The day of judgment has come. Every soul, man, woman, child, will be judged for their sins. I am not the judge nor the jury. I am but one of many angels sent by God to act as an advocate for mankind. Lord, tell me why I'm down here. Are you punishing me? Forgive me for questioning you, but I can't bear this any longer. They don't want your love. They only seek your forgiveness after the fact. They think you're Santa Claus, making lists each night, praying for peace, yet doing nothing to bring it about themselves. They dug their own holes deep. have reached out to them their whole life, offering help, but they never reach back, do they? Please make me understand. You think you can judge me? Why do you let me live? You know what's in my heart. I'm gonna do it. You hear me? God. You couldn't stop my pain, so you can't stop this, can you? I'm David. Come in. I'm Elena. Though I assume you already know that. You mind if I sit? Yeah, go ahead. Floor's all I've got. Most of the furniture didn't survive the riots. I'm sorry to hear that. Are you? Yes, of course I am. Isn't it funny? God's got all that power, but not the guts to look me in the eye himself. And what would you tell him if he was here? That you're a selfish asshole. that even the most devoted, like me, get nothing in return. You really believe that? Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday, we were there. Bible study, prayer, giving whatever the church asks. We brought hundreds of families into the church. Even the most devoted get tested. If there was a test, we would have passed it as a whole family. But if you're asking me to play Job, screw that. I've been Job. I've been tested. I'm a mouse spinning in circles over and over. David. All because of him and his tests. I'm sorry. What happened to your family, Elena? Then why would he let them die like that? Why let them die the way they did, David? Please, tell me why. It wasn't God that allowed them to do what they did. Then who's responsible? Who? Those dirty, filthy men who did it. They're the ones responsible. They beat my husband to death. They stabbed my son over and over. They took everything from my daughter. Everything. All in front of me. And then they made me watch before beating me within an inch of my life. Take that, Job. If this was a contest of pain, then I won. Huh, Job? I'm so sorry, Elena. Why hasn't God said, I'm sorry, to my face? Where is he now? Where is the Almighty? At least when corporations poison their customers, they find a patsy to take the fall. Is that what you are? The patsy? God's looking at you now, through my eyes. How convenient for me. Why did you let me live, God? So I could suffer every day? I can't move. Can't escape. I eat where my family used to sleep on the same bed my husband slept in. Right there where you're sitting? My son was bludgeoned. It took me months to get the stain out. You still had work to do here. Tell me what that is. I don't know. Because I can't see it. If this is the speed train, then let me off now or let me jump from it. You have a purpose here. Believe me. Trust me on that. My Valentina was just a little girl. She was innocent. I was not. Why did he want her to suffer? Your daughter was special. Her name was Valentina. Say it. Valentina was quite a lovely person. She made people smile just by being in the same room Don act like you know her Those men who hurt your daughter they spent 25 years creating nothing but chaos and pain And now, they'll spend an eternity in it. I know where I'm headed. Straight to join those assholes. Why do you believe that? Do I really have to say it? I think you need to. I tried to. Actually, once they thought I was dead. So I guess you could say I literally killed myself. Tried three times. Pills. A tall bridge. A gun to my chest. Did it work? Is all the pain from your loss gone now? Not by a long shot. Then why do you keep trying to hurt yourself? Because the pain is unbearable. Something you couldn't understand. If losing your child is what you speak of, then yes, I understand. Don't lie to me. Angels don't have kids, do they? I don't lie. I forgot. Angels are perfect. I'm far from perfect. But a liar? Now I have nothing to gain by lying. So let's both speak the truth. Please. You have to know I'm already headed for hell, right? It doesn't have to be like that, Elena. Don't lie to me. I know I'm going to rot. Right alongside the men who slaughtered my family. Is that my hell? Living next to them every day for eternity? Tell me! Why did you give up on life so many times, especially knowing where you'd end up and who you'd see there? If you saw your child murdered in front of you, you'd understand. You'd know why I am the way I am. She was, and I do. Cops killed them. That was the end of that. So what now? Am I going to hell just for wanting them dead? Just for thinking? Because of that damn thou-shall-not-kill rule? Never for just thinking it. What if I'm not just thinking it? I take it that's meant for me. Your boss took my child, and now I'm going to take one of his. Killing me or yourself would be the same thing. A ticket to hell. No, of course not. Your precious book forgives child killers and molesters if they just say they're sorry. But a mother who loses everything, who breaks under the weight of it all? She's damned just like that. God was in as much pain as you were when you lost your child. I promise you that. No. I felt it all. Every tear, every memory, each one slicing through me like a thousand knives. Put down the gun so we can talk. I tried to use this stupid thing on myself once. My neighbor called the police. They saved me. Lucky me, right? I'm glad you didn't deserve to die. Others do. It's not my job to decide who lives and dies. I was meant to die with them. But that stupid ambulance showed up and took me first. Now you're cursing the ambulance workers