Angel in the Shadows, Book 1 by Lisa Grace (Angel Series) (19 page)

I reach out and give her a hug. When I let
her go, I start to search on my laptop for the right scriptures,
“They don’t suffer forever. The punishment fits the crime. The
flame is eternal. Eternal means it can’t be quenched. Once it is
lit it will burn–until there is nothing left. Here, look at this.”
I flip to Matthew, chapter ten, verse 28,
And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to
kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both
soul and body in hell.
“And here,” I show her one
more, Psalm one-hundred forty-five, verse twenty,
The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but
all the wicked will he destroy.

Those that love Him and accept the Savior
are promised His holy blood is enough to cover our sin and blot it
out forever. Those who want to stand on their own on judgment day,
will receive justice for their sin. It is
their
choice and
our
choice. He loves us all, but we are not
puppets. Our actions have consequences. Being merciful, He won’t
let those that don’t love Him, the unsaved, suffer forever because
he loves them too.”

Vania looks me in the eyes while a tear trickles
out of hers, “I get it, but I wish he could make them repent.”

“Me too.” I clasp her hands across the bed. We
go on to look up some lighter subjects.

About midnight I get a call on my phone. I reach
for it and answer, because it says: “Seth.”

It’s not Seth; I hit the speakerphone button so
Vania can hear.

“Hello Mouse, hello Sly-van-ia. Sylvania do you
miss me, we had such fun. Tie score again, Mouse, two to two, two
to two, two to two. Who’s next? Hmmm. Who’s not saved? Here’s a
riddle, who does Mouse love the most, send to hell, and let her
roast? Burn her up, just like toast? Hmmm. Sleep tight. Don’t let
the bed bugs bite.”

Somebody has died and is destined to go to hell.
My heart sinks. I’m sure it’s someone I know or someone from
school. Vania and I have a hard time getting to sleep. We pray for
God to give us peace.

***

In the morning Vania and I get up late. We pour
big bowls of cereal and go to watch TV in the family room while we
eat.

As we’re watching, the news comes on, “In a
tragic twist of fate, one of the teens involved in a drug overdose
last weekend, was tragically killed in a car accident last night.
Brody Gibbens, seventeen, a senior at Countryside High, was just
released from the hospital earlier this week. Brody, who was
celebrating his first day at home since being released from the
hospital was driving the car, accompanied by two friends, Jewel
Ferguson, fifteen, and Damon Lawless, sixteen. Jewel is in the
hospital with severe but non-life threatening injuries. Damon
Lawless, the only one in the car wearing a seatbelt, walked away
without a scratch. This is the second tragic death to hit
Countryside High School this year. Jordan Jamisen tragically died
of an apparent suicide just six weeks ago. A memorial service will
be held on Wednesday afternoon.” I turn the TV off.

Somehow, Judas caused this crash. Vania and I
just look at each other. We need to find away to stop him, but
how?

***

On Monday the mood is somber. Some of the kids
are wearing black armbands in memory of Brody. Kids are car-pooling
to the crash site to leave flowers, notes, and stuffed animals. It
seems like the whole school is going to attend the memorial service
on Wednesday at a church near the high school. Jude is in school
soaking up all they sympathy. It’s hard for Vania, Johnny, and me
to watch. We know he had something to do with the crash.

The four of us head to the memorial service on
Wednesday. I wish I could’ve done something to help Brody, but he
had already made his decision before I’d met him. Johnny and I
watch Jude at the memorial service. The best we can do is figure
out who his next target might be. Someone unsaved, someone in
turmoil, someone I know, those are the only clues we have.

***

By Thursday most of the kids are wrapped up in
last minute preparations for homecoming. Carrie and I are counting
down the days until we can see Seth and Robby. Their school
homecoming is the same weekend as ours so we won’t get to go to
both after all. Pastor Bill and his wife are graciously letting
Robby and Seth camp out in their guest room for the weekend.

***

This weekend once the guys have arrived,
everyone is coming to our house for a late night dinner of grilled
burgers. I invite Vania and her mom, and Johnny too. Sam calls, so
I invite him. The next morning we’re going to hit the beach and
then go to the homecoming game and dance that evening. Robby and
Seth will come to church with Pastor Bill, we’ll all have lunch at
Carrie’s house, and then Robby and Seth will drive back home.

