Longevity- the Wardens of Time

by Caleb Smith

  When they finally met at Juan’s Mexican Cantina & Grill, both were wiped out but thankful to end the day on a positive note. It was an easy place to get an authentic meal without worrying about their personal appearance. Earl had changed his oil-stained shirt and washed his face, arms, and hands, but he still couldn’t rid himself of all the grease. Evelyn had literally just taken her apron off before entering the bar and probably smelled like greasy diner food. She, too, was due for a hot shower. As their eyes met, they both laughed. Their appearance did all the talking, and they were on the same page.

  Evelyn didn’t much indulge in alcoholic beverages, mainly since the passing of her husband. But tonight she enjoyed the bursting flavor of a chilled strawberry margarita. Earl kept it simple, ordering a shot of tequila and a beer. The burrito plates soon arrived, and the chicken was perfectly seasoned. Incorporated in Mexico but brought to America, Juan’s Mexican Cantina & Grill was a staple in the local community.

  They ate, drank, and reminisced about the past without getting too personal. Earl made Evelyn laugh; he was captivating with a twinkle in his pale blue eyes, and he was wise with a quick wit.

  “You know Evelyn, I really enjoyed kissing you the other day.” He came right out with it and didn’t want to hold his feelings back another minute. “It made me feel things that I thought were long gone.”

  Evelyn blushed, but she felt the same way. “I enjoyed it, too,” she replied with a shy smile.

  “What do you say we go find ice cream somewhere? It’s a nice evening, and I’d like to spend some more time with you if you’re up for it?”

  She smiled again. “I’d love that, Earl.”

  The drive to Gifford’s ice cream shop was not too far – just over the wooded park area entering the city forest. When the Gifford family had set up shop, they believed that choosing a great summer location was the key to a successful business of this nature. And it had worked out well. Folks walking in and out of the city forest frequented the ice cream shop regularly. The site also featured a large picnic area with canopies, tables, and bench seating.

  When Earl and Evelyn arrived, there were only three people in line and a handful of others sitting on benches enjoying their summer treats. Evelyn was fan of chocolate and strawberry, while Earl preferred vanilla, and sometimes sherbet. With their scoops on sugar cones, they found a table and sat down.

  Beyond the picnic area, a few trails led to the forest. The city kept the trails well-groomed with crushed pea stones on the walkways, and trash barrels were plentiful and emptied regularly. While the couple enjoyed their ice cream and chatted comfortably, a horrific sight emerged from one of the forest trails.

  Evelyn dropped her cone in fear. Earl was a hardened man, but what he saw was like nothing he had seen before. Out of the woods walked two bears, blood dripping from black fur. But more amazingly was the sight of two shirtless men with pale, blood-stained skin riding on the animals’ backs. The men were smiling and feeding off the fear of the patrons who had, up until this point, been enjoying a laid-back summer’s evening. People started to scream and run for their vehicles. Another shirtless man then appeared, walking slowly behind the bears. All three men held weapons: machetes and bats. Their wooden spears were blood-red from recent kills.

  As the crowd scattered for their cars, Earl and Evelyn realized their predicament – they could not get to their car without running into the advancing posse of malice. Earl was never one to frighten easily or panic, but the scene caught him off guard. He stood and grabbed Evelyn’s hand. As a nearby man tried to dart away, the demon force on the back of the larger bear launched his spear, which struck the back of the fleeing victim. His body fell limp to the ground. With seeming supernatural force, the man-creature then jumped from the bloody bear’s back and landed in a straddle on the deceased man, twisting and pulling the spear from the fallen body. Earl pulled Evelyn toward the woods to hide, and they ducked behind some pucker brush and watched as the bears and their riders sought to massacre all those left at the scene. The menacing group then tore the ice cream shop apart, breaking the windows and slashing the counter tops. One unlucky teen girl was cornered by the beast and its rider who snickered and chuckled as she screamed and pleaded for her life. It took only one swipe of the sharp claws to decapitate her, and then the bear devoured her flesh until it regurgitated. The pile of vomit, guts, and hair, stained the checkered floors.

