“There is no time to tell the others. Go now there is not a moment to lose.”
I nod still awestruck by the moment. Two seconds later I am running into the darkness. I am not sure how it all works or how to get to Haven, so I just run in the direction of the fort. The darkness closes in on me, but I am not afraid. My heart, where Michael touched me is a glowing light in the darkness. I can see lost souls all around me they are suspended in the air about a foot off the ground. Their eyes are open, but they are motionless and look catatonic. Their eyes are all filled with sadness and despair. There are dozens of souls, people from different of eras of history, Native Americans, civil war soldiers, men in suits, a lady, in a wedding gown. They did not all die here, but it must be where the darkness overtook them all. I search, and search, and do not see, Haven. My hope starts to falter, until, something catches my eye. In the distance I see tiny pin pricks of color. It is the distinctive color of Haven’s aura. When I get close enough to see Haven, I notice she is separate from the rest, and though she to, is in a catatonic state, there are tiny holes of color that are uniquely, her own showing through her spirit. I sprint the rest of the way to her. I wrap my arms around her and am shocked when I realize I can actually touch her, but she doesn’t wake.
“Please Haven, come back to me.”
I repeat this like a mantra at least ten times. I look into her sad eyes and kiss her forehead, as I murmur against it again, and again.
“Please Haven, come back to me.”
I feel her stir, and step back holding her at arm’s length. She looks at me and crumples in tears.
“Oh Lucius, I am so sorry for all the hurt I caused you, can you ever forgive me.”
I crush her to my chest and laugh out loud.
“There is nothing to forgive.”
I hold her for a long moment, until she puts her hand on my chest, as realization dawns on her.
“Lucius, I can feel you…I can touch you…and…and, feel you touching me.”
I smile down at her.
“I could not explain it, even if I tried.”
“I suppose I can live with just calling this a miracle.”
I look into her eyes and do something I have wanted to do for many years. I lean down and kiss her. I am tempted to shut my eyes and just give into the sensation of feeling. But the sight of our auras colliding is too, beautiful to close my eyes on. My hands are in her hair holding her face to mine, when I hear someone clearing their throat behind me. I break the kiss and smile at her one last time, before turning around.
“That is enough of that”
We turn to see a man dressed in a white suit, light emanating from his bronzed features. His words are stern but there is a smile in his eyes.
“I am Ramiel, the angel sent to oversee souls, during the Day of Judgment.
Chapter Seventeen The Shit and the Fan
The same twenty-four hours in the natural world.
I walk into the hanger back at Esler, only to find out that per President Lou’s order, all aircraft are on standby, and there will be no flights back to Bragg anytime soon. As I’m leaving, a sergeant named Wilcox approaches me and says there is an urgent message for me, from my ODA commander, and that I should wait here for someone to come and talk to me. I ask him what it’s about, and he says he doesn’t know. I can feel his nervousness, when he is speaking to me, and can see sweat beginning to bead on his forehead. Something is definitely off. If Captain Harkins had something to say, he would contact me directly. He would not inform me through, the sweaty, Sergeant Wilcox. The hair on the back of my neck stands up, and I know I’m in trouble. So, I tell him I’m going to have a smoke outside, while I wait. He nods his head, with obvious relief that I am complying, and his task is done.
Once outside, I move to the smoking area, which happens to be fifty yards from the building, near a wooded area. I am eternally grateful that no one else is currently out here. I would hate to have to harm an innocent bystander. I look around and see everyone is too busy to be paying attention, so I hop over the ten-foot, chain link fence and run to the tree line. I turn around to make sure no one saw me and see two MP vehicles pull up and four heavily armed MPs step out. I know they are here for me. I am not sure what has happened, but I know it’s bad. After one last look at the MPs, I turn and sprint through the woods. I head east, towards a country road up ahead. I need to find a car, and quick. As expected, the dirt road is desolate. I don’t want to chance being out on the road when they come looking for me, so I cross to the woods on the other side of the road and run along a four-wheeler path a few feet inside the tree line.
About a mile later I can see a clearing coming up. When I get to the edge, I