After school, I get a call from Mandy.

“Hey I miss you, Megan.”

“Mandy, how have you been?” I’m excited to hear
from her.

“Oh, great. Everything’s going great,” Mandy
sounds a little sad.

“Why don’t you and Alex come by tonight? Seth
and Robby will be here by seven. Johnny and Vania from school will
be here too. We’re going to grill some burgers. It’ll be fun.”

“I’d love to, but I’m just getting over a cold.
I don’t want to get anybody sick. I’ll see you at homecoming
tomorrow. I’m just going to take it easy till then.” Mandy does
sound a little stuffed up. “Okay, I’ll see you at the game. Mandy,
I love you. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”

“I know. I’ll see you tomorrow. Bye.”

Carrie, Johnny, and Vania arrive an hour later
with Carrie’s parents, and Vania’s Mom in tow. I told Mom and Dad,
Johnny doesn’t have any parents. They’re very careful about not
making him feel left out. When Vania’s mom, Cindy, finds out we all
go to the same church she says she might come when she has a day
off, especially now that she knows us. When Seth and Robby arrive,
I’m in heaven. I run outside when I hear a honking horn, (Robby of
course). Seth gets out and I give him a big hug. He feels so good I
almost cry. I’ve missed him so much. He looks so happy, “Megs, it’s
okay. Hey, don’t cry. I’m here and we have the whole weekend
together.” Pastor Bill and his wife Gina walk around to the back to
give Seth and me a moment of privacy. When we walk back to the pool
area, we’re just in time to see Robby pick Carrie up and throw her
in the pool. He then cannonballs in to rescue her with a Tarzan
yell.

Pastor Bill calls out, “Let the party
begin.”

As we’re all sitting down to eat the doorbell
rings. My dad gets up to answer it. I wish he hadn’t. Dad comes
back with a big smile on his face, laughing at a joke told by Jude.
I can’t believe my eyes. I had told my parents about Jude. I just
about choke on my burger. Why would they let him in?

My dad says, “I guess most of you know Damon.” I
forgot to tell my parents that Jude also calls himself Damon.

“Hi, Megan, Vania, Johnny. Sorry I’m late. I had
a few things to set up before tomorrow.”

Damon walks right up to Seth, “Who’s this? My
competition?” Damon sounds like he’s joking. He holds out his hand
for Seth to shake, “Hi, I’m Damon, Megan’s lab partner, and
you’re…”

Seth stands up, wipes his hand off on napkin,
and reaches out to shake Damon’s hand, “I’m Seth, Megan’s
boyfriend.”

Damon squeezes Seth’s hand hard. I can see a
look of shock on Seth’s face. He can see now that Damon is not here
for a friendly visit.

I turn to Damon and say, “I’m surprised you’re
here, I didn’t invite you.”

“Megan!” My dad says, “That’s not how we treat
guests. How ’bout a burger, Damon?” My dad offers, shooting me a
dirty look for my rude behavior.

“Sure Mr. Laughlin I’m starving,” Damon smiles
and takes a seat at the table. Damon starts filling up his plate. I
reach under the table and grab Seth’s hand. Vania’s gone pale and
stopped eating. Johnny eats slowly keeping his eyes on Damon. Robby
is cluelessly stuffing his face and making plays for Carrie’s
attention. Sam stares, not sure what is going on. The adults are
seated at a separate table inside the porch area. We can hear them
chatting away. After getting Damon a burger, my dad rejoins
them.

“Why are you here?” I ask.

Damon talks with his mouth full. “I told you,
Mouse. I’m here to size up the competition. Frankly, facing you all
doesn’t seem like much of a challenge.”

Seth looks at me, “What is he talking
about?”

Damon says, “Ah—keeping secrets? How many of
these fools don’t even know what they’re up against?”

Robby looks up having caught the tail end of
what Damon was saying.

He stands up looking down at Damon, “Is there a
problem here? Maybe you should leave.”

Damon stands up, looks Robby in the eye, and
says, “I’ll decide when it’s time to leave, choir boy,” he places a
finger on Robby’s chest and Robby goes flying a good ten feet
backwards into the pool.

Seth stands up and says, “What the…what’s going
on here?”

Johnny reaches for Damon’s arm, grabs it and
says, “It’s time to leave. You’ve had your fun and games.”

