An Early Grave by Richard Dickson

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Let's just finish so we can go back. I don't want to have to look at them anymore. They're so beautiful. I ... I can't bear it..." He choked back another sob.

Garrow's look softened, but his voice remained firm. "Hemket, if we bow down now, we'll be on our knees forever."

"You idiot!" Hemket cried, unable now to stop his tears. "On our knees? We're already on our bellies! And no matter how tall you think you stand, you'll never be as high as them again! Now, I beg you, let's finish this before the sight of them blinds me! Already their image remains when I close my eyes. I won't have their light with me forever." He bent back to his digging.

And after a long moment, Garrow joined him.

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"Hold," Abalim said. Garrow paused and looked up to the edge of the hole, now a good foot above him. "This is now deep enough for our purposes."

"So we can go?" Hemket asked weakly.

"Of course not," Ulariel said. "Your job is only half done. Climb out of there."

"And quickly," Abalim added. "They are coming."

As they scrambled out of the hole, Garrow saw a haggard figure approaching, struggling with an awkward burden. Hemket gasped
.
"That's a man."

The man staggered closer, his weathered, bearded face pale and drawn. Garrow could see that he carried another man, who, save for his bare jaw, bore a strong resemblance to the one who carried him. This second man did not move, and no breath seemed to move in his chest.

Abalim flew forward, until he floated before the man, who stopped and cast his gaze down, unwilling to look Abalim in the eye.

"I came as the raven told me to," he said heavily.

"I shall take your burden," Abalim replied, easily lifting the unmoving figure. "And now you must go. "

"Where?"

"Anywhere but here."

The man nodded slowly, then turned and walked away, never once looking back.

Abalim gently placed the other man in the hole. "Who is that?" Garrow asked Ulariel.

"Someone who knows more of reverence than you do," Ulariel said, "and whose soul has gone to the Father. From this day forward, all whose lives end shall thus be returned to the earth. Now, cover him."

Garrow stared. "We just spent all this time taking the dirt out, and now you want us to put it back in?"

"Are we going to start this again, Garrow?" Abalim rumbled.

"Fine," Garrow said, beginning to heave the earth over the man. Hemket simply stood, crying.
"What's the matter with you?" Garrow asked.

"He gets to go back," Hemket said.

"What?"

Hemket pointed at the man, his shoulders slumped in misery. "He gets to go back. They'll all get to go back. And every time we look up, towards the one place we long to return to, we'll have to look up through all these holes, filled with those who'll go where we can't."

Garrow shook his head, then fixed a glare on Abalim and Ulariel. "He's right, isn't he?"

Abalim smiled, a terrible smile with no hint of warmth. "Of course. For what else is Hell but to be removed from His presence?"

Garrow nodded and went back to his work, hoping the shadows cast by the setting sun hid his own tears.
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