Two kids are sitting at the foot of a couple of stairs outside school. They are chatting away their afternoon, not yet ready to return home. And he begins.

It’s a simple story, really. There was nothing. And then there was light. And all of Earth came together in 7 days’ time.

Just like that? But the Earth is huge!

Yeah. God can do anything. And He made all this. He made us.

But my mom says it took billions of years! Of things melting and forming. Of things evolving. Into dinosaurs. And then into us!

Dinosaurs transformed into us? But dinosaurs are huge! How does that make sense?

I know! I thought that was so weird. We’re nowhere close to a T-rex. But she says that it’s the same way we come from dinosaur-monkeys. It’s in our DNA, passed down for many-many years. We have the same genes. It’s like the tiny stuff in our bodies.

That’s in our cells; I read that in science class. It doesn’t make who we are though. We aren’t like monkeys, cause they can’t think, can they? Like us. Even if they have the same genes.

Hm. You are right. They can’t talk.

Yeah, you can’t talk to a monkey. My mom says that’s what separates us. We are specially made. In God’s image, so we can talk. And when we die, we go to Heaven.

My mom says nothing happens after you die.

Nothing? What happens to your soul then?

I don’t know. But she says life just ends. Your memories. Your dreams. Everything you are, you just disappear… my aunt died last year, and we’ll never see her again.

That’s so sad. You don’t think she’s in Heaven?

She said they cremated her and now she lives in an urn. In the dark, every day on a shelf.

That’s scary.

Yeah. I don’t want to be shut away forever in a jar. I won’t be able to see anything anymore.

Well, that won’t happen to me. Cause I’m going to Heaven.

You are? Can you see there?

Yeah! It’s bright and sunny. And everyone’s souls are there. And I have a soul. And you do too! If you follow God’s plan, your soul will go to Heaven.

You think so? My soul can go to Heaven? Is God’s plan easy?

Well, I don’t know yet. But it’s in the Bible. We’re reading it in Bible studies.

Does my aunt have a soul? Could we let her soul out of the urn to go to Heaven?

Yeah, she does. And I think so! She has to be a Christian though.

A Christian?

Yeah. I’m a Christian. Are you?

No, but can I be a Christian?

Yeah! We can go to church on Sunday! There’s four of us who go— oh, but! You have to believe in God.

Oh… but my mom says he doesn’t exist.

No, He does! He created everything. Where else would we come from?

But… how do you know?

My mom said so.

How does she know?

It says it in the Bible.

How does the Bible know?

Cause God wrote it.

But how does God know?

I don’t know. He knows everything.

But how do you know that? What if he’s lying?

God can’t lie.

But what if he did?

He can’t. It’s in the Bible. He watches our souls in Heaven and He knows everything.

But he wrote the Bible, didn’t he? Couldn’t he just make it up?

Well, how do you know He made it up?

Cause he doesn’t exist.

Yes He does! My mom said so.

Well, my mom says he doesn’t. She says you’re all just brainwashed to think that.

Well, my mom says He does. And she says all non-believers go to Hell. It’s the place for bad people. And they torture you there.

But I’m not a bad person. I don’t want to go to Hell. Why did she say that?

I don’t know, but I’m not brainwashed. I know He exists. You’re just not a Christian.

But to be a Christian, how can I believe in something that I don’t know exists?

He exists! Here. I’ll ask my mom. She’ll know why God exists. I’ll tell you what she says tomorrow. I need to go back home for dinner.

Okay. That makes sense— oh! don’t forget your flashcards! Mr. Rupee said to study for Chapter 2.

Oh, thank you! I almost forgot. And yeah, she’s read the Bible a bunch already. She’ll know the answer. Cause I don’t think you should go to Hell.

Yeah. I’ll ask my mom why she thinks you’re brainwashed, you seem fine to me.

Cool. See you tomorrow?

Yeah. Thanks for hanging out after school. I just moved here, so I don’t really know anybody.

No problem. It’s hard being in a new school. I had a cousin who moved recently too. They’re in Hacienda Heights now. But I’m glad to meet you!

Same! See ya later!