“How is Toby?” I asked her.
“Toby was pronounced dead on arrival. I’m sure his parents are getting the news right now.” She then walked over to Greg to check his IV and pulse.
I could not imagine being his parents and getting that kind of news.
Eden and I went into the hall. I heard the doctor and the Monahans in the next room discussing X-rays. I poked my head in the door. “We’re going to leave now so you can spend some time alone with Greg. Could you please call me whenever you get a moment and let me know if he improves?”
“Of course,” said Greg’s mom. “They gave me Greg’s cell, so I’m sure I can find your number.”
Eden gave them both a hug. I did too. When I did I thought I smelled alcohol on Mr. Monahan’s breath. I wasn’t surprised. Perhaps that is what caused him to go into rages and hit Greg.
At two o’clock in the morning my cell phone rang. I grabbed it from my bedside table, where I’d left it before going to sleep.
“Greg passed away a half hour ago.” Mr. Monahan sounded drunk. He slurred his words.
“I’m so sorry,” I offered.
He sniffled.
“OK. Thanks. Bye.” He hung up.
I dropped the phone on the bed.
Greg is dead. My mind swirled that phrase ’round and ’round, trying to grasp the truth of it.
I couldn’t imagine how it felt for a parent to lose their child. How would my parents feel if I died? It made all the problems in my life pale in comparison.
I dialed Christina’s cell phone number again. No answer. I called her home number. Busy.
I couldn’t fall asleep for an hour. I tossed and turned. Then a hand touched my head.
Mike. I drifted off into a sound sleep.
When the alarm went off I dragged myself out of bed and got ready for the day, even though it was the last thing in the world I wanted to do. I wondered how I had been able to sleep—although fitfully—for the past few hours. Then I remembered Mike. He’d put his hand on my head as he’d done many times before. I must have gone to sleep right after that.
When I walked into school the first person I saw was Christina, standing by her locker. I could tell from her slumped shoulders and red-rimmed eyes that she’d heard the news. I wrapped my arms around her. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s OK. I know he’s in heaven.”
I drew back, my hands still on her arms. “How do you know?”
“I was lying in bed last night after Greg’s dad called me in the middle of the night. After that I shut my eyes to pray. I suddenly pictured Greg floating above his bed. You know, like you hear about when people tell about their near-death experiences.”
“I saw that too!”
“You did? When?”
“I went to the hospital and saw him before he died. I talked to him, hoping he could hear me even though he was sedated or just unconscious. I told him how to be a Christian and encouraged him to make the right choice. I have peace that he did.”
We smiled as tears flowed down our cheeks.
Christina dabbed at her eyes with a tissue she had in her hand. “The Monahans asked Eden’s dad to do the funeral. They told me last night when they called. In a way I’m glad I wasn’t there last night to see how Greg looked. I saw several missed calls on my cell after I checked it this morning. My phone had lost its charge, and I never got them. Good thing my mom picked up the house phone in the middle of the night and was able to let me talk to Mr. Monahan.”
“Well, it’s good to hear about Eden’s dad doing the funeral.” I knew he’d preach the gospel. That’s what people needed to hear when they stared death in the face.
We parted to head to our classes. I clutched my books to my chest, trying to get rid of the weight in the pit of my stomach. Even though I knew Greg was in heaven I still missed him. And I felt bad for the people who loved him who were hurting even more than I was.
I felt Mike’s presence, but I didn’t look for him or speak to him. My mind was too focused on the loss of my friend. But when I sat down in homeroom I felt Mike’s hand on my hair and I felt comforted.
I remembered reading in the Bible that the Holy Spirit was called a Comforter. So I asked Him to help me get through this. I needed all the comfort I could get.
Chapter 15
GREG’S FUNERAL WAS scheduled two days later. As I approached the breakfast table that morning, Mom and Dad looked up from their coffee cups.
