“Don’t worry, Boy. These gods don’t mean anything.”
“He’s not a god. He’s an angel,” said Boy.
“What’s the difference?”
“A lot,” said Boy. “Don’t worry, Shannon. There are no such things as jackals.” Boy giggled.
“I think they were werewolves,” insisted Shannon. He moved toward the gate.
“Where are you going?” asked Boy. She didn’t want to die a terrible death. She believed in God and took the warning seriously.
“We can go back and get eaten,” Shannon said, “or we can go forward.”
“But there’s a golden statue of an angel with a sword.”
“What do you expect it to do—get up and walk?” Shannon opened the gate and turned back to Boy. “You can come with me, or stay here by yourself.”
“All right,” Boy answered. “But I got a bad feeling.”
As soon as they passed through the gate, the golden angel moved from its pedestal. Fire edged its sword.
Shannon and Boy looked up in shock. They ran for the gate, but it slammed shut in front of them. They shoved and pulled on the gate, trying to get it to open, but it was no use. It would not budge.
“That’s the last time I’m listening to you,” Boy said in her best I-told-you-so voice.
The statue seized them and held them high against the gate.
“I’m Cherub,” it said. “I am the guardian of this gate, and now you will die.” Then it paused. “What is that smell? You smell like my god. I cannot kill you with the smell of his blood on you. You may pass.”
Cherub turned back into the golden statue.
Shannon and Boy looked at each other and ran until Boy tripped and fell.
“Are you all right?” Shannon asked, kneeling beside her.
“Yeah, I’m all right.”
“Where did you get that piece of wood, and how did it get God’s blood on it?”
“I was out in the desert looking for something to sell. The earth shook, rocks rolled from the side of the hill, and a cave opened. I went in and found the cross. I couldn’t pick it up, so I pried off a few pieces, went to get my hammer, and the cave entrance fell in, as if it had never opened. It had to be Jesus’s cross. Isn’t that something? I’ll buy that wood back. What do you say?”
“It’s not for sale.”
“I thought you didn’t believe in God.”
“Well, considering all I’ve been through, I’ve had a change of faith.”
“I’ll get you another date with a Volcano,” said Boy, trying to sweeten the pot.
“Not in a million years.”
It wasn’t the reaction Boy had hoped for.
An aroma burned Shannon’s nose. “What’s that smell?”
“Its oil,” said Boy
“How do you know?”
“Because I’m good, and it’s on my hands.”
“Bring your hand here, and I will light it,” said Shannon.
“I don’t think so. It’s everywhere. It is running down the walls.”
Shannon lit the oil, and it traveled down the wall. It burned nicely until the underground cave was as bright as a football stadium.
They followed the light until they came to a large cell with bars.
“They must have held the monsters here,” Boy said. “Look at the chains and bones. There are pictures of a great warrior that fought in this arena.”
They walked by a large steel ring and could still see where the blood had flowed like a river. They walked upon a stage, past a podium and saw big glass panes. There was writing on the glass.
“Translate it, Boy?” asked Shannon.
“It’s a book written for the return of God. It says, ‘God may open this book, or I may open it with my voice. My name is Noah.’ Well, we are not God, and our name isn’t Noah, so we should go,” said Boy.
“But we do have a piece of Jesus’s cross,” Shannon reminded her.
“We could try it,” Boy said, rubbing the wood on the glass.
“It’s not working,” said Shannon. “Maybe it will break.”
Shannon hit the glass with the shell.
“No!” cried Boy. “God will kill us.”
Shannon sat the shell on the glass and yelled, ‘Open,’ says Noah!”
The glass opened, and the letters in the book glowed like fire.
“Who’s the man now, Boy?” Shannon teased.
“How did you open that? I know you’re not God.”
“Maybe I am, and I just don’t know it,” joked Shannon.
“What did you yell?”
“I just said, ‘Open,’ says Noah.”
“That couldn’t have worked. Didn’t you say the shell had a voice in it?”
“Yes.”
“It has to be the voice in the shell, because I’m pretty sure you’re not God or Noah.”
Boy picked up the shell and held it to her ear. “Someone is asking God for help. This must be the story of what happened to this place.”
“Can you read the writing, Boy?”
“Yes, I can. It’s the story of Noah. Would you like to hear it?” Boy asked, staring at the glowing words.
“Yes, of course,” said Shannon. “Please, tell me the story.”
“It will cost you a hundred dollars.”
“A hundred dollars!” exclaimed Shannon. “What if it’s a useless story, Boy? How about fifty?”
“Fine,” agreed Boy.
“Okay.”
Boy began to read.
CHAPTER 10
Noah’s Story
I threw the shell into the sea and desperately hoped that it reached you. I left that night to find my father and walked all night and all day. I was tired, yet I walked until day became night. I found the camp where my father was bedding down with the soldiers. I waited till everyone fell asleep. I almost fell asleep, but I fought off my exhaustion. I snuck into the camp and made my way over to him.
I shook him, and he looked at me.
