The New Guard (Crossroads Book 1)

by Matthew M. Johns

  David had not raised his voice or taken his eyes off Mel and Ruth, but at the last words the other children were up and moving around. The Beagle led a few of them to a small spring where they splashed water on themselves and drank deeply. Ruth and Mary quickly came over to the campfire and began dividing up the food. David pointed out the trenches to the rest. With the all the strangeness, not one of the children questioned having to relieve themselves in a hole in the ground.

  Once they were all gathered around the small campfire with their morsels of food in hand, David spoke once more. “In order to properly orient you to what is happening, I must first have you think about the beginning. The beginning I’m referring to is Genesis.”

  Mary quickly piped up, eager to show how much she had remembered of the first story in the Bible. “God created the world in seven days. He created the light, the land, the plants, the animals, and the people.”

  David smiled at the eager six-year-old and nodded his head. “Yes, Mary all that happens at the beginning, but I ask you: what happened first?”

  This time Jeremiah jumped in, “God created light. ‘He made the light day and the dark night,’ Genesis, chapter one, verse three.”

  David continued to smile at his son’s exact quote and asked once more, “But what happened first?”

  Mel smiled at his father thinking he knew what he was trying to get at. “The Word; God created everything through the Word.”

  “That is correct, Mel. Without the Word nothing would have come into existence. However, I want you to think about Genesis chapter one, verses one and two: ‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty; darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.’ Before God brought forth the light of the Word to shine signaling the beginning of creation, God had built up a foundation. After God created, it was the acts of the serpent, of the woman Eve, and the man Adam that broke the original design of the creation.”

  As David spoke these last words he stood and signaled to the Beagle who went over the trenches and began covering them. David began dumping dirt on the smoldering logs that the campfire had become. As he worked, he continued to talk. “We have to hike the rest of this day in order to get to a safe spot to rest and gain our bearings. I want you to think upon what we have said this morning as we walk. Focus your thinking on the light and the darkness and the fundamental forces they played in creation and today.”

  “Perhaps you should let them know that there is no going back; we can only move forward.”

  At the sound of the low soft voice, the entire family turned. Just off to the side stood the Beagle, his eyes locked on David’s. David sighed deeply, rubbed the early stubble forming on his face, and then ran his hand through his hair.

  “This couldn’t have waited a few more hours?”

  “The veil must be lifted from the truth in order for all to see clearly. The road ahead will be treacherous at times, and not knowing could lead to failure.”

  The children gawked at their family pet as its lips moved and a human voice came forth. Slowly, their eyes moved from the dog to their father who now had a very tired expression in his eyes.

  “The Beagle talks,” whispered Dinah, her young eyes a mix of questioning surprise, barely restrained joy, and unbelief.

  David sighed once more, “The Beagle has always been able to talk, but only to me. He is a member of the Host of Heaven and has been assigned to closely watch over and guide our family. In this place, in the coming times, you will see and hear and do many things you did not believe possible. Know this; all things are possible with God. Do not doubt that He is with you even now. The sword I carry and the Beagle are two signs of His watchfulness.”

  “So the Beagle is an angel?” The uncertainty in Nic’s voice was strong, but with a hint of amazement. “Then who were those guys yesterday demons?”

  David’s raven black hair, which had not been cut in several months, was lengthening all around. When his hair got like this David, had a habit of pushing it back from his forehead. This was a sure sign he was getting agitated. When he answered Nic he spoke in short, clipped sentences.

  “No, those men were not demons. They were twisted by the darkness, the Void. Yes, the dog is really an angel. What it says is true. What has happened is irreversible. We are left to walk the path before us. We have enemies we must be watchful for and stay ahead of. Tonight, when we are secured, I will begin to answer your questions. Take this time to think of what those questions will be.”

  At that, David strode off toward the trees with his children staring after him. The Beagle barked once to break the spell and quietly spoke once more “Let’s get moving.” Softly he nudged the youngest children who then began to walk, which prompted the older children to follow. With their thoughts spinning and jumbling together, the children marched after their father now at the edge of the woods. He turned and waved them on and they picked up their pace as he moved into the trees.

  The children followed. Some of them followed out of confusion; they didn't know what else to do. Some followed out of wonder or fear of what else was going to happen. Most of the older children followed out of experience. Though the situation was strange, frightening, and completely out of the normal bounds of what they thought possible, they knew their father had never failed to protect them. In addition, they understood his moods. When things didn’t stack up the way he expected or something out of the blue happened to the family, he went into quiet volcano mode. Everybody knew there was something boiling under the surface. When he talked in short, clipped sentence and his actions become quick and stiff, none of them wanted to test his patience to the point of seeing an explosion. None of the children could ever recall a time when their father truly exploded and they wished to keep it that way, so they complied.

  Still they were children, and as the day wore on and they continued to hike through the forest their impulsive natures took hold. The youngest two, Mary and Dinah, followed close behind David, but kept peeking ahead at the Beagle. Nearly forty-five minutes had passed before they skipped ahead of David and trailed closely behind the Beagle. David knew what they were up to and figured the angel had brought this upon itself by speaking up when it did. The girls showed remarkable self-control; another fifteen minutes passed before they began pestering the Beagle.

