The Awakener

by Amanda Strong

Micah was grateful Trent acted like nothing had happened the night before, announcing he was going sightseeing with Gianna since it was Saturday. Anxious to talk to the Gennaros, Micah was upset to learn, by the small note Caterina stuck to the fridge, they’d gone early to the markets to shop for fresh produce. Micah peeled the yellow stick-it off, crumpling it and tossing it into the trash can.

  Now what? I might as well browse Gustavo’s library. Maybe I can figure out what I’m supposed to learn. The apartment was quiet as he made his way to the den. One solid wall was devoted to books with a built-in white bookcase and a white, wooden ladder leaning against it. Scanning, he was slightly disappointed to see they were all in Italian. Looking higher up, he was happy to discover old copies of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, both in English. Up higher still, there was a whole row of Jane Austin books and the complete works of William Shakespeare in English.

  They must have gotten them through all the years of housing American kids.

  Curious as to what was on the top shelf, he ascended the ladder. Again, most of the titles were in Italian, but he gathered from the covers that they were books on philosophy, architecture, and world history. One large, cloth book was titled Bibbia.

  Looks like the Bible. Cocking his head, he surveyed the volumes next to it, surprised they were in English. Drawn to the old, leather binding on one hefty-looking book, he pulled it out, reading the title, The Apocryphical Book of Enoch.

  Huh, wonder what this is about?

  Tucking the book under his arm, he climbed down. Hope Gustavo doesn’t mind if I borrow this. He settled on the chaise and carefully opened it. It landed somewhere in the middle.

  He read aloud:

  “And I saw there something horrible; I saw neither a heaven above nor a firmly founded earth, but a place chaotic and horrible. And there I saw seven stars of the heaven bound together in it, like great mountains and burning with fire.”

  He paused. Fire?

  “‘For what sin are they bound, and on what account have they been cast in hither?’ Then said Uriel, one of the holy angels, who was with me, and was chief over them and said: ‘Enoch, why dost thou ask, and why art thou eager for the truth? These are the number of the stars of heaven, which have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and are bound here till ten thousand years, the time entailed by their sins, are consummated.’”

  He jumped ahead a bit. “…and I saw a horrible thing: a great fire there which burnt and blazed, and the place was cleft as far as the abyss, being full of great descending columns of fire: neither its extent or magnitude could I see, nor could I conjecture.”

  He stopped reading. Is this what I saw in my vision? I saw a fire, or at least I saw the aftermath of a huge fire.

  The front door opened and the Gennaros entered, Caterina coming in first. Micah wanted to ask if it was all right if he borrowed the book, but Caterina’s eyes were darting between his face and the book in his hand. She dropped her grocery bag, her hand flying to her mouth.

  “Caspita! Is it really you?” she gasped.

  Dumbfounded, he stared back at her.

  Gustavo was grumbling something as Caterina whirled around, clutching his arm. “Gustavo, I think he is the one!”

  Gustavo’s eyes peered up at Caterina and then wordlessly squinted in Micah’s direction. A large smile cracked under his long nose. “I think you are right, Caterina! He is finally here!”

  Micah set the book aside, rising to his feet. “What do you mean, the one?” he asked.

  Caterina bustled into the room, grabbing Micah’s hands. “We have so much to discuss. How about some tea first?”

  Micah followed them into the small kitchen. He sat down at the square table in the bay window as Caterina put the kettle on to boil. Gustavo settled into the chair across from him, folding his wrinkled hands. After she had set out the cups and tea bags, Caterina brushed her hands on the apron she’d hastily tied on, and moved to stand next to Micah.

  “Many, many years ago, Micah, I had a dream,” she began. “In my dream, I saw destruction. I saw the world in chaos and misery. It was terrifying. Everything was burned. I found myself wandering through the ruins, crying at the horrible loss, asking why this could not have been prevented.”

  Micah gasped slightly, and both sets of eyes riveted on him. “I sort of had the same dream,” he explained, feeling bad about interrupting.

  Caterina’s eyes widened. “I knew it. I knew you would come.” Micah waited and she continued, “My dream shifted to a new place. I saw a young man with dark hair, leaning over a book, reading. He was a very special young man. I could tell in my dream because I saw angels around him as he read. It was like they were protecting him, watching him.”

  Micah’s skin crawled with goose bumps.

  “In my dream,” she continued, “I knew the boy was American. He was speaking English to me. He was telling me he had a mission to save mankind from complete destruction. At the time of my dream, I spoke very little English. I remember I woke up and told Gustavo the words I had heard. He translated it into Italian for me.” Caterina glanced at Gustavo.

  Gustavo cleared his throat as Caterina got up to pour the boiling water into the teacups.

  “I knew this dream she had was important. We were still raising our children at home, but we both felt that we were supposed to do something. We decided to start hosting foreign exchange students. We have been doing it for over thirty years, waiting for the time when we would meet the young American from Caterina’s dream.” Gustavo gaped at Micah. “And now you have come.”

  “How do you know it’s me?”

  Gustavo and Caterina exchanged stares as she set the teacup in front of Micah.

  “We know because of what you were reading,” Gustavo answered, taking his tea from Caterina.

  “The Book of Enoch?”

  Gustavo smiled. “Yes, my boy! That is your destiny!”

  Trying to grapple with what their words meant, Micah swallowed the hot tea, searing his tongue and throat. He gasped and sputtered, until Gustavo gave him a resounding thump on the back.

  “I’m okay, thanks,” Micah coughed, hoping to avoid having the air knocked out of him again. Gustavo’s stronger than he looks.

  Caterina sat down, her eyes full of empathy. “I am sure this is very confusing to you, my dear.” She sighed. “In my dream, I saw the book the boy read. It was a book about the City of Enoch. I told this to Gustavo. He has made it his life’s mission to learn everything there is about Enoch and his great city. And now you have come to learn from him.”

  Though unfamiliar with Enoch and the city they spoke of, Micah knew they were right. The woman in red said he was to study with the Gennaros; this must be what he was to learn about. Gazing at the elderly couple, he realized how incredible it was that this was lined up thirty years ago, long before he’d even been born.

  “All right,” Micah replied. “I want to learn everything you can teach me.”

  And, he thought grimly, about how I’m going to save everyone from that fire.