by Mary May
Sabrina squealed and grabbed her mother in a fierce hug. “Oh, that is so wonderful, Mother! I’m so happy for you.”
Catherine hugged her back. “You’re not upset?” she asked.
“Why on earth would that upset me, Mother?” Sabrina looked puzzled.
“I was afraid you would think I was replacing your father.”
Sabrina held her mother’s face in her hands and looked into her eyes. “I know you’re not replacing Daddy. He will always be my daddy and I will always love him. No one expects you to be alone if you don’t want to be. I think it’s wonderful that you have found someone like Evan, who is a Christian and has such a solid faith in God. I wish both of you nothing but blessings and happiness!” Catherine cried and held her daughter; Sabrina cried and held her right back. “So, when is the wedding? Do you have a date set yet?” Sabrina finally asked, once they had both gotten themselves together.
Catherine smiled and nodded. “We were thinking of next spring, maybe April? What do you think?”
Sabrina smiled. “I think a beautiful spring wedding sounds perfect!”
Later that night after they had all gone to bed, Sabrina was lying in bed absorbing the news her mother had told her. She was truly happy for her mother. Her father had passed away almost ten years ago and she was happy that Evan had come into her mother’s life. But the grief was still too fresh from Luke’s passing for her to even think about someone else. He had been gone over a year now, and while the pain wasn’t as sharp as it once was, it was still raw and tender. She honestly didn’t think she could ever remarry. It wouldn’t be fair to whomever she was with. She had only one heart to give, and Luke took that with him when he died.
“Lord, I thank you for bringing Evan into my mother’s life. I pray that their union will be filled with your presence and that you would bless them. Thank you for getting me through another day and for watching over me and Charlotte.”
Gideon watched while Sabrina turned and went through her nightly ritual. She hugged Luke’s pillow, which she still sprinkled with his aftershave. “I love you, Luke. Good night, sweetheart.” And she drifted off to sleep.
Gideon wondered how healthy that was, to still be doing that. She had recently gone through Luke’s things and had given most of his clothing to the Salvation Army, keeping just a few items for herself. She threw out his toiletries except for his aftershave, which she kept to sprinkle on his pillow.
Gideon went into the bathroom and picked up the bottle of aftershave. There wasn’t more than a few drops left in the bottom. Would she buy more when this was finally gone? Or would she finally lay Luke to rest?
Sabrina was bundled up in a scarf and mittens and had Charlie wrapped like a mummy. They were outside hanging Christmas lights; well, Sabrina was hanging the lights. Charlie was mostly getting them tangled up. Gideon was perched on the roof of the porch watching the whole decorating process; last Christmas Sabrina didn’t put up lights. The holidays were hard on her, being the first ones without Luke. This year, however, Charlie was old enough to enjoy the lights, so she was going all out, stringing the strands across the porch and the edge of the roof.
Gideon would have preferred that she had hired out the task instead of climbing up on the roof herself. He had hovered right behind her while she was on the ladder, ready to catch her if she fell. Charlie was growing by leaps and bounds every day. Gideon could swear that he could actually see her grow by the minute. Her hair had grown into a riot of strawberry blonde curls that would defy Sabrina’s every attempt to tame it. She had Luke’s hair color and Sabrina’s curls, Luke’s fair coloring and Sabrina’s blue eyes. She was a beautiful combination of both of her parents. Gideon watched as Charlie would take her chubby little fingers and try to pick off the colored bulbs like berries. She would get frustrated and give the string of lights heck, shaking them and squealing at them for a while, before going back to trying to pick off the bulbs. He would chuckle at her antics, which didn’t seem to make her very happy. “Giddy! Giddy!” she would call out to him, holding up the lights for him to help her. Gideon flew down from his perch and, keeping one eye on Sabrina, he played with Charlie in the Christmas lights.