  “Have you always been able to talk?” asked Mary, being the braver of the two.

  The Beagle looked back without breaking stride. It regarded David for a brief moment and was rewarded with a smug look that said, “You’re on your own.” The Beagle snuffed, then faced forward.

  “Yes, ladies, I’ve always been able to speak,” the Beagle replied.

  A minute passed before Dinah (who could no longer control herself) spoke. “Do you have magical powers?”

  The Beagle sighed and slowed, putting itself between the two girls. By this point Ruth and Jeremiah were also hovering nearby, drawn by curiosity and the sound of talking.

  “I,” the Beagle began, “have powers that many might consider magical. However, a better word is miraculous. All I can do is granted me by God and exists within the boundaries of what He created when He brought the universe into existence.”

  “So,” said Jeremiah, fascinated, “your power is based in science?!”

  “There is more to science than you can imagine or understand in this existence.”

  The response brought Jeremiah up short and he fell back, lost in the unraveling of the thought. The others continued to press the Beagle.

  “Can you fly?” “Can you disappear, invisible?” “Can you change your shape?” “Where are your wings?” On and on the questions rained down, and they didn’t wait for responses. This lasted for nearly ten minutes before the Beagle excused himself and ran far ahead of the group, saying it was going to scout the area ahead.

  Within moments Dinah fell back and took David’s hand. She was quiet for a moment and then spoke
ever so softly, “Daddy, where’s Mommy?”

  David had been wondering when this would be brought up. He had spoken to the Beagle in the night while the children slept, so he knew she too was here in this realm. However, she was separated from them; something had fractured the crossing point and she was miles away. He didn’t know where his wife was, though the Beagle reassured him she was safe and being looked after, too.

  David reached down without looking and grabbed up Dinah. He kept staring forward and did not make eye contact with her.

  “Mommy is here, too,” David replied soothingly. “She’s just not with us.”

  Dinah laid her head on David’s shoulder and whispered, “I hope Mommy doesn’t see the bad men.”

  David hugged Dinah tight. “The Beagle said she was safe; there is an angel with her as well.”

  “Does it talk to her?”

  “I reckon so. We have to trust the Lord to watch over her as He is watching over us.”

  With that, neither of them said any more.

  Chapter 4

  While David had eleven of their children safe in hand, Rebekah had spent the night following the small Owl. At some point, when she had to stop to catch her breath, she was sure she’d fallen asleep. She was not sure for how long, though it must have been a few hours because she woke up stiff from being on the log and leaning against another tree. Now as the dawn was breaking, and the woods were thinning, she was feeling the fatigue and hunger that her desperation and worry could no longer hold back.

  Rebekah had never thought of herself as weak. While it was true she didn’t have to fight for much of anything as most of her ancestors did, she had her share of strife and challenge. When she chose not to go into the family business but marry David instead; she suffered her own set of trials. She was ostracized from her father’s house and cut off from the comfort she had enjoyed as she grew up. David had no living family when she married him, so it was just the two of them. While David had secured a steady job and they had the house his aunt left to him, there was little room for luxury.

  Rebekah had surprised herself in those early years. She had adapted and thrived in a completely different environment from her childhood. The addition of children only seemed to strengthen her. Now, however, after a night of little sleep, unsure of where she or her family was, and all the peculiar happenings, Rebekah was feeling drained and feeble. She stopped, sat on a fallen log, and wiped at the tears of frustration and fear that were brimming in her eyes.

  “Worry not; have faith.”

  Rebekah froze at the sound of the strange voice. She looked around, but she could only see the Owl a few branches away. As she shook her head, a red fox came from behind a nearby pine. The Fox was walking backwards because with its mouth it was dragging a small white bundle. Rebekah stared, uncertain what to make of this new arrival. The Fox stopped a few feet from Rebekah and let go of its burden. It sat on its haunches and let its tongue flop out of its mouth. Rebekah continued to stare.

  “Go on, take it.”

  Rebekah, startled from her pondering, desperately looked around for whoever was speaking.

  “Hello; who’s there?” she called out.

  “It’s just you, me, and the Fox.”

  Rebekah’s head snapped up and her eyes locked onto the Owl’s. Then, as she was staring, the Owl spoke again.

  “Ravens won’t work around owls and they often get distracted, so a fox was an ideal choice.”

  Rebekah was dumbfounded. Her mind became fuzzy, and though she was sitting down she had to hold tight to the log she was sitting on so as not to fall over.

  “Breathe,” said the Owl calmly. “Breathe or you will pass out.”

  Rebekah took a deep breath. Then she took another. Slowly, forcing herself to concentrate, she took in air and let it out. In . . . out . . . in . . . out.

  “What. . ?”

