Hate Harbored", "Most Catastrophic Sex Affair", "Worst Adulterer", "Worst Murder", "Most Homicidal Human"; ANY and EVERY kind of sin was recalled to those who had committed it, and handed back to them in the form of rusty metal plaques.14

No one applauded anyone's "achievements".15

No one smiled.16

No one laughed in humorous retrospect.17

But EVERYONE cried.18

Finally, after the course of a year had played itself out, the figure announce, "Now for the GREATEST and FINAL AWARD! To each and everyone of you, I give the title of SINNER." He hissed the "S" in such a cynical way, and held it out for several seconds. The entire conglomeration of whites, blacks, mulattos, latinos, asians, people from every nationality, burst into wailing. The figure smiled sinisterly as it looked at the congregation, thoroughly enjoying what thoroughly destroyed them. The dark figure stepped down from the podium and walked slowly toward the back of the stage.19

Suddenly, a blazing light entered the back of the gigantic room, and nearly blinded every person there. The dark figure stopped in his tracks, and slowly turned around. The look on his face demonstrated fear in the greatest possible extreme. The source of the light had the shape of a human, moved like a human, walked like a human, but was FAR from human. The light moved through the entire room, and the man at its center walked to each row, picking out maybe 1 person for every 5 rows, sometimes 2 or 3 from a single row. As he picked them out, he took each of their rusted metal plaques and threw them on the ground, crushing them each in turn with his heel. The dark figure's expression as he stood on the stage remained that of sheer terror as the human-like lamp walked among the people, dressing those whom he selected in white robes, and putting unbounding joy in each of there hearts. After he had finished, he walked to the stage. He stood face to face with the fearful figure and shouted, "IT IS DONE. Judgment has been passed. One thousand years from now, you will be destroyed, Satan. And your kingdom perish. But those who remained faithful to me, they are SAVED. You've LOST."20

And the seemingly immortal Satan began to crumble, very slowly, but enough that, in one thousand years, he would be no more than nothing. The man, Jesus, led His captives out the back, with the Book of Life tucked under His right arm, and the gloriously long train of His robe seating everyone that He'd chosen. Those who He had not chosen stared, dumbfound, some recalling that "Jesus" they'd heard of, others wondering why hadn't they trusted the Christians in their life, still others' minds stammered ignorantly over who this man was, and why hadn't he chosen them.21

So came judgment day, and so left Christ with the Faithful. So came tears and agony, and so left some who'd know joy for forevermore. So Satan would crumble, and so God won.22

As Jesus was walking away, Satan, in all his fury and paranoia, took his natural form, a serpent, and slithered to the door in the back. He sped in front of the white-clad saints, and stopped in front of Christ. He coiled up and began to hiss. Jesus stopped when He saw him, and just stared, glaring. Satan hissed for several seconds, then, suddenly, shot at Christ. Jesus lifted His foot as Satan came, so all Satan got was a fangtip in His heel. But, as Christ brought His foot down, He crushed the serpent's head with such a sound that everyone heard, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and everyone knew that judgment had been passed.23

Jesus Christ and His followers left for paradise. Those who remained could not believe... they never had before and were not able to now.24