by G. P. Ching
“You’re afraid he’s done something to the baby,” Abigail said.
“It’s just, you’re so thin,” Bonnie admitted.
“And malnourished,” Samantha added.
Cheveyo shot both of them a harsh look. “Don’t you worry, Mrs. Newman, you have a Healer back in Eden that will fix you and the baby up. A few days drinking the water, and you’ll be as good as new.”
Bonnie rubbed her toe along the shiny floor. How did any of them know for sure the baby, and therefore Abigail, would be allowed into Eden? At least Cheveyo was right about one thing, Malini would heal her. All of them would care for her, one way or another.
The doors opened and Bonnie scooped an arm under Abigail’s, joining Samantha in helping her into the atrium. Cheveyo guarded her back. They ushered her into the foyer, planning to exit the way they’d come in, but as Bonnie glanced up, she saw they were too late. Lucifer, Cord, and Auriel were entering through the front doors.
“Not that way,” Ghost appeared in front of them, arms blocking their advance. “Emergency exit.” He pointed in the opposite direction.
Bonnie turned on her heel, dragging Abigail along. Only, the older woman’s limbs wouldn’t obey. Weakness from the pregnancy and months of starvation had taken their toll. She tripped. Bonnie caught her. Still in Cord’s larger and stronger body, she decided to use it to their advantage. Sweeping Abigail up into her arms, she jogged toward the glowing red exit sign at the back of the building. Ghost blinked ahead and opened the door, setting off the alarm. Samantha and Cheveyo bolted through first, Bonnie moving slower with Abigail cradled in her arms.
On impulse, she glanced back. The real Cord glared at her, lips peeling back from extended fangs.
Bonnie kicked the door closed behind her, thinking about what the guide had said. Evil would know who she was. “He saw me. We’ve got to get out of here.”
“This way,” Ghost said. Racing for the street, he hailed a cab. They all climbed in, just as Cord and Auriel spilled into the alleyway.
“You got too many,” the cabbie griped, eyeing the four crammed into the backseat. “Only three seatbelts.”
Ghost handed him a hundred from the passenger’s side. “Get us out of here.”
The cabbie glanced at the advancing suits, shoved the bill into his pocket, and floored it.
Chapter 19
A New Beginning
Abigail repositioned herself on the bench of the boat to Eden. She didn’t believe for a moment the baby inside of her was anything but beautiful and innocent, but the cherubim that guarded the gates were a foreboding presence not to be taken lightly.
“Here we go,” Bonnie said, red hair still flying from the boat’s forward momentum. She stripped out of the coat she’d been wearing in the outside world. As the temperature warmed to a balmy seventy-eight degrees, the others did the same.
The familiar sifting started, cells pulled apart and put back together, and then the rubbery stretch of being forced through a membrane. Just as expected, she popped out on the other side without any permanent damage.
“That was interesting,” Samantha said, eyeing Abigail’s rounded belly. I wondered if we’d be able to see the baby’s soul, like when Cheveyo was stripped from Dane and judged separately.
“I’m sure my baby has a soul,” Abigail said. “Maybe, she’s just part of me for now when it comes to the judging. After all, the cherubim are meant to protect, and it’s not like she’s a threat.”
“She?” Ghost laughed. “You already know it’s a girl.”
“Just a feeling,” Abigail said with a knowing smile.
He blinked onto the dock and helped her out of the boat. Abigail appreciated his assistance considering her wasted body wasn’t cooperating with her the way it used to. The twins followed, helping her through the jungle and the welcoming doors of the Eden School for Soulkeepers.
Archibald, the head garden gnome, met her at the door, bowing deeply at the waist. “Ms. Abigail, it is my honor to see you again.” A fat green tear formed in the corner of his eye.
“Thank you, Archibald.”
“The others are gathered in the dining hall. We waited to take down the Christmas decorations, hoping this mission would be the one to find you.”
“Merry Christmas,” Abigail said, smiling. “And Happy New Year. I haven’t missed Valentine’s have I?”
