Forgiven

by Kelly Hagen

  Chapter 3

  Celeste woke to the warm kiss of sunlight on her face. It was Saturday, and that meant one thing. A big breakfast would be spread out on the light brown table, waiting to be devoured by the three hungry mouths that sat around it. She inhaled deeply, the aroma of crispy bacon caused her relaxed body to stir within the blankets that cocooned her small frame.

  She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and dared a glance at the clock. Nine thirty. Sleeping in was great.

  “Smells good, Mom!” Celeste said as she entered the kitchen.

  Katelyn smiled, “Good morning, Celeste.”

  She laughed when her mother asked if she was hungry. Two spoonfuls of eggs and several slices of bacon topped with a sweet, warm biscuit filled her plate.

  “What gave it away?” Celeste laughed, at the raised eyebrow and grin that was on her mother’s face.

  “Well, I suppose we should pray then, so you can eat.”

  Celeste noticed her dad’s absence, which was out of the ordinary. Saturday breakfasts were a Holcomb tradition. “Where’s Dad?”

  “Oh, Your grandpa moved the last of his boxes out of Aunt Cara’s place last night. Who would have guessed after living there all these years that he’d choose to move out? Anyway, so Dad woke a bit early this morning so he could get a head start on the few repairs that it needs before we can get that old place on the market and out of our hands. I’ll be joining him in a little while. Would you like to come to help us?” Katelyn’s hopeful tone and look didn’t escape Celeste, but this was just the opportunity she had been waiting for, and spending time with her parents at that creepy house wasn’t something she wanted on her agenda today, or any day for that matter.

  “I’m sorry, Mom. I have a ton of homework. Would you mind if I stayed home?”

  “Sure, honey. That’s okay.”

  Disaster averted. Door opened. Celeste couldn’t wait to call Daren. Hopefully, he would be able to meet up today.

  “You can pick up your room if you need a break from your school work.”

  Celeste looked towards her mom. Sadness gripped at her heart for a long moment. It was becoming so easy to lie to them.

  Like sand falling through loosely held fingers, the closeness, the openness they’d shared was slowly slipping away. At times, she even questioned Daren’s warnings about so-called loving parents. Her mom and dad had never given her a reason to doubt their love or the love the Lord had for her.

  “Celeste, you okay?”

  “Oh, yeah, just thinking.” At least that wasn’t a lie. She’d been doing that a lot since meeting Daren. Somehow her feelings, her convictions were gradually becoming numb to her. She prayed less and hardly read the Bible anymore. Daren didn’t believe in God – said if there were a “god” he’d be a sorry excuse of one with the way the world was today. That was nothing she hadn’t heard before. Deep down Celeste knew otherwise, but was shot down anytime she tried to state differently. Keeping her faltering beliefs to herself had become the norm in this new life of hers.

  “Celeste, did you hear a thing I said?” Her mother’s concerned voice broke her silent train of thought. “No, Mom, sorry. What did you say?”

  “I said your dad and I might not be back until late. There are a few things in the freezer you can heat up if you get hungry. Are you sure you’re okay? I can stay here with you if you like.”

  “No, Mom, you don’t need to stay here. I’m fine, really. If I get hungry, I’ll find something to eat. Don’t worry.” She smiled like her life depended on it.

  “Well, all right then. Will you please get these dishes put away before starting on your homework?” “Sure, Mom.”

  Celeste stood in the doorway and waved, watching as Katelyn backed out of the drive. The door remained open until the small two-door vehicle was no longer in sight.

  Celeste set her breakfast dishes in the sink, and then ran up the stairs to grab her phone. Her finger slightly shook as she dialed Daren’s number. The endless ringing made her insides crawl. Why wasn’t he answering?

  After several rings, she hung up and tried again. Nothing. It appeared her plans for the day had changed. Cleaning and homework, it was.

