by C V Ricks
Professor Angel Addison, a red-head with sparkly blue eyes had her hair tied back in a white ribbon adorned with many sparkly jewels. The bodice and hem of her gown were covered in pearls. She stood by the door and welcomed us in. “Good day and welcome to Controlling the Elements 101.”
After greeting everyone, and we were all seated, she floated to the front of the room and float-sat comfortably in the air in front of the class.
“I believe this will be one of the most useful classes you will take,” she stated after everyone was seated.
“There will be many times when you will find that you will need to control the elements to save an assignment’s life. Why, just the other day I used it to save a young college student from a crash. His car was at an intersection and he thought it was his turn to go, but as he was entered the intersection, another vehicle came zooming through. I put the brakes on quickly in the other vehicle using methods of Controlling the Elements and both cars swerved, but they missed each other. It was not either person’s time to go.”
Journey raised her hand.
“Yes, Angel Journey?”
“Are you still a working Guardian Angel?”
“Yes, I’m a part-time teacher and part-time Guardian Angel. I have more hours to put in as a Guardian Angel.”
“Oh, I see.”
“Please take out your textbooks and turn to Chapter One,” Angel Addison began. “Who would like to read first?”
A girl in the front row raised her hand.
“Amanda, go ahead.”
I was amazed at how each teacher knew every student’s name. But they were Guardian Angels and knowing names came with the territory.
“Chapter One. You must not only concentrate your mind and thoughts toward the action at hand, but you must use the forces of nature. Wind can be summoned to push down a car’s brake. Sunshine can heat up something. Water is a powerful source. But whatever you do, you must focus on helping the person. Any selfish thoughts or desires will cancel out all of your efforts.”
“Thank you for reading, Amanda. I would show you how it is done, however, our powers do not work that way. If we do not have a guardian angel cause, we have no power. Therefore, if you wish to use your powers to show off or have fun, your powers will not work.”
Felix raised his hand.
“Yes, Felix?”
“How do we practice then?”
“We have practice rooms at the Academy. There, and only there, will our powers work for the sake of practice. You may go there whenever you'd like, but you have to check in at the front desk.”
After Controlling the Elements, we took our seats in Glowing class. When all were seated the teacher turned out the lights, making the room pitch black. Darkness engulfed us until a small light flickered in the front of the room. The light slowly widened until it grew in size and luster filling the entire room as if the sun had risen in the sky. Looking forward, I realized the light was emanating from the teacher. One angel's brightness exceeded the usual classroom's lights.
Angel Jeremiah let his glow out and turned the lights back on. “This is what I expect you to be able to do by the end of this one-week class. As you advance to red, yellow, and blue, you shall learn more about controlling your glow, the length of time you glow and the various levels of light. But you should be able to glow steadily for a few minutes by the end of this course.”
Unlike the powers courses, glowing could be practiced anywhere. One by one, each student came up to the front and practiced the techniques Angel Jeremiah described. Some could sustain a glow for a few seconds, others' glow flickered on for a second and then extinguished. Some had trouble getting it started. When it was my turn, I was able to sustain a glow for only a second.
“Like most things,” said Angel Jeremiah, “glowing takes practice. I expect you to practice for a few minutes each day until you get the hang of it. We will also learn when glowing is necessary and when to use your glowing skills. That’s all for today.”
The rest of the day continued as planned. The professor for Suicide Prevention was Angel Agnes, an aged wrinkled, short and pudgy woman. She was purplish blue in the face and she had worked at her job for many years, the nature of the work taking its toll on her. She informed us that when she completes her work, she will return to her beautiful and cheery self.
Chapter Five
Our next class was taught by Professor Anthony who taught us the characteristics of an evil spirit versus a good one, the good one being full of love and kindness for others, whereas the evil one being selfish and destructive. Choir was taught by the directors of the Academy and amazed me at the beautiful sound we angels produced. Floating involved learning how to rise and hover and Invisibility was taught by Professor Occult, who began class by startling all of us as he began speaking while invisible.
The first day of guardian angel training was complete. I hurried out the door of the classroom and toward our dorm. “We'll meet you in the cafeteria after we put our books away,” Journey said to Kevin and Felix.
“I can't wait to start practicing some of these things,” I said to Journey as we walked along the path to our dorm.
“I can't wait either,” she smiled back, chuckling at my excitement. I set my books in my closet next to my bed and looked in the mirror. What used to be a thirty-two year old woman was now a teenager. Everyone here seemed to be young, healthy, and fit looking. I once again rubbed my arm, feeling the airy texture, not at all like the body I once had. Feeling as airy as I did, I wondered why I wasn't floating around like a balloon.
When we finished freshening up, we closed the door to our room and headed over to the cafeteria to meet Kevin and Felix.