Johnny escorts Damon out the door while we go to
help Robby out of the pool.

The adults think the guys were horsing around so
they didn’t pay any attention. They go back into the house to the
front living room for coffee and desert.

Robby says as he climbs out of the pool, “What
just happened isn’t possible. Tell me I didn’t just fly backward
from a finger push. What is going on?”

Seth grabs a towel and lobs it to Robby as he
answers, “I don’t know man. I have no idea what’s happening.”

Carrie looks like she’s about to have a
panic attack. She looks at me and says, “He said we were the
competition and called us fools. He said it to
Meg
; She’s got to know what’s going on.” I look
around at my friends. How do I tell them? I look to Vania for help,
maybe she can help me explain.

Vania looks at me, “Tell them. They have to
know. Jude is targeting them too.” All eyes swivel back to me. I
see Johnny opening the porch door, walking back to us. I breathe a
sigh of relief. He can help me explain.

I say, “Here, let Johnny explain.”

As Johnny gets back, he says, “I think it’s time
everyone here knows. I think it’s fair to say Judas, or as you may
know him by the names of Jude or Damon, is going to target everyone
here. Who knows what we will be facing this weekend.”

As Johnny finishes his last statement, he begins
to glow brightly then levitates in case there is doubt in anyone’s
mind. Seth says, “What are you?” Robby, for once, is speechless.
Carrie has a look of wonderment on her face.

Sam whispers, “You’re one too.”

Before he can be questioned, Johnny says, “I’m
an angel, sent from God. You know there is a spiritual war that
started in Heaven and is now continuing here on Earth. Megan here
can see angels and demons. Because of her gift, she has attracted
this evil angel who goes by many names.”

Johnny comes back down and resumes his human
form, “I’m here to help bind him, but I need your help. You are
saved. Your names are written in the Book of Life. But many kids
this weekend could be swayed by Judas to make choices that can cost
them their lives and lead to the destruction of their souls. Judas
can’t hurt you without God’s permission. We should get some sleep.
You’re going to need your energy for tomorrow.”

Robby looks at Johnny, “This is too cool. Yeah,
we can fight him for God. Hey, can we get some special weapons or
like some powers? Maybe you can help us fly or something. Bring it
on! Oh yeah.”

Johnny just shakes his head, “I’ll answer
everyone’s questions tomorrow. Right now I’ve got to go back out
and keep an eye on our friend. He’s always up to more mischief at
night when people are drinking and doing drugs. It’s easier
pickings for him.”

As I walk Seth out to the van, before anyone
else comes out, we see Judas across the street. He flashes us a
peace sign then disappears.

I look at Seth, “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you
sooner. I just didn’t know how to say, ‘oh by the way, I see
angels’. I didn’t want you to think I was a nutcase and I wanted to
keep you safe.”

Seth takes my hands, “Well Megs, tonight has
been full of surprises. You see angels, huh?”

I look at my feet embarrassed I haven’t told him
sooner. I‘m afraid to look in his eyes, afraid of how he’ll look
back at me. Afraid his feelings for me won’t be the same.

I whisper, “Yeah, the good ones glow white, the
bad ones are surrounded by dark. I see clouds of dark too. I think
they’re demons without a body.” my voice trembling, “I’m sorry I
didn’t tell you sooner. I didn’t want to risk telling you.” I let
go of his hand so I can wipe away a tear in mine. “If you didn’t
believe me, I couldn’t stand the thought of losing you. I know how
crazy it would’ve sounded.”

I wait for him to speak and just sniffle back
the emotions of loss. Seth lets go of my hand. I start to turn to
walk back into the house, defeated. I feel his hands on my
shoulders stopping me and his arms encircle me with a hug. He
whispers in my hair, “None of this changes the way I feel about
you. I would give my life if it meant saving you. I’m glad you’re
not alone when I’m not around. I’m glad Johnny’s here to help
protect you.”

I turn around and hug him back, listening to his
heartbeat. “How long have you known?” he asks.

“Only since summer camp,” I answer. I start to
cry. Seth and the rest are in danger and it’s my fault.

Seth rests his head on top of mine, “It’s okay.
We’re on the winning team.” I know he’s right and I silently thank
God for Seth. I hear the front door slam so I take a deep breath,
pull back, and work on gaining my composure quickly.