Four-Footed Angels

by J. T. Livingston

  Tim had untied the rope around his feet and lurched over to the door and listened while the truck drove away. He could hear the crickets and frogs, but after the truck was gone, he thought he heard something else. He was torn between helping his friend and trying to figure out what sounds he was hearing just outside the door. He turned to help Ross, but stopped when he recognized the sound of toenails clicking on the small, wooden porch of the cabin. He pressed his ear to the door and could have sworn he heard the heavy breathing of an animal. He waited until the clicks moved off the porch before turning again to help Ross up off the floor. “Something is out there…” he whispered to Ross, while he tried to side-step the vomit and tobacco at his feet.

  Ross took a deep breath while Tim helped him to a standing position. “He probably left someone out there to guard us…”

  Tim shook his head. “No…I don’t think so…if so, then it sounded like that guard had more than two feet…”

  Sam waited outside the cabin door until he felt sure that the men inside were okay. He knew they were good men and he wished he could help them, but he had more important things to do right now. He trotted over to the pit and looked down. His canine heart broke when he saw all the lifeless forms of his comrades. The corner of his eyes became wet with tears, but he had a busy night ahead of him and not much time left to get his work done. He quickly jumped into the pit but did not land on any of the dogs; instead, his massive body hovered an inch or two above them. He floated around the burning pit until he found the source of the whimpering. One by one, he grabbed three dogs by the nape of their necks and floated them to safety, above and then beside, the open pit. The three dying dogs had all been someone’s beloved pet at one time in their lives. Two of them were less than a year old, but the third one was a special-needs senior, a Golden Labrador, whose untreated cataracts had left him blind years ago. The three dogs lay side-by-side, gasping their last few breaths. Their bodies had been badly mangled by Czar during an earlier training session that evening.

  The old dog, whose former owner had named him Bingo, tried to lift his head when he sensed Sam near him. He had no fight left in him, and he hoped this new fighting dog would kill him quickly. However, instead of the throat-ripping he expected, Bingo’s cloudy vision began to lift when Sam laid down beside him and covered him with one of his huge paws. The old dog sighed deeply when Sam laid his head on Bingo’s stomach. The cataracts evaporated from Bingo’s eyes, and he watched in awe as the huge, black dog performed the same healing effects on the other two surviving bait dogs.

  Sam gave the dogs a few minutes to adjust to their miraculous healing before he stood proudly before them. Bingo was the first to see the small, golden halo appear above Sam’s head. He had heard stories about angel dogs before, but he never believed they were real. He believed now!

  “Come on, everyone…” Sam spoke to them. “We don’t have much time…I’ll show you where you need to go, but you have to keep to the woods so that no one will see you. It’s going to be a long walk for you, but the people at the Heavenly Grille Café will see to it that you get to safety. Come on now…follow me…”

  26. Heaven - Amos Arrives

  Amos was transported to Heaven at the exact moment that his heart stopped beating on the operating table. While the doctors attempted every measure to bring him back, Amos drifted slowly toward the brilliant beam of light that pulled him forward with a strong, magnetic force.

  Martin’s head snapped quickly around when he felt the presence of Amos. “Oh, my…you’re not supposed to arrive here for several more years, my friend…”

  Another voice suddenly boomed from behind Martin, causing him to snap back around in the opposite direction.

  “Helloooo…Mr. Martin…” Andrew Brown called out. His genial greeting was cut short when he saw his twin brother, Amos, standing on the other side of Martin. Andrew fell to his knees and clasped his hands together in prayer. “Oh, Lawdy…Mr. Martin…that there is my brother!”

  This situation had not happened in a long, long time, and it had Martin temporarily speechless. Once in a blue moon, someone appeared in Heaven before their time. When this happened, a select few might remain, but the majority of them would be returned to earth until their due termination date arrived.

  Amos took two steps forward and stared intently at his twin brother…his very much younger twin brother. Tears began to flow freely down his cheeks as he got closer to Andrew, who was moving toward him at a quicker pace…but, then again…Andrew was now at least fifty years younger than Amos. “Lawdy…I guess I be dead, huh?” Amos whispered to his brother when they came close enough to touch.

