6:18pm
CENTER CITY, PA
Cole got off the bus. He started walking through the residential
neighborhoods, glancing at the paper in his hand. "Hmm..okay. Where
is it, Malcolm?" He found the street. "Oh." Walking to the end, he saw it. Malcolm's house. He walked up to the front door and knocked.
After a couple minutes, the door opened. A yuoung women..slender, short black hair. It must be Malcolm's wife. She looked down and saw a little boy. "Yes? Can I help you?"
He smiled a little. "Hi. Are you..Anna Crowe? Malcolm's wife."
"Uh..yes. Yes, I am." She shuddered, wondering how he knew. "So, what do you want?"
"I'm Cole..Cole Sear."
"Oh.." The name sounded familiar. Maybe someone from her husband's
past. She just hoped the boy wasn't as crazy as Vincent. "You..you knew Malcolm? Werer you his patient?"
"Yes, for a week or two."
Of course! Now she remembered. He was supposed to meet with him.
"Wait. he was scheduled for you last year. He died."
"I know. He's alright now."
"Huh? You spoke with him..how could you if he died?"
"I have a gift. I talked with him. He said he loved you, but didn't know how to tell you."
This was getting ridiculous. here was a kid that seemed to know stuff about her personal life. "Hold on, *stop*. Who are you, really? Did one of the neighborhood kids put you up to this? If they did, you better go now. I am *not* in the mood for practical jokes!"
"I said before, I'm Cole. I *did* talk with him. I'm alone. He told me things. He got an award from the Mayor. He talks like Dr. Seuss when he drinks. If you still don't believe me, then..Malcolm waited til you were sleeping to speak to you. He said he loved you. And he said something else, like--'You were never second'."
She covered her mouth, trying to hold back her tears. That's exactly what she heard in a dream. "Oh..Oh my God. How do you know this?"
"He told me. I couldn't have known this from anyone but him."
"Hmmm..right. That makes sense."
"Is it okay if I come in? I think I can explain."
"Sure..go ahead." Wiping her eyes, she lead him inside and shut the door.
He sat down on the couch.
She sat in a chair next to him. So..what is this? How do you know this, how did he talk with you?"
"I should start from the beginning. Now, this is a secret. Whatever I tell you, you can't repeat to anyone, they'd think I was a freak."
"Fine. I can keep a secret."
"Okay. Ever since I can remember, I've seen people..dead people. Ghosts. I see them everywhere. Most of them don't know they died yet, so they can't see each other. I was always scared of them, I didn't know what they wanted. Then, I met Malcolm. He told me how to get them to go away..talk to them, help them. When they complete..unfinished business, they go."
"And Malcolm was a ghost?"
"Yes. He was nicer than the others. Very funny.."
She smiled. "Yeah, he does have a sense of humor."
He looked around the room. "I think he's here now. Maybe in the basement."
"What? Here, now?"
"Yeah, I saw him this morning."
"But..didn't he go to Heaven or somewhere in the Other Side. I thought his work was finished when he said goodbye to me."
"He did. But he's back now."
"Why, what for?"
"To tell me what's wrong. Something is going on up there. A war."
"Huh? you mean..a war in Heaven?"
"A second war."
"*Second*? That doesn't make much sense here, I heard only of one. I was taught in Sunday school that Luicifer fell, he and God's angels fought..he was cast down and became the Devil."
"The second war is over *us* now. Gabriel got jealous and started this one. He wants to wipe us out, but he has to beat Michael's loyal army."
"So, what about all the good people up there?"
"They're in Purgatory. That's where all the ones I help go to. That's not right, they should be in Paradise."
"This..this is far out there. I never heard of this. But if Malcolm said it, it must be true."
"He sent me here."
"He did? What for?"
"To get a book from his basement. Can you help me get it?"
"Sure. Follow me." She got up and went to a door in the hallway.
Cole followed her closely. He saw her put the key in and turn the red knob.
"Here." She took him to the bottom of the stairs.
He saw Malcolm. "Dr. Crowe?"
Malcolm turned in his chair. "Cole? And *Anna*?"
Anna saw the chair move. "Whoa. Cole, is it him. He's here?"
Cole nodded. "Yes."
Anna looked in Malcolm's direction. "Well..he told me of you. Thanks. Well, I'll let you two talk now. It was good to know that I wasn't dreaming. Malcolm..I know I was never second." Then she walked up the stairs.
Malcolm waved goodbye. "Thanks, Anna."
Cole walked over to Malcolm. "So..where's these books at?"
Malcolm pointed at the table. He went through the messy pile of papers. He picked up the old Bible. "These are it. Oh, and my notes. I had to translate it." He held up his legal notepad.
Cole took them, putting them in his book-bag. "So, what now?"
