Sha Sha was very frightened. He very rarely even tried to go near the hospital. The other demons, the older, stronger ones, always drove him away because they already had the hospitals claimed as their hunting grounds. To complicate matters, there was also a Lord Of Light prowling this area. Sha Sha had watched him fly to and fro every night, but in his desperation Sha Sha had stayed near where The Lord Of Light lived, because the other demons were afraid of him. But Sha Sha's fears were overcome by his terrible hunger. He had been living on dying bugs and the tiniest of animals. The best meal he had had in weeks was a cat that had been hit by a car. Now the strong vibrations of death from the hospital drew him like a magnet drew steel. But many of the stronger demons had gone to the west to gorge themselves on the war raging in that direction. So Sha Sha had gotten deep inside the hospital, and neither Lord Of Light or other demon had approached him, and he had finally found the empty body that had been calling him. In an intensive care unit a mother sat beside a young boy being sustained on a respirator. His head was wrapped in bandages. Sha Sha could hear the mother's slient prayers to her God that her boy wake up.
"Poor little mother!" thought Sha Sha. "She does not know her little one has been dead for some time, that his spirit has already left his body."
Sha Sha slipped into the body, taking the space its spirit had once possessed, and began to gorge himself on the boy's energy, satisfying his hunger for life. He still heard the mother's prayers.
"Oh, little mother," he thought, "how gratefully I would be your son and this time I would not teach hate, I would not kill babies, I would be fair and just to all. And, I would always honor you. I would not fail you like I failed my other mother long ago. Is there no pity?" he whimpered. "Must I suffer forever? I long for the peace of forever Darkness, but I am too afraid to break the bonds of this world. Oh, foolish one, you chose The Darkness. Do you think now you can walk in The Light?" Sha Sha scolded himself.
Suddenly something tore at him. He felt himself being jerked, and for a moment he thought that another demon stronger than hiim had found the body, and was pulling him out, so he, too, could feast on the remaining life. But then pain hit him; not the pain of death, but the pain of life. He began to feel bruises and cuts, a chest being forced to rise and fall by artificial means. he opened his eyes and realized that he HAD opened his eyes...REAL eyes, and the warmth of life, REAL LIFE, was joyous, even with the pain. The woman beside him saw the eyes open, and gave a joyous cry.
"Doctor!" she screamed, "Doctor! He opened his eyes! He's alive! He's conscious!"
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Dow," the doctor said, "that's impossible! I told you before there's no brain waves. Your son is dead. We should disconnect the respirator."
As he spoke to the woman he turned and Sha Sha blinked and weakly raised a single finger.
"Oh, my God!" the doctor said and rushed forward. "Bobby, can you hear me?" he said. "If you can hear me, blink your eyes twice."
Sha Sha responded and the doctor stood up. "I'm going to turn off the respirator," he said, "I want to see if he can breathe on his own"
When the machine stopped, Sha Sha fought to make the body work, but it responded effortlessly to his will.
"Easy!" the doctor said, "Easy! Breathe easy, son! I can't believe it," the doctor said, "he's alive and, functioning on his own. We'll keep the respirator handy just in case, but I think he's going to be all right, I think you'd beter go home, ma'am, and get some sleep. He's going to be all right now. Your son is going to be fine!"
The doctor escorted the woman out of the room. Sha Sha was confused, bewildered. He not only had life, but he understood the language these people spoke. He knew the names of friends and relatives. He knew his mother's name. He knew his father had died a few years before, and his mother was interested in another man that lived nearby. Bobby liked the man, too, and had been going to see him, running across the street when a car shot out of a driveway. it had hit him and he had struck his head on the curb. That was all he remembered.
"Residual memories," a voice said, "the brrain you've entered still has the memories of its previous occupant, they will fade somewhat, as your personality takes over. But you should be able to gain enough information in the meantime, to function among these people without too much difficulty."
Sha Sha's head turned slowly and when he saw the source of the voice he was filled with terror. The Lord Of Light, the sworn enemy of all demons, stood in the room. Even in this form its brilliance hurt Sha Sha. The Lord Of Light seemed to realize this, and dimmed.
"I don't understand," said Sha Sha, "only you could have put me in this flesh...I do not have the power myself. But you are pitiless, merciless, you destroy evil!"
"True," said The Lord Of Light, "but I am also just. And when one has suffered long enough, and is truly repentant, I can give mercy." He held out his hand, and the soul that had possessed the body before Sha Sha appeared. "This one called me," The Lord Of Light commented, "This one asked me to give you his flesh. He did not ask to return to it himself, as much as he loved life, and loved those around him, but he asked that it be given to you. When such a gift is offered, when such a love is shown, I cannot refuse. But remember, Sha Sha, I will be watching every hour, every day. If you betray this gift...."
"I understand," Sha Sha said, "you do not have to say the words." Sha Sha looked to the spirit, "You will never be sorry," he said, "but why? Why did you give me this gift?"
"Because I loved you," the boy said, "and I do not want you to be lost forever."
Sha Sha turned back to The Lord Of Light. "Soon," he said, "he will be like you. Soon he will be a Bearer Of The Light, like you, Ancient One."
"As you have said," The Ancient One answered, "so must it be. Now sleep, Sha Sha. We must depart. His loved ones await and I must walk him to The Gateway and give him to a Guide that will take him through The Veil Of Tears, but do not be surprised, Sha Sha, if in a short time you have a brother!"
"Lord Of Light," Sha Sha asked, "will I ever forget I am Sha Sha? WIll I ever think I am just a little boy?"
The Ancient One shook his head. "The bond between your flesh and your spirit is too strong. You will always have an awareness of what you truly are. But if you live this life, and live it well, if you do not make the mistakes you made in the last one, when the flesh is old, when it has lived out its days, you will not need to fear The Passage. You will not be greeted by hate and anger but joyous hands will guide you through The Veil Of Tears."
"Thank you again!" Sha Sha cried, as The Lord Of Light and the boy stepped through the door. "I will await my brother with joy."
Outside the door The Lord Of Light handed the boy to a grandfather who had come to guide him to The Spirit World.
"God bless you!" the grandfather said.
"I hope not!" The Ancient One answered, with a smile.
The little boy laughed, and the grandfather grinned.
"Whatever you perceive The Great Love Of The Universe to be," he said, "let it shine on you forever!"
So be it also, with you," The Ancient One answered. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have to go whisper in a little girl's ear who saw her uncle do a very bad thing, and run away."
"Won't he hate her?" said the little boy. "Wouldn't it be best just to let it go?"
The Ancient One knealt beside him. "In time," he said, "he will forgive her. But if neither of them do what is right, then both will hate themselves the rest of their days."
The boy nodded. "You are wiser than me!" he said.
"No!" The Ancient One answered. "You simply have more pity. You will soon learn when to set aside these feelings, and do what is right. It is not always easy, but you will learn."
The two spirits stepped through The Veil Of Tears and The Ancient One continued on his way.
"A good race," he thought, "a good race that is learning well. They are making mistakes, but give them time....just give them time!"

The preceeding story is fiction. Any resemblance it bears to true persons or places is coincidental, and not the intent of the writer.

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