“No.” He grinned a mouthful of jagged teeth. “You have a few weeks for that.”
She limped toward the dining hall with Bonnie’s help, and through the door Ghost held open.
A magnificent fir tree rose at the center of the room, decorated with pinecones, candles, and strung dried fruit. The beauty of the tree was only matched by the people under it. Malini, Jacob, Dane, Ethan, Lillian, Master Lee, and Grace all looked her way when she entered and a chorus of cheers met her at the door.
And then, Gideon. At first his green eyes locked onto her face as if she was a mirage that would disappear at any moment. His lips pressed together. His pupils dilated. Slowly, centimeter-by-centimeter, the corners of his mouth curled. The reality of her presence seemed to plow into him and knock him from his chair.
He dashed to her, engulfing her in his arms and burying his face in the side of her hair. “Oh thank God. Thank you, Lord,” he said.
The tears started then, hers and his. Suddenly, they weren’t alone in their hug. The others circled, wrapping arms around them both. Their love was a palpable thing, soaking through her clothes and skin.
After a long moment, one by one the Soulkeepers pulled back. “Welcome home,” Malini said.
Gideon’s hands rubbed her shoulders. “Malini, she’ll need healing. Your arms are so thin. And…” His voice trailed off as he noticed the mound of her belly. Gaping, he stared at the bump under her shirt.
“It’s yours,” she said. “I suspected I was pregnant before Lucifer took me. I think he was trying to starve the baby from me, but his plan didn’t work.”
Gideon placed his hands on either side of her belly. “How did you survive?”
“God visited me. She saved me.” Abigail looked around the group, eyes pausing on each of their faces. “I’m so sorry I opened myself up to this. I should have waited. I should have asked for help.”
Master Lee shook his head. “Any one of us might have done the same.”
Lillian nodded. “Now we know. We will be more careful with the stones.”
The rest of the Soulkeepers took turns nodding and whispering words of encouragement and forgiveness.
“I think I was captured for a reason,” she began. “I believe there were things I was meant to learn and bring back to you. I have news of horrible things to come. I’ve seen how Lucifer is playing this game.” Her voice cracked.
Malini smiled and placed her left hand near Gideon’s. “Forever the fighter, Abigail. You amaze me.” She frowned slightly, and Abigail felt the healing warmth of her touch under her skin. “I want you to rest and eat. If what you say is true, you’ll need your strength.”
“But—”
“There’s time,” Malini said. The golden color of the Healer’s eyes held a certainty that transcended her short life, the wisdom of her ancient power surrounded her, an aura that gave everyone in her radius peace.
Abigail lowered her head. “I could use some rest.”
Within seconds, four chairs appeared behind her. She chose one and allowed a gnome to bring her a tray of the most scrumptious looking roasted root vegetables she’d ever seen. She didn’t hesitate to dig in.
“Are you all going to watch me eat?” she said between bites. “It looks like you still have presents to open?” She pointed her chin toward the tree.”
Jacob cleared his throat. “We opened ours on Christmas.”
Ethan smirked, shaking a box wrapped in brown paper. “These are yours, Abigail. I’ve been dying to know what this is.”
“Abigail can open her own gifts, Ethan.” Dane smiled and pulled the box from his hand. “I’v
e caught him shaking the box like fifty times.”
“You saved presents, for me?” Abigail said, pressing a hand to her chest. A lump formed in her throat.
Gideon grinned, selecting a box from the stack of packages. “Yes, we did. I never gave up hope that we’d find you. Never.”
“None of us did,” Dane said.
She placed her tray on the floor and accepted the gift, ripping into the paper. She lifted the lid. Inside, a wooden hanger was surrounded by two dozen small bamboo cranes. She lifted the hanger, and listened to the hollow cranes knock together musically. Wind chimes!
From behind her chair, Gideon wrapped his arms around her neck and kissed her on the cheek. “There’s a Japanese legend that if you fold one thousand origami cranes, you will be granted one wish. I’m not Japanese, and I don’t fold origami, but I have learned something about woodworking. I thought the symbolism was close enough. Must have been, because my wish came true.”