Dad slid his legs around in his chair to face me. “Honey, I’m so sorry we can’t go with you today. We have to watch Tessa because Brian and Diane are leaving to go to celebrate their anniversary.”
I’d totally forgotten. “Tell them I said happy anniversary, would you?”
I slid out a chair and sat down opposite my mom.
Mom pushed a plate toward me. It was piled with three chocolate chip pancakes. She knew they were my favorite.
“Aw . . . thanks, Mom.”
“I wanted to do something special for you today.”
I remembered reaching out to hug her before leaving for the hospital.
In Mom’s way, she was reaching back.
“Go ahead and take one of the cars. We’ll be staying home all day,”
Dad said as he wiped his mouth with his napkin.
“Thanks, Dad.” The words were muffled by my mouthful of pancakes.
When the funeral home came into view my heart started pounding. I hated funerals. I especially dreaded looking into the caskets and seeing people looking like painted dolls. At least this funeral may have closed caskets due to the severe injuries of the boys. Both families decided to hold the funerals the same day at the same funeral home. Perhaps they knew their boys—great friends—would have liked it that way. I hoped so.
After finding a parking spot I sat in the car for a few minutes, staring at the steering wheel. Finally I gathered the strength to unlock my seatbelt.
A soft knock on my window made me jump. I looked up and saw Eden, her eyes bloodshot and her cheeks stained with tear streaks. I got out of my car and hugged her. She let out a muffled whimper into my shoulder.
I’m going to lose it. I may as well start now.
I turned back to the car and reached to grab my packet of tissues as the tears began to flow.
We held hands and headed toward the funeral home. I felt like we were moving in slow motion, but that was OK with me. We approached the white building with white pillars surrounding the front porch.
We entered a crowded parlor full of Greg’s and Toby’s personal things.
Their letterman jackets lay across the backs of two wooden chairs. I grabbed Greg’s and held it close. It still smelled like him. I was careful to put it back exactly as it was.
I saw Greg’s stuffed dog sitting on the floor next to his letterman jacket.
Eden and I smiled as we paged through an album of baby pictures. I’d never seen any pictures of Greg as a baby or small child before we met in kindergarten. He was so cute. Christina came up to us in the short black dress she’d worn to the school’s fall dance. She hugged me and Eden like she was comforting us. Shouldn’t she be the one falling apart? They were best friends—and more as of late.
She whispered, “I saw his angel.”
My mouth dropped open. God was redeeming her prior experiences and transferring them into a biblical spiritual gift.
“That’s great!”
“The angel was smiling. I think he was trying to assure me that Greg is in heaven,” she said with confidence.
Eden and I exchanged glances. “I think you are absolutely right,” I said.
“Before Bev prayed for me, I used to see all kinds of evil spirits. Now that I’m a Christian, God is letting me see the good spirits as well as the bad ones. And the bad ones don’t scare me anymore.”
I nailed it!
It seemed strange to be at a funeral yet feel happy. Organ music began to play over some speakers in the ceiling.
I glanced at the
crowd. Most were young people. The girls gathered together in clumps. The boys sat somberly, most wearing their school jackets.
At the head of the room sat two closed caskets. I was relieved.
I never knew what to say at funerals. I dreaded the receiving line.
Eden gripped my arm and led me toward that exact place. Christina grasped my other hand. Perhaps she was feeling the same as me and needed my strength, through that touch, to help get her through the next hour.
I felt a third hand on my shoulder. I glanced up. Mike. I looked over my shoulder to see him motioning with his head, prodding me to move forward. The person in front of me in line was standing in front of the caskets. My turn was next. I never knew how long to stand there. Some people stood a long time and cried in front of caskets. I preferred to speed by them and get that part over with as soon as possible. Thank goodness these caskets weren’t open. The family had opted to place a framed photo of both boys on each.