  Evelyn gasped in terror behind the brush in a crouching position, and Earl put his thick fingers over her mouth to silence her and keep attention away. Shortly after, the bears started to sniff the air in attempt to locate what their noses told them. There were others nearby. The riders and foot soldier had picked up on their keen scent and started scanning the area for any other living presence. They sniffed the evening air and slowly pushed on toward the hiding couple.

  When Earl realized this, he whispered, “We have to make a move; we are sitting ducks.”

  “No! We can’t,” Evelyn cried.

  Earl had a permit for a concealed weapon, and he had a .44 mag underneath the seat of his pickup truck. The problem was that his pickup truck was back at the Mexican Grill. They had taken Evelyn’s car to the ice cream shop. Earl was a responsible gun owner, and the only reason he kept a gun in the truck was in the event he ever hit an animal in the road. It had happened to him a few times throughout his life. He once had to put a wounded deer out of its misery with the blade of a jack knife. He vowed from that day on he would carry a gun and one that would take care of the job without failure.

  But what Evelyn did not know was that Earl had sent Josh a text just minutes before they had taken cover in the brush: “Emergency at Gifford’s Ice Cream. Bring guns. In trouble.” So, when Earl started whispering, “Damn you, Josh. Where are you boy?” Evelyn was bewildered.

  Chapter 37

  Josh slammed the gas pedal on his old white ‘72 Ford pickup. It was a work in progress, and the stripped-down paint revealed body patches and gray, flat primer. He moved the craft as fast as it could go. He had been in the auto shop when he received the text. Josh was an avid hunter and gun enthusiast, and he spent a good deal of spare time target shooting. He, too, had a concealed weapons permit and owned a Desert Eagle .50 caliber hand cannon and a .410 revolver that held shells with a lead spread ready to rock the dead. Both pieces were loaded and under the seat ready for action. Josh was very passionate about the safety of his family, as his father had raised him to be. When he got the message, he dropped everything he had been doing and ran.

  Now two blocks from the ice cream shop, he floored it and was surprised that he didn’t see any cops on the way. As he pulled down the last street and came upon the woods and ice cream stand, he was startled at the sight – a sight that gave him chills despite his pumping adrenaline. The shop had been obliterated, and to the far left, beyond the picnic area, were two blood-soaked bears and three men with rotted flesh and shaved, patchy heads. As he approached them in the truck, he saw that they had cornered a couple and were toying with them. One of the bears had an arm in its mouth and was ripping at it, screams filling the air. Josh didn’t think; he just reacted. Without knowing who the couple was, he pressed the gas pedal harder and drove his antique battering ram through the picnic tables, rendering them into splinters.

  Right after the predator tore his father’s arm clean off, Josh ran the truck into the circle of evil, knocking them away like bowling pins. The bear that wasn’t hit (the one with his father’s arm hanging from its mouth) stood in shock. Without flinching, Josh reached for “The Judge” and aimed through the passenger side window. He yelled, “duck,” and then fired a round clean into the bear’s chest. It knocked the stunned animal back. The other demonic bodies were scattered about, attempting to regain their bearings.

  “Jump in!” he yelled to Evelyn, as he reached over and unlatched the door open. Though terrified, Evelyn grasped Earl’s good hand and led him around the dazed bear, fumbling about on the ground. She slid in t
he truck next to Josh and helped Earl onto the bench seat. Blood was spurting from his arm and puddling inside the truck. Josh put the truck in reverse and once again gunned the gas, the door still open and flapping loosely. He jammed the brakes and it slammed shut. Earl was holding the wound and trying to stop the blood to no avail. Evelyn was screaming and crying, Josh was swearing, and Earl was slowly turning white.

  “Take your shirt off and wrap his arm,” Josh yelled to Evelyn.

