The look the woman gave him was what made Jack approach her. It was sad, but determined. And those eyes, so pale they seemed to glow the same muted white as her long hair. Her eyes seemed to stared into his soul, calling him to her. And as he crossed the street to her, he took in her strange attire: sandals with straps wrapping up half her shins like the Greeks wore, a floor-length red skirt with a large slit up one side revealing her legs in the cold wind, a top that barely covered her chest the same red as her skirt and very loose sleeves that only came to her elbows. She looked as if she was from another world as she just stood there looking into him.

When he got to her, Jack couldn't help but stare; it was the middle of November and she wasn't even shivering in the brisk wind that hadn't seemed to stop blowing for the past week and a half. Jack himself was in a leather sports coat, tuque and gloves. He was about to ask her how she wasn't cold, when she put two fingers to his lips. "Shh," she said in a gentle whisper. Her fingers were surprisingly warm on his dry, cold lips. "Follow me."

Without questioning why, Jack found himself following the mysterious woman to a nearby Super 8 two blocks away. She didn't say another word the whole way and her head was slightly bowed. She lead him through the empty parking lot, up the stairs and to room number 24. And without even unlocking the door, she walked into the room with Jack barely two steps behind.

The room was a standard hotel room: a double bed, small dresser with a 20'' T.V. on it, and a small desk and chair beside the bed between it and the door. At the far end of the room was the door to the bathroom. Thankful to be out of the cold, Jack removed his tuque and gloves and put them in his jacket pocket, then undid his jacket. Throwing his jacket onto the bed, Jack again tried to speak, but was again cut off.

"I apologize for the theatrics," she said, "but I find that men these days react better when there's a bit of a mystery in the chase." Her voice had a subtle accent to it, but Jack could not think of any that it reminded him of. Finally, the woman turned to face him and he got to see her face in the light of the room. Her skin was quite pale and even in the light of the room, her eyes and hair seemed to glow that strange muted white that had first caught his eye. "Please Jack, sit and allow me to explain.

"You're a good writer Jack; one of the best of your generation. And I have a story to tell you. A story you think you know, but one that not one soul on this Earth has ever gotten right."

Jack was slightly put off by the fact that she knew his name. He was completely surprised that she thought his writing was good; sure his mystery column was the county's favourite, but he never thought himself any good. With great caution he said, "Firstly, thank you but you give me way too much credit. Secondly, how do you know who I am? And lastly, what story do you think that only you know the truth about?"

The woman smiled slightly at his questions. If a smile can be both friendly and disturbing at the same time, this was the perfect sample of it. "I know more than just your name Jack. I know that you live for your column, but hate the fact that you have to appeal to a large general audience now that it's what sells the paper you work for. I know that your coworkers nicknamed you 'Ripper' but that it doesn't bother you, you actually like it a lot. And most importantly, Jack, I know that you are pure of heart. As for my story, it's the story of my parents and how their romance forever changed this world."

"Me-pure of heart?" When the woman nodded, he just shook his head. "Listen lady, I've been called many things but pure of heart ain't one of them. In fact, I think that that is one thing that people would say I am not. And how can one couple's romance change the world?"

"By changing the fate of it. If it weren't for my parents, life wouldn't exist the way it does now: there would be no pain or suffering or death even. The world would still be the Garden of Eden."

At hearing this, Jack burst out laughing. This woman was crazy if she thought that her parents were the reason for all the bad things in life. "Yeah, right. And my grandfather invented the question mark." But the dead serious look on her face made Jack falter in his laughter.

"You haven't even heard who my parents are. But to prove to you I'm not lying when I say this, let me tell you one more thing about you that I know. Despite your local fame, as well as many opportunities growing up, you Jack are a virgin. A thirty year old virgin and you don't even care. Your mind is freer because you don't care for that sort of thing." Hearing this, really gave Jack pause. Those few people who were close to him didn't even know this about him. How was it that this crazy stranger did?

Seeing his pause, she again gave him the friendly yet disturbing smile. "And now that I have your undivided attention, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Karthaersis, the daughter on Lucifer and Lilith. And yes, I mean the ones from the Bible."

The monotone of her voice as she said this, combined with the seriousness of her face, made Jack believe her for the slightest moment. "Let's say, I believe you. What is the point of all this, Catharsis?"

"It's Karthaersis, but call me Kara for short. And the point of all this is to convince you that what I say is the truth. For as long as we are together in this room, I will not lie to you about anything. I've waited a long time for this meeting, and I intend to make it worth my wait." She strode to the desk, picked up a pen and pad of paper and placed them in front of Jack. "You are to write this all down and publish it so the world will know my family's story. There are still people who I need convinced to help me, and yes, you are one of them."

"Help you with what?" Jack asked, thinking he knew the answer.

"Free my father from his wrongful imprisonment," Kara said, the sadness and anger in her eyes was unmistakeable. "No one has seen my father since the second time he was thrown from Heaven and trapped in his cage. My mother has thrown herself into the dungeons of our home and hasn't said a word to anyone in nearly a thousand years. All I want, is my parents to be reunited; but I learned long ago that that can never happen.

"But enough of this; it will be explained in my story. So if you please Jack, take up your tools and let us begin. My father awoke to the brilliance of God..."