Jacob roamed the ocean floor, climbing mountains and crossing chasms beneath the sea that rivaled any found on land, and yet he felt no awe at the opportunity afforded him. His mind could only conjure the face of the sailor who found peace in the arms of his loved ones, and the knowledge that such peace was beyond his grasp.

Eventually, Jacob was compelled to journey in a specific direction, and he could do nothing to resist the urge. He had no concept of time since there was no sun to rise or set in the crushing depths of the sea. After an eternity of darkness, he began to climb towards the light, and eventually exited the water.

Jacob had no desire to continue forward as he did not wish to relive any more of his tormenting memories, yet he knew the urge would consistently grow until it was obeyed. He journeyed in the required direction, and after some time found himself traveling to the garden plot where his body was buried. Jacob felt no connection to the location, yet the painful force compelling him to travel in this direction was fading the closer he came to his plot.

When the plot itself came into view, Jacob saw an individual standing near the plot staring in his direction as if in anticipation. The figure was that of a tall man in a white robe with a green sash across his shoulder and bare feet that left no footprint. He was cleanly shaven with a head of curly white hair, yet his face and stance suggested he was in his prime. There was a leather-bound ledger in his hand with the symbol of a flaming torch on its cover, plain and without color.

“Jacob Marley, I presume?” the man said with a knowing smile.

Jacob was stunned and did not answer right away, but the man only continued to smile warmly, openly, and waited for Jacob to collect himself and reply. Jacob wanted to plead with the man to save him from his torment, but much like the first time he had seen the dark-robed figure, he was firmly resolved to remain silent on the subject.

“Yes, that is … was my name … in life” Jacob replied

“And in death does it remain yours, Jacob” the man said, tapping the cover of the ledger with his finger when he said Jacob’s name as if to accent the documentation of his name. “My name is Jared.”

“What do you want of me?” Jacob asked the man.

“I wish to know you better, and to know what you have learned about yourself in the last year.” the man replied.

“The last year?” Jacob asked.

“Yes, today is Christmas Eve, as well as the first anniversary of your death.”

Jacob felt like the bone-chilling, numbing, endless fatigue had lasted a lifetime, yet a single solitary year had passed since his death. He fell to his knees, covering his face as he wept in anguish. He did not know how long he cried, but in time he looked up to see that the man was still standing there, a pitying smile on his face as he patiently waited for Jacob to collect himself.

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“Jacob, what have you learned about yourself in the last year?”

“I have learned that these chains are heavy!” he snapped at the man.

Jared made no reaction to his response, but he opened the ledger and began writing in the ledger with his finger, writing words as if his finger was an ink quill.

“Jacob, what have you learned about your fellow man?”

Jacob thought about the question and felt anger floating to the surface of his emotions. Anger at himself, anger at his situation, anger that he had to talk about the torment he had no escape from.

“A common sailor is lifted up while I am trampled to the ground. No respecter of persons indeed!” Jacob said loudly, and if he had a body he would have spit upon the ground.

Jared grimaced at the prolific misinterpretation of the words of Peter, yet said nothing as he wrote in the ledger with his finger.

“Jacob, what would you change about your life if you could go back?”

Jacob had no need to think of a response.

“Everything!” he said, emotions bouncing from anger to desperation faster than thought.

Jared made no reaction and did not write anything down in the ledger. He closed the cover of the ledger and tucked it under his left arm. Then he stretched forth his hand and took Jacob by the arm, hauling him to his feet, chains and all.

“I have asked you three questions. If you have them, you may do the same and I will answer if I can, then I must depart,” he said.

Jacob was not expecting this at all and had not considered such an opportunity would come his way. The businessman in Jacob felt suspicious of such an offer, freely given and unexpected as it was. He wanted to ask if he could think on what to ask, but was wary of the question counting as one of his three questions.

As if he could see into Jacob’s mind, Jared spoke. “Time is irrelevant to me so I am inclined to give you all the time you wish. That being said; I cannot interfere with the duties of other messengers; thus, you must continue your journey soon. I would recommend asking your questions now, Jacob.”

Jared had spoken slowly with the intent of allowing Jacob time to think, even when denying him such time. The delay was all Jacob needed to remember certain aspects of his journey that had been plaguing his thoughts.

“Very well, my first question then. Why can I not see other spirits … burdened like me?”

“In life, there is a concept called pride. In and of itself it is not an evil concept, yet it can be a gateway to many unholy paths. With enough pride in anything humility fades, judgment ensues, and envy is formed. You cannot see the torment of others because you would constantly compare your torment with theirs. Your torment would then have a worth, or quality to it when viewed next to someone else’s. Thus, you could develop pride in damnation, which would defeat its purpose.”

Jacob was astonished and grateful that he had received such a complex and detailed answer. It gave him much to think on, but he felt an ending to their conversation approaching and wanted to ask his other questions.

“I have seen chains added to souls of the living, yet I have not seen any removed. Are we expected to be perfect in life?”

“Not at all. The links you saw formed were for your own understanding of the situation you have created for yourself. They can be removed as part of repentance” Jared answered.

He began to thin out, becoming thin enough to see through as he answered Jacobs second question, and Jacob felt that their time was almost spent. It was then that he realized it had become dark as they had been conversing, and it was most likely close to midnight. Jacob quickly asked his final question.

“Can I end my torment?”

The man had that pitying smile on his face again, filled with love and sadness as he shook his head back and forth.

“You can do nothing to save yourself,” he said while pointing to something on the chain at Jacob’s feet.

Then he was gone and Jacob was alone in the dark of night, staring at the single sheet of paper pierced by his chains at his feet.