The boys met us in front of the eatery and we went inside to go through the line. The serving angels were student volunteers wearing different colored robes and gowns, depending on what level they were. They floated back and forth from the kitchen bringing in refills of variouos dishes. I watched for a moment, once again amused. The only thing on earth that I'd seen that came anywhere close to this was the roller skating servers at drive-in hamburger joints. I followed Journey and the boys, choosing what I wanted to eat and we sat down at a table.
“I feel like a sponge,” I said. “There's so much to soak in for one day.”
“One day you are on earth and the next you are up here,” said Felix. “It happens so fast.”
“How old were you guys when you died?” I asked them all.
“I was 83, how about you?” Journey answered first.
“I was only 32.”
“Ouch!”
“I know, it hurts, but my children and husband are being watched over by my grandparents, and then when I finish training, I'll watch over them.”
“My situation is a little different,” said Felix. “I died in a car crash as a teenager.”
“That's got to be tough.” I said. “Your parents must be devastated.”
“Yes, I suppose they are. When I passed away, I was met by my grandparents on my father's side, but most of my family are still alive.”
“They say you will still have the chance to marry, have children, and everything you would have done on earth up here, after you serve as a guardian angel,” Kevin said.
“I miss my husband, John,” said Journey. “But I know we will be united again.”
“So, let me get this straight,” I said. Journey has a husband on earth that she's waiting for to be together with again. Felix has never been married. I have a husband on earth, and Kevin, how about you?”
Kevin straightened up. “I suppose I'm the exception. I haven't been to earth yet. You know, they let some angels into guardian angel school who haven't lived yet.”
“Wow. When will you go down to earth?” asked Felix.
“I don't know. They told me that when it's my time, all of a sudden I'll be taken away and sent to earth to be born. Not only that, I'll forget everything about up here.”
“I hope that doesn't happen any time
soon,” said Felix. “Although I suppose you are anxious for it to happen.”
“I definitely want to go to earth, but I'm looking forward to being a guardian angel, too.”
Journey set her spoon down and looked at Felix. Then she looked at me. “I wonder why you two had to die so young. Weren't your guardian angels doing their jobs?”
“I don't know,” Felix paused thoughtfully. “I've been wondering that very thing. That may be the case, or maybe it was my time to go.” Felix paused as he watched some of the server angels floating around filling the water glasses. “Sometimes bad things just are allowed to happen as we know many bad things happen on earth. Why did you die so young?” Felix's blue eyes pierced in my direction as he asked the question.
“I don't know,” I said. “I personally believe that, although God does send his guardian angels to protect us many times, even God has to allow bad things to happen on earth. Earth is a trial period for the eternities.”
“I think that's true,” said Journey. “But thankfully we have guardian angels to protect us or many of us wouldn't live full lives.”
We ate our food in silence a few moments, then Felix spoke up. “One thing I'd like to know. If we are all spirits, why do we need to eat?”
“This is spirit food. It is not the same as the food we used to eat when we were human,” I said. “At least that's what I heard.”
“It tastes pretty good to me,” said Felix stuffing his mouth full of cherry cheesecake. “That's all I care about.”
Kevin took a gulp of his soda. “I think it's delicious. I can't wait to try human food. Is it any different than this?”
“It tastes pretty much the same,” said Journey. “I think some of the ingredients are different, but they make it taste familiar to us so we'll feel at home while we are here.”
I said, “Well, we better go and study and practice our skills. Let's meet back at 9:00 for Flotation Ball.”
Chapter Six
It was day two of Guardian Angel training school. As the students gathered for the morning choir practice, Bertrand bragged that he now had the words to the Hallelujah Chorus memorized. As others picked up the copies of their music, he passed by smiling, saying, “No thank you.” It seemed his humble demeanor changed over night.
Angel Persephone floated to the front to conduct. She raised her baton and the music began.
When the song was over, Persephone smiled broadly. “That was great. You sound like angels. Tomorrow we will sing, “Oh Divine Redeemer” so you may, for homework, try to learn the words to the song.” We took our seats, the upper class men float-sat.
Angel Angelique came forward. “You have all completed your first day of training. You will learn a lot in one week's time. Our schedule today will be the same as yesterday. However, before you are excused to classes, we will watch a short film. This was taken from an actual guardian angel experience that will take place in one of your futures. I would like you to watch this carefully and we will discuss it afterward.”
The room darkened and the movie began. Unlike most movies humans watch on a flat screen, this was more a vision than a movie. It was like watching a play with real actors, but also with real live scenery right in front of your very eyes, not on a stage but at the actual location.
Six seventeen-year-old young men cheerfully trotted out of a red brick home, the last one shutting the door and locking it behind him. They each carried a duffel bag and appeared happy to be heading towards their destination. Shivering in their black leather jackets, they tightened the scarves around their necks, their warm breaths spewing from their mouths. The snow was falling on the already heavily coated ground.
“Someone needs to shovel this walk,” John yelled as he slid out toward an old Plymouth.
“It's Blake's turn,” Sunny said, his breath spewing cloudy wisps into the air.
