The Border of Life and Death
By Joshua Tanner
CHAPTER 1: REDEEM YOURSEL IN HIS EYES
"I live on the border of life and death" A tall shady figure says in the dark. He is holding a gun to the back of a mans head. He is in an office building. The walls made of steel and murals as cold as steel painted on them. From far away they would look beautiful. But up close they look as deadly as anything you have ever seen. The murals mean nothing to the man in the darkness though, He stands there not moving or anything of the sort. His silence is the part that strikes the man sitting in the chair with the most fear.
The man who is in the light, is an Overweight man, probably in his late forties. Balding with little hair on the sides, his eyes are wide, the sweat glistens on his forehead. He sits there in fright. The man in the darkness says two words. "Stay quiet" The smile comes across the darkness as though there was only thin are there. "That wont do any good" a deep voice comes out from the shadows. But keeps hitting the panic button under his desk. A snarl on his face.
"If you shoot me everyone will hear!" The fat man says with fear in his voice. "I swear you wont get out of here alive."
A deep laugh comes out of the darkness. "Do you really believe that?" the snarl returns. "I won't be caught." The shot rings out., but no one comes. The dark smile slips away into the shadows.
The shadow seems to slip along the floor. The halls of the office building are filled with people. The shadow slips from one person to the next shadow. No one notices the shadow for it is never alone. Under the cover of night the shadow disappears into an allye. A man comes out from the shadows dressed in a dark suit. He wears a dark fedora as well covering his face and stays quiet.
The next morning, the building had been evacuated, and police men were wearing oxygen tanks when they entered. Up in the fat mans office several police officers were there, investigating the scene. The fat man was there, with his head on his desk, but there was no bullet hole or blood. At the side of the table a police man started to talk. He was well built and was wearing a jacket over his police uniform. His badge glistening in the light.
"Officer McCarthy where the hell is the gas leaking from?"
A young Asian women lifts her head up and begins to speak. She is a figure of beauty, and most would wonder why she became a police officer instead of a model.
"It is coming from the gas line under the office sir, it looks like it was cut." As she speaks her eyes glisten its almost clear why she had become a police officer now, she loved the thrill of the hunt. She walked over to the police men and explained her what was wrong.
Later, that afternoon, it appeared on the news. Apparently someone had murdered everyone in the office building by locking the doors and windows and cutting the gas line. Over 2,000 people died as of that day, and some news casters said there would be more to come. Only if they knew how right they were. The city streets were busy with this news. Gossip all over about who they thought would be next. Everyone that worked at an office building called in sick after hearing the disturbing news.
At the same time the man in the dark suit sits in and alley sharpening a knife. Minutes flow by as he sits there sharpening it. The alley is filled with trash. He sits in an area at the very back that has a black sheet so no one can tell where he is. To most people this in an alley, a regular plain alley. To others, though, it is a blood stained death trap. The evil aura that comes out of the darkness is powerful. If you did not know any better you would say demons live in the alley.
The man stands up and goes to a holy alter, which is covered with several objects. The several objects would stun a normal person when they saw them. One was what appeared to be the great pearl from John Steinbeck's "The Pearl", another was the plant from that Death gave to his g-d-son in The Brothers Grimm "Godfather Death". The last was an ancient large scale, which had something written on it, it was a message from Atlantis. This man could travel through space and time it appeared. Into the world of fiction and out to the world of reality. He sat and the alter and began to speak.
"G-d heals and the doctor takes the fee." he said in a low voice. Then light appears from the alter and the items begin to float.
"I know Israel for I am the one who heals. Did you do as I asked?" The man is Israel, the angel of death.
"If I had not would I have contacted you?" He smirks at this wondering why G-d would do such a foolish thing as to ask him. For the Lord sees all.
"It has happened before and you did not tell the truth my friend." the light speaks calmly and smoothly. Israel's face reddens and he looks down.
"Do you not remember what happened last time." Soon enough any onlooker could see Israel's one wing, something had happened to the other, It was not there. Israel looked up and you could see he was mad.
"Things happen lord. You are supposed to be forgiving." The light seemed to sigh.
"So your saying I should forgive you for disobeying my direct orders? To kill that women?"
Israel's face once again filled with anger he stands up. "You made a mistake Lord. Now I must go. I still have many more on the list for this month."
"Yes, you must." The light disappears the items float to the ground and Israel pulls the sheet across so that he may look out, It is night now, so he leaves to go to finish his list.