Abigail placed the wind chimes back in the box, her arm too tired to hold them up, and rested a hand on his forearm. With stormy vision, she turned in her seat to meet her husband’s eyes. “I love you, Gideon. Forever.”
She was home. Finally and completely, home.
* * * * *
Days later, Abigail sat on the veranda outside her bedroom, recovering. She’d spent much of the last forty-eight hours sleeping, and she stretched her arms in an effort to shake the groggy feeling that lingered like an unwanted guest. How long would it take to feel like herself again? Or maybe she never would, because she was not the same self.
Beyond the veranda, the lush jungle was alive with tropical birds and small monkeys chattering within the green foliage. Paradise. How she hated to be the one to deliver the message from the guide in the red stone. Malini put her off about it again and again, insisting she get stronger first before explaining her ordeal, but she couldn’t wait any longer. The Healer needed to know what they were up against.
On the table beside her, a curl of steam rose from her herbal tea, her own healing recipe brewed by Archibald. Thanks to Malini’s daily healing touch, and the gnome’s regular meals, Abigail had already gained a few pounds. Still, she took none of it for granted. All of the Soulkeepers lived here on borrowed time.
A knock rang through the room. “Come in, Malini.”
The Healer entered with the graceful stride of an old soul. “How are you feeling today?”
“Better. I think our sessions are helping.”
“I’m not doing much. My skin doesn’t burn anymore when I touch you, which means I’m not exactly healing something that’s sick. Instead, I’m just giving you a little extra warmth and love to support your recovery.”
Abigail smiled and motioned toward the cushy chair next to her. “We need to talk.”
Pausing, Malini sighed deeply. Abigail expected a fight, but after Malini scanned her from head to toe, she resigned herself to the seat on the other side of the small table.
“Okay.”
“It’s time for me to tell you about what I learned when I was Lucifer’s prisoner.”
“About the challenge?”
“Yes.”
“There will be six curses and six blessings.”
“Fatima told me. She said they will go in order, curse then blessing.”
“The first curse was pestilence. Lucifer is running Harrington Enterprises. The cure was purposefully made to be addictive.”
“We were able to puzzle that one out. We think the first blessing was wisdom. There’s an entire anti-Elysium movement now. God had to be behind that.”
“The second curse was ignorance. Lucifer used his power to place Auriel in the position of Secretary of Education.”
“Like of the United States?”
Abigail nodded. “I’m fairly sure they’ve disposed of the real Mr. Duncan.”
“We assumed he was influenced. Sounds like Lucifer isn’t taking any chances.” Malini shook her head. “I had to kill a Watcher at PHS the last day of school before winter break.”
Abigail raised both eyebrows.
“Said the curriculum was being redesigned. I redesigned her molecules.”
“Was there fallout? Who saw? Do we have to cover it up?”
“You know, I thought there might be. When you burn someone in the middle of the hallway, you expect repercussions. But by the time the others came out, she was mostly ash. Dane told them it was experimental theater.”
“And they bought that explanation?”
“The weird thing is I don’t think the kids who saw really believed our story. They just wanted an explanation. They couldn’t process the truth, so they chose to believe the lie.”
“Hmm.” Abigail lifted her cup to her lips and took a long swallow. “Do you know if the second blessing has happened yet?”
“If it has, I don’t know what it is.”
Abigail nodded. “Then we may have some time. I’ve learned the third curse will bring us out of Eden.”
“What?” Malini furrowed her brow. “What are you talking about?”
“When I was in the stone—your stone—my guide told me that the third curse will be terror, and even Eden will not be safe. He warned me that we must evacuate. Eden isn’t safe any longer.”
“The curse makes sense. Lucifer deals in fear and illusion. It was only a matter of time before he used terror to his advantage. But Eden?” Malini shook her head.
“Eden has been our safe house since we found it. I didn’t think anything could reach us here. But the guide in the In Between made me promise to warn you. He said, and I quote, ‘You must protect the remnant.’”