  Andrew looked back at Martin for assistance and clarification. “Is it okay, Mr. Martin? I mean…can I touch him? Can I hug my brother?”

  Martin had regained his composure and reached behind him to flick on the huge screen that occupied most of his time. He directed his thoughts specifically to Amos Brown and the old man’s bio quickly appeared on the invisible screen. “By all means, Andrew…yes…you may welcome your brother while I check something in his book…” He looked Amos squarely in the eye to reassure him. “Please don’t worry, Amos…we will get this straightened out as quickly as possible. In the meantime, why don’t you visit with your brother…let him show you around…”

  Once they attained Martin’s permission, the two brothers came together with a tremendous force of longing and love. Amos wiped the tears of happiness away and held his twin at arms’ length. “Well…will you just look at yourself…I had almost forgotten how handsome we were when we were younger.” He looked down at his own, seventy-decade body. “I guess I’m gonna have to keep the old vessel I finished with, huh?”

  Andrew hugged his brother to him. “Lawdy…Amos…I don’t cares what you look like…it’s so good to see you again. I think about you every single minute of every single day. I don’t understand why your body is still that of an old man, though…I arrived here looking like this…”

  “Oh…it don’t matter none to me, brother…” Amos laughed. “I’ve missed you so much…you have no idea…”

  Andrew took his brother’s hand. “Come on, Amos…I don’t have any idea about what’s going on right now, but I have a feeling that you ain’t gonna be staying too long, and, I want to show you what you have to look forward to. This might seem a little scary, but you gots to trust me, okay? Hang on to my hand and close your eyes…”

  Amos knew he should have been more bewildered and dumbfounded than he was, but…HE WAS IN HEAVEN, and he felt absolutely amazing. His arthritis was gone, his back felt strong, and his knees didn’t creak one little bit. He felt a tingling sensation course through his body while the transportation was happening, and he kept his eyes tightly shut.

  “Open your eyes, Amos!” Andrew released his brother’s hand and lifted both his own hands upward. “Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?” Dogs of all shapes and sizes, with their tails wagging in happy greeting, bounded quickly toward them. Andrew dropped to his knees and allowed the multitude of the dogs to take turns in his lap to administer welcoming doggie kisses.

  “Oh…sweet, Jesus…” whispered Amos. He wasn’t looking at the dogs anymore; instead, his focus centered on the man and woman waving to him from the mansion’s huge veranda. “Oh…sweet, Jesus…” he repeated as he began a slow sprint toward his mother and father.

  Andrew rolled on the ground laughing and playing with all the dogs. He yelled after his brother, “Oh, yeah…I forgot to tell you that Mama and Daddy are living with me!” He continued playing with the dogs and allowed his brother to fully absorb and enjoy the reunion of a life time.

  _____

  Meanwhile, back at Heaven’s entry point, Martin scrolled down the large screen and clicked his tongue. “Oh, for Heaven’s sake…” he mused. “Keep working, you fools…don’t give up…his heart will re-start!” He watched what looked like a video clipping of the operating room where Amos Brown still lay on the table. One of t
he attending doctors was working fervently to bring Amos back, while another appeared ready to call “time of death.”

  “He’s not coming back, Sorenson...if you don’t make the call, I will.”

  Martin smiled at Dr. Denver Sorenson’s firm reply.

  “This is my patient, Dr. Bowman…I decide when it’s time to give up on him.” He adjusted the shock defibrillation paddles and yelled back, “CLEAR!”

  Martin flicked his hand across the screen to change scenes, and watched the happy reunion between the members of the Brown family. He sighed softly and shook his head. “If the choice was his to make, I’m sure he would remain right where he is at, but, alas…the choice is not his to make, and…it is NOT his time…not yet. No, Amos Brown, you have a surprise waiting for you back on earth, so I’m afraid you cannot remain with us today…”

  _____

  The scene inside Andrew’s mansion was one of pure, unadulterated love and happiness. Andrew stood in the kitchen, shoulder-to-shoulder with his twin while they watched their mother prepare a meal for them to share.