Sabrina watched Charlotte as she played with Christmas lights. She had a wonderful imagination and apparently had an imaginary friend she called Giddy. Sabrina thought that Charlotte was a little young for imaginary friends, but what did she know? Maybe Charlotte was just exceptionally smart for her young age. Another thought had occurred to her as well. The Bible clearly spoke about Guardian Angels, and she remembered when she was young a beautiful woman named Charlotte that would come to her and play. Charlotte didn’t have wings, though, so maybe she was just remembering a relative. She would have to remember to ask her mother about that the next time they spoke.
Gideon stood in the living room looking at the decorated tree. The lights, tinsel and the ornaments were all carefully placed halfway up the tree out of Charlie’s reach. The presents were not under the tree at all but placed on a buffet that sat in the hallway. There was a nativity scene placed in the middle of the mantle, and he walked over and studied it more closely.
It was the typical depiction of the manger scene. Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus, in the middle, the three wise men and angels in the background with a variety of barn animals mixed in between. Gideon had not been one of the angels that were shown here. Those were messenger angels, and they were the ones usually seen by mankind. Warriors were very seldom seen, usually only by those that were very sensitive to spiritual energy. He remembered once when he was guarding a temple in Israel that a blind Holy Man actually saw him…
He was standing in the shadows watching the Holy Man bless the temple after the service when the man started speaking. At first Gideon didn’t pay attention to what the man was saying, assuming he was praying or talking to himself as humans were prone to do. Finally the man called him by his title.
“Warrior, do they teach you no manners in the heavens?”
Gideon was so startled he dropped his sword; the clanging sound reverberated throughout the temple. He slowly approached the man who continued on with his duties as if speaking with Heavenly warriors was a daily occurrence.
“Yes, yes, I’m aware of you, warrior. Don’t just stand there with your mouth agape; speak to me of what you’re doing here. I’m assuming something must be happening in the spiritual realm for me to warrant a warrior such as yourself.”
Gideon was utterly shocked! Not only did the man know of his presence, but he knew title and rank as well. “I’m assigned to watch over this temple and the people who are tending it.” Gideon stayed with the facts that the man already knew, not wanting to give away anything that would compromise his mission. The man kept wiping down the altar with holy oil and replacing candles that had been used up. Gideon was amazed how he would reach for the bottle of oil and seem to know exactly where it was, without knocking it over. And how did he know he was there? The man sighed.
“I know you are there because I can see you with my spirit eye, warrior. Can we move past this now?”
“The bottle of oil, how do you know where that is?” Gideon asked.
The man turned to face him. “I know where that is because I know where I put it.” The man’s milky white eyes were staring him down in a very unnerving way. “Now why are you assigned to this temple? Where did Ruben go?”
Gideon had never encounter a human that could see him or sense him quite like this holy man could, and it appeared that he could sense other spiritual beings as well. “I was only told to come to this temple and stand guard; I wasn’t given the reason the other warrior was replaced.”
The Holy Man nodded his head and then folded his hands under the large sleeves of his robe. “This temple has been under attack for many centuries. Many guardians have come and gone, but none of your rank has ever been assigned, which tells me the attacks are about to become worse.” The Holy Man didn’t appear especially concerned with this revelatio
n; he was simply stating the facts.
Gideon slowly scanned his eyes around the interior of the temple, wondering what it was about this place that was so special. The room was small and dark with a candle-lit altar and a few stone pews. An odd-shaped boulder with stains that appeared to be blood sat in the center of the temple. It looked worn and old. It didn’t seem any different than thousands of other Holy places he had been in.
The Holy Man sighed again. “Your eyes are more sightless than my own if you don’t see the connection between this temple and the Lord. Perhaps a look around outside will help you make sense of it all.”
Gideon stepped outside the temple that was built in an olive grove just outside Jerusalem. He walked the perimeter of the garden looking for the connection, what it was that made the temple so special. He took a few running steps then snapped open his wings, letting the updraft take him to a nearby hillside so he could get a better view of the temple site. The moon was full and bathed the hillside with a blue glow. The night was quiet and he could see quite a distance to the east. His eyes landed on the site that was Golgotha’s Hill, the crucifixion site of Christ. He looked back to the temple nestled in the olive grove then back to Golgotha. He thought about the odd-shaped boulder in the center of the temple that appeared to have blood stains on it.
