It was late afternoon, the boy noticed that his shadow seemed to stretch for miles, as the sun descended. The city lay in ruins about him, only a few choice skyscrapers remained, and a couple of blocks of the business section., no cars moved, the streets were near empty, those who sought shelter in the deepest basements, held their place, they listened to their radios for news of the Giants whereabouts, hoping that he would not return to places he had already decimated. The boy however was not tired from his day of destruction. Earlier he had sat down, to play with the terrified people, he had finished eating his fill, and drinking huge quantities of water, when weariness overcame him, he cleared an area about him finding a low, but solid looking building that might serve as a pillow, where he could put his head down and take a nap.
It was a dream, there was a room, he was the only one in it, there were no windows. Muffled voices were coming from outside, the boy could not discern what was being said. The room was plain, no pictures on the walls, just a bench along the wall. Then a voice spoke to him. "Hello Gabe, we are sorry to keep you waiting", A figure, dressed in white was standing by the door, that had not been there a minute ago. "you probably want to know where you are, and how you got here" Gabe nodded. "this is the waiting room for souls in transition" Gabe blinked, he did not understand. The figure looked at the young boy, " your last hours on earth were very traumatic, we blocked out most of the sensations," The figure looked down at the ground and shook his head, "it's terrible that you had to suffer so, but that's all behind you now. Never again will you be hurt," the boy sensed the sadness in the mans voice, he really couldn't remember anything, not even how he got to this room. Then the boy said slowly, "I'm dead?" he didn't feel dead, he touched his chin, his hands were warm. "Yes" replied the figure, and soon you will be transferred to the garden, but there is something we need you to do first" A flood of feelings rushed though the boys mind, a hundred questions, Where's Mom and Dad, Where is my brother, What am I doing here, how did I get here,? Question after question, and after the questions a terrible sadness, and loneliness . The figure in white smiled a kindly smile, "it's alright, everything is going to be alright, we are looking after your parents right now, you will see them when they get here, your brother too, and for that matter all your friends. Your granma and grand pa are already here, and are anxious to see you, and they will, soon. That will be in a little while, we have something we want you to do for us, first." The boy looked up at the figure, the man looked like a doctor that his folks use to take him to, back at the hospital when he had the fever. "There is someone who wanted to see you right away, we arranged to bring him here, just to say hello." a sharp yelp, then a joyful bark. "Scooter? Scooter, it's you!" a little dog bounded into the room, and virtually jumped up on the boys lap. "Scooter, good boy, where have you been?, I haven't seen you since.." the dog licked the boys face, furiously wagging it's tail. The boy smiled, then looked at the man, "Scooter, he was my friend, but then he got,a lump rose in the boys throat ..it was a car, he was.." The man nodded, "I know,you see, every one you knew and liked are here, and before you know it, the rest of your family will be here too. But first we have an important job for you to do. You are a very lucky soul," Scooter stopped licking his master, jumped to the floor, and ran to the door, stopped turned around, gave a bark, and wagged his tail some more. Come, the figure said, "the council is waiting for us, follow me to the briefing room."
The boy could not make out the ceiling, but somehow the room was lighted, the voices resounded with an echo, the figures behind the council table were a blur because of a sharp light that seemed to glow from behind them. They told him of an evil place, it existed throughout time, but under different names, They said something about reincarnated evil souls, but that went over the young boys head, It's no matter they said, they had the plan of the master, and the time to punish these people was here. The boy didn't know why, but he was chosen to be their executioner. He looked down at the floor, and frowned, who are these people? Why should I kill them? The boy was young, his parents taught him a healthy respect for living things, he didn't like the idea. A murmer went up in the council, then it quieted down, "That is good, we are pleased with your response, your reluctance just assures us that we have selected wisely. We will reconvene when the calling is assured. Gabe, now that your are with us, Ariel will show you some things, be strong, and know that the past and present and future are one, you have already done your job, and well, and know that justice will triumph because of you. Of course the boy didn't understand, but Ariel was the guy who reminded him of his doctor. Scooter who had been sitting quietly, jumped up barked and turned tail, " Come Gabe, soon we will make sense of this all, I will help you. But first a flying lesson."
There was no sense of time passing, and the boy wasn't getting tired or hungry, he did take naps. His dreams were disturbing to him, with fire and water and things falling about him, he would wake up sweating, as a gloved hand that was covering his mouth, dissolved in the awareness of waking. Scooter slept soundly, chasing rabbits in his dreams. Ariel said it was fragments of past experiences, that there was something to be learned once he realizes that he is safe. Ariel waved his hands before the boys face, the light break between the fingers strobed and boy was in another time and place. The history of man replayed before him, from afar he watched the Army's of good battle the dark, the dark was powerful, the boy drew closer and experienced his heart racing as a battle waged about him, yet he was immune to the swords, he was invisible and untouchable, as mounted figures seemed to gallop through him. The weapons seemed to change as he watched, growing more modern, all the while body's fell, he turned away, facing Ariel beside him, I've seen enough, Ariel nodded and it was over. They have been on the earth for thousands of years, they had names like, Amalekites, then they were known as the Sea People, Etruskins, the Huns, the Cossacks, the Nazis ,the Arian Nation, and so many other names, when they band together, they promote hate, but their true crime is their arrogance. Their pride comes at their wipeing out all they believe who are blocking their way to a world dominion they feel entitled to. They are at their worst, under a powerful ruler, many innocents have been slaughtered by their hands, yet they seem to hold the key to the future, For in the great knowledge, their days are fixed, they will be brought low, by an angel of destruction. They will face destruction as they had tasted it thousands of years ago. A small number were spared to repopulate the world, only after their tribe is wiped out, will the glory reveal itself.
A flying war machine buzzed about the boy's head catching him unaware, he stared at it as it hovered, like a bee, before his face, a red glow pierced his vision, as he swatted it to the ground, where it exploded on contact, he had napped too long, about him armies were massing, there were rocket throwers, cannons, tanks and missiles in the air about him, helicopters joined formation. The boy stood up, his full height, his voice rumbled out like thunder, " So, You want to fight??." |