  Amos leaned across the marble countertop to wipe his finger along the inside of the bowl that held the cake batter to his favorite chocolate cake his Mama use to make for him. He laughed out loud when the beautiful woman, apparently in her mid-forties now, slapped his wrist and grinned at him with a loving smile.

  “Don’t you remember, I always told you that eating raw batter wasn’t good for you?” Mama Brown grinned mischievously.

  Daddy Brown came up behind his wife, reached around, and quickly ran his own finger inside the bowl. He brought it quickly to his generous lips before she could swat him away. “I don’t think we have to worry about that anymore, sweetie,” he laughed and kissed her on the cheek.

  Mama Brown sighed and looked around the room. “It’s mighty nice to have all my menfolk together again. I has been waitin’ a long, long time for this.” She closed her eyes for a quick moment. She opened them and poured the cake batter in a baking dish. “I love you all…so very, very much.”

  Amos looked around the large, but comfortable, kitchen and noticed for the first time, the absence of any appliances. “Ummm…Mama…” he scratched his head. “How do you plan on cookin’ that there cake? There ain’t no oven in here…matter of fact…now that I be looking around…there ain’t no refrigerator or freezer either…”

  Mama Brown chuckled and pinched Amos’ withered cheek. “Oh, sweet boy…that’s just one of the glories of this magnificent place. You see, son…food is not required, but you can make it if you want, or you can simply “think” about it and it will appear before you; but, for those of us who enjoyed cooking for ourselves and our families, well…we can still do it…we just don’t have to wait hours for it to be finished! Watch this!”

  Amos watched while his mother picked up the baking dish from the counter. She closed her eyes, turned around one complete cycle, and showed off the finished cake to her bewildered son. “Oh my, Lawd…will you just look at that…” he flashed his toothless grin and shook his head. “I guess that means I can ask you to cook all my favorites, doesn’t it? Oh, how I miss your cooking, Mama…Mr. Max, at the café, is a good cook, but even his doesn’t compare to yours.”

  “I’ve already prepared everything you loved most, Amos,” his Mama smiled back at him. While you and Andrew were playing with all those pups, I came in here and whipped up EVERYTHING…all your favorites. Come on, now…I don’t know how much time we have together before you have to leave, and I want to have all my men at one table again…”

  Amos’ head jerked up. “What do you mean…before I have to leave? I died…I’m in Heaven…with all of you. I don’t want to leave. I’ve been looking forward to this day for longer than I can tell you. There’s nothing left for me back there anymore…all of you are gone now…and it’s mighty lonesome down there by myself. I don’t want to go back, Mama.” He looked pleadingly at his Daddy. “Please, Daddy…can’t you do something…I want to stay.”

  The elder Brown motioned for all of them to come together and he wrapped his long arms around them all. He kissed the top of his wife’s head before looking up to stare into Amos’ pleading eyes. “That’s not up to any of us, Amos…I think you know that. For some reason, we have all been granted this glorious reunion, and no matter how brief it is…that’s what we’re going to do...we’re going to enjoy every blissful second we have together.”

  Amos nodded and wiped away a lone tear. “Yessir…” He looked over at the long, wooden table that had been positioned for a splendid view of the mansion’s lush acreage. He could see that it now held bowls upon bowls of all his favorite foods. “It all looks mighty good, Mama…I can’t wait to taste it all. No more sad talk…I don’t know why the good Lord has allowed me to come see y’all like this, but I’m mighty grateful for whatever time He gives us…so, you’re right, Daddy…let’s not waste any of it.”

  _____

  Martin switched screens again and watched the determination and intensity on Dr. Sorenson’s face. He could not suppress a smile when Dr. Bowman pursed his lips and rolled his eyes in frustration. “Oh, we have some serious work to do on you, Dr. Bowman…oh, yes we do!” Martin grinned. He turned at the sound of fluttering robes, and greeted the four members of the Brown family. “Ah…there you are, Amos. I was afraid I was going to have to come fetch you away from your beautiful family.”

