A man led a distinguished military career. At the end of his days he was a General of the US Army – having fought in Vietnam followed by a rise through rank to a most powerful position. 

In his teenage years he was top of his class. As a top sportsman and scholar he had also been a notorious bully – fighting a nerd and stealing his girl – then taking the accolades for what he did to become the high school jock.

He was driven by ambition and upon return from Vietnam he knew he wanted to rise above the ordinary rank of foot soldier.  At the time a colleague, who secretly adored him, assisted in this and after many years he reached his secret goal – to be general.  Upon promotion he had her demoted and she left Washington for an overseas posting.

When, finally he was decorated as General, one man stood in his path of being the top General.  One night after a fake friendly meeting in a bar he took the man out into the woods and shot him.  Being clever he covered it all up and it was listed as an accident.  That’s how he got to the top.

When visiting the troops in Afghanistan in 2008, he was giving a speech.  An Afghan security guard in an Armani suit hugged him, after his speech, to the sound of cheering soldiers. This triggered a suicide bomb and the two were blown into the afterlife.

He, “woke up,” to find himself in an ultramodern building that was very cold. As he came to his senses he realised it was a library.  He felt very tired – the kind of tiredness you feel if you have too much sleep – and the place was pin-silent.  He could see someone in the room, far away, hunched over as if reading and oblivious to him.  He tried to call him but when he opened his mouth his exhausted voice made no sound; he was mute as well.

Getting to grips with his surrounds but barely able to move from the modern chair at a low table of this library he noticed many books on the shelves nearby.  Not one had printing on its’ spine! “This is strange, books without titles on their spines,” he thought, “Where the hell am I?”  The room became cooler; typical of ultra-modern, over-air conditioned buildings and he shivered. Hugh picture windows displayed very bright gardens outside but without horizon. The contrast and glare stung his eyes.