I’ve paused sharing Five Talents excerpts for the time being because, as noted in my other post today, I took the week off from it after hitting my milestone of finishing the rough draft. I’m ready to start in on editing this weekend: I have it printed with red pens and post-its ready to go. Before I dive in (and likely begin sharing more excerpts I find worthwhile as I go through it), I’d like to share the final scene of the book, wherein my Devil Gast, Lilith, Calvin, Karen, Sally and Tessa all sit for a meal to discuss where they go from here.
The truth is that behind all the goofiness, absurdity and satire, there was always this concern being confronted by all my characters as the undercurrent of their challenges: what are we doing about eternity and how does our work matter in that scope?
Karen gave a curious look, “wait, so Tie became the new VP? What about you?”
Gast shrugged and looked at Lilith. Their eyes met and held each other’s gaze as smiles crept up like blossoming flowers together. They giggled and bumped foreheads affectionately before Gast turned back to Karen, “I tendered my resignation.”
“Devils can do that?” Tessa asked in surprise.
Gast chuckled, “Well, like Lilith, I never really died and thus never really got sent to Hell, I just ended up there as something to do to pass the time until the end of time.”
There was a hush of awe at the table. “So, you decided to move on from Devilry?” Calvin asked, unsure of what else to say but sure someone should say something.
Gast nodded with evident pride, “yeah , Lilith coming back and this whole fiasco just proved to me that working for the sake of work is no way to approach eternity, so I’m going to find something more worthwhile to dedicate my talents to,” he put his hand over hers and smiled, “-with her.”
Sally quipped, “if you you mean taking up golfing, I’ll say it sounds like retirement.”
Lilith bobbed her head in consideration, “sounds more like reality.”
Calvin blew a heavy breath at the depth of the exchanges, “sounds daunting.”
Gast nodded with an encouraging grin, “that’s eternity for you, it’s a pretty big thing.”
Calvin laughed nervously, “finally, someone who understands my near constant anxiety.”
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