"Well, we can't really go anywhere. It's getting late. Your mom might be expecting you soon."
"She is. It's almost dinnertime. I should be going. Can i meet you tomorrow?"
"Sure. I'll be at the school..would that be okay?"
"Yes. class gets out at around three. Oh,there's something else."
"Yeah?"
"There's an angel in my class. Very different, he looks like he's as old as me. But I think he's dangerous."
"His kind usually are. According to Scripture, *especially* in the Old Testament era, angels were instruments of God's wrath on the wicked. Look up in a Biblical index under 'angel'. Read every passage that has to do with slaying and death, concerning angels. You'll find that there's quite a lot. They were also used to bring about deadly plagues on mockers. You couldn't afford to mess with a priest in those days."
"Okay, I'll look it up. oh, Tommy might know something."
"What? you don't mean..Tommy Tammasimo. That kid in your class, the
one in that TV ad?"
"Yes."
"But..how? how would *he* know?"
"He doesn't know exactly what's going on. but I guess he's a little curious or suspicious. I saw him drawing something on his notebook. I'm not really sure, but I think it's the angelic script on angels' necks."
"Did you say anything to him about it?"
"Not yet. I think I'll ask him tomorrow."
"Okay. Be careful."
"I will." He walked up the stairs. When he got back into the hallway, he shut the door. He walked into the living room and saw Anna on the couch.
She looked up. "Hey..did you find what you're looking for?"
"Yes. Let me show you." He took the Bible out and handed it to her.
She held the big book, examining it. "Wow. This is *old*. Pages are stiff, yellow with age." She opened it, flipping through the pages. "Wonderful pictures. Also, it's written entirely in Latin. How old is this?"
"Malcolm said it was written around the Second Century."
"Very interesting. Oh, wait. A velvet marker." She went to the bookmarked section, at the very back. "Oh, now THIS is weird."
"What is it?"
"It's the book of Revelation. you know, the future stuff..the end of time, Masrk of the Beast, judgments, all the stuff about mankind's destiny. This one has the Twenty-THIRD chapter. That's odd, since I only remember twenty-two."
"I know. it's supposed to have the prophecies, good info about this war."
"Oh. Well, you can have this back now. Do you need any money to get
back home?"
He takes it and puts it back in his bag. "Sure."
She gave him $50.
"Thanks." He walked to the door and opened it, leaving the house. "Now.. I must get home."
CENTER CITY, PA
Cole got off the bus. He started walking through the residential
neighborhoods, glancing at the paper in his hand. "Hmm..okay. Where
is it, Malcolm?" He found the street. "Oh." Walking to the end, he saw it. Malcolm's house. He walked up to the front door and knocked.
After a couple minutes, the door opened. A yuoung women..slender, short black hair. It must be Malcolm's wife. She looked down and saw a little boy. "Yes? Can I help you?"
He smiled a little. "Hi. Are you..Anna Crowe? Malcolm's wife."
"Uh..yes. Yes, I am." She shuddered, wondering how he knew. "So, what do you want?"
"I'm Cole..Cole Sear."
"Oh.." The name sounded familiar. Maybe someone from her husband's
past. She just hoped the boy wasn't as crazy as Vincent. "You..you knew Malcolm? Werer you his patient?"
"Yes, for a week or two."
Of course! Now she remembered. He was supposed to meet with him.
"Wait. he was scheduled for you last year. He died."
"I know. He's alright now."
"Huh? You spoke with him..how could you if he died?"
"I have a gift. I talked with him. He said he loved you, but didn't know how to tell you."
This was getting ridiculous. here was a kid that seemed to know stuff about her personal life. "Hold on, *stop*. Who are you, really? Did one of the neighborhood kids put you up to this? If they did, you better go now. I am *not* in the mood for practical jokes!"
"I said before, I'm Cole. I *did* talk with him. I'm alone. He told me things. He got an award from the Mayor. He talks like Dr. Seuss when he drinks. If you still don't believe me, then..Malcolm waited til you were sleeping to speak to you. He said he loved you. And he said something else, like--'You were never second'."
She covered her mouth, trying to hold back her tears. That's exactly what she heard in a dream. "Oh..Oh my God. How do you know this?"
"He told me. I couldn't have known this from anyone but him."
"Hmmm..right. That makes sense."
"Is it okay if I come in? I think I can explain."
"Sure..go ahead." Wiping her eyes, she lead him inside and shut the door.
He sat down on the couch.
She sat in a chair next to him. So..what is this? How do you know this, how did he talk with you?"
"I should start from the beginning. Now, this is a secret. Whatever I tell you, you can't repeat to anyone, they'd think I was a freak."
"Fine. I can keep a secret."
