3:00pm
ST. JULIUS' CHURCH
Cadmiel walked into the building. It was empty, except for a man who stood at the altar.
He had red hair and wore a brown trench coat. He was staring at a
statue of the Crucifixion..two angel sculptures were beside it. He looked down. Then, he felt a presence. He sniffed, then turned around. "Oh.. Cadmiel."
The Angel of Destiny smiled. "Hi, Simon."
"Is it time?"
"Yes. Malcolm can go now. You must go to Purgatory. Also, be sure
you talk to Cole, prepare the boy for what his friend will tell him. Be careful..Gabriel is in this city."
"I know. The son of Lucifer is here also. I'll be cautious.."
"Good. Then I must go."
PURGATORY
Malcolm sat with Vincent, talking. The therapist said, "So, I've tried visualizing..willing myself to go back. I've used all my logic and thinking
to do it. No luck."
A man said behind him, "Maybe you need a little faith, Malcolm."
Dr. Crowe turned and got up on his feet. "Who.."
The red-haired man said, "I'm Simon. I've come to help you get back."
"Are you an angel?"
"Yes."
"I tried to get in to Heaven, but this punk at the Gate stopped me. Big guy."
"That's Mahariel. He's guarded that door for millennia. Don't feel bad, no one has gotten past him yet."
"What's this war he mentioned? I thought you guys put Lucifer out of Heaven."
"We did. This is the second war, led by Gabriel."
"Why?"
"Jealous over God's love for mankind. You see, man is higher than
angels. So Gabriel waged a war against the loyal armies of Michael.
This war has been waged for thousands of years, tearing Heaven apart.
No side gaining a victory, whether it's loyal or rebel. Come." Simon
took him up to the Gate.
Mahariel spoke authoritively, "You, mortal. You must be permitted to pass..we spoke before."
Simon raised his hand. "It's okay. He's with me."
The guard stepped aside. "Of course, Simon."
Malcolm asked, "So, we can't get in because of this war?"
Simon noded. "Right. No soul would be safe. Look.." He waved his
hands.
Malcolm saw nothing but fire on the other side. Souls screaming in high-pitched terror, in eternal agony.
"If Gabriel wins, this will become Hell. Souls will be in turmoil, the ashes of burning Heaven will cover the earth. So, we keep them HERE to protect them." He waved his arm, and the image changed. It was Heaven, glowing with yellow lights.
"Oh..oh, ok. I can see the point in that. I understand now. So, they all come to Purgatory?"
"Some. A few stay on earth, in their bodies, eternally dormant. Or..."
"Or what?"
"Or the bad ones..they find their way to Lucifer."
"Why are you showing me this?"
"We need you to help Cole understand."
"You mean, I can go back?"
"Yes. It's part of the Great Plan..everybody plays a part in it. Yours was helping Cole overcome his fear, allowing him to make a choice about his destiny in life."
"I already did that. So why do I return, how is that figuring into this 'Plan'?"
"It wasn't your time to go yet. We meant to speak with you at the school play, but you were talking with Cole. It seemed like an important moment for you, so we chose not to interfere with Fate. Anyway, Cole was not ready to hear the truth then."
"About..this. Right. He had just resolved to help the ghosts leave in peace..if he knew where they were going, it would be hard for him to continue."
"He would lose his faith, his hope. But with you there, you can help him."
"Alright, Simon. How do I get back?"
"Close your eyes and think of your life on Earth. Believe."
"Okay.." He shut his eyes. After a few minutes, he felt very peaceful, serene in his thoughts, like he was standing over a calm landscape. "Yes. Yes, I feel it. Life. Being home.." Then, in a bright flash, he disappeared.
ST. JULIUS' CHURCH
Cadmiel walked into the building. It was empty, except for a man who stood at the altar.
He had red hair and wore a brown trench coat. He was staring at a
statue of the Crucifixion..two angel sculptures were beside it. He looked down. Then, he felt a presence. He sniffed, then turned around. "Oh.. Cadmiel."
The Angel of Destiny smiled. "Hi, Simon."
"Is it time?"
"Yes. Malcolm can go now. You must go to Purgatory. Also, be sure
you talk to Cole, prepare the boy for what his friend will tell him. Be careful..Gabriel is in this city."
"I know. The son of Lucifer is here also. I'll be cautious.."
"Good. Then I must go."
PURGATORY
Malcolm sat with Vincent, talking. The therapist said, "So, I've tried visualizing..willing myself to go back. I've used all my logic and thinking
to do it. No luck."
A man said behind him, "Maybe you need a little faith, Malcolm."
Dr. Crowe turned and got up on his feet. "Who.."
The red-haired man said, "I'm Simon. I've come to help you get back."
"Are you an angel?"
"Yes."
"I tried to get in to Heaven, but this punk at the Gate stopped me. Big guy."
"That's Mahariel. He's guarded that door for millennia. Don't feel bad, no one has gotten past him yet."
"What's this war he mentioned? I thought you guys put Lucifer out of Heaven."
"We did. This is the second war, led by Gabriel."
"Why?"
"Jealous over God's love for mankind. You see, man is higher than
angels. So Gabriel waged a war against the loyal armies of Michael.
This war has been waged for thousands of years, tearing Heaven apart.
No side gaining a victory, whether it's loyal or rebel. Come." Simon
took him up to the Gate.
Mahariel spoke authoritively, "You, mortal. You must be permitted to pass..we spoke before."
Simon raised his hand. "It's okay. He's with me."
The guard stepped aside. "Of course, Simon."
Malcolm asked, "So, we can't get in because of this war?"
Simon noded. "Right. No soul would be safe. Look.." He waved his
hands.
Malcolm saw nothing but fire on the other side. Souls screaming in high-pitched terror, in eternal agony.
"If Gabriel wins, this will become Hell. Souls will be in turmoil, the ashes of burning Heaven will cover the earth. So, we keep them HERE to protect them." He waved his arm, and the image changed. It was Heaven, glowing with yellow lights.
"Oh..oh, ok. I can see the point in that. I understand now. So, they all come to Purgatory?"
"Some. A few stay on earth, in their bodies, eternally dormant. Or..."
"Or what?"
"Or the bad ones..they find their way to Lucifer."
"Why are you showing me this?"
"We need you to help Cole understand."
"You mean, I can go back?"
"Yes. It's part of the Great Plan..everybody plays a part in it. Yours was helping Cole overcome his fear, allowing him to make a choice about his destiny in life."
"I already did that. So why do I return, how is that figuring into this 'Plan'?"
"It wasn't your time to go yet. We meant to speak with you at the school play, but you were talking with Cole. It seemed like an important moment for you, so we chose not to interfere with Fate. Anyway, Cole was not ready to hear the truth then."
"About..this. Right. He had just resolved to help the ghosts leave in peace..if he knew where they were going, it would be hard for him to continue."
"He would lose his faith, his hope. But with you there, you can help him."
"Alright, Simon. How do I get back?"
"Close your eyes and think of your life on Earth. Believe."
"Okay.." He shut his eyes. After a few minutes, he felt very peaceful, serene in his thoughts, like he was standing over a calm landscape. "Yes. Yes, I feel it. Life. Being home.." Then, in a bright flash, he disappeared.
