ungry.Manyofushomelesshobosusedtoliheretogetaboxoffoodtofillourstomachs.Johnalwaysusedthattimetopreachsermonstohiscaptiveaudience.HisfavoritetopicistheoneaboutDoomsdaythatyoujustheard.Wereallydidn’twanttolistentohisfire-and-brimstoheory.Iforonealwayshurriedthroughmymeandtriedtoslinkawayun-noticedbeforehefinished.Butmoreoftenthannothewouldcatchme,andcallmeback,telliomindmymannersandsitthereuntilthesermonwasfinished.WhatcouldIdo?Mystomachwasfullofthefoodheprovided,sounwillingthoughIwas,Ihadtositthroughhissermons.That’swhyhischurchwasmystresort.Ididn’tgothereunlessIcouldn’tfindfoodanywhereelse.Iheardthatgraduallyfewerandfewerpeoplewentthereandthechurchbecamestrappedforfunds.Thefoodtheyprovidedalsodeterioratedinbothquantityandquality.Thetestnewsisthatthelittlechurchhadtoclosebecauseveryfewpeoplewentthereanymore.Thepropertywassoldtodeveloperswhotorethechurchdownandbuiltamallonthend.Havinglosthisliving,thatclergymanJohnisnowpreaghissermonsoreets.Hisfuturedoeshteither…”Dimitripuffedsilentlyonhiscigarette,thinking,

    “Thepowerofthechurchhasweakened.Inafewdecades,ithaslostitsparishionersandthepropertyitselfhasbeensold.DuringtheDarkAges,divinityreignedsupreme,iofanychallengeorquestion,allowingthechurchtotroltheideologyofmanforthousandsofyears.Buttheeraofdivinerightswhendivinityrulesall,isnowgoneforever.Nowadaysman’sfreedomofthoughthasemerged,strengthenedandrisenabovedivinity.Thistrendmaynotbeagoodohebestratiowouldbethebanceofdivinityandhumanism,wherethetwowouldmutuallyrestrainandrelyoneachother.Butthisistoobigaproblemforme,amerehobo,tosolve.SoIhadbetterleaveitfortheologianstoracktheirbrainsover.”David’scigarettehadalmostburnttotheedge,butreluttodiscardit,hestilltookastmightydragintohislungsandtwolinesofsmokecameoutofhisnostrils.Hesaid,

    “WhenJohorattleonandonabouthisDoomsdaytheoriesIalwaystriedtosneakaway.IwassidtiredofhearingabouttheKingdomofHeaven,theingofDoomsdayaswelsthefloodsandfire…Ithoughthewasjusttryingtoscarethoserichdiesalemen.Forwhatmeaningarehiswordstome?MyprimarywastofillmystomachsoIwon’tgohungry,there’snothingmoreimportanttomeoutsideofthat…Butjustnow,hearinghimbabbleonaboutHeaven,JudgmentDay,endoftheworldest.didherepugIusedto..especiallyafterIhadbeentdomofDreams,histalkingabouttheKingdomofHeavenresonatedinmeandmademethinkperhapstherereallymaybesuchapce…IfthereissuchapceasKingdomofHeaveheremayalsobeapcecalledHell!Ohyes,haveyoubeentothesetwopces?”

    “I…I…Whatwereyoutalkingabout?”askedDimitriabsent-mindedly,hismindobviouslysomewhereelseanddidnothearDavid’squestion.“Wereyouaskingmesomethingaboutheavenandhell?AboutwhethertheyexistaherIhadbeenthere?Idon’tknowwhethertheyexitornot.Theymay,butagaintheymaynot.I’mnotsure.Imayhavebeenthere,butagainImaynot.Idon’tremember.It’spossiblethattheybothexistandthatIhavebeenthere.IamreallysorryIotansweryourquestions.Ireallydon’tremember.PerhapstheydoandIhaveneverbeenthere.Ijustdon’tremember.”Hearinghiswords,DavidkhatDimitri’smindwassomewhereelse,sohedidn’tpursuethesubjeymore.