  It was well after three when she stuffed her last book into the confines of her favorite, tattered backpack. Still no word from Daren. Strange. Against her better judgment, she redialed his number. Again...nothing. Her thoughts began to wander, taking her to places she didn’t want to go. Jarred back to reality by the ringing of the house phone, she shook off the thoughts and picked up the noisy black device. “Hello?”

  “Hey, sweetie,” her mom’s voice was full of cheer, as it always was. How can someone be so happy all the time? She couldn’t for the life of her figure it out.

  “Hey, Mom. How're things going?”

  “Pretty good. Almost done for today. Pretty soon it will be ready to put on the market.”

  “That’s great.”

  “We were going to pick up dinner on the way home. I was calling to see what sounds good to you?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. Whatever you guys want will be fine.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yep.” Celeste tried to cover her disappointment with her own cheery voice.

  “Celeste?”

  Curse her mom’s intuition. “Really, Mom. Whatever you guys want is good with me. I just finished my school work, so I’m a little brain dead right now.”

  “Okay. We’ll talk when we get home.”

  “About what?”

  “About whatever is bothering you. Dad’s calling for me. We’ll see you shortly. Okay?”

  “Okay, bye, Mom.”

  Daren stood just before the clearing. The woods he’d walked through surrounded him. Cradled him almost, leaving a false sense of security.

  He stared at the white wooden house with two vehicles parked in its circular drive. A short, dark-haired woman trotted up the front porch steps, her ponytail swaying back and forth. Her eyes, a stunning blue, were on him before he knew it. He’d been caught, so there was no use hiding now, but he did anyway. Thoughts and emotions of all kinds flooded over him. Thoughts and emotions that he wasn’t sure were his own, or where they’d even come from.

  Daren had no idea how much time had passed before he peeked out from behind the tree, but when he did, the woman along with both cars was gone. He looked down at his phone, shocked. Not only had he missed calls from Celeste, but four hours had passed. Rough fingers slid down his face. “No way.”

  He made his way to the bench in his front yard sat down, and waited for Celeste to answer his call.

  Chapter 4

  Celeste knew Daren wouldn’t even come close to passing her parents “study buddy” approval. Though Stacey, a close friend of hers definitely would – she had several times in the past. So unbeknownst to Katelyn and Trevor, Daren had become Stacey.

  The fact that their masquerade had been going strong for a month or so now left Celeste a little on edge. Sooner or later this whole thing was bound to blow up in her face. And she wasn’t looking forward to it. But as the old saying goes ‘Nothing lasts forever.’

  Celeste was seated next to Daren, reading over the book he’d found near her old family house. She hardly ever went around that place if she could help it. Even visiting with her grandpa had been preferred on less creepy ground. Not that she’d seen him all that often. His lifestyle, along with his job, had always kept him pretty busy. Maybe that was for the best?

  Her mom talked to Grandpa at least once a week. Their conversations, the ones she had just happened to hear anyway, sounded tense and forced more than anything else. It had always been that way, ever since Celeste could remember.

  Now that her Grandpa had moved south, seeking the warmer temperatures it held, she hopefully would never have to enter those four walls again. That was something in her turned upside-down world that she could definitely deal with.

  Daren’s mocking and constant jabs at her already dwindling faith were a little bit
harder to handle. They were leaving her with questions she couldn’t answer. Questions she had never considered before.

  Everything she had been able to decipher so far in that dreadful book was the complete opposite of what she had been taught to believe. It was like the Bible she had grown up being so sure of had left out a large part of what really happened. As though it were a bit one-sided. That left a bitter taste in Celeste’s mouth, along with a widening hole in her heart.

  Had Lucifer’s banishment from heaven really been necessary? He just wanted to please his Creator, show him how much he had learned. Prove that he could be a just and fair ruler. Right? At least that is the way the old brown book made things sound. Was it so bad for him to want and declare worship for himself as well? He was after all the most beautiful, talented, archangel. He had that right too...didn’t he?

  Am I really going there?

