2021 Literary Magazine: The Rough Draft

Jessica Li “I mean, you’ve been at this for how many millennia now?

All this time and you never seem to get sick of telling people that their religion is fake, or that there’s no heaven or hell, or just generally discrediting whatever crazy beliefs the humans come up with. All these shocked, horrified, disgusted faces…” He trailed off, looking pensively at the towering pillars surrounding them.

Michael’s voice suddenly got very soft, and he looked tenderly at God as he said, “Do you never feel bad for them? The humans, I mean. You see thousands of them every day, spill the same truth thousands of times, and yet you seem completely unbothered. And yes, I know they’re your creations, and you’re just doing your job, but you can’t possibly say that none of this affects you. Well, take Doris for example. You basically just wrecked her entire world with three sentences and you didn’t even flinch! I know I’m only your assistant, so forgive me if it’s out of place to ask, but do you really not have any empathy for these poor souls?”

God was, to say the least, astounded. He gathered his thoughts for what felt like an eternity while Michael sweat bullets, and at last he picked up his controller, turned back to the TV, and said, “Nope.”

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