“What are you doing here, Noah?”
“I’m going to help you escape.”
“If I escape, son, the armies will return and punish the entire village. Go home, Noah. Return to Nod.”
“But, Father,” I cried.
“Now,” he whispered.
I started to cry. I wiped the tears from my eyes and headed home. On the way out of camp, I saw an angel sitting on a rock and asked, “Why are you taking my father?”
The angel just looked at me.
You are God’s angels. God wouldn’t do that.”
“I’m not doing this,” he replied. “I protect the man standing guard. If he doesn’t obey orders, he will die, and so will I.”
“How did you get out of his body?”
“A man called Priest. God gave him the words to remove us.”
“What happens to the human if you die?”
“He would die within minutes because fear would overtake his body.”
“Who would want to kill you?”
“King Enoch. He has an underground kingdom called Eden Two.”
“Is he evil?”
“He thinks he’s God, but God is gone, and no one can stop him.”
“Angel, what is your name?”
“God named me Biro. What has God named you?”
“My father named me Noah.”
“Son of Bardon?”
“Yes.”
“Would you like to know your future?”
“Yes, I would.”
“You will take down nations, you will take down giants, and you will feed a nation. Then you will build the most fantastic vessel ever seen and lead a nation.”
“What’s going on over there?” Biro’s solider demanded.
“Nothing,”
said Biro. “I’m talking to myself.”
“Well, quiet down.”
Biro turned to me, put his finger to his lip, and waved goodbye. I waved back, then tripped and fell on a soldier.
“What do we have here?” The soldier grabbed me.
“Let go of me,” I cried.
“I think I’ll tie you up until morning. Then we’ll see what you’re about.”
He stuffed a cloth in my mouth and tied me to a tree. When I woke in the morning, a soldier took me to see General Seth.
“General, I found this boy sneaking through the camp last night.”
“How old are you, boy?” asked the general.
“I just turned fifteen.”
“I need a slave boy to take care of new fighters. Put him in line.”
Father saw me and begged General Seth to let me go.
“Why should I?” the general asked, frowning.
“We came with you, and you promised that you would leave our women and children alone.”
“He is obviously a thief. If I let him go, I will cut his hands off. Or he can stay here and serve me. It’s up to you.”
“My son has never taken anything.”
“Are you calling me a liar?”
“No!”
“Well, is it his hands, or is he coming?”
I ran to my father and put my arms around him, but I was pulled from his grasp.
“He’s coming.” My father hung his head.
General Seth told us to get in line and move out. We marched all day, picking men up from different villages. General Seth dropped a small black book, and I picked it up. I tried to take it to him, but the soldiers stopped me. General Seth told the soldiers to let me go.
“What do you want, boy?” he asked. “What is so important?”
“You dropped this, sir,” I said.
“Give it to me.” He extended his hand. He looked at the book. “March.”
I got back in line, and we marched for hours. We came to a large door in the side of a mountain. A great beast I had never seen before was tied to it. Guards whipped the beast forward, and it moved, pulling the heavy door open. They told us to march single file and keep it tight. The general lit a torch and took the lead. The walls were covered in paintings of beasts and angels. Finally, we came to the end of the tunnel, to a large opening, through which came the cheering of people and roaring of beasts.
CHAPTER 11
Fight To The Death
We walked out of the tunnel and into a cavernous underground kingdom. We were somewhere under the mountain, and the air was chilly. Torches and candles lit the great chamber. The town was built around a massive coliseum, in which men and angels fought monstrous beasts. I couldn’t hear over the crowd’s chants of “Enoch.”
We marched past the arena, and I heard someone cry, “Don’t kill me.” Then a scream pierced the air.
The creatures were kept behind the arena. I saw bears that were over twelve feet tall, dinosaurs, and huge cats with long teeth. There were beasts that I’d never seen before. Some were chained and others were in cages.
General Seth ordered the men to his camp.
“Your camp is full, sir,” a soldier explained.
“Take them to Black’s camp, then. He needs all the help he can get.”
They took us to a small, fenced campsite with red scarves on the posts. Guards watched us walk in single file past the gates. We stopped in line by the campfire. An older man in a uniform came over to speak to Seth. Seth shook his hand then walked away.
The older man came up to us. He had no hair, and metal covered his body and chest. He had scars on his face, arms, and legs. A long scar ran from his left eye to right ear. He paced back and forth, looking at us, measuring us up. Then he laughed.
“You look like a bunch of scared women. I am Captain Skull. There are three rules here. You fight once a day. No praying to any god but Enoch. If you pray to a false god, you will die. If you try to escape, Enoch will crucify you.”
Skull held up a red scarf. “You are Red Camp. Any questions?”
My father raised his hand. Captain Skull came over and knocked my father down.
“On your knees,” Skull growled.
My father stood.
Skull laughed. “We might have a fighter here,” he said before hitting my father again and knocking him back to the ground.
General Black was in camp evaluating the new men. My father picked himself up again, and Skull drew back to strike.