The Holy Man didn’t say a word when Gideon walked back into the temple; he didn’t say a word when he walked over and knelt before the blood-stained boulder. Gideon dropped to his knees and bowed his head, placing his hand on the boulder where Christ had prayed in so much anguish before facing the horror of the Cross…
Chapter 10
Sabrina was almost finished with her Christmas shopping; just a few more items and she would be done. She had Charlotte in the back seat and they were headed to an old section of town to a shop that handled the cigars that Evan like to smoke. She had printed the directions from her computer because she wasn’t familiar with this part of town. She listened to the Christmas carols that were playing on the radio station, singing along to “Jingle Bells” and “White Christmas,” but she had to change it when “Blue Christmas” came on. It brought back too many painful memories of last Christmas when she didn’t even put up a tree or hang a single decoration. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to celebrate her Savior’s birth; she just didn’t have the heart to pull out the decorations she and Luke had bought the year before for their first tree.
Sabrina was so lost in her own thoughts that she wasn’t paying attention to where she was driving. She found herself in a bad area of town that was known for car jackings and muggings. She hit the button that locked all four doors of her sedan and started looking for a way back to where she was supposed to be going. Sabrina drove for a few minutes one way then turned and drove awhile in another direction; it didn’t take her long to realize she was lost, and it was getting dark. She pulled into a small lot that had a local mom and pop hardware store, hoping to call someone who could give her directions. She got out and was getting a few toys out of the diaper bag to keep Charlotte occupied while she figured out whom to call, when she heard someone approach her from behind…
Gideon had been on high alert from the moment they had entered this section of town. He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck prickle, and his wings bristle, that only indicated one thing…Demons! Sabrina had been driving randomly around in circles for the better part of an hour, and Gideon would have given his right wing to be able to take the wheel or tell her how to get back to safety. But until she or Charlie was in immediate danger he could only sit and watch. She finally pulled into a small lot that had a small shop that sold tools and home improvement items. When she opened the door, all of Gideon’s senses went on red alert. He could sense the demon’s approach, and when the fiend reached for Sabrina, Gideon went on the offensive.
“Hey there, pretty lady, that’s a mighty nice ride you got there; how about giving us a ride?” The man in front looked to be in his mid-thirties and was tall and well-built from what she could tell from under his jacket. His friends all ranged in ages and sizes, but when it was four men against one small woman and a child, what difference did size make really? Sabrina hit the door lock on the car and turned and slammed the door, locking Charlotte in the car. She turned to face what appeared to be the leader of the group, praying for strength and protection.
“I’m sorry I really can’t give you a ride today. My husband is waiting for us and will be looking for us any minute,” she lied. She tried to keep her body between the group of men and Charlotte; she was carefully looking around trying to see what options she had, but it didn’t appear that she had any. The shop was closed and the lot was empty. She could see cars passing by, but they didn’t seem too concerned with what was taking place. “Oh, Jesus,” Sabrina breathed out the one-word prayer.
The men all laughed and sneered. “Your Jesus isn’t no where’s around here, lady!” The man reached for Sabrina’s arm and was knocked back, hitting the pavement ten feet from they stood.
Gideon stood In front of Sabrina, his wings spread out to form a wall between her and the demons that were influencing the men’s perverted thoughts and actions. He could see more than a score of the dark forms twirling and swirling through the men’s minds and bodies, whispering evil and depraved suggestions in their ears. He could smell the stink of sulfur and hell in the air. Gideon allowed his form to be seen by the demons and watched as they leaped back in shock and astonishment.
“Gideon! What you doing guarding a mortal?” one demon wheezed.
“What difference does it make? He is only one and we are many!” another one challenged. He could hear the evil creatures whispering among themselves. They were weighing the odds of being able to defeat him.
