The Supernatural World of Vladimir and Viktor, Chapter 57
It was still the night of Vladimir and Viktor's birthday and as their tour of the universe continued, Daniel was asleep in an ornately decorated wooden rocker on the front porch of his home.
A hand pressed to his shoulder and shook it, causing the elf to jump up cursing the finest of Elfish curses.
"Sorry," he had to say when he realized he was in the presence of his elders. "What's going on?"
"There are strangers from outside the realm requesting entry," said one of them. "The larger one cannot enter. Literally. He is from beyond the outer universe, wherever that is. But the younger two you know: Vladimir Tomesku and Viktor Timms."
Alarmed, Daniel grabbed his staff. "Why wouldn't they be with Eddie or Castiel? Did the boys appear to be in danger?"
The elders had no time to reply. Daniel had already stamped the staff to the ground and was gone.
Assured that Hank was coming to the plaza in Purgatory's portal to Heaven where they sat, Jesus continued his conversation with Castiel.
"Earlier I asked you how you think humans have fared since my visit. I was thinking more of how God's Word has spread among them since I introduced it.
"You were there and you returned. Although you are an angel, you have had experience as a human so I consider you to be an informed and impartial judge. Are humans kinder?"
Castiel thought it over. "As an angel I have developed a liking to humankind, so I may be biased. But, liked Amazing Bob, I have been influenced by them. So you judge me. Am I what you hoped humans to be?"
Jesus was delighted. "Yes, Castiel! Yes you are! I accept this as confirmation that God's Word has spread."
"You see," he confided, "I accepted God's will to bring His Word to those of free will on Earth and I satisfied all of the prophecies made and accepted my fate to die and resurrect. That should have been more than enough to impress on God's chosen people that I came with the authority to present God's Word.
"But it seemed that the humans incarnating with me would understand the mission better. Mother pushed me into performing miracles sooner than I would have liked. My childhood friend Judas thought that if he pushed the issue and brought the authorities to me I would use my Godly powers to bring about a physical kingdom based in Jerusalem and that was not in any way the plan. When I headed out to select the twelve to be my disciples, most of those I approached were not ready to serve. Peter talked big but turned out to be weak, too weak to counter Paul when Paul introduced a message far different from the one the chosen twelve were responsible to spread."
"What message were they supposed to spread?" ask a voice from behind.
"Oh, hello Hank. My message was that God considers humans to be His children and that He expects them to treat each other as brothers and sisters. They were expected to acknowledge when something they did harmed another, to attempt to remedy it if they could, and resolve to change their actions as if the other person was themselves. If they practiced this love for others, the skills they gain will follow them after death and into their rebirth."
"Sounds Biblical," said Hank.
Jesus grinned. Okay, that was as good as any sign that God's Word continues this two thousand years later.
"Are you ready to go?" Castiel asked Hank.
"Go? Go where?" asked Hank, totally puzzled.
Jesus looked to the others in the plaza and asked, "Did anyone here bother to pass word to our brother Hank here that he was going back to live on Earth?"
No affirmation came.
Jesus looked down and chuckled. "Humans. God love us all."
And to the recently deceased Hank he said, "It seems you have extraordinary friends among the living who restored your body and brought it to life. All that is now needed is for Castiel here to take you back and have Eddie put your spirit back into your body. It seems all of these efforts are to appease a young lady named Claire."
With that Castiel and Hank were suddenly in Indiana, standing by the bed of the sleeping Eddie Timms.
After few minutes of standing, Hank looked over at Castiel who quietly stood there watching Eddie sleep as if he did this all of the time.
"Um, do we wake him?" asked Hank.
"No you don't," replied Eddie, his head buried under his pillow.
"But Hank is here to be returned to his body," Castiel informed him.
"It's the middle of the night," mumbled Eddie. "And I'm not getting up until my boys are back. Amazing Bob took them on a trip. Take Hank down the hall and let him haunt the livingroom until then."
Hank's spirit floated about the house as he entertained the hope that Claire would welcome his return.
Vladimir continued the birthday story with Ezekiel following along closely from his end of the Internet. "So Amazing Bob took us inside this planet in the middle of nowhere. We were in a room crowded with vines and flowers and what looked like fireflies flying all around us. One got close enough I could tell it was a tiny fairy that Sam calls a tink. So I figured out that we were in the magical world where Oz is.
"Some old pointy eared guys came into the room and talked in a strange language. Amazing Bob seemed to understand them and he said he would be unable to go in with us if we went because something about he was a god and there was a rule.
"But the old guys left and later Daniel the elf appeared. Amazing Bob said he brought us so Viktor could see the dragons and Daniel said he was the gatekeeper and he can't just take in people without an approved appointment. He said elves didn't have a formal relation to the dragons since some war with gnomes and dwarves and something else and they were still kind of pissed at each other."
Viktor took over. "He said Vladimir could make arrangements with him later and he could get Glinda to send us with a letter and it would be okay. I could have told them we would need Glinda's help. She's a dragon herself.
"But Daniel said even if I could go, I would probably be disappointed if I was going–drat the grammar lady in my head!–if I WERE going to look for my parents because things don't work that way for dragons. But I want to go anyway, so Daniel said he would arrange a fun trip for Vladimir and me later for our birthday."
"So Amazing Bob brought us home and we said thank you," said Vladimir. "So we woke up and books started dropping onto the floor in the livingroom and Castiel said 'Hank stop that,' so I guess we have a ghost now 'cause he brought Hank home from Purgatory."
"So this is Hank that died?" asked Ezekiel.
"Yeah," said Vladimir. "So Castiel and daddy need to put him back into his body and later daddy will talk to Daniel about visiting the dragons."
"It's just that we can't do that for a while," chimed in Viktor. "Daddy had to turn into a boy and go rescue Dean from ole Hannah. Then Daniel was hanging around with Sam and them at the Memphis FBI office and they all went to find out what was going on with people-eating carrot top monsters, but Castiel had to go and rescue them and fight Eufrendus..."
"Gee! I need to check in more often," Ezekiel opined.
Vladimir mused. "It would be fun if you be at the Van Sam when daddy and Castiel bring Hank back to life and he surprises Claire. They'll get mushy and everyone will cheer and party."
"Hey Vladimir," Viktor said. "If daddy takes Dorothy to live in his house in Montana, maybe we could bring Zeke along for that! He could see the disappearing cats and maybe even an actual bigfoot. I bet Castiel could get one.
"I can't tell Zeke you said 'hi' Hank. He's never met you."
"We need to sign off now," said Vladimir. "Hank's spirit is getting antsy again and if we don't keep him busy, he'll go out to the barn and spook the cat. Bye, Zeke!"
"Bye Zeke!"
"Bye Vladimir! Bye Viktor! And bye to you too, Hank!"