"Okay. Ever since I can remember, I've seen people..dead people. Ghosts. I see them everywhere. Most of them don't know they died yet, so they can't see each other. I was always scared of them, I didn't know what they wanted. Then, I met Malcolm. He told me how to get them to go away..talk to them, help them. When they complete..unfinished business, they go."
"And Malcolm was a ghost?"
"Yes. He was nicer than the others. Very funny.."
She smiled. "Yeah, he does have a sense of humor."
He looked around the room. "I think he's here now. Maybe in the basement."
"What? Here, now?"
"Yeah, I saw him this morning."
"But..didn't he go to Heaven or somewhere in the Other Side. I thought his work was finished when he said goodbye to me."
"He did. But he's back now."
"Why, what for?"
"To tell me what's wrong. Something is going on up there. A war."
"Huh? you mean..a war in Heaven?"
"A second war."
"*Second*? That doesn't make much sense here, I heard only of one. I was taught in Sunday school that Luicifer fell, he and God's angels fought..he was cast down and became the Devil."
"The second war is over *us* now. Gabriel got jealous and started this one. He wants to wipe us out, but he has to beat Michael's loyal army."
"So, what about all the good people up there?"
"They're in Purgatory. That's where all the ones I help go to. That's not right, they should be in Paradise."
"This..this is far out there. I never heard of this. But if Malcolm said it, it must be true."
"He sent me here."
"He did? What for?"
"To get a book from his basement. Can you help me get it?"
"Sure. Follow me." She got up and went to a door in the hallway.
Cole followed her closely. He saw her put the key in and turn the red knob.
"Here." She took him to the bottom of the stairs.
He saw Malcolm. "Dr. Crowe?"
Malcolm turned in his chair. "Cole? And *Anna*?"
Anna saw the chair move. "Whoa. Cole, is it him. He's here?"
Cole nodded. "Yes."
Anna looked in Malcolm's direction. "Well..he told me of you. Thanks. Well, I'll let you two talk now. It was good to know that I wasn't dreaming. Malcolm..I know I was never second." Then she walked up the stairs.
Malcolm waved goodbye. "Thanks, Anna."
Cole walked over to Malcolm. "So..where's these books at?"
Malcolm pointed at the table. He went through the messy pile of papers. He picked up the old Bible. "These are it. Oh, and my notes. I had to translate it." He held up his legal notepad.
Cole took them, putting them in his book-bag. "So, what now?"
"Well, we can't really go anywhere. It's getting late. Your mom might be expecting you soon."
"She is. It's almost dinnertime. I should be going. Can i meet you tomorrow?"
"Sure. I'll be at the school..would that be okay?"
"Yes. class gets out at around three. Oh,there's something else."
"Yeah?"
"There's an angel in my class. Very different, he looks like he's as old as me. But I think he's dangerous."
"His kind usually are. According to Scripture, *especially* in the Old Testament era, angels were instruments of God's wrath on the wicked. Look up in a Biblical index under 'angel'. Read every passage that has to do with slaying and death, concerning angels. You'll find that there's quite a lot. They were also used to bring about deadly plagues on mockers. You couldn't afford to mess with a priest in those days."
"Okay, I'll look it up. oh, Tommy might know something."
"What? you don't mean..Tommy Tammasimo. That kid in your class, the
one in that TV ad?"
"Yes."
"But..how? how would *he* know?"
"He doesn't know exactly what's going on. but I guess he's a little curious or suspicious. I saw him drawing something on his notebook. I'm not really sure, but I think it's the angelic script on angels' necks."
"Did you say anything to him about it?"
"Not yet. I think I'll ask him tomorrow."
"Okay. Be careful."
"I will." He walked up the stairs. When he got back into the hallway, he shut the door. He walked into the living room and saw Anna on the couch.
She looked up. "Hey..did you find what you're looking for?"
"Yes. Let me show you." He took the Bible out and handed it to her.
She held the big book, examining it. "Wow. This is *old*. Pages are stiff, yellow with age." She opened it, flipping through the pages. "Wonderful pictures. Also, it's written entirely in Latin. How old is this?"
"Malcolm said it was written around the Second Century."
"Very interesting. Oh, wait. A velvet marker." She went to the bookmarked section, at the very back. "Oh, now THIS is weird."
"What is it?"
"It's the book of Revelation. you know, the future stuff..the end of time, Masrk of the Beast, judgments, all the stuff about mankind's destiny. This one has the Twenty-THIRD chapter. That's odd, since I only remember twenty-two."
"I know. it's supposed to have the prophecies, good info about this war."
"Oh. Well, you can have this back now. Do you need any money to get
back home?"
He takes it and puts it back in his bag. "Sure."
She gave him $50.
"Thanks." He walked to the door and opened it, leaving the house. "Now.. I must get home."