  “It is a long story, but you need to understand one thing first: God is with you. His presence is here. He is watching over you. He still knows every hair on your head. He believes in you; you are the one that must have faith and believe in His grace and wisdom.”

  “Wha. . ?

  “Keep concentrating on breathing,” the Owl cautioned her. “I am an angel of the Lord. I serve the King of Creation as a guardian and guide. Before we go any further, though, you should eat and rest.”

  *

  Rebekah ate warily from the sack, which held was a water skin, some nut bread, and dried meat. While she ate she, alternated her stares from the Owl to the Fox. Both sat serenely, patiently waiting for her to finish. When she took her last bite, the Fox stood and the Owl shook itself. “Ready then?” it asked.

  After a brief pause, Rebekah asked, “If you’re an angel, why aren’t you . . . why don’t you look like one?”

  Rebekah’s abruptness didn’t startle either of the creatures. In fact, the Fox began to grin.

  “Stop that,” the Owl said to the Fox. It then turned to Rebekah. “I take it you are referring to a more human figure with feathery wings?” Rebekah nodded and the Owl continued. “We have taken forms similar to that when God calls upon us to do so. However, it is usually reserved for times of jubilation or destruction. It is as close to our truest form you’ll see until you reach Heaven. More often than not, we appear as other creatures so as to better blend in. The angel who walked alongside Elijah took many forms, the most notable was a raven, which helped the common ravens secure the proper food for Elijah. If my friend and I would have come to you as humans, we most likely would have been treated with suspicion.”

  Rebekah blushed and then looked around as she considered how to change the subject. She quickly remembered the children. Placing her hand on her swollen abdomen, she looked up to the Owl.

  “My children . . , David; I have to find them.”

  “Be at peace, Rebekah. Your family is safe now and heading to a meeting place; where you will reunite with them. As for going back to your house, well, that is not possible. You are no longer on Earth, and the way back has moved. Look around you and see the proof of my words.”

  Rebekah tried not to think about how crazy those last words sounded, the proof of a talking owl’s words. However, she did look around and what she saw did confirm the angel’s words. Though she saw trees that she recognized, there were a great deal more she did not. Then she realized she had been long in the woods, and those outside their house were easily crossed in an hour in any direction.

  Once more the Fox barked. The Owl turned and nodded. “Yes, we must go.”

  The Owl branched closer to Rebekah. “The immediate road ahead is not hard; we are mere hours outside of Haven. There you will be safer and more comfortable. I can explain more as we travel, but you must trust in me as a Herald of the King of Creation. God is with you, Rebekah. Follow us. I will try to explain as much as I can along the way.”

  Rebekah awkwardly stood, then nodded. The Owl did likewise as it took to the air. The Fox merely turned and started leading the way. Rebekah looked down and smoothed out her dress. She reached up and checked the pins that were still restraining her auburn hair from falling down her back. She’d not taken it down since yesterday and saw no sense in doing so now. Finally, with a sign of resignation she started after the two angels, the thought of getting back to her children and her husband driving her forward.

  *

  After only an hour of traveling, Rebekah came upon a well-worn road. While most of the road consisted of crushed stone, there were large, flat slabs here and there.

  “The road will get better as we approach Haven. The road from Haven to the Central Kingdom is nearly all smooth. In deference to your condition, we will arrange for wheeled transport.”

  Rebekah stopped to take a drink from the water skin which didn’t seem to ever empty. Rebekah’s head was still reeling from her surroundings and the information the Owl had begun to share with her. During the trek through the forest, she had been studying the shrubs and trees. There so many recogniza
ble ones and so many strange new ones with subtle differences from those she knew on Earth. She wondered how many other new things she’d find here and if she’d ever get use to finding minute differences amongst the expected.

  Rebekah took another sip of water before speaking. “So you said Haven is a town in the Second Kingdom?”

  “Yes,” the Owl answered, “and the artisans and warriors who maintain it have erected strong barriers that keep out the forces of the Void. Any agents of the Deceiver found within are violently expelled. As I told you earlier, this is the Here Between, a crossroads between each of the home worlds of the twelve of God. Angels and demons use this place to travel between, as well. In fact, the war between Heaven and Hell is fought openly in this world, and thus it is easier to discover the enemy. This does not mean they don’t go about veiled, passing unnoticed as they poison the Children of God.”

  Rebekah began walking up the road in the direction the Owl indicated and then said, “Let’s stop talking about aliens and angels and demons for a bit. This is all a bit to take right now. Can you tell me why I am here? You still haven’t answered that or where David and my children are.”

  The Owl glided effortlessly around Rebekah. She had stopped trying to track its progress as watching the endless spirals it made was causing her to feel queasy. The Owl spoke in a quieter tone when it finally answered her. Rebekah had to strain to hear.

  “Your husband is an ally of God and carrier of a powerful weapon as part of his service.”

  “The sword I saw him wearing?”

  “Yes, the Sword of Truth. It is an ancient weapon forged by angels to pierce the veil demons cast over all mortal eyes. It can banish demons to Hell or redeem the lost.”