“I wonder what it is I’m supposed to teach you.” Reggie scratched her head. “I mean, if you’re a great warrior, what do I know that you don’t?”
“There is something,” Michael stated. “And you are to learn from me.”
“Good.” Reggie smiled. “See, Marcus?” She grabbed his hand. “Help. Michael, we’re going to win, aren’t we?”
“The battle requires much preparation. There is much work to be done. We will start after the meal.”
Marcus grew quiet, and focused his attention on the breakfast plate in front of him.
Seth, curiosity on his face, spoke up. “Are you really from Heaven?”
“I am,” Michael answered. He watched Marcus eat, and awkwardly imitated him.
“Do you know my Dad?” Seth asked.
Reggie’s fork clanked to her plate. Michael looked at her briefly, and then back at Seth. “I know of your father, young Seth. I’ve not had the pleasure of meeting him.”
“So he’s up there.” Seth smiled. “Mom, he’s up there.”
Reggie hated thinking of Daniel when others were present. But hearing he was at peace misted her eyes. She swallowed. “I heard that, Seth.”
Marcus squeezed her knee under the table.
“There is not much I do not know about heaven.” Michael said. He put a piece of sausage in his mouth, chewed, slowed down, and then chewed some more. “This tastes... this tastes....”
“Bad?” Reggie guessed.
Michael shook his head. “It is...”
“Good?”
Reggie shrieked when Michael’s hand slammed down on the table. “You must learn not to be so filled with haste.”
“I was trying to help. I didn’t think you knew what word to use. Chill, all right?”
Michael looked puzzled. “I do not understand this tone you have taken with me.”
“I do not understand this tone you have taken with me,” Reggie countered.
“Do you mock me?”
“Yes.” Reggie said, returning to her eating.
Herbie shrunk back in his chair. “Uh oh. Reg? Maybe you should, uh, like remember who you’re speaking to.”
Reggie stopped chewing and looked at Michael. “I was just being myself.”
Reggie sulked in silence. Eliza spoke up now, her words slow and solemn. “I believe our Lord knows all. And... if Reggie is supposed to help Michael, surely God knows of the clash that is imminent. We shouldn’t question God. And you should not change, Reggie. God based his decision on who you are. So there’s a reason for it.”
“Thanks, Eliza,” Reggie grinned. “You know what? I’ll make a list of things I think God needs me to teach Michael. It might help.” Reggie hurried to the junk drawer for a slip of paper and a pencil.
Michael spoke to Eliza when Reggie returned. “You are a wise woman, Eliza. You go through a rough time, but know that humans do better away from this earth than on it. Your loved ones did not suffer as you fear they did. They are fine.”
Eliza began sobbing.
Reggie looked up from her list. “Social tact comes first,” she whispered, jotting a note, but was interrupted by Michael’s touch. “Hey!” She tried to pull her hand away, but Michael held firm.
“Please cease.”
“Fine.” Reggie snapped. Michael released his grip. She shrunk from him, mumbling, “You said a list of things might work.”
“Writing ideas, yes. Writing them while I speak... no.”
Reggie looked at him and shook her head. “Are you sure God commanded you to work with me?”
“Positive. And we have much work. Much to learn, you and I.”
“Then you should let me start my list.”
Michael breathed out. “Proceed.”
“Thanks,” Reggie smiled and started to write.
Michael continued, “Marcus, you will learn as well, but until we are ready to teach you, you must give knowledge to the boy Seth.” Michael laid his hand on Seth’s head. “His mind is open. He needs to learn all that you can teach him.” He looked at Reggie, with a rapt expression. “Reg... gee. You and I have the most to do. We must build, learn, prepare and train. We will begin immediately.”
“Okay,” Reggie agreed.
“And you understand we shall do our work in a unity of one... as God intended? No matter how trying?”
“Yeah, okay.” Reggie looked to Marcus and winked. “I’ll work on this later.” She stuck her list in her back pocket.
Marcus smiled and caressed her hair. He seemed at ease.
