“Hey, wacko! He asked you a question!” Duff called.
Vero didn’t respond. He started walking back toward the school entrance. He did not want to deal with these guys right now. But before he’d taken but a few steps, Blake grabbed Vero’s shoulder and spun him around.
“It’s rude to walk away when someone’s talking to you. Didn’t your mother teach you any manners?”
“Look, I’m just waiting for my ride.”
“Well, I don’t think they’re coming,” Danny said, looking around. “Even Mommy and Daddy don’t care about you.”
Vero felt his blood pressure rising. “No!” he shouted back. “Everybody knows that’s your parents!”
A dark look passed over Danny’s face, and Vero knew his words had stung. For a brief instant, Vero felt bad for Danny.
“Get him!” Blake said to Danny.
“Don’t let him get away with that!” Duff shouted.
Before Vero could make a run for it, Danny’s fist cut him hard across the jaw.
Vero staggered backward into Duff, who caught Vero and shoved him back toward Danny, who then hit him again — this time in the nose. Blood trickled down Vero’s face. Duff and Blake laughed.
“I don’t think he’s learned his lesson yet,” Blake said.
Danny seemed to hesitate, but Vero was done with this abuse. He was a guardian angel! A powerful being to whom lions bowed down! Vero made a fist and was about to strike Danny with his full strength when an unseen force prevented his arm from moving.
What? Not fair!
Danny took advantage of Vero’s hesitation and slugged him hard in the gut. Vero doubled over and fell to the ground, cutting his forehead on the corner of a cement flowerbed.
“Bull’s-eye!” Duff shrieked as he high-fived Blake.
Vero curled up on the ground, winded and in pain.
The bully crew walked on by, and as Duff passed him, he turned and spit on Vero.
What was that? For a split second, Duff’s unusually blue eyes seemed to flash red!
Then a drop of blood dripped from the gash in his forehead.
No, Vero thought. It was just my own blood blurring my vision.
11
FAILED FLIGHT
The last thing Vero wanted was to attract more attention, so he didn’t tell anyone about his encounter with Blake, Duff, and Danny — but especially not Tack. Tack would either (a) retaliate, or (b) make Vero retaliate. Neither one was an option. Vero still couldn’t wrap his mind around what had happened when he’d tried to hit Danny, or what he thought he’d seen afterward . . .
Not going there.
Instead, he worked hard to regain anonymity. His life became quiet and monotonous. Vero’s basic routine consisted of going to school, going home, going to his bedroom, going to dinner, and going back to his bedroom. Yet his mind was consumed with thoughts of the Ether.
When will I see Uriel again? Had it really happened?
Eventually Vero broke his routine and went to a movie with Tack one Saturday morning.
“Wasn’t it awesome when that meteor hit the dam and the water flooded everything?” Tack asked as they walked out of the theater and into the lobby.
“Yeah,” Vero answered, completely disinterested.
“Or when that second meteor hit the desert and created that sandstorm?”
“Yeah, great,” Vero said halfheartedly.
The truth was, all Vero could think about was the Ether.
“That movie’s got Oscar written all over it!” Tack said as he pressed the Down elevator button. “Oh man, look!”
Vero turned around and saw a group of girls exiting the same theater. They were giggling about something. Were they laughing at him? Then Vero noticed one of the girls was Davina.
Tack licked the palm of his hand and tried to smooth down the double cowlick that made his hair protrude at the back of his head.
“How do I look?” Tack asked as the girls approached.
Vero didn’t answer. He was too preoccupied with the sight of Davina. She’d been one of the few bright spots of being back on earth.
“Is my hair sticking up?” Tack asked.
With their backs to the elevator doors, Tack and Vero watched the girls pass by. They heard the chime and whoosh of the elevator doors opening.
“Dude, did you hear me?” Tack asked, giving Vero’s shoulder a shove. “Can’t you at least acknowledge me or something?”
Taken by surprise, Vero stumbled backward through the open elevator doors — except there was no elevator floor to catch him!