    “I’mexhausted…Did

ungry.Manyofushomelesshobosusedtoliheretogetaboxoffoodtofillourstomachs.Johnalwaysusedthattimetopreachsermonstohiscaptiveaudience.HisfavoritetopicistheoneaboutDoomsdaythatyoujustheard.Wereallydidn’twanttolistentohisfire-and-brimstoheory.Iforonealwayshurriedthroughmymeandtriedtoslinkawayun-noticedbeforehefinished.Butmoreoftenthannothewouldcatchme,andcallmeback,telliomindmymannersandsitthereuntilthesermonwasfinished.WhatcouldIdo?Mystomachwasfullofthefoodheprovided,sounwillingthoughIwas,Ihadtositthroughhissermons.That’swhyhischurchwasmystresort.Ididn’tgothereunlessIcouldn’tfindfoodanywhereelse.Iheardthatgraduallyfewerandfewerpeoplewentthereandthechurchbecamestrappedforfunds.Thefoodtheyprovidedalsodeterioratedinbothquantityandquality.Thetestnewsisthatthelittlechurchhadtoclosebecauseveryfewpeoplewentthereanymore.Thepropertywassoldtodeveloperswhotorethechurchdownandbuiltamallonthend.Havinglosthisliving,thatclergymanJohnisnowpreaghissermonsoreets.Hisfuturedoeshteither…”Dimitripuffedsilentlyonhiscigarette,thinking,

    “Thepowerofthechurchhasweakened.Inafewdecades,ithaslostitsparishionersandthepropertyitselfhasbeensold.DuringtheDarkAges,divinityreignedsupreme,iofanychallengeorquestion,allowingthechurchtotroltheideologyofmanforthousandsofyears.Buttheeraofdivinerightswhendivinityrulesall,isnowgoneforever.Nowadaysman’sfreedomofthoughthasemerged,strengthenedandrisenabovedivinity.Thistrendmaynotbeagoodohebestratiowouldbethebanceofdivinityandhumanism,wherethetwowouldmutuallyrestrainandrelyoneachother.Butthisistoobigaproblemforme,amerehobo,tosolve.SoIhadbetterleaveitfortheologianstoracktheirbrainsover.”David’scigarettehadalmostburnttotheedge,butreluttodiscardit,hestilltookastmightydragintohislungsandtwolinesofsmokecameoutofhisnostrils.Hesaid,

    “WhenJohorattleonandonabouthisDoomsdaytheoriesIalwaystriedtosneakaway.IwassidtiredofhearingabouttheKingdomofHeaven,theingofDoomsdayaswelsthefloodsandfire…Ithoughthewasjusttryingtoscarethoserichdiesalemen.Forwhatmeaningarehiswordstome?MyprimarywastofillmystomachsoIwon’tgohungry,there’snothingmoreimportanttomeoutsideofthat…Butjustnow,hearinghimbabbleonaboutHeaven,JudgmentDay,endoftheworldest.didherepugIusedto..especiallyafterIhadbeentdomofDreams,histalkingabouttheKingdomofHeavenresonatedinmeandmademethinkperhapstherereallymaybesuchapce…IfthereissuchapceasKingdomofHeaveheremayalsobeapcecalledHell!Ohyes,haveyoubeentothesetwopces?”

    “I…I…Whatwereyoutalkingabout?”askedDimitriabsent-mindedly,hismindobviouslysomewhereelseanddidnothearDavid’squestion.“Wereyouaskingmesomethingaboutheavenandhell?AboutwhethertheyexistaherIhadbeenthere?Idon’tknowwhethertheyexitornot.Theymay,butagaintheymaynot.I’mnotsure.Imayhavebeenthere,butagainImaynot.Idon’tremember.It’spossiblethattheybothexistandthatIhavebeenthere.IamreallysorryIotansweryourquestions.Ireallydon’tremember.PerhapstheydoandIhaveneverbeenthere.Ijustdon’tremember.”Hearinghiswords,DavidkhatDimitri’smindwassomewhereelse,sohedidn’tpursuethesubjeymore.

    “I’mexhausted…Did