  He had to say it again louder to break through the shock. She did as he asked, reason kicking in. She pulled her blue shirt off and speedily wrapped it around Earl’s wound many times. The thin cotton fabric was soaked in seconds, but her applied pressure bought them more time. She buckled up quickly, survival mode taking over.

  “Go, go, go!” She screamed as the soldier demons got to their feet.

  Josh spun the wheel and hit the gas, gravel kicking up and spraying the aggressors. The truck sped away and was almost free and clear. Just then, Josh felt the weight of a body hit the bed of the truck. Marcus had sprung thirty feet through the air and had landed in the back bed, holding his bat club firmly. He charged toward the cab and smashed the back window, shards of glass spattering the three inside.

  “Hold the wheel,” Josh called to Evelyn, who in turn, grabbed it with her free hand while squeezing Earl’s arm with her other. Josh twisted and leaned back using the cab interior as a defense for his soon-to-be assault. Evelyn’s head was in the way, so he urged her to scooch. She did, and he ripped off two rounds into the guts of Marcus’s body, driving him back and forcing him to topple over the tailgate and onto the ground. The truck sped off in the direction of the closest medical center. Hell had come to Mid-Town, and this caliber of terror was only just the beginning.

  Chapter 38

  It was a long, arduous hike through the blinding snow around and around the upper layers of the great mountain. They were striving to make way to the very top. The massive, emerald doors offered entry to the sapphire-blue structure constructed of crystal, towering beyond where a human eye could see. The sixth dimension of the greater heavenly worlds accepted the twins’ presence. Elijah and Enoch were wrapped in thick white robes and knee-high boots made of special hide. Their hoods covered their faces and now over-grown beards. They moved slowly and trekked through the deep snow step by step. The climate did not bother them; they did not feel physical pain from the elements in the same way that humans did, but the weather did slow them considerably.

  The emerald doors then slowly opened, allowing them entry to the Angelic University of Knowledge. This was not their first visit to the High Archangel Council. When called upon by the Council, they went immediately, and it was important that they did although this visit was of their choosing. Archangel Michael, the leader of heaven’s army, served as Council head, and communication in celestial form was sometimes required.

  As they entered the great University, they saw that little had changed since their last visit. It was booming with activity. The twins proceeded to the great breeze room where winds of cold blustery fury diminished and heavenly light prevailed. In the main lobby, the windows on the massive tower brought light to filter in from above the storm – some two hundred stories above.

  The tower was grand, with windows and stoops lining its sides. Each stoop led to a door of a room. Angels could be seen flying and floating about. This was a place dedicated to the betterment of their “trade.” They came to study and find purpose, to test themselves, and to learn through the wisdom of their elders. When the student angels were ready, they would graduate and be dispatched to perform their righteous jobs.

  The twins stood shoulder-to-shoulder looking up, snow dripping from their beards and hooded robes. When they pulled their hoods back, clumps of wet snow splattered on the floor like a spilled slush puppy. An angel named Christine then showed up on a silver, floating disk. She was the concierge of the University, making sure its inhabitants were able to get where they needed to go without issue.

  “It’s a great pleasure to see you once again, my dear twins. I expect you have been busy, as it has been a while since your last visit?”

  “We have indeed been busy, dear Christine. The stories of life never rest, and so must not we.” Enoch said.

  “How are things at the Records?” She inquired, with a twinkle in her blue eyes.

  “Things are well and in order, but we come on our own behalf this time. We need to see the Council.”

  “Ah yes, I understand,” she gave them a worried glance. “Well, don’t let me hold you up. You know the way?” Her small fairy wings buzzed like hummingbirds. The angel gently floated out of the way to allow the twins to move on.

  Elijah and Enoch looked at each other. Their method of travel was exceptionally different from all the rest. They extended their bodies slowly upward, growing like beanstalks, while their feet remained on the floor. Some of the angels floating about were familiar with the technique and had seen it before. They watched and moved out of the way as the twins grew.

  Up and up their heads pushed through, and up and up their bodies grew. Upward and onward great mysteries proved true, magnificent findings for the very few. They extended to the tippy-top, where sapphire was as bright as ocean blue – where the Archangel Council resided and where white doves coo.

