They say purgatory is the grey between heaven and hell, the limbo a soul is caught in before it leaves this world forever.
Purgatory is not as simple as people think it is. There is no monotone field where people flock like sheep until they are reaped, shorn of their memories and history, and allowed to pass, whether heaven or hell.
Purgatory is actually layered. You’ve heard of the seven circles of hell, presumably. Well there are three layers of purgatory.
The first is Ghost Life. The feeling of continuing on with life, as if nothing is wrong. Blind to the truth, unable to see what is so clear to all others. Many souls spend much time here.
The second is Death Comes. The acceptance that death is inevitable and your time has come. The time spent in this layer is usually much shorter.
The final layer is Final Journey. This is when you make your way through the pearlescent veil of death and pass into either heaven or hell.
I’ve been feeling trapped in purgatory for quite some time now, but this week I find myself especially so.
Ghost Life is represented by Vision, who stumbles blindly through life, blissfully unaware of what others can plainly see. Vision, so blinded by his own ambition did not see Grimskull for who he was. Vision is now stuck in the Ghost Life level of purgatory himself, unable to move on until he lets go of that old life, and embraces the new.
Death Comes is represented by Dr. Death, who likes to dole out his namesake to those around him. Dr. Death is stuck in the Death Comes level of purgatory, unable to exact his fatal fantasies on El Mariachi Muerte.
Final Journey is represented by Tombstone, who earns his keep by transporting the souls of the dead to their final resting place, in heaven or hell. Tombstone is stuck in the Final Journey level of purgatory, gridlocked by the one journey he can’t complete – mine.
And though I have found myself in my own person purgatory, I pity the three opposite me in the ring this week, as they have it far worse than me.
I am not stuck in Ghost Life, for I can see clearly the problems in front of me, stark and bold.
I am not stuck in Death Comes, for I have met the jaws of death many times now.
I am not stuck in Final Journey because their can be no final journey for me.
So although I have my own private limbo, I am not stuck in the same way that Vision, Dr. Death and Tombstone find themselves. They are stuck in situations that they could quite easily end if only they had the mindset and the balls to take life and death by the scruff of the necks and demand what they want.
I’m in purgatory because I have to be.
They’re just here because they’re dumb-ass motherfuckers.
Now ain’t that a laugh?