When Vero opened his eyes, he was lying under a tree with delicious-looking apples, oranges, lemons, peaches, and pears hanging from its branches. He breathed in the magnificent aroma of the fruit, and he experienced instant peace.
Vero was back in the Ether.
As he was lying on his back, just marveling at the different fruits all sprouting from one tree, he felt a foot nudge his side. He quickly sat up and saw a girl with a slight build towering over him. She looked to be about his age. And she was pretty. Her skin was olive, her eyes were bright, and she had curly auburn hair — the fiery color of autumn leaves.
“You can eat some of those, if you want,” she told him, absentmindedly twirling a curl around one of her fingers. “None of the trees are off-limits here.”
The girl picked a peach off the tree and handed it to Vero. It was the size of a soccer ball, and Vero had to hold it with both hands.
“I don’t know whether to dribble it or eat it,” Vero said.
Then, right before his eyes, a tiny bud blossomed in the exact spot where the girl had picked the giant peach. It quickly grew in size until it matched the one Vero held. Vero looked at the new peach in complete astonishment.
“Pretty cool, huh?” the girl said. “Go ahead, try it!”
Vero looked at the peach and then back at the girl suspiciously. “Who are you?”
“My name’s Ada. Ada Brickner.”
“Good. Before I bit into this thing, I just wanted to make sure your name isn’t Eve.” Vero took a bite, and peach juice dripped down his hands. It was so fresh, so perfectly ripe, it tasted unlike anything he’d ever eaten. Until that moment his favorite food had been pizza, but no more. And the peach did more than fill his stomach — it felt as if it had nourished his entire body.
“Let’s go. They’re waiting for us,” Ada said.
“Who’s waiting for us?”
“The others.”
“Oh, the others. That clears up everything. I’d better not keep them waiting.”
Ada didn’t respond. She turned and briskly walked away.
Vero quickly followed, still holding the massive peach in his hands.
“Why didn’t Uriel greet me?” he called after her.
“There are more important things he’s gotta do than welcome you,” she shot back over her shoulder. “I know you’re new to the Ether, but the first rule you need to learn is to leave your ego back on earth.”
“So are you a guardian angel too?” Vero asked as he caught up to her.
“Yes. This is my third training session. I’m from a large city, East Coast.”
“What? Are “the others” more guardian angels? Am I training with a group?”
Before Ada could answer, her wings sprouted from her back, and she took off in flight, leaving Vero standing alone on the side of the steep mountain.
“Hey! Come back here!” Vero shouted.
Ada didn’t look back as she flew out of sight.
Vero willed his wings to appear, but nothing happened. He wearily walked along the side of the cliff, carrying the weight of his frustrations on his shoulders. Ada could command her wings with a single thought, but he wasn’t able to do that. He couldn’t help but wonder how a girl could have the power, but he didn’t.
He wasn’t sure where he was supposed to go, and he was hoping for some sort of sign to guide him. Looking out over the horizon, he saw nothing but endless white.
There was no sign of Ada anywhere.
Suddenly, Vero heard a voice say, “Jump.”
Vero spun around and nearly dropped the enormous peach. But no one was there. “Who said that?” Vero yelled. His eyes searched for the source.
“Jump,” the voice repeated. It wasn’t a frightening voice. It sounded firm but somehow trustworthy.
Vero peered over the edge of the cliff. Clouds hung in the air below him, preventing him from seeing the bottom. If he were to throw himself off the side of the mountain, he’d have no idea where he’d land. Yet the clouds beckoned to him.
Somewhere deep inside, Vero felt the clouds would protect him.
“Jump,” the voice enticed him again.
If my falls from the rooftop and down the elevator shaft didn’t destroy me, Vero reasoned, then neither should a fall from a cliff in the Ether.
He stood with his back straight, feeling full of confidence. While still holding the peach in his hands, Vero ran full speed toward the edge of the cliff and jumped into the unknown.
Vero was exhilarated as the crisp air held him. He felt a tug on his back as his wings quickly sprouted. Finally, he was truly flying! It was a feeling of pure freedom as he soared the skies. He’d never felt happier.