  The thick wooden slabs that enclosed the Archangel Council office were sealed tight as the twins’ heads broke the surface of the extended stoops that led to it. As soon as their hands were secure, they pulled the rest of their bodies up from the floor like a grand slinky coiling through thousands of feet of air space. Angels going about their business on the lower levels darted out of the way as the legs of the giants retracted to match their torsos in size.

  Once planted at the top stoop, the twins reduced their size to fit the entrance way. They shook themselves off like dogs, relieving their bodies back to normal order. Once composed, they approached the thick wood door and knocked twice, pausing before a third. After a moment, the vaulted door unlocked and slowly opened.

  “You may enter,” a deep and powerful voice sounded.

  The twins entered and took a knee to show their gratitude to Heaven’s High Council. The seven archangels sat behind a large table constructed of solid diamond. It was oval with a swirly, moving mirror directly in the center. The mirror was a map – a real-time photo viewer and porthole to every planet and dimension created. The mirror helped them to keep their eye on all creation. At the center rear of the table, facing out, sat the great archangel Michael. Known to be the mightiest of angels, he had once cast Lucifer out of heaven. Facing out to the immediate left sat Gabriel, and then Uriel. And, to the left of Uriel was Chamuel. On Michael’s right was Rapheal, Jopheal, and Zadkiel. All seven were significant as one unit. Individually, they also served on a different spiritual ray of light and held many purposes in celestial government.

  “Dear twin brothers, it is always a pleasure to see you. Your work has not gone unnoticed, and you do it in epic fashion. We are all proud of you,” Michael said, his voice echoing throughout the hall. “I’m glad of your presence, and we have matters to discuss. Please come and sit with us.”

  The twins moved to the Council table and took a seat on the two empty chairs adorned with jewels and platinum. “Thank you for agreeing to see us on short notice,” Enoch replied.

  “Sometimes timing permits perfect circumstance. In this case, conversation of future works.” Gabriel added.

  “I do agree,” Elijah spoke with a smile.

  “First things, first,” Michael stated. “Nice work in the Amazon. It was time to cleanse the rain forest of such dark culture. The earth is now a better place for it. We have pressing matters on planet Earth on all seven continents, and mainly in the Middle East. Always the Middle East. We need you first on the island of Britannia. You may need to assist an angel of the Power’s core. We have linked with him John the Apostle. Together they are solving a problem, but the fallout may be too much
for them to handle. This is where you will come in. We need to trap and log entities for judgment. There are many dark energies there that will be exposed and cleansed. The Church is involved, so it has become serious. Our fallen brother continues to spread his vice on the human soul and has once again proven his dark worth enough so that we now have to step in to adjust the balance.”

  “It’s turned into quite a conundrum,” Uriel added.

  “I see” Enoch said.

  “When will you need us there?” Elijah asked.

  “It will be soon, dear brother” Michael said. “The angel and John have just arrived and started their work. It won’t be long before they start uncovering dark truths and when they do, you will be called upon. An epidemic has plagued earth. We must act accordingly as to not disrupt the balance set in place. We all know what is to come in time, but until then, we must try to keep the weight at even keel, for it is our Father’s request.”

  “We certainly understand, dear General. We are here to serve as you need us.”

  “The both of you are fierce warriors and kindred beings,” Michael replied. His crystal eyes complemented his stone-carved face, framed by long, thick, dark hair. He was indeed a majestic son of fire, and a most powerful one at that.

  “What of the boy?” Enoch asked, “He has a full plate and we have instructed him accordingly. Unfortunately, more pressing matters have required our full attention, and so we are unable to fully assist him at this point in time.”

  “He needs protection,” Elijah said

  Michael paused before replying, “Yes, indeed, the boy. He has come a long way since first found, and there are more like him that we are watching closely. They will play a tremendous part in the end. Especially for the rebirth. We have been watching Mid-Town and the unfortunate events that have taken place.”