  Celeste shook her head trying to make sense of her reasoning but failed miserably. Somewhere in this journey, bits of doubt had ever so slightly worked their way from a minute hole to an overly large crack, splitting the very foundation of everything she had ever known almost entirely in two, and leaving her once firm beliefs laced with immense skepticism.

  Was it possible everything taught to her was a lie? Surely not. But how could a loving God consider the banishment of one of His best creations without giving a full account? There wasn’t a full account given, was there? The fact that she could not remember had tiny beads of sweat trickling down her back, or maybe it was the afternoon sun – the late spring weather had increased the digits on the thermometer over the last couple days. Yeah, that’s what it is...not these crazy thoughts swirling around in my head.

  Celeste ran her palms up and down her pant legs, trying to focus on anything but the dance party going on in her stomach. She had to get away from Daren, away from that book. “I think I’m done for today, Daren. I need to get back home before my mom calls Stacey’s to ask where I’m at.”

  She watched as Daren finished copying down a sentence then closed the book. “Yeah, my little angel is becoming quite the devil...isn’t she?” He grinned as he ran his fingers through her hair. He gently cupped her neck and pulled her towards him. This wasn’t the first time she had given in to his lips meeting hers.

  Silver-tipped wings slightly rustled back and forth, sending invisible, yet very present gleaming lines along the walls of Daren’s dimly lit room. A scowl distorted the usually calm features of Jasie, Celeste’s Guardian Angel’s face. Brows once separated by a smooth skin were now separated by slight ridges between them. Eyes the deepest of brown glowed faintly with righteous disapproval.

  Jasie whispered words of wisdom to Celeste, all the while ignoring the taunts and jeers from the enemies surrounding the youth across the room from him. He prayed to the Creator that they would reach his charge’s ears.

  Though, there had always been an irritating presence around Celeste. One they knew would be there, for it just came with the territory...life. It seemed to be growing darker. His covering was being pushed back inch by inch every day. More than the typical teenage “rebellion,” this tension was strategic, there was no doubt. Something more menacing was going on behind all the recent events and choices his charge made. Too much was happening too fast.

  He fought the stirred desire within him. Desire for the authority to put a stop to what was happening before him. Who knew if this would be it. The time Celeste did not have enough strength to fight her feelings. The time she did not tell the boy no. Why was it so hard for humans to see the enemy meddling in their lives? Were they honestly not able to understand what was at stake, or did they just not care?

  How could they not?

  Jasie let out a sigh of relief when Celeste’s hand rose to Daren’s chest and applied a small amount of pressure. The connection had been broken. A muffled growl filled the air. The boy was not happy. “I know, I’m sorry Daren. I just can't do this right now. Not yet.” Those were not the words Jasie hoped to hear, but for tonight they would have to do.

  “I really need to go, Daren. I’ll text you when I get home, okay?”

  Frustrated, was he, to say the least, but he responded well. No doubt for the sake of keeping Celeste in his firm grip. The amount of control Daren had over her decisions was unnerving.

  “Hey, yeah, sure. Text me when you get home.”

  Celeste kissed Daren on the cheek. “Thank you for being so understanding.” she said, then turned and walked away, her Guardian a few steps behind.

  Jasie met Kanone on the front steps of the Holcomb's home a short while later. They both watched as Celeste took a deep breath and exchanged her very confused true self to one of a happy, carefree teenager. Unfortunately, she wore that mask well.

  “I’m glad she is back on the guarded ground.” Jasie let out a deep breath. He had not meant for his statement to sound so full of alarm, though it should, and it did.

  “How did things go tonight?” Kanone asked.

  Jasie wished he had a better answer to give his fellow Guardian, but that wasn’t the case. “Not good,” he responded and then went on to tell Kanone everything that had happened.

  “Just as I feared,” Kanone stated. “Seems like there is more at work in Celeste's life than just the meddling intrusion of Doubt and Deception. Melti and Ackmen may very well be behind all of this. If so, there will be a war. A war we cannot fight.”