Gideon lowered his head and stretched out his arms and wings, allowing his body to go into full battle mode. A white light glowed around him as he started to transform. He stood nearly seven feet tall and armor appeared on his massive body. A bronze chest plate covered his heavily-muscled torso, and a shield appeared in his left hand. Small plates of armor covered his thick forearms and protected his shins. The helmet that covered his head had a nose guard, and a plate covered the back of his neck. Black wings bristled and became sharp, and he slashed them back and forth between the demons and the small humans he would die to protect. The last thing to appear was his sword; it was held like an extension of his right hand. Gideon slowly lifted his head when the transformation was complete and stared down the group before him. Every demon there had no doubt whom they were facing.
He had not spoken a word. He kept circling with the demons who were trying to get between him and the humans. One was finally able to convince his human to reach for Sabrina, and Gideon didn’t hesitate. He slashed through the demon with his sword and sent the human flying through the air! They all attacked him at once. Their sharp poisoned claws came tearing at him, some trying to distract him with their fangs and claws, while others tried to reach Sabrina and Charlie. Gideon ducked and swung his sword, ripping through their vile bodies that would leak a stinking stream of rot. He spun and used the razor edge of his wings to decapitate one that was getting too close to the car. Another had come from the other side and was reaching from under the car to grab at his feet and ankles. He let loose with a backward slash of the sword that sent the smoking, leaking demon back to hell. One after another they came at Gideon, and one by one the mighty warrior of God slashed and fought and proved why he was known in all of the Heavens as Gideon the Mighty.
Finally it was down to Gideon and the one that issued the challenge. Gideon slowly stalked the swirling dark mass, swinging his sword in small circles and rolling his head and shoulders. He tossed his shield and helmet down and spit out a mouth full of blood then motioned with one hand to the demon. It then went into battle mode itself, its body becoming solid, growing and stretching. The demon known as Legion was tall, taller than Gideon by more than three feet, and outweighed him twice over. Its shiny black hide
was cover in lumps and nodules that leaked a steady stream of pus-like substance that burned like acid. Its head was massive and had elongated to show row after row of sharp deadly fangs. The hell hound didn’t need a weapon; its entire body was a weapon from its poison-filled claws on its hands and feet to the mouthful of deadly teeth.
Gideon knew this was the leader known as Legion; he had waited until all the others failed to destroy him before showing himself. He knew this one carried the same rank as himself and throughout all the centuries they had never faced off. This one wouldn’t go down easily. He stayed on the balls of his feet, stepping lightly and watching the demon feign one way then another trying to catch him off balance. He waited, knowing that demons had no patience and wouldn’t dance with him too long before he struck.
True enough, Legion roared and came at him like a freight train, ripping and slashing with his massive claws and gnashing fangs. Gideon slipped to one side and laid the sword along its flank, causing sulfuric smoke to hiss out of the black slimy hide. The demon roared with outrage and turned and faced him again.
“So, Gideon the Mighty, I have heard of your many victories in the Heavens, I see they speak the truth.”
Its words came out garbled from its mouthful of teeth and small forked tongue, but Gideon had centuries of practice so he understood it clearly. The demon panted and green slime dripped from his black lips, hissing like acid when it hit the pavement. Gideon didn’t respond. He never engaged the demon fiends in conversation. He knew their tactics too well to fall for that old trick of distraction. He continued to move, never stopping, slipping and “dancing “to an age-old tune only he could hear.
The demon charged him again, this time sliding to the ground at his feet and slashing up across his thigh with a slash of his talons. Gideon could feel the poison start to attack his cells almost immediately. He blocked out the pain, jumping out of the demon’s reach, and he didn’t even spare his wound a glance; he just kept moving and waiting. The battle continued, each one learning the other’s strengths and weaknesses. What Gideon learned was the demon was predictable, sloppy and impatient. What Legion discovered was that the warrior didn’t have any weaknesses. For every advance against the warrior, he had a counter move; for every retreat the demon made to lure the angel into a trap, he evaded. The large demon was tiring and getting desperate. He finally saw what he thought was his opportunity to bring down the legend.