“The remnant? Eden isn’t safe?” Malini searched Abigail’s eyes. “Are you certain about this? The guide is a manifestation of my deepest consciousness. I don’t have any memory of what he or she says to anyone, but I do know that sometimes the messages can be abstract. Even I have trouble seeing the future.”
“I’ve been human less than a year, Malini, but I’ve been around much longer. It wasn’t just what the guide said.” Abigail stared into the jungle, tapping that deep and distant part of herself that used to be a Watcher. “I can feel it in my bones. Something big is coming. Something brutal. Lucifer will stop at nothing to win this challenge. He’s not above cheating or trickery.”
“Another Trojan horse?” Malini asked absently.
“I don’t know for sure, but we must prepare.” Abigail turned to meet her young friend’s eyes and rubbed a hand over the mound of her belly. “We need to leave Eden.”
Chapter 20
The Second Gift
The rubber-coated, foam ball plowed into Tommy Snider’s stomach with such force that his young, lanky body toppled backward. He landed with a painful thump on his tailbone. The red ball rolled harmlessly away.
“Snider!” the P.E. teacher howled, his face turning red with the force of his yell. “Man up and play ball.”
Within the body of twelve-year-old Noah Spencer, the angel Gabriel reached down to help God from the floor of St. Andrews Middle School.
“Lord, are you all right?” Gabriel asked.
“Noah! You worry about you,” the red-faced teacher yelled.
Another red ball sailed between them.
“You know I am fine, Gabriel. I’ve suffered much worse humiliations than this,” God said through Tommy’s mouth.
Smack. A red ball collided with the side of Gabriel’s head. He rubbed Noah’s aching ear.
“Why must we do this, Lord? Dodgeball? In the bodies of twelve-year-old boys? What good could this possibly accomplish?”
God smacked another red ball aside with Tommy’s small-for-his-age hand. It bounced harmlessly between the targets on the other team and was promptly caught. “Tommy Snider has been bullied all year at St. Andrews. For one afternoon, I wanted to lift his burden. There’s no better day to do that than dodgeball day.”
“But, Lord, we hardly have time for this. Auriel is running the public education system
for Lucifer. The things they are teaching the children are horrific. The scales still tip in his favor. We must do something. Perhaps, the next blessing?”
“All in good time, Gabriel.”
Gabriel leapt in front of God to block the next barrage of balls. A welt began to form under Noah’s right eye.
“Lucifer has gone too far,” Gabriel said. “It is time to smite the Watchers with heavenly force. Perhaps another flood? A legion of archangels to reclaim the children?”
God caught a red ball and focused on a particularly snotty looking boy across the gym. He raised the projectile but did not throw it back.
Gabriel watched as the boy across the gym made eye contact with the Creator and shivered. A dark, wet spot bloomed low on the boy’s blue shorts. The perpetually angry P.E teacher uttered a curse and blew his whistle. The game stopped.
“There is a time for force and a time to display quiet strength,” God said, lowering the ball. He turned piercing brown eyes on Gabriel. “Lucifer never did understand the force of peace. You can never combat ignorance with physical force.”
“Then how do we stop this?” Gabriel asked. The boy who’d wet his pants cried openly as the P.E. teacher ushered him to the locker room with a less than compassionate strong-arm. A sea of snickers and pointing fingers followed him.
God sighed. “I hate to do it, but sometimes you have to show a bully for what he is. To combat ignorance, we will impart understanding, specifically discernment of spirits.”
“My Lord?”
“If any man or woman receives my gift and then looks upon a Watcher in the light of day, the beast’s illusion shall fall away and the truth of what they are will be exposed.”
“You will remove the power of their illusions? But, Lord, there will be panic. The humans will see them as monsters. Great fear will come to pass. The world will never be the same.”
God nodded. “It is too late for the same. Those who choose evil must see the darkness for what it is, and those who choose good must know walking in the light does not come easily. There is a price, a responsibility that comes with knowing the truth and having a heart of peace and love.”