Eliza grabbed her plate and stood, looking at Reggie and Marcus, then at Michael. “I hope you can get Reggie’s full attention, Michael,” she said with an edge.
“I shall,” Michael responded. “I need to, because I am told... I will need her.”
Marcus slid his hand from Reggie’s hair when he realized exactly what Michael meant.
Avila Beach, CA
The trio had finally found seclusion. Large, conspicuous and famous made Devante easy to spot, but isolation difficult. He needed time to think and quiet to do so. Todd could have convinced Devante that riding in the car afforded an opportunity for silence and reflection, however Chad, the new guy, was a motor mouth, ever-eager to insinuate his unwanted input on Devante’s overall plans.
Todd pulled the car into a secluded cove near the ocean. Without a word, Devante jumped out and walked down a thin strip of beach until he disappeared. Todd stayed behind the wheel while Chad took the opposite direction, his long white Moonie apostle robes furling in the strong sea breeze, rendering him slightly ridiculous for all his ‘holiness.’ After a suitable length of time, Todd got out of the car to find Devante. He walked down the beach past Chad who was reading from his ponderous tome, and frowned. Chad had won his Devante-conferred title of ‘Apostle’ mostly because people seemed to like the solemn way he looked and spoke. Todd made his way down the beach, finally close enough to watch Devante’s long hair whip in the ocean breeze.
“I see you standing here on the ocean’s edge,” Todd said in an odd monotone. “Perhaps I might cajole you into finishing your thoughts and returning to the car?”
Devante turned slowly, his face seeming perplexed. “Why are you speaking to me like that?”
“You don’t like?”
“No.”
“All right.” Todd shrugged. “So, like are you done? We have to split.”
“I’m finished,” Devante smiled.
“You look a little less confused, guy. Were you wrong about the warrior dude?”
“No.” Devante slowly shook his head as he walked up from the water’s edge. “I see things. And I see trouble for our warrior. He has not had an easy return,” Devante chuckled, “and this is good for us. It gives us time to prepare for battle.”
The word ‘warrior’ hung in the air, and the question of why Devante now had to raise an army. But it was a question no one seemed to have the nerve to ask, including Todd, who bobbed his head, ready to assent to anything Devante thought, as his master passed by him.
Seville, Ohio
Marcus set three textbooks on the bed. Math, reading and, Marcus smiled when he looked at it, science; the books left in Seth’s bag from his last day of class before the crisis. Marcus wanted to take a few minutes to review the boy’s last lessons before beginning new ones. He was concerned about his own teaching skills, having never taught, much less one-on-one with a student he loved. Would Seth’s patience hold up? He wondered. Better son than mother, he smiled, hearing her voice carry all the way from the living room. She was yelling something about some old curtains her father had put up, about how people would tease him that real men didn’t sew. Marcus listened, and then realized that Reggie was addressing Michael. It grated on him that she was speaking to him so personably, that she liked him enough already to bitch.
“It figures,” Marcus thought, repeating his often stated general comment since Michael’s advent. On this first day after his greatest loss, Marcus wanted no
thing more than solitude and comfort. Instead, he feared he was confronted with yet another loss.
Though brilliant green and peaceful as a mid-summer’s dawn, Michael’s eyes frightened him. And Michael’s voice, that was unsettling too. The eyes, the voice, and the words, “I will need her.” Marcus’ heart ached.
He knew what those words meant. Reggie may not yet know, maybe not even the archangel himself, but Marcus did. He was sure of it.
He shook these thoughts away, and flipped through one of the books. As he did, he heard quick steps rushing down the hall. Reggie raced into the room.
“Hey,” she said, catching her breath, “what are you doing?”
“Reviewing Seth’s books.” Marcus held up the reading book.
“I thought you were coming back down.” Reggie stepped to him. “Are you all right?”
“Yes.” Marcus stood. “No.”
“Marcus.” Reggie snickered. “Which is it?”
“Yes.” Marcus nodded. “And what are you doing up here?”
