CITIZENS OF NO CITY

Grace, after living three years in Russia could not wait to eat her first sushi. Tarrying patiently on the queue, she watched as people ate raw fish wrapped in seaweed. It finally came her turn. Her spoken Russian was awful she couldn’t even understand else she would have requested the sushi man to customize hers to suit her taste.

The view was beautiful, eating sushi on a beach, what could be more wonderful. “Быстрыe мпожалуйста” (be fast please) she said to him

Suddenly to her amazement, she saw the sushi man dropping his utensils and shouting some Russian she couldn’t place “Девушка отойти оттуда быстро!" (girl, move away from there quickly) She saw pandemonium, people evacuating the area where she stood. It was too fast and she was so confused

A vehicle was heading towards her with failed brakes. She said looking around “deliver my sushi or refund my money before you leave!”

Then like a flash she saw what they were running from. Before she could react, it was too late as she was hit into the ocean. Too damaged to struggle, she plunged down and deeper below sea level. The oxygen supply to her brain had started depleting.Unconsciousness set in. Her eyes shut and darkness took over. For ten minutes she kept sinking before the paramedics arrived.

Then instantly,she was no longer unconscious. She was out of the water and stood on the beach wondering what had happened and how she escaped such a gruesome death. She caught a glimpse of the sushi man and then ran to meet him for details.

“Sir what happened….and why are those people gathered over there with the paramedics” she said pointing at the area where she stood before the accident. No reply came from him. She then moved closer to tap him, but he didn’t feel her touch, neither did she feel his body. Alarmed she ran to another set of people, shouting “что случилось, что случилось, чтослучилось”……”what happened, what happened, what happened”…..”Listen to me! Why can’tyou hear me?”

It seemed nobody heard her, she was not even noticed. She ran to where people were and was shocked at what had kept them there. On the sand was her lifeless body. She then fought brutally for attention. “I am not dead”…..” я не мертв…..look at me!” She then moved forward to hold the hands of the paramedic guy performing CPR on her body. “Stop!”

Turning to the crowd, she shouted “stop morning am not dead, I was just going to buy sushi…” they could neither see nor hear her.

Without warning, a figure appeared and stood beside her. The figure was terrifying yet calming. He had wings and covered in light and everything about him radiated peace. He smiled at her and said in the most beautiful voice she has ever heard“you are dead” now be calm and follow me.

In a split second both started ascending to the clouds. She clearly saw as her body was being transferred into a waiting ambulance. The paramedics had given up and packed their equipments.

Most of her friends from school had arrived, some splitting their mouths in shock, some crying. Distance could not stop her from hearing them. Her course mate and closest friend said “but I spoke with her an hour ago! How can this happen?” Almost immediately another friend ran to the scene screaming “is it true? Is she dead?”

They kept moving higher. Both arrived at a place and the ascension stopped. All the while she kept mute, too scared to ask anything yet she felt calmed. This place is the most beautiful she has ever seen, no majestic scene on earth can come close to it, endless, solid and real. Vast jungles, parks, majestic mountains, oceans in size of earth itself.

They stopped ascending and started moving towards another being far beyond. As they moved along, she saw waterfalls a hundred kilometres high, mighty rivers packed with life, crystal clear waters, colorful and beautiful plants, each one unique and detailed.

Back on earth,her body had arrived at the morgue. Various people had arrived to view her and sympathise

The magnificent structures kept on unfolding before her eyes. “I will have to leave you soon, another will proceed with you” the angel said to her

They reached a greatly terrible building; the structure looked alive and in front of it stood a beauty full man. His beauty cannot be described with English or any other earthly language, his skin was so pure that it appeared transparent. He has no wings but had an air of authority around him. She felt a great urge to kneel before him, then realising she lacked a body to kneel with, she resisted. His eyes were so blue, green, gold….all colours.

“Are you God” she asked with much trembling

He looked at her, and then humbly replied with “I AM”

“Come with me Grace, I have a lot to tell and show you”

Deep down her, she was so determined to remain here forever.Nobody will ever dream of leaving once they glimpse this gigantic city.

Another journey started. They got to a bridge, with water flowing beneath it. She developed another urge to go swimming even without a body. There were souls down below,people, and children without tears. There were so many there, even considering the current rate of abortion.

They were all dressed up, some in modern clothes, some robes, some wearing nothing but light.Healthy, vibrant, solid and real. All were playing, laughing and jumping off the bridge, lots of laughter and joy.

To her amazement,amongst them, she saw her grandfather who died five months earlier. Her neighbourhood lost her life in a fire accident was there too, so many recognisable faces.

These are the citizens of no-city. They no longer belong to any city, race, tribe, country, continent on earth. All are citizens of heaven now. They are the saints.

The journey continued. They got to a fantastic place, it can't be described. The beings here are huge, tall, winged and powerful, yet gentle and subtle. Some citizens of no-city were there too. All were looking at a great light source which was the source of all the lights there.Their unflinching gaze was supernatural. They radiated happiness as it seemed they had been there before time.

Grace couldn't look at the light it was too bright for her eyes but the rest were staring brutally and smiling. Glorious songs were flowing out of their mouths. They were singing different songs with beautiful and eternal symphony. No repeated stanza, each unique, always new, utterly without description. She heard sounds of new instrument that never stopped playing.

They travelled what seem like days, or hours or minutes. Telling time in a place that has no time is difficult. She saw elegant tall buildings. They were constructed with nothing she had seen before. These buildings put to shame everything on earth.

What an amazing design. She gazed at the creator next to her, amazed at how brilliant He was.Even the simplest of the building design were thoughts of light years beyond the most brilliant minds of earth. Even the flowers around were busy singing and shouting praises.

Finally, the creator placed his palms on her shoulder and said

“look, daughter you have spent three days earth time here, my sons and daughters on earth have prayed so much for you…I will help their faith by sending you back. Don't forget all you have seen. I have finished all the mansions but the earth is not ready. They are not prepared for my coming. Some still do not have their names in the book of life, even you.”

She was shocked and greatly afraid at this, and as if He heard her thoughts

“Yes even you, if the book of life be closed today this place will never be your portion”

Those were the last words she heard as she opened her eyes where she laid in a cold chamber.