When I neared Greg’s coffin I saw an angel standing behind it, his hand resting on the spot where I assumed Greg’s head would be inside. He was seven feet tall and had long, flaxen hair. I could not see his eyes; they were cast down at the coffin. He wore a plain white robe with a golden rope tied at the waist.
“That’s my fellow guardian, Churiel,” Mike said.
Greg’s angel looked up at me. His eyes were a burgundy color that matched streaks of the same color that framed his face. Churiel’s smile left no doubt in my mind that Greg was in heaven, ready to party with his angel and his Savior forever.
I hesitated to move on to Toby’s casket because I knew his angel would not be at peace. As I moved closer, I saw Toby’s angel. His wings were limp, and his head was bowed. He looked down at the casket, his face contorted in grief, and large tears that looked like liquid crystal ran down his face. I felt the angel’s anguish as he lamented his lost charge.
“That’s Phillip,” Mike whispered. “He’s been a faithful guardian to Toby.” Then I heard a soft intake of air. Was that Mike stifling a sob? Was he grieving the fact that Toby died without being a Christian?
The angel traced a finger across the cover of Toby’s casket with the tenderness of a father putting his young son to bed at night. I could only imagine the depth of his despair, losing a boy he had spent every moment with for the past seventeen years. And now his job assignment would change.
Mike’s hand tightened on my shoulder, coaxing me to move forward in the line.
When I approached the families in the receiving line, Eden moved past me and took the lead. As a pastor’s daughter she had attended many funerals and knew exactly what to say. Christina and I huddled around her and let her take the lead.
Eden directed her words to both sets of parents. “I’m sorry for your loss. We loved Greg so much. We’ll continue to pray for you. God will comfort you. We love you.” She hugged each of the parents. All of them hugged her back. Greg’s mom held on to Eden longer than the other parents, and her shoulders began to shake as she wept. The other parents watched and cast their eyes downward, no doubt feeling fresh tears well up.
I hugged each of them, and so did Christina.
I couldn’t wait to sit down. I felt faint and uncomfortable. I felt Mike’s hand on my shoulder again as if guiding me to the three empty chairs near the back of the room. We all sat down, joining the others who had already been through the receiving line. I now felt both of Mike’s hands on my shoulders. I knew he was behind me without even looking.
As Eden’s father began the service, demons in tattered black cloaks swept in. They twisted and twirled among the individuals seated and standing in the room. The hair on my arms prickled as goose bumps formed on them.
“Get out!” Mike commanded. His hands left my shoulders, but his voice was still behind me.
They responded with what sounded like many voices in unison. They wheezed, “We are here to distract and confuse.”
Since there were more than a hundred people in the room I estimated there were that many angels too. Mike whispered in my ear, “Look around you.” My spiritual eyes opened and scores of angelic figures were crammed into the room. Twice as many demons weaved among the crowd.
I heard Mike draw his sword from its sheath. “Olivia,” he whispered, “help us! Pray!”
Without taking my eyes off Eden’s dad, I prayed. God, we need backup angels, lots of them, if You can spare them. I didn’t know why I prayed that, but I figured the idea of asking God to summon more angels couldn’t hurt. And only moments after that thought floated through my head, to my astonishment dozens of glowing orbs floated into the room. They appeared out of nowhere and fluttered like snowflakes as they fell to the ground. Each morphed into a tall, muscular figure wearing armor different than I’d ever seen before. They seemed to be covered in gray wet suits like I’d seen surfers wear. But my guess was that they were impenetrable.
Mike let out a loud war cry that ripped through the room. A blue light beamed through the ceiling. It dissipated as it split into bits of tiny lightning strips, each one wrapping itself around every dark figure in the room. The power of it hurled them through the air, making them disappear instantly.
I wondered if this was the sheer power of God coming to zap them to death.
Eden bumped my arm. “What are you looking at?” I realized my mouth was hanging wide open.
“A battle,” I muttered.
Her eyes closed. My sister warrior began moving her lips silently in prayer.