Reggie rolled her eyes. “To see you. I’m worried about you.”
“Thanks.” Marcus smiled and gripped the book. “Reg? Tell me... tell me we’re going to be together again.”
Reggie’s mouth twitched. “Marcus, of course we are. Why would you say that?”
“Worried.”
“I told you not to worry. That first time was what you and I needed. There was nothing wrong about it.”
“I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about...” Marcus closed his eyes and shook his head. “Forget it. Just tell me you’ll be with me at least once more. Especially at this time when I need...” He dropped his voice to a whisper. “I need that closeness.”
Reggie caressed his cheek. “Haven’t I always been there for you when you needed me?”
“Yeah, but now,” Marcus tossed the book on the bed, “he needs you.”
“Ouch.”
“Ouch what?” Marcus looked at her.
“That...” Reggie imitated Marcus. “He needs you. Talk to me.”
“Okay,” Marcus said shyly. “My whole life I’ve had a thing for you.” Reggie smiled. “And it grew the older I got, until recently I realized, wow, you know why I was never happy? You know why I never had anyone I wanted to stay with? Because it was you all the time, you were the secret.” He paused. “And now that I think I have you, I’m changing. I can make it through anything. The exploding building and being trapped. Chicago destroyed before our eyes, the dirt world.” He paused again. “Even the death... the death of my family. I can get through it. With you.”
Reggie regarded Marcus tenderly. “I’ll help you in any way I can.”
“I know. Because you are my best friend. But I’m afraid, Reg… I’m afraid I might lose what I’ve waited so long for. Maybe literally lose you to a heavenly body that, let’s face it, I can’t compete with.”
“Marcus.” Reggie stifled a giggle. “Please.”
“He needs you too.”
“Yeah, to teach him and to fight with him. That’s an honor, arrogant messenger from heaven or not. Which is cool, don’t you think? Marcus?”
“Yes.” Marcus nodded with a slight smile. “Cool.”
“You never sound natural saying ‘cool,’” she laughed. “You shouldn’t. And don’t worry, okay? You’re a little... jealous.” She held her fingers up. “I know you. Michael isn’t here for anything romantic. He’s an angel. An angel. Think about how silly you’re sounding. An angel,” Reggie snickered. “It’s the warrior thing he needs me for. And he’s probably asexual anyhow.”
Marcus chuckled nervously.
“And.” Reggie dropped her voice and winked. “I’ve seen him naked. Nothing on you.”
Marcus reached up and slipped his hand behind her neck. He mouthed the words, ‘I love you’ and with a smile, brought his parted lips to Reggie’s.
“Reggie.” Michael’s voice interrupted them. “You’ve escaped me. We must train.”
Marcus’ eyes met Reggie’s and he motioned his head toward the door. “Go with your warrior,” he whispered, and then winked.
Reggie nodded and walked to the door. “Michael. Right now, I’m here with Marcus. And he needs me. I want to stay with him for a little bit.”
“But the training is so...”
“Some things,” Reggie interrupted, turning back to Marcus, “are more important now.”
Michael closed his eyes and nodded. “I understand. I will wait outside.”
“Reg.” Marcus said as she closed the door. “You should train.”
“No, Marcus.” She faced him and lifted his hand. “You need time with me. You need to feel everything will work out; you need to feel better.” Reggie lifted one knee and placed it next to Marcus’ hip as she brought herself across his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and locked his body with her legs. “I’ll stay here as long as you need as you need.”
Refugee Camp, Carizzo Plane, CA
The refugee camp wasn’t difficult to locate. Todd stopped the car on a jam-packed freeway. For miles, it seemed, the road was filled with abandoned cars and trunks, doors standing ajar.
Todd and Devante stepped from the car and scanned the dimensions of the tent city.
The refugee shelter was just off the highway. Daily arrivals had overflowed onto the freeway and extended the boundaries a good deal further than the facilities could handle. No clear spot of land could be seen. The noises of people meshed into a low hum.
