...Placing her body as neatly and quickly as he could inside the beautifully-carved wooden coffin (hidden away under many layers of wool blankets) he’d placed in the back of his pick-up truck,  the boyfriend buried it where he was sure no one would find it. After all, he wouldn’t be that cruel as to never pay her a visit. He’d even add in a few prayers for good measure, he decided.

 

Would God answer the prayers of a sinner like him? A murderer? He certainly hoped so. He was not evil –he had simply been serving a greater purpose. God would surely understand and forgive him. 
He congratulated himself on a job well done.

 

Yet it wasn’t enough. It was never quite enough for someone to accomplish something so brave, yet not be able to share it with anyone, was it?

 

So he’d called the one person who would understand, just as soon as the burial was over. His new friend: a very powerful man. Just like Linette’s precious John, but even more so. He was extremely glad this man had come into his life recently, becoming an older brother figure to him. No. More than that. He had become his hero, with his quality clothing average people could not afford, slicked-back,raven hair and deep, charismatic voice. This was a guy you wanted to be associated with. This was a man who had gained many riches in life, yet had never forgotten humanity. A spiritual man, he believed in love and respect for all of nature’s beautiful creations, as the creations of God. He believed in the value of wealth through hard work –never promising instant wealth like some scumbag gurus he had heard about. He wasn’t stoic though- he did occasionally reward good behavior through gifts. This man was real: supra-human, in his eyes, yet simultaneously down to earth and gentle.

 

He met him at an academic lecture he had come across while trying to earn his graduate degree in order to gradually accumulate an elevated status of sorts that Linette could brag about. But, of course, Linette began acting as if she would not be able to wait for him while he pursued his own road to success. 
 

Initially supporting him, his sweet angel had gradually started accusing him of wasting his time, taking out loans for a ‘useless degree’ in today’s ‘networking-valuing world’. But not Him. His words that magical spring evening were inviting in tone, and appreciative of hard work: "...higher education is an end in itself, in becoming a more elevated and beautiful creature of God..."

 

He had spoken those words precisely at the perfect time in his life. He had become so impressed by him in fact that he had gotten in line to buy a signed copy of his book just to meet him.

 “You have the godlike power inside you, lad, to achieve anything you desire,” Lar Iktar had told him, leaning closer and staring deeply into his eyes. 
Around fifteen people in front of him in the queue had bought the book, yet he’d observed that Lar hadn’t paid as much attention to any of them. Lar was a worldly, accomplished man. He knew things, and he was always right.  “I can see it. You just have to rid yourself of everything and everyone misleading you from your true path.”
 

And so he had.