PART 11

CHAPTER 10

Andrew continued to pray inside the dark cave, cradling Monica in his arms, holding her as if she was the mot precious thing in Heaven and on Earth. And for him she indeed was.

All of a sudden, the blond angel heard a small noise, coming from the total darkness that surrounded them and, instinctively, he held Monica even closer to him. “Who is it?”

A second later, the light of a gas lamp, the same gas lamp he accidentally had dropped in the dark river, illuminated the place and he was surprised to see who was holding it: Erika.

“What do you want?” Andrew asked, with some anger at the demon. “Didn’t you see enough suffering? Do you want more?!”

Quietly, she gave some steps closer to the angels, looking at them with anguish in her eyes.

“Don’t you dare coming any closer! If you try to do something to hurt Monica more than she already is I swear you’ll have to face me first!!” he threatened, with fierce protection and also with anger.

“You do love her, don’t you?” Erika said, in a low voice, and with a turmoil of different thoughts going on her mind.

“More than you won’t ever understand...” he answered, looking at Monica’s pale face with a mix of sorrow and tenderness.

“You came here, you faced the darkness and the creatures... you accepted to be beaten to death to protect her...”

“And that is nothing compared to what I’d do for her. I’d accept to give my existence to spare hers a hundred times, Erika.”

Those words, along with all the love and sincerity in his eyes caused some more tears to roll down on her cheeks. The blond angel raised his head and, when he saw her crying, he was surprised. “Is it my imagination or are starting to understand what this is all about?”

“I did something terrible, Andrew! with you and Monica, with an innocent man and... and with David! And he almost died because of my actions!”

“Evil always leads to destruction and sorrow, Erika. That’s the first lesson you need to learn... Monique isn’t your friend, she’s a dangerous demon and all she wants is to spread evil around her, no matter who will suffer.”

“Yes... she lied to me... she said David would be fine... I thought we... we could even stay together... But now he knows the truth and he doesn’t want to see me again!”

“Do you love him?”

“Yes! Yes I do! I hadn’t realised it yet until...”

“Until?”

“Until I saw you and Monica and how much you both love each other... up to the point of giving your own lives of each other...”

“Erika, there’s no greater love than giving your life for somebody...”

“Yes, now I know you’re right cause now I know I would give my own life for David!”

“Are you being honest in what you’re saying?”

“Yes! I wanted a chance to make things right, I really want to do something good...even if I have lost David’s love... if I can redeem myself somehow, then it must be now!”

The blond angel stared at her with a puzzled face and she kept on talking, “Come with me, I can take you and Monica out of this place.”

“You’re saving us?”

“No... I’m saving myself...”

He stood up holding a weak Monica in his arms, “You know you can die because of this, don’t you?”

“I’m doing the right thing, that’s what matters the most now... Maybe... God can forgive me... and if at least He does, then I’ll be in peace.”

“He knows what you’re doing, Erika... And I’ll make sure that David knows that too.”

Suddenly, they felt a tremor and the cave started to collapse. “Come with me!”

They ran along the cold stony tunnel, protecting themselves form the rocks that fell from the walls. Andrew lifted a silent prayer for help while he tried to shelter Monica from being hit by the stones. The blond angel was even more surprised to see how the initially shallow cave became a long endless tunnel; it was as if the light of the gas lamp opened a way ahead of them, through the darkness.

Finally, they arrived at the exit and Andrew was twice surprised to see that they were on the road he had followed to get there. A bright light suddenly started to glow at the end of the road, obfuscating even Erika’s eyes and causing Andrew to smile.

“We’re getting out of here, angel!” he spoke, close to Monica’s ear.

But, at the same time, thousands of evil creatures appeared opposite this light, at the beginning of the road. Monique was leading them and had an angry expression on her face, “Go and take them! I want them dead! The three of them! This betrayal is gonna cost you, Erika!”

With an impressive velocity, the creatures marched towards the two angels and the young demon, who turned to Andrew, “Go! Get away from here you two!”

“Come with us, Erika!”

“I can’t...”

“Of course you can, the Father’s light will shelter you!”

“You have to go now, Andrew, an I need to stay and stop them as long as I can, otherwise you won’t make it! Go now!” Erika shouted. Loud thunders and intense lightning crossed the skies and the wind started to blow stronger than before. Andrew would like to stay and help Erika but there was somebody else who needed him desperately: Monica’s existence depended on him and he had to be fast if he wanted to save her. “May God protect you, Erika.” He said, and ran towards the light.

The young demon took a deep breath and faced the evil creatures and Monique. “God... I know I don’t deserve Your love and protection but... if there’s a chance for me... please use me to do something good...” she prayed; her eyes became red and suddenly the dead trees along the road were ripped from the ground and thrown against the diabolic beings. But Monique’s eyes also showed the same red colour and the trees were soon removed from their way. Erika’s reaction was immediate: the wind changed its course and started to blow against the evil army. Seconds later, it changed its course again, now blowing against Erika, almost knocking her down. She turned around and saw it when Andrew finally disappeared into the bright light at the same time the demons moved closer to her, “Help me, Father...”

*

Andrew and Monica reappeared in the same dark alley where the Irish angel had initially been captured, and when he looked around him, he heaved a sigh of relief. “Thank You Father!”

“Andrew?”

