CHAPTERS 12 & 13

Chapter 12

“I can’t believe she would do something like this!” Tess exclaimed, shaking her head as she drove down the road.  She had found a very distraught Andrew along the side of the road and he had told her what had occurred at the college,

“Does she have any idea what she is doing?  What this could do to her angel status?”

“Yes, Tess, she does,” Andrew snapped, unable to listen to Tess’ ranting much longer,

“She completely understands…..we talked about it.  It’s worth it to her, surely you can understand that.  I mean, how much more did the Father think she would be able to take?  She’s still human on top of everything and I can’t decide if she can’t think straight any longer or if she is thinking more clearly than any of us are!”

“Don’t you take that tone with me, Angel Boy,” Tess scolded, pulling the car off the road at a picnic area, figuring they would be able to talk here in peace,

“Now, I know you are upset about all of this, but Monica made this choice all by herself and that was wrong.  You did what you had to do, Andrew.  God has no plans for Monica to try to speak with Kathleen.  His plans were for Stacey and then Miss Wings was to be off the assignment and there are reasons for what He decides.  She knows that!” 

Andrew got out of the car, unable to sit still a moment longer.  His mind was whirling, trying to figure out how things got so completely off track.

Tess watched him for a moment before getting out of the car herself,

“And as far as my understanding goes, no, I don’t understand this at all.  She had her orders and she is deliberately acting on her own accord. “ She pressed her fingers to her forehead,

“Oh, if I weren’t an angel, I’d think I was getting a headache,” She muttered, more to herself than to Andrew.

“So, we’re just supposed to leave her there and hope for the best?” Andrew asked, trying to hide his frustration over the situation.

“That’s right, Angel Boy,” She replied, though she hated the thought of it.  She loved Monica with her whole heart, and the last thing she wanted was for her baby to get herself into trouble, but it seemed that the decision had already been made.  She looked over at Andrew and for the first time really saw just how badly he was suffering,

“Baby, you did what you could for her.  The worst thing you could do right now is to blame God or turn your back on Him.  Whether it looks that way or not, He is in control of this whole thing.”

“I feel like I abandoned her, Tess,” He replied, his voice bitter as he met his pained green eyes with hers,

“The worst part of it is that a part of me agrees with what she is doing, or at least why she wants to do it.  You know what a tender heart Monica has, and it’s more than she can bear to have Kathleen keep doing this.  She feels responsible, Tess.”

“I know she does, Andrew, but she isn’t responsible for Kathleen’s actions and she knows at least that much.  It’s pure danger for an angel to take on one of Satan’s demons, especially a special angel like Monica.  Usually, it’s a good thing for her to find the best in everyone, but Angel Boy, she can search forever and probably not find an ounce of goodness left in Kathleen!” 

Andrew crammed his hands into his pockets, barely able to contain himself.  He knew he had done the right thing by the Father when he had walked out of the dormitory room and off the campus.  The problem was that he wasn’t sure if could live with that decision.  He had left Monica once to fend for herself since this assignment had begun and he had spent the following week praying with his whole heart that God would bring her back to him.  Could he do that again?

“I don’t think I can handle this, Tess.  I can’t just leave her there--.”

“Oh yes, you can, Andrew and you will.” Tess replied sternly, even though her dark eyes were filled with anguish,

“We have our orders and we are going to follow them.  Our assignments here are finished now.  Monica’s decision let you off the hook early is all. “

“But what will happen to her, Tess?” He asked, his eyes pleading with her,

“What if she comes out of this unscathed?  What will become of her?”

Tess shook her head sadly,

“That I don’t know, baby.  I’m sure Sam will become involved; he usually is when Monica gets herself into trouble.  I’m just afraid that maybe she has gone too far this time.” She sighed heavily and opened the car door,

“C’mon, Angel Boy.  It’s time we got Home.”

Andrew hesitated for a moment, his emotions in turmoil,

“Tess, would it be alright if I met you there?  I just want a little time alone.”

She was quiet for a moment, considering his request carefully.  Generally, she didn’t worry too much about Andrew.  He rarely acted on impulse; each decision was well thought out and measured very carefully.  She was all too aware of the closeness he and Monica shared, and though usually she was very pleased with the relationship between her two charges, she was now worried that relationship may mar Andrew’s ability to see clearly.  She said a silent prayer and once she had her answer, she nodded her head,

“Alright, Andrew.  You take the time you need and I’ll see you later,” She slid into the driver’s seat of ‘The Car’, smiling sadly as she remembered the day Monica had dubbed it with that name.  She looked back at Andrew then, seeing the anguish and trouble in his green eyes,

“You’ve done the right thing, Angel Boy.” 

He nodded his head as he watched Tess drive away.  He only wished that he believed her.

Chapter 13

Monica walked alone, headed in the direction of the football field.  The fall breeze, which had delighted her earlier, now chilled her to the bone as she remembered Tess’ words about feeling so much evil here; evil that could only be associated with Kathleen.

She trembled as she walked, both from cold as well as fear.  She couldn’t stop wondering if she was making the biggest mistake of her entire existence.  So far, she had done nothing wrong—she still had to help Stacey, and though that was her priority, Monica was strongly hoping to find Kathleen in the process.  There had to be a way to stop the dark angel from doing anymore harm.  Somewhere, within Kathleen’s twisted soul, there had to be some small shred of decency left, and if there was, then Monica was determined to reach it. 