  Jasie nodded, “I believe you are right, Kanone.”

  “I think it is time to request the Warriors.”

  Chapter 5

  Necklim's eyes glowed gold as he made his way to the Throne room. For him to be summoned could only mean one thing – Melti was seeking the Burnsten family line – again.

  He pushed open the sizeable golden door with ease and made his way across the room to the Commander's Throne. He bowed before the Creator; long, blonde strands of hair fell at either side of his face. Then he stood, shoulders squared, and waited for the Commander to speak.

  “The time has come, Necklim. Melti has set in motion his plan for Celeste. Kanone has also sent word of a heaviness in the Holcomb household. Jasie, as you may know, was sent to guard Celeste, but his space around her has been decreasing more and more.”

  Necklim entertained the thought of bursting through the doors, descending on the earth, searching out his enemy's whereabouts and putting an end to Melti’s evil existence once and for all, but instead asked the Commander what the assignment was. He'd hoped it was the scenario that had played out in his mind but doubted that was the case. At least not yet.

  “I'll be sending in the Warriors. You, of course, will lead them,” his Commander spoke, “but I want you to check it out first. There may be a need for more Warriors this time.”

  “Of course, Commander. I'm on my way.” Necklim bowed again and turned to go, but stopped at his Commander's words.

  “Necklim, be watchful.”

  “I will, my Lord. Watchful and ever ready.”

  Seconds later, Necklim gently landed on the Holcomb's front lawn. The blades of grass that once stood straight and tall now lay flat underneath the enormous weight of the heavenly being standing on top of them. He glanced over the front of the house, his gaze stopping on the knelt silhouette behind the curtain of the front bay window. “Help is on the way, Katelyn,” he whispered.

  Necklim appeared next to Kanone, who was standing over Katelyn. “What's been going on here?” he questioned.

  Kanone folded his wings and turned to face Necklim, “There's a heaviness like we've never felt before. Celeste is becoming increasingly disconnected towards Katelyn and Trevor, which has led to an increase in their prayers.”

  “A darkness,” Kanone continued, “is slowly surrounding Celeste. Jasie doesn't have as much of an area around her as he once had. It seems to be shrinking every day.”

  “That's not good.”

  “No, it is not.”

  Necklim looked around the room, sensing something was off, “We’ll
need not only their prayers but the prayers of their friends, families, and church. I sense an alarming presence here. Melti has had years to prepare for this moment. But so have we.”

  Necklim turned to Kanone. “Keep watch. I'll return soon with other Warriors.”

  Kanone nodded his head and returned to his protective stance over Katelyn.

  A breeze whipped around Celeste. It stirred the new leaves on the nearby trees from their stillness. Then brushed against her face, sending goosebumps to raise and cover her arms.

  It brought with it the promise of an evening rain shower. One she hoped would arrive soon. Rain – its rhythmic plops and dings as it fell against the different objects, the smell of the damp soil it left in its wake – had always been a form of comfort to her. Somewhat like a security blanket, strange as that may be. It worked in calming the overly active nerves that twisted and turned throughout the young teenage body. It was her hope it would bring that same calming effect tonight.

  The sidewalk leading up to Daren’s front door seemed more like a runway than a walkway. Lights evenly spaced rang along both sides of the pebbled concrete like a beacon leading one to safety. Safe...would that really be the way to describe the person inside? Of that, she wasn’t sure.

  Celeste had thought long and hard about what they’d do on their first night alone. Reading that dreadful book was not a part of the plan. Persuading him to focus on something else was.

  Celeste raised her hand, hesitating only a moment before knocking.

  “Hey, sorry, I was in the kitchen trying to find something for us to munch on. Mack hasn’t been to the store this week, so there’s not much in there.”

  “That’s okay. I’m not hungry anyway.” Eating at a time like this was not a good idea. Food on a nervous stomach never ended well.