as well. They should have let me die. I wanted to die with them. Instead, the ambulance, your boss, they made it a game. Who lives, who dies, like it was nothing. And did you say that to Lola? That was different. She was meant to die 25 years ago on the beach of Mexico. Until you... She was drowning, so I saved her. So what? You didn't have to. Everyone else just stood there, but not you. You ran as fast as you could and swam like an Olympian towards her lifeless body. She was just a kid. A kid with a family, with a mom, just like you are. I should just shoot you right here so you can feel my pain. Don't act like I don't know pain, Elena. I've known it across centuries. I don't pretend to carry what you've been through. But don't tell me mine doesn't exist. What pain do you know? I marched a hundred miles barefoot just to have my head taken by the Romans. I was tortured by the Germanic army for 20 days. Marked and beaten by the Nazis because in that life, I was a Jew. So yes, Elena, I know suffering, but losing a child, that pain, nothing compares. I'm not trying to hurt you, but he has to hear it. It's been 2,000 years since he lost his son. He doesn't understand anymore. He's out of touch, David. Every tear you've ever dropped has been accounted for by him. He cannot count the amount of tears that have rolled down my face. Yes, he could. And he does. Doubt that. Are you a robot? Are you trying to remind me of free will? I get it. If it eases your pain, then shoot me. Like those monsters shot you and your family. Here. Take the gun, please. I'm ready to be judged I know where I'm going You were eight You took the blame when your sister ate the whole bag of chips Your mother beat you for it But you stepped in anyway, didn't you? You protected her She was my sister Of course I did That is why I'm here, to intervene for you. Thank you. I truly believe you care about me, I do. But I'm done, David. I can't keep living here. Not in this world. I can't imagine being left behind. If I'm dead, maybe I'm in hell. But at least I'll be gone. Just another lost memory, like everyone else. If you're talking about hell, then my dear, You must know what to expect. You'll see your daughter every second, just glimpses. But not of who she was. Only of what was done to her over and over and over. You'll watch her family tortured again and again. Every day will be night. And every night, the darkest moment of your soul. This, this is what God is trying to save you from Hell isn't a place he puts you It's a place you walk into yourself It's where the demons of men belong And where their kind have to stay It's my fault I let them in, I opened the door to those terrible men There are a thousand things I could have done differently No, Elena Listen to me, there was nothing you could have done. Those evil men, they had already decided what they were going to do before they even got there. This is not your fault. I want to desperately believe you. You were 19 when a starving man, barely clothed, came to you asking for money. Instead, you took him to a Mexican restaurant. He was sick, weak, desperate. People scoffed at you while you sat with him. The manager asked you to leave, but you refused. Anyone would have done it. What you did echoed through the world. Sure. It did. The man you fed and clothed, he just needed that break. Before you saw him, he was ready to walk into traffic and end it all. He couldn't take the hunger, the cold, anymore. That can't be. You gave that man hope, and in return, he found strength he hadn't known in years. He took that strength and found his friend on the streets, a very sick friend. He took him to the hospital. And there, at that hospital, that man gave a tired, worn-out nurse hope, just with a few kind words. Stop. That nurse, she poured everything she had into saving a man who had already been pronounced dead by the paramedics that night. The man she saved went on to save hundreds of lives through his poetry. Through his words. Your kindness, it echoed. Across time, across lives. I deserve to be in hell. I killed myself. I was gonna kill you. Stop telling me about my kindness and start condemning me. I'm not here to do that. I'm here to bear witness only. Bear witness to this. Elena, put the gun down. That's enough. I... I... Stop this. Now, hell is no place for you. I've done worse in one life, let alone the many I've lived. You're not alone in this, Elena. I don't deserve mercy. Stop! I'm sorry, I... It's okay. That's for me, I guess. No. It's okay. I have it coming. No, you don't, Elena. Lord, hear me now. You must forgive this woman. She deserves more. Her family deserves more. They were taken from her far too soon. No one no one deserves to watch their family be murdered before their eyes I don want to come between you and God I deserve this I sorry for thinking of hurting you. And I'm sorry for giving up. Lord, hear me now! Restore my faith and take this woman into your arms. Whatever she has done after losing her family, do not hold it against her. Hear me now. It's okay, David. Thank you. I'm sorry. I hope you find your peace. No one is there. Thank God. I didn't know what to expect behind that door Nothing good, I promise I was expecting a large looking beast or something Well, can I ask you something? Yes, sure What is that song you keep humming? No pude dormir. No pude vivir sin ti. I can't breathe without your breath. I can't breathe. And I feel that I can't breathe. Take care, Elena. Tell your family I said hello. I'll see you next time. Sin tu aliento no puedo respirar Y siento que no puedo amar La constructing star How I'm going to miss you Tu sonrisa, tus ojitos, tu calor Pero en el cielo me vuelvas a cantar Con tu color y me vuelvo a enamorar Amor mío, espera mi alma. Un día estaré contigo. Y cuando te vea, besaré tu rostro Y juntos cantaremos sin fin Thank you.