“Stop!” commanded Black.
Blood dripped from my father’s mouth.
“What’s going on here?” Black asked.
“I was asking Skull a question,” my father replied, wiping blood from his lips.
“What was the question?”
“How do we know when we have to fight?”
“You will draw a number,” Black explained. “That will be your number until you die. The king draws fighter’s numbers from each camp. If your number is pulled, you fight in the ring that day. The more often you win, the better the treatment you will receive. You get wine and food after every fight. If you win fifty fights, you will be freed. Find a bed. Some of you will have to double up or sleep outside. Training starts in the morning. One of you will have to fight tomorrow.”
Skull and Black walked away.
A fight broke out over a bed. I went with father and my Uncle Steven. We found a small room in the back. Just as we were about to go in, a soldier told me I had to go with him. My father held my hand, and the soldier drew back to hit him, but I stepped in between.
“Father, I will be all right.”
My Uncle Steve put his hand on my father’s shoulder. “Let him go, Bardon. He will be all right. He is strong, smart boy.”
As I walked away, the soldier told me that I was special. General Seth had asked to have me as his scarf boy.
“You are to feed and water the slaves every day,” the soldier explained. “Put this red scarf around your waist to get the food from the depot. You will also bring Skull the count of the men every morning. You see that building over there?”
I nodded.
“You need food for seventy-five men.” He stared at me. “Why are you still standing here? Go!”
I grabbed the scarf, stuck it in my pocket, and went to the depot, where I found a short fat cook. He had two helpers. There were animals cooking over the fires.
I told the cook I needed food for seventy-six men.
“You got money, boy?”
“My name is Noah, and the soldier told me if I had this scarf, you would give me food and drinks for the men.”
“I didn’t see your scarf. How much do you need?”
“I need enough to feed seventy-five men, plus me. Where do I get the drinks?”
“Out back is a water hole. It will be about an hour for your food.”
I went to get the water and heard people chanting “Saxon.” A crowd had gathered, and I couldn’t see past the bodies. A brown-haired boy with a green scarf had climbed on top of a wagon and was watching the match. I tapped his foot and asked what was going on.
“You don’t know?”
“I just got here.”
“Saxon is getting ready to fight a white ice bear. It’s his fiftieth fight. What’s your name?”
“My name is Noah. What’s yours?”
“Lock. I am from Green Camp. Did you come in with the new men?”
“Yes, I did. How many camps are there?”
“Three. Red belongs to Black. Blue belongs to the King. Green belongs to Seth. Frank wears a blue scarf, but I wouldn’t trust him.”
“How long have you been here, Lock?”
“About two years. Quiet. The king is ready to talk. Climb up here, and you can see.”
Silence fell o
ver the crowd. King Enoch walked onto the podium. He was short, and he had long hair and a belly. He held his hands in the air.
“Who is the most powerful god on earth?” he asked.
The crowd chanted, “You are, King Enoch. You are.”
I didn’t think he looked like God.
“My good people,” he said, “in all men, blood flows, and in all beasts, blood flows. You see before you the Ring of Blood. Let the blood flow.”
An old man walked into the ring to Saxon and waved his hands.
“That’s Priest,” said my new friend.
The crowd cheered for Priest. His lips moved, and Saxon’s angel came forth. He was a large angel with red eyes, black wings, and two long teeth.
“That’s Goliath he fights for the blue camp” said Lock.
Priest tossed Saxon a knife and walked out of the ring then the doors shut and horns sounded. The chains fell off the bear, and the fight began. Goliath and Saxon had to get past the bear to get to bigger weapons.
Goliath tried to knock the bear down, but it ripped into him, smashing him to the ground, where he lay bleeding. Saxon jumped on top of the beast and stabbed it repeatedly. It tossed Saxon off his back and started after him. Goliath staggered to his feet, flew to the weapons rack, and grabbed a sword. Saxon tried to distract the bear, but it snatched Goliath up in a death grip. Goliath tossed the sword towards Saxon and it hit the floor. Saxon picked it up then ran the sword through the bear’s chest. He pulled the sword from its body dripping in blood. The bear dropped Goliath and howled in pain. Goliath picked Saxon up, sprang into the air, and dropped him on top of the bear. Saxon drove the sword into the bear’s brain and rode the dying animal to the ground.
The crowd went crazy. “You’re free!”
King Enoch walked out to the podium, and the crowd grew quiet.
“You are a free man, Saxon. I want you as a general in my army. Do you accept?”
Saxon dropped to one knee. “Yes!”
I swallowed sickly and got down, then went back to the depot for the food. The pile was far more than I could carry in ten trips.
“How do I get it back?” I asked the cook.
He pointed to a cart in the corner.
“Thanks,” I said.
I didn’t know food could be so heavy. I pushed the cart back to the gate, and my father helped me with it the rest of the way. The men surrounded the wagon. I told them to get in line if they wanted food. The men lined up, though some grumbled. We ate and went to bed.
Angels of the Second Earth Age Page 5