  “What do you mean?” Amos took two steps away from his family. He immediately felt an electric shock surge through him and instinctively attempted to move back toward his family. His feet would not move backward. He took another two steps forward and felt another shock surge through his chest. He grabbed his chest, looked back at his brother, and reached out for him.

  Martin sighed. “I’m sorry, but…your time is up, Amos. You must return now…one more shock should do it, I think.”

  “But…can’t I hug them one last time…please?” Amos begged. Tears formed in his eyes as he tried in vain to move backwards; instead, his feet propelled him another two steps forward.

  “We love you, Amos!” Andrew waved and shouted.

  “We will see you again one day, son!” Mama Brown beamed as she held onto her husband for support. “We love you so very much!”

  “Good-bye, Amos…please don’t be sad…you know that we’ll be waiting for you…” Daddy Brown choked on his own farewell and buried his face against Andrew’s broad shoulder.

  Amos’ outstretched arms were the last thing that the three angelic members of the Brown family saw before they vanished.

  “It was very nice to meet you, Amos Brown,” Martin nodded. He took hold of Amos’ hand and moved forward with him another two steps. “Please don’t be sad…you were granted something that not many people ever get to experience…go and live the rest of your life in peace and love. Something good is about to happen to you, my friend…”

  Amos felt the final shock to his heart and heard a distant voice say, “Well…I’ll be damned, Sorenson…you did it…you really did it!”

  “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord.” Psalm 27:14 (NKJV)

  27. A New Plan Takes Form

  The ambulance had taken Amos to the Archbold Memorial Hospital in Thomasville since it was closer than one of the larger hospitals in Tallahassee. Dr. Denver Sorenson pushed open the doors to Operating Room Number 7. He pulled the blue cap off his head, closed his eyes, and uttered a silent prayer to the person really responsible for saving Amos Brown’s life. He never failed to give thanks to the true power behind it all. He opened his eyes and walked slowly toward the waiting room area. It was just after one o’clock in the morning, but there were several people waiting. He looked over the strange gathering…from the huge, black man who reminded him of a Gladiator, to the middle-aged woman who looked like Shirley Booth, to the virile-looking man who could easily have been a mercenary…there was something odd, yet special, about those three people, but he
couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was. There was, also, a young couple standing in the middle of the odd trio; their posture and stance suggested that they might be married.

  Max noticed the doctor walking toward them, and stepped out in front of the group. “Excuse me, sir…but we’ve been waiting several hours now…could you please tell us anything about Amos Brown? They said he was in Operating Room Number 7, and I saw you come out of there just now…”

  Dr. Sorenson thought that the man’s smooth baritone voice perfectly matched his massive physique. “Are you family?” he asked Max.

  Bertie stepped around Max and punched the good doctor squarely against his shoulder. “Just because he’s the only black person here doesn’t mean he’s the only family. Truth is…old Amos doesn’t have any family left…all he has is us. We’re the closest thing to family he has, so, spill it…is he okay?”

  Doug grabbed Bertie’s hand before she could administer another punch to anyone. “Sorry, Doctor…you’ll have to excuse Bertie…she tends to be overly demonstrative at times, especially when she’s worried about someone she loves…”

  Amanda took her turn in front of the group. “Well? Is he okay?”

  Dr. Sorenson smiled at the group and shook his head. “I would not normally discuss a patient’s condition with anyone other than an immediate family member, but, it’s obvious that all of you care very much about Mr. Brown. So…I will say that he is fine now. We had to insert three stents, and it was touch and go for a long while…in fact, we lost him once…his heart stopped, and I had a hell of a time bringing him back, but…”

  The crowd of Amos’ supporters jumped and yelled joyously, shouting praise to their Heavenly Father above for returning Amos to them.

  “When can we see him?” Amanda asked.