“I'll do it when we get back,” Blake retorted, positioning his mittens over his cold fingers.
The boys piled into the car and Budd started the engine.
As Budd put the car in reverse and backed out the driveway, John spoke up. “So, Budd, what are your plans for the weekend?”
“I'm taking Faelela and her mother out for a picnic if Louise and Kay can spare me from the farm for a few hours and then on Saturday night Faelela and I are going to the dance at the armory.”
“You'd think you were dating Faelela's mother, too,” John laughed.
“Well, I'm going to ask out Hannah again,” Blake said.
“I wish I had someone to ask to the dance,” said Sunny.
“What happened to you and Christina?” David asked.
“She's going out with Bill Peterson now. Sunny shook his head, “When the cat's away the mice will play. Sunny paused, “Anyway, I'm over her now.”
“No one will ever take my Fae away,” said Budd. “I wouldn't let them.”
“That's easy to say until it happens to you,” said David.
“I'm not fussing with any girls,” said Sunny. “You know what's gunna happen to us when we turn eighteen anyway, don't ya?”
The car was silent for a moment.
“Okay, we're all going to be drafted, “said Marvin. “So, what? We better have fun and enjoy life all the more now.”
The vehicle reached the mountain pass as the sky darkened. The last rays of sunlight were descending behind the hill. Budd maneuvered the vehicle around the sharp curves carefully. The trees slowly began to lose the glistening light of the sparkling snowflakes as darkness engulfed them. In the back seat the young men were sleeping. Budd and Blake, in the front of the vehicle, chatted. The windshield wipers squeaked back and forth as Budd squinted to see through the mounting blanket of white.
Just as Budd maneuvered a turn, a large deer sprinted into the street and stood stalk still in front of him. Budd gasped and swerved to miss the deer, his vehicle skidding out in front of an oncoming car.
It was at this moment that the lights came on.
Angel Angelique floated to the front of the classroom as the vision faded away.
The muffled whispers that filled the room were quieted as Angelique posed her question. “We have six seventeen-year-old young men, destined for great things in their lives. None of them are meant to die at this time. The boss gives you the signal to go down and save this vehicle. What would you do?”
A student in blue spoke up, “I would push his car back into his lane with a gust of air and help his car stop before hitting the deer.”
“Okay, that's sounds good, but a lot to do at once. Any other suggestions?”
A student in red spoke up, “I would make the other car swerve into his lane, with a little gust of air, and let his car swerve into the other car's lane, thus each car missing the other and have the deer run off back into the woods.”
“That sounds good, but once again I don't know how you will do all of those things at once.” Angel Angelique said. “Any other suggestions?”
Felix raised his hand.
“Yes, Felix?”
“I would expect that some of the other boys' guardian angels may be present as well, and we would quickly divide up the work. One would swerve the other car into Budd's lane, one would keep Budd's car in the other car's lane and on the road, and the other angel would move the deer back up the mountain.”
“That's a great thought,” said Angelique. “Let's watch again and see how it was done.”
The room darkened. This time Budd's car swerved into the other lane, the car from that lane swerved into his lane and the deer ran up the hill, all missing each other.
The lights turned on. “Now you see what happened. But how it happened is still the question. We will turn the movie on again, only this time the invisible guardian angels will show up so that we can see what really happened.”
The room darkened again. This time a guardian angel with sparkly jewels on her gown came floating down. I looked at her closely and realized it was me. Future me! I quickly summoned two others, Joseph
and Rachel, my grandparents who were also guardian angels. Joseph helped the oncoming car to swerve, Rachel helped Budd's car stay on the road, and I patted the deer so he trotted up into the backwoods. It all happened so quickly but everyone was safe.
The lights turned on and excited whispers filled the air.
Angel Angelique smiled approvingly at Felix. “Felix was right. The other guardian angels came and helped. All of the humans involved were saved.”
I raised my hand. “Who was I saving?”
“That is your child, Budd and his friends.”
“How did the guardian angels communicate with each other? I didn't see them talking.” I asked.
“Good question. Once you become a Guardian Angel, you use your power to communicate telepathically with other Guardian Angels. You don't need to speak. We have a course on Telepathy here at the Academy.”
“I see,” I said. “I always wished I could read minds.”
“Our kind of telepathy is not reading minds. It is inputting and receiving. You put something into their minds and you receive what they are saying to your mind. You will learn more about that later. But their innermost thoughts are still private.”
Chapter Seven
After the choir sang, “Oh, Divine Redeemer,” Angel Crystal floated to the front of the room. “Thank you for singing. That was very beautiful. Now you will be excused to your classes. You are assigned to the same schedule as yesterday. However, Josie please stay and speak with me for a moment.”
I wondered why I was summoned. I waved for the others to go ahead and a made my way to the front of the room to speak with Crystal.
“Would you like to see what your children and husband have been up to?”
“Oh, can I?” I asked anxiously. Maybe the directors knew that is what I thought about so often.