Phillip, Toby’s angel, raised a glowing sword in the air and sliced at a small, toad-like demon to his right, then at a spider-looking one to his left. Green blood spewed from the demons, and they screeched as they evaporated and vanished.
A large demon in a black cloak and with the face of a skeleton approached Churiel. “Well, well, look what we have here.” He pointed a bony finger at the angel. “Clearly you aren’t needed anymore.” Green smoke wafted from his hollowed-out mouth.
“Ignore him, Churiel,” said Mike.
“No way.” Churiel balled his fingers into a fist.
“Poor Toby,” the demon whined. “Damned forever.”
“Shut up, you filth!” Churiel struck the demon in the jaw with such force that the demon fell through the wall on the far side of the room and landed on the rough gravel outside.
The guardian angels all wrapped their wings around their wards to protect them from the onslaught of any more demonic attacks. The backup angels stood side by side, lining the whole length of the four walls around us, holding tall spears, their gazes directed heavenward, forming a spiritual fortress. Eden’s eyes remained closed, her mouth still moving in silent prayer.
I was glad she hadn’t stopped. Perhaps there would be another wave of devils. I kept repeating the word Jesus over and over in my mind. Glancing at my lap, I noticed my knuckles turned white from grasping my hands together so tightly in prayer.
With the battle now at bay, I could hear the pastor’s words again. “Is there anyone here who would like to accept Christ and walk with Him for eternity?”
Toby’s parents and his two brothers raised their hands. Countless more hands went up. My nerves subsided.
Thank You, God. Thank You that my friend’s death has turned other people to eternal life.
I turned to Eden, and she smiled at me. No doubt she was having similar thoughts.
Mike kissed the top of my head the way my dad used to do when he tucked me into bed as a child. I placed my hand on my shoulder over where I felt his hand resting. I couldn’t feel him, but I knew he was there. The tension in my shoulders eased.
God, thanks for my protective big brother. What a gift You’ve given me.
“Those of you who raised your hands, please turn to the prayer on the back of the bulletin you received when you entered. You can read that prayer now or after you leave. Or come see me after the service. Whatever you do, make the right choice today. Don’t wait. Any of us could end up in a car accident tomorrow, just
like these two boys.”
Yes. God, let each one in this room consider the reality of death and think about choosing to live for God. Help them to stop any destructive behavior they have in their lives. May they walk out of here changed forever.
“Let’s all bow our heads and close our eyes.”
I closed my eyes and prayed Pastor’s prayer, standing in agreement with him.
“Our Father, we ask Your comfort for those here who are grieving. We pray for their close family and friends. Send Your Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to ease their pain. Don’t allow one person to leave this building today without knowing for sure where they’d spend eternity if they were to die tomorrow. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.”
The organ music played again, and people stood and filed out of the room. I couldn’t wait to get a breath of the fresh air outdoors. It was so stifling in the room from being packed with so many bodies.
As I walked outside I sensed Mike and Churiel following close behind as I heard swords being slipped back in their sheaths.
A sinister phantom draped in black rose from the gravel sidewalk six feet in front of me.
I gasped. Just when I’d hoped the battle was over.
His face resembled a wolf. He drew back his lips, exposing yellow teeth. Drool ran from the corner of his mouth. “So, you can see both angels and demons?” he growled. “My, what a unique gift you have.” The way he said the word gift made it clear it was not a compliment.
I seethed. His taunting made me furious that he’d make fun of a gift given to me by the God of the universe to fight this exact type of evil.
The demon moved so close to my face his dog-shaped snout touched my nose. I drew back and wiped the moisture from my nose. Disgusting.
Where’s Mike? Can’t he see this dog-faced monster is about to bite my head off?
When I turned around to look for Mike, he morphed into his twelve-foot version of himself and flashed by me, pointing his sword at the hellhound. He pinned the devil to the ground, the tip of his blade touching the center of his chest, where I supposed the creature’s heart would be, if it had such a thing.
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