Todd walked to the back of the car. “Well, looks like we’re here.”
Devante looked out to the multitudes of people, his face seeming to mirror their confusion and fear. And then he smiled.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Seville, Ohio
Reggie and Kyle exchanged waves as he sat on the roof of the home. She was too far away to notice his scowl, wandering with Michael toward a barren section of open ground on the edge of some woods. Kyle had erected a Sears and Roebuck security fence there five years earlier to mark the property line.
“Right here will do,” Michael said.
“Good,” Reggie nodded. “For?”
“Training, learning, planning strategy. In this we must always act as one. We must think ahead.” Michael pointed to his temple. “Be one step ahead of this...” He reached for the word.
“Devante. Thank you very much, Marcus.”
“Why did you say that?” Michael asked. “That, ‘thank you very much, Marcus.’”
“Oh, it’s customary, at the end of every sentence, to thank the person responsible. You should be doing it.”
“Then I shall.” Michael nodded once. “To continue... We need an exact spot.”
“For?”
Michael closed his eyes. “Just pick a spot.”
“All right,” Reggie shrugged. “There.” She pointed to her right, near the tree line.
“Thank you.” Michel walked over, and found a flat stone. “This is where the true warriors for our battle will now gather their strength from the earth for the Great War.”
“Will they pray here?”
“If they wish. You have picked the chosen spot. When each is a great warrior, ready for battle, he will be able to pull from the earth his strength and weapon. It will be their crowning and reward.”
Reggie just stared.
“You do not understand?”
“No.”
“Observe.” Michael walked to the flat stone. He grabbed up a small stone and scraped it on the surface of a larger one. He etched the figure of a scale of justice. Dropping the smaller stone, Michael ran his hand over the etching, then lifted the flat rock. He plowed his fist in the earth with a mighty, rapid thrust. The ground vibrated beneath Reggie’s feet. A cloud of dirt rose as Michael withdrew his hand from the hole. Then he dusted the dirt from his hand and reached back into the hole, and, seconds later, drew out a long sword. Reggie turned her eyes as the blade reflected a blinding golden light from the sun. Michael knelt down, one hand
holding the sword, the other covering the hole with the smaller rock.
“Oh, wow.” Her mouth dropped open.
“The true warrior ready for battle will be able to retrieve the gift.”
“No way.” Reggie ran to the rock. “Do I need to rub this or draw on it?”
“No.”
With a smile Reggie lifted the flat rock and reached in the hole. She stopped, confused, as she felt around in the hole. “Hey, mine’s not here.”
“Then you are not yet a true warrior.”
With a huff, Reggie pulled out her hand. “That sucks.” She re-covered the hole with the flat rock.
“What is this ‘sucks’?”
“It’s a word we use to describe something that is bad. Like me not getting a sword. That sucks.” Reggie stood up, pouting. “How am I supposed to learn how to battle without a sword?”
“Right now, we will walk and speak of strategy.” He moved.
“Why don’t we just get a shitload of M-4s and when we go to battle we’ll just blow the hell out of them?”
“Are these M-4s modern weapons?”
“Yes.”
“Then they will not work battling the dark side,” Michael said. “Those dedicated to him are damned souls, and will not fall to modern weapons. They can only die by the sword.”
“So we’re fighting a bunch of zombies?”
Michael gave a questioning look.
“Walking dead?”
Michael nodded slowly. “Yes.”
Reggie cringed, her face reflecting her misgivings.
“So would that be considered something that... sucks?”
“Yeah. That really sucks.”
Michael nodded judiciously. “I see. Let us walk.” Reggie felt his hand on her back; his touch was gentle. “And... I’ve already learned something from you. Thank you,” he added, his hand remaining as he guided her.
Reggie wondered if God would be pleased that his archangel had learned to use the word ‘suck.’ It wasn’t on her list. But at least he wasn’t chastising her and calling her ‘woman,’ so it was a small step in the right direction. The two continued on their stroll.
Last Days Trilogy Page 24