The clouds began to dispel, and Vero glimpsed the land far below. Instantly he became aware of the fact that his actions defied logic. Doubt spread through him with the swiftness of a deadly virus. Soon, Vero succumbed to uncertainty, and then the sky simply dropped him. Vero hit the side of the mountain hard.
The colossal peach flew out of his hands on impact. Vero tumbled head over heels down an incline that seemed to go on forever, and then he finally came to an abrupt stop with one last “Ooomph!”
He was unhurt but dazed. And when he looked up, he was surprised to see other kids sitting on the grass in a forest glade, staring at him with what seemed to be looks of disapproval. His face flushed hot, and then, as if his fall wasn’t humiliating enough, the immense peach finished its descent and landed on Vero’s head, splattering juice down the sides of his face.
Ada laughed.
“See what happens when you doubt?” Uriel asked, standing over him.
With his right hand, Vero felt his back.
“Don’t bother,” Uriel said. ”Your wings are gone.”
Disappointment swept over Vero. He overheard Ada whispering to a slight boy with ears that stuck out from his head and glasses that were too big for his face.
“Are you sure this is the guy?” she asked in a low voice.
Vero watched as the boy nodded.
“He doesn’t seem so special,” she said.
What did that mean? How did these other guardian angels know about him? Vero had so many questions, but somehow he knew Uriel wouldn’t be forthcoming with any answers.
Uriel went around the group and introduced each angel in turn. Vero had already met Ada. The slight kid with the huge glasses was named Pax. Kane was a dark-haired boy who was built like a linebacker. X was a tall boy with a classic, angular face, chiseled nose, and high cheekbones. His light brown skin was flawless, and his chest and broad shoulders seemed exceedingly well developed for someone whom Vero thought couldn’t be much older than himself.
Vero noticed how Ada shot an admiring glance at X during his introduction.
“Stop drooling,” Kane said quietly, nudging Ada in her side and giving a slight nod toward X.
Ada flashed him an angry glance, then caught Vero looking at her and turned away — but not before Vero saw her blush.
“This is Vero. He comes to us from suburban America,” Uriel told the group. “And obviously he’s going to need some flying lessons.”
Vero hung his head in embarrassment.
“I’ll help him fly,” X said as he stood up. “Kane can help too.” X reached his hand down and pulled Kane to his feet.
For some reason Kane was less intimidating to Vero, probably because he was about the same height. But where Vero’s body hadn’t filled out yet, Kane exuded strength.
“Thank you,” Uriel said.
“Should we go with them?” Ada asked Uriel.
“No, you and Pax have prayers to answer.”
“Come on, let’s get you airborne,” X said to Vero. “We can start with that small mountain.”
Vero followed X’s gaze to the mountain looming behind them. He felt his heart skip a beat. There was nothing small about it.
12
THE PRAYER GRID
Vero swallowed hard as he stood at the base of the mountain. It was a long way to the top. Kane and X began to climb. Vero, determined to keep up with them, followed.
“Is your name really X?” Vero asked, stepping over a large rock.
“It’s Xavier. X for short.”
“Where do you guys come from?”
“Large city, Europe,” X answered.
“Island in the Indian Ocean,” Kane said.
“So how come I can understand you? I mean, don’t we speak different languages?”
“We do when we’re on earth,” X said. “But in the Ether we can all understand one another. The more advanced angels can communicate by thought. They don’t even have to open their mouths.”
“That way, words can never distort,” Kane explained.
“They can read my mind?” Vero asked.
“Yeah, but it’s no big deal unless you’ve got something to hide,” X told him.
Vero thought about that for a moment and felt a twinge of guilt. Not all of his thoughts were good. He often wished Clover’s friend Vicki, who constantly teased him for being so skinny, would wake up one morning with a face full of pimples. He also hoped some bigger guys would beat up Danny so he’d know what it felt like to be bullied. And he wished Clover, his own sister, could feel the meanness she regularly inflicted upon him.