The fact that she was still human and alone terrified her.  She remembered another time she had been human and had come very close to knowing she could die.  She hadn’t felt that way in the hospital the past week—she had known she would live.  After all, Tess and Andrew had been right there with her, and she had always felt the Father’s love inside of her.  This time, however, was very different.  She had exiled herself from her friends and from God all in a split second when she had decided to take matters into her own hands and now there was no telling what could happen to her.  Monica was convinced however, that the worst possible thing that could happen would still be better than Kathleen being allowed to continue down her destructive path.

She slowed her pace as she came upon the football field, shivering in the cool evening air, which suddenly felt bitterly cold.  Tess had been right; the air here was filled with pure evil.

“Stacey!” She called out, her eyes scanning the field for any form of life.  She was answered with silence, so she proceeded to walk further out onto the field.  She stopped again to call out Stacey’s name and was just about to give up, when she heard an echo of Stacey’s name being called.  Monica’s heart skipped a beat, as she instantly recognized the voice.  She drew in a trembling breath, before she answered,

“Kathleen?  Is that you?”

Kathleen appeared before her at that moment,

“The one and only,” The dark angel replied as she came face to face with her former friend, now enemy.

“What are you doing here Kathleen and what have you done with Stacey?  I know it was you who destroyed her room--.”

“Well, well, well, lets just cut to the chase, shall we?  C’mon Monica, not so much as a hug for old times sake?” Kathleen grinned widely, her eyes twinkling.

Monica found herself losing patience already and she hesitated for a moment to keep her anger in check,

“What are you doing here, Kathleen?” She repeated, her brown eyes steadily meeting those of her rival.

“Like you don’t know,” Kathleen scoffed, crossing her arms in front of her,

“But you know, now that I think about it, I really wasn’t needed.  Things seem to be taking care of themselves.”

Monica felt a chill go through her as she tried to figure out what Kathleen was getting at,

“What are you talking about?”

“Tell me, Monica, are you still human?” Kathleen walked around Monica slowly as she waited for the answer she already knew.

Not knowing how to lie, Monica nodded her head sadly,

“Yes, for some reason, only God knows.”

Kathleen laughed and then feigned a look of sympathy,

“Aww, that’s too bad.  God left his human angel out here all alone, no way to defend herself.  What kind of God would do that to one of His children?”

Monica refused to acknowledge the thoughts that she, herself, had had today,

“You know as well as I do, Kathleen, that angels work on a need to know basis.  When the time comes, I will know why it is that He kept me in human form, but I’ll find out in His time, not mine.”

“So, let me get this straight, God has stripped you of your angelic status, He allowed you to be attacked, He told your friends that they were not allowed to help you any longer and now you have no idea of what will become of you since you disobeyed and chose to follow your own free will.  Well, Monica, it’s a wonder how you manage to not doubt God’s love for you.”

Monica felt her heart began to pound loudly in her chest as she struggled not to listen to the words that Kathleen was saying,

“I never doubt Him,” She said, hating the fact that she felt as if she were trying to convince herself as well.  The fact was that what Kathleen was saying was true.  She had been praying to be out of human form, but her prayers had gone unanswered.  She was completely alone, human and vulnerable. 

“Oh, come on, Angel Girl,” Kathleen persisted, knowing she was getting to the angel,

“Just like you doubted Andrew, isn’t it?  You trusted him too, but you heard a voice like his and you knew with your whole heart that he had turned his back on you.  So there is always room for doubt, and that is exactly what you are feeling now, isn’t it?”

Monica shook her head, tears filling her eyes,

“No, that isn’t true at all!  The Father would never forsake me!”

“Then where is He, Monica?  Where are Andrew and Tess?  They have all left you alone to fight for yourself and though I hate to be the one to break it to you, you’re going to lose this fight, Monica.  Because the way I see it, you have two choices.  You either fall from the grace of your God and come with me, or you die.” Kathleen smiled smugly, watching tears fall from the angel’s eyes,

“I’ve waited a long time for this moment, Monica, but I knew it would come.  Since you are human, you can die, you know and you would be all alone when you did die.  There’s no one else here, no one to save you or to help you.  The decision is yours and yours alone, Monica, but you have to make it now.”

Monica watched in horror as four dark beings appeared behind Kathleen and though they had no human form, she instantly recognized them as her four attackers from last week.  Her mind raced frantically as her eyes searched for a means of escape, but the beings had her surrounded now. 

Desperately, Monica fell to her knees and clasped her hands together in front of her,

“Oh Father, please help me,” She sobbed, her head bowed.  Never before had she ever been so frightened, so she did the one thing she knew to do—pray.

“Stop wasting time!” Kathleen snapped angrily,

“Choose!”

“Please Father, guide me,” Monica wept, her shoulders shaking with her anguished sobs,

“I know I disobeyed, but I do not want to die!”

Kathleen, exasperated now, reached down and grabbed Monica’s arm, forcing the angel to look into her eyes,

“Choose.”