“Your heart is faulty,” Raphael explained. “The council didn’t look far enough into your genetic line. Plus, you can’t have all these talents without a heart strong enough and a brain supple enough to use them. This is why you get blood clots in your brain and your heart gives out. Michael and the Gray Ladies have done a remarkable job keeping you running, but the facts are, you were bred to act at a certain time - in this case, attracting Abigor at your sexual peak and killing him. After, you would probably be a casualty of Lucifer’s revenge, and the council would be free of you. They didn’t think about you living on, giving birth, or the people you would save along the way. They think linearly. They see life as a train going from point A to point B. They don’t see the towns the train goes through along the way, nor the people who get on and off the train. They may play a long game, but they don’t play it well.”
“Raphael, I’ve thought about what we would lose if Mia didn’t exist past twelve. The generation that leads the human race out of the storm and into the light would lose the leaders it needs. Whether these were the thoughts of the originator of the volo candle I don’t know. I suspect it’s just greed or revenge. But it happened. Mia, with Altair and Stephen Murphy’s help, managed to cancel the timeline and return with their memories intact, so we now know this is going on. This is a gift,” Michael stressed.
“It is disappointing to find out that we’ve been manipulated by a faction within the council, but knowledge is power. Speaking of knowledge, I’ll have one of our historians send you the information you need in a dream. For right now, I want you to enjoy this beautiful place. I’ve alerted Varden and Brian’s guardian angels to be extra vigilant.”
“Luke Stavros too,” Mia said, catching Michael’s eye.
“Is he the child you and I talked about?” Raphael asked Michael.
“Yes.”
“Was this what broke your heart?”
“That and Mark Leighton. If Ted hadn’t been with me at Wolf’s Lake when we met Mark, he wouldn’t be bringing you the future, he would be killing it. I couldn’t bear it. I think that’s why I fought so hard. I had to.”
~
Dieter sat on the steps of the public library with Mark. They had been inside looking for source materials for their Environmental Science papers that you couldn’t find on the internet. Ms. Templeton stressed that even though their generation has a great many materials available through the web, not everything could be found that way. She suggested looking at old almanacs, journals, news clippings from State Fairs, and other materials to add color to their otherwise dry as toast report. “I want to be stimulated. I want to find out things I don’t know. You get extra points if I don’t fall asleep reading your paper. And you,” she said, pointing to Dieter, “need the points.”
“Did you get everything you need?” Mark asked.
“Grandpa Martin suggested that I include a drawing of the evolution of a cob of corn. I need some markers.”
“Gee, I wish I thought about that with my green bean report.”
“Remind me again why we are doing reports on vegetables?” Dieter said.
“Remember when she was explaining why it was important to look at how farmers produce their crops and how it affects the environment?”
“Yes.”
“Ms Templeton got frustrated when no one was participating in the discussion. She said that since we were acting like vegetables, we should do a report on them.”
The boys got up and walked towards the art shop.
Mark put his hand on Dieter’s arm and asked, “Quick, look at the woman with the oversized handbag we are passing and tell me what you see after we pass her.”
“Sure,” Dieter said, used to the odd games Mark liked to play.
They passed the woman. Dieter said, “Good afternoon,” to her as they passed.
“Why did you do that?” Mark hissed.
“Good manners. Try it. It impresses the oldies.”
“What did you see?” Mark asked.
“She had a blue soul.”
“And a blue soul…”
“Is an indication of a benevolent soul.”
“What kind of creature’s have blue souls?” Mark asked.
“Very kind, compassionate humans and angels.”
“I knew it!” Mark said. “I briefly saw her wings before she cloaked them.”
“Why would she cloak them? Only you can see them when they are in their Earthly personas.”
“Maybe she knew I was here,” Mark said.
“Maybe. Well that was fun. Let’s look for demons next.”
“Shut up,” Mark said, frustrated.
Dieter opened the door of the shop.
“Welcome, I’ll be with you in a minute,” the old woman at the register told them.
“Markers?” Dieter asked.
“Aisle six.”
“Thank you.”
“Acalan!” she shouted. “Make this devil open the drawer!”
“Coming…”
Mark snickered as he followed Dieter. “Do you think there is a devil in the drawer?”
“If so, he would have a red-orange soul,” Dieter said.
Acalan fixed the error, and the customers left the store. “Grandma, how about we look into bringing back the old register? You didn’t have so much problem with it.”
“Maybe I’m too old to work.”
“No, you’re my best employee.”
“I’m your only employee,” she said, pinching Acalan’s cheek. “You go and help those boys. I have to have a coffee.”
“Yes, Grandma,” Acalan said. He walked over to the teens and asked, “Can I help you?”
“Maybe,” Dieter said. “You’re an artist, aren’t you?”
“Guilty.”
“I’ve got this project, and I wanted to do a four-panel picture of the evolution of a cob of corn, but I’m