“Of all of us, Pax is the only one who can read minds,” X said. “But even he can do it only sometimes.”
“As we advance more toward our spiritual selves, we’ll get better at it,” Kane added.
X stopped climbing and turned to Vero. “Try it again.”
Vero was so caught up in his thoughts that he hadn’t realized they’d reached the top. It was just like when he’d climbed nine stories when the maltures were chasing him, and he’d hardly broken a sweat. It wasn’t until Vero looked over the edge that he began sweating.
“It’s pretty far down. I really don’t feel like falling again.”
“You have to believe you can do it,” Kane told Vero. “That’s the secret to flying.”
“It’s a matter of trust,” X chimed in. “When a mother bird throws her baby bird out of the nest for the first time, it has no idea how to fly. It’s never done it before, but it trusts its instincts.”
“But a baby bird has wings! Birds are supposed to fly!” Vero shot back.
“Well, so are you,” Kane said.
Vero’s mind flashed to when he was younger. He saw himself standing on the pitch of his roof, totally fearless. Back then he’d wanted so badly to fly. But now eight years later, having been in a human body and suppressing the urge to fly for so long, he’d forgotten his true nature.
“We’ll catch you if you fall,” X said.
Vero remained hesitant. It wasn’t that he was afraid of flying; he was scared he wouldn’t be able to do it. What if he couldn’t? What if he failed completely? Would they make fun of him?
“Sometime today . . . ” Kane said.
But Vero didn’t move.
“Maybe that mother bird is on to something . . .” X said.
In one swift motion, Kane and X pushed Vero off the cliff. Vero fell into the sky, screaming, while Kane and X laughed and waved. Vero became angry. Really angry. He was sick and tired of people shoving him off buildings, down elevator shafts, and now off a cliff! He did not want to face-plant into the soil again.
As the ground quickly approached, Vero’s anger turned into resolve. His thoughts raced. I can do this. I CAN
do this! And suddenly, he knew he could. Vero’s wings shot out of his back and took his body gracefully upward.
“Ride the wind!” Kane yelled to him.
Vero felt utterly lighthearted and invigorated. And for his trust, he was rewarded with panoramic views of the glorious world below. He saw crystal clear lakes hugged by fertile mountains. Fields of golden wheat swayed in the breeze. Herds of animals roamed over the open hills. The scene before him was far more beautiful than anything Vero had ever seen on earth.
Vero turned his head and saw X and Kane flying on either side of him.
“Sorry about the push, but you needed it,” Kane said.
Vero recalled his fear when he’d learned to ride his bike without training wheels. Vero made his father promise to hold on to the back of the bike seat until Vero said he could let go. After two hours of clutching the bike, his father became frustrated and let go. Vero pedaled another ten minutes on his own before he realized his father was sitting on the front porch drinking a cool glass of iced tea. He hadn’t even been mad at his father for breaking his promise.
Vero’s anger at Kane and X was gone. “Ha!” Vero cried.
“Ya-hooo!” X hollered, and the three of them soared together.
Vero trailed them but quickly became distracted by the sound of rushing water. He looked down and saw not one, but three majestic waterfalls flowing into one another.
The three waterfalls were equidistant from each other and formed a perfect triangle. The water from each fell into a collective tranquil pool below. Vero lagged behind Kane and X; he felt drawn to the falls. He longed to have the water wash over him, and not just because he wanted to get the sticky peach juice out of his hair. No, he wanted to drink the water and let it cleanse his entire body.
Vero flew faster toward the falls. He was no longer shaky with the new wings. He grew excited with anticipation. The closer he got to the water, the more he felt as if his heart would leap out of his chest. It was almost within his grasp when he slammed up against what felt like an invisible glass barrier. He suddenly remembered Tack’s joke about the bug and the windshield. The impact caused him to lose his ability to fly, and he hurtled toward the ground. Kane and X flew to his side and caught him in midair. Vero regained control of himself, and Kane and X released him back to the wind.
The Ether Page 8