He immediately recognised Tess’ voice from behind them and turned around. “Tess! I brought her back, Tess!” he said, with tears in his eyes.

Also with her eyes filled with emotion, and shedding some tears, the supervisor placed her hand on his cheek, “I knew you would, baby!”

“But look at her, she’s hurt, she needs treatment!”

“Yes, and that’s why I was sent here: you two are hurt and your healing will be away from here, it’ll be at Home.”

*

Andrew, Monica and Tess reappeared in a very different place: it was a vast green field, covered with green trees and fragrant flowers. It was day already and the warm sun crossed the bright blue skies. There were just a few white clouds, forming some “funny forms’, as Monica used to say, and no sign of rain. A gentle breeze was blowing against their faces while Tess and Andrew walked along the grass; the blond angel carrying a still hurt and unconscious Monica. He too was still hurt but at least he and Monica were clean again and that pleasant and beautiful scenario alone produced a sensation of inner peace.

Their clothes had changed too: now Andrew was wearing beige jeans and white T-shirt, while his two angelic friends wore long white dresses. They stopped under the shade of a huge oak tree, where a white towel and lots of cushions had been carefully arranged, and were a small chubby dog was anxiously waiting for them and happily greeted the angels.

“Hey, little one...” Andrew greeted her, watching with amusement as she moved from his feet to Tess’, wagging her tiny tail. “This little baby here has had a lot of adventures herself. I’ll tell you later,” the supervisor spoke.

“I’m curious to know about it!” Andrew said, and, kneeling, he carefully placed his dearest friend on the white towel, while Tess arranged the cushions so that the little Irish angel could rest her head. The little dog whimpered when she saw her “mom’s” wounds and realised she wasn’t conscious. With a sad look in her tiny black eyes, Joy licked Monica’s face and snuggled closer to her, resting her head over the angel’s shoulder, like a loyal guardian who would remain by her side until she got better.

“She’s deeply hurt, Tess...” Andrew spoke, taking Monica’s hand into both of his and with a worried look in his eyes. The supervisor took Monica’s other hand, also with great sadness to see the angel she loved like a daughter so badly hurt. “I know... I cannot even start to imagine what you both have been through...”

“Monique captured us when we were escaping and I was beaten exhaustively by those evil creatures who serve her.”

“Oh dear Father! Don’t tell me that!”

“I wanted to spare Monica’s life as much as I could but at a certain point I couldn’t stay conscious any longer and... Monica proposed Monique to give her my wounds.”

“Oh angel girl... my angel girl! She has such a wonderful heart...”

“We were taken to a cave and I thought I’d lose her, Tess...”

“God...”

“But then something amazing happened: Erika showed up and saved us.”

“Erika?”

“Yes. And she stood there, facing the demons and Monique so that we could escape. I don’t know what happened to her then. But I do know that she’s not a demon anymore, there’s good in her.”

“Yes... yes...” the supervisor replied, listening to a silent message she had just received. “Angel boy I’ve just been told that I need to go back to Earth...” she reached out and stroked his face, “And He’s also telling me that our little angel girl here will heal and you too, baby, by His own Grace. And He asked you to stay here with her.”

“There’s no other place I’d like to stay, Tess.”

“I know that baby. I’ll be back later.”

Andrew watched as the older angel went away and after she disappeared he turned his eyes to Monica. “I’ll be here, beside you my angel, until you get better, I promise.” He spoke, kissing her hand and placing it against his heart. The blond angel stroked her hair, brushing away some lose strands that had fallen on her face due to the light breeze and watched her for long minutes. Then, feeling his own body aching with pain, he lay down next to her and placed a feather like kiss on her cheek, “I love you, my angel. And we’re in the Father’s arms. Now rest.”

*

In a state prison, David watched as the first sun rays shone inside his cell. Sighing deeply, he closed his eyes for some moments: a flashback started to play in his mind. Suddenly, he heard a voice, which took him out of his reverie.

“He is taking care of you, baby, don’t be afraid.” It was Tess in her angelic form. The young man nodded his head. “I know. I can feel it inside my heart. And you wouldn’t be here if that wasn’t true!”

She smiled and approached him, “Edward Evans has just been released, and thanks to you!”

“That’s great news, Tess. Thanks for telling me that!”

“And you hold on to your faith to go through the days ahead!”

“I know. This doesn’t scare me that much. I made a mistake and I have to face the consequences.”

“So I assume that this trace of sadness I see in your eyes has another reason to be there...”

He lowered his head, “Erika... I never thought she could betray me like this... I thought that all she wanted was to destroy me!”

“Well, so I’m gonna tell you a story that has just happened.”

“About her?”

“Yes. About how she risked her own existence to redeem herself from all the despair, pain and deception she has inflicted in you and in those around her.”

“She... she risked her life? You mean she is...”

“I don’t know...”

“Oh God...”

“But when there was no more hope for two angels she was the one to save them.”

*

The light that Andrew had followed to leave the dark territory where evil spread all over was still shinning when Rafael arrived there. The angel walked along the (now deserted) road that crossed the land for some minutes, examining his surroundings, when suddenly, he found what he was looking for: Erika was lying lifeless near some stones, badly hurt, maybe more than Monica. Frowning with concern and with his dark eyes filled with compassion, he knelt beside her, “Father, I hope it’s not too late...”