28-Aug-2020

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28-Aug-2020

Catastrophic Angel Response Team (C.A.R.T.)

Guardian Angel: Zeek

Rank: Possible Archangel

Mission: Survive The Testimony Circle

I had expected the light to burn me as I stepped through, but all I felt was a little tickle, and then I was falling. Wind tugged at my robes. I cracked an eye open and found myself above London as it had been when I was alive.

Smoke obscured rooftops rushed up to meet me, and I’m not ashamed to say I screamed like a little girl.

That’s when I stopped with my navel just inches above a church spire.

None of the people bustling below noticed me as I hung there, looking around.

“You must be Zeek.”

I jumped. More like jerked to the side and landed on the roof of the church in a heap.

“Ouch,” I said as I got to my hands and knees. I’d expected the Testimony ritual to be more chains and demons. Less sunshine and the smell of London in the spring.

Ugh. I hadn’t missed the underlying stench of open sewers.

A hand took my elbow and hauled me to my feet. The touch burned both hot and cold. I pulled my arm away and stepped back from the figure before me.

He wore glowing robes and looked like a nice old man. The power oozing off of him both repelled and attracted me. I shook my head and rubbed my face. “Where am I?”

“You’re in the Testimony Circle.”

“And you are?” I asked.

“Call me Mike.” His dull eyes flashed gold for a moment.

Michael? The Michael. I eyed the kind-looking man warily. Then looked around, because wondering if I was in the presence of the most powerful Archangel ever made me wonder how fast I could fly away. “What happens next?” I couldn’t call him Mike. “Sir?”

Mike smiled his grandfatherly smile. “Not one to beat around the bush, eh?”

I shook my head.

“Well then, Zeek, let’s get to it.” He traced a circle in the air with his finger and the world around me twisted and rolled up before rolling back out. I took an unsteady step and found myself in the small village where I grew up.

“Do you know why you’re here, Zeek?” Mike asked.

I looked at him, caught a glimpse of the immense power behind his wrinkled smile, and turned my gaze to the ground. “Zedekiah says I’m a natural. An archangel.”

“Grouchy Zedekiah?”

I nodded.

“Love that guy.” Mike gestured to the small hovel of a house to his right. The place I lived until I’d left home. “He’s right. You have the potential to be an archangel. The power is inside of you doesn’t have an alignment. It will be what you tell it to be.”

My throat tightened as a young man walked to my house and looked in through the window. I balled my fists and ground my teeth as my sister emerged, took the young man’s hand, and ran toward the woods.

“Today is the day he hurts her,” Mike said.

I didn’t trust my voice to answer.

“You never got a chance to punish him.”

No, I had not. The lout had left the village after he’d ravaged my sister and left her for dead. My insides shook, and I felt power gathering to strike.

“Would it make you feel better to kill him now? Before he hurts your sister?”

“Time travel is prohibited,” I said through gritted teeth.

“Not for me,” Mike said.

I had been the one to find what was left of my sister. She’d been clinging to life, and let go once I knelt down beside her and took her hand. All she’d said was, “I’m sorry.”

Why had she been sorry?

He was the one who should pay.

I breathed out, and hot, golden light came from my nose.

Mike raised his eyebrows in surprise, but said, “What will it be?”

Not realizing the danger my sister had been in that day was the biggest regret of my life. I’d made mistakes with my wife and children, but we had always worked it out. When my sister died, I’d lost that opportunity. “I can really save her?”

“You really can.”

This was all too convenient. My biggest regret. The person who had caused it. Immense power the likes of which would allow me to take out a mountain range at my finger tips. I squeezed my eyes shut and forced my breathing back to normal. “No,” I said.

“Are you sure?” The world twisted again, and when I opened my eyes I found myself standing in the woods. Nothing was moving—as if the moment had been frozen in time.

The young man and my sister were sitting close, kissing.

Obviously nothing had happened yet.

And I could stop it before it did.

My lessons from the academy came back to me.

Not even archangels were allowed to change the past.

I ripped my eyes away from my sister and turned to Mike. “I’m sure.”

He waved a finger, and time started again.

Instinct caused me to mirror his movement, and everything stopped. “I said, no. Not even you’re supposed to change things. There are rules for a reason. I won’t be the one to break this one.”

A slow smile spread Mike’s lips. His old man facade shifted and grew into a muscular man a head taller than me and wearing a robe similar to mine. Golden eyes regarded me. “Impressive.”

I fought to keep my eyes from where my sister sat. “Can we go?”

“That’s up to you.”

I growled and twirled my finger just like he had. Instead of my village, I imagined the Testimony room. As it began to materialize around us, Mike spoke. “You’re a powerful angel, Ezekiel.”

“Ezekiel?” I asked.

“Can’t have the newest archangel named Zeek, now can we?”

I snorted. “Pretty sure Zedekiah will still call me Zeek.”

“I’d be disappointed if he didn’t.”

***

Thanks for reading Zeek’s story. Honestly, from about episode five I had no idea where it was going, so that was fun! Maybe we’ll see more of Zeek someday.

Did you miss the beginning of Zeek’s story? Click HERE to start from the top!


1 Comment

Joni Mann

August 29, 2020at 7:02 am

I enjoyed that! It made me think if I’d had archangel experiences of my own. Thanks.

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