by Jared Teer
“Paw-paw! Nana! Granddaddy!” exclaimed Darion.
He gave his grandparents long, jubilant hugs, looking on each of them with wonder.
“Happy birthday; you made it son,” said Paw-paw.
“You look good, kid,” said Granddad, the man in the polo shirt.
“We’re so glad to see you … well, in person. Because we’ve seen you,” said Nana. “We didn’t miss one special occasion. Birthdays. Graduation. We were there.”
“What’s up with the outfit, Granddad?” asked Darion.
“Will here got to heaven and decided to take up golfing,” said Paw-paw. “He spent a year straight practicing in seclusion with his server-Bot, golf buddy”—then added in a low voice—“and he’s still terrible.”
“Is that all you do here, recreational activities?” asked Darion.
“Now, that’s a good question. I’m sure you have many more as well,” responded Nana. “What we do here is live our lives how they were meant to be—in happiness and with gratitude to the Lord. We are free to pursue unlimited interests, some of which we weren’t given the opportunity to on earth. For your granddad William, golf was something that always intrigued him, but due to unfortunate circumstances that prevailed when he lived, mainly the deception of racism, he was unable to pursue that desire. He’s terrible at golf, but here he can practice and play as he wishes.”
“I’m terrible huh?” asked Granddad, glaring at her through narrowed eyes.
“Here comes your uncle,” said Nana.
A tall man in a white suit approached with his arms spread wide and grabbed Darion in a powerful bear hug.
“Un-cle Tee-ee,” Darion sputtered as his uncle hugged and shook him.
“Man, it’s good to see you,” said Uncle T.
“It’s good to see you too, Unc,” said Darion.
“So, when do I get to meet God and Jesus?” asked Darion.
“In due time, my boy,” said Paw-paw. “In times past, upon ascending, people would be transported directly to the Lord’s throne room. An overwhelming experience, to say the least. Now, people ascend right to their planetary endowments and are greeted by family members to gradually acclimate them to things.”
“So, you’re angels? We’re angels?” asked Darion.
“I got this one,” said Granddad. “No, we’re not angels. Angels are the ancient beings that were created at the dawn of the universe. Heaven was always their home. We, on the other hand, are the Ascended—humans who have died and been granted ascension into heaven. Reborn, so to speak. Hence, the happy birthday.”
“So, now I have two birthdays? What is today anyway?” Darion asked.
“September 1, 2005,” said Nana.
Darion’s head drooped, and he gave a painful smile.
“I remember talking about ten days and a wake-up with my friend Jacob,” Darion said. “Ten days and we would have got to go home. It’s funny that on the day I should have returned home, I end up dead.”
“Don’t grieve, my boy,” said Paw-paw. “For a time, such is the way of all flesh. Though you miss those you’ve left behind, this is your true home. It always has been.”
“He’s right, Darion,” said Uncle T. “I know why you joined the army. You risked your own life for the sake of others, and that’s a beautiful thing.”
“What happened to my friends?” asked Darion. “What happened to Jacob? Is he okay?”
Paw-paw placed a hand on Darion’s shoulder. “That, and many other things, will soon be revealed to you,” he said. “For now, allow us to rejoice in your homecoming. Come on, there are many people who would like to meet you.”
Darion’s grandparents introduced him to everyone at the party, guests and robot servants alike. He met many ancient ancestors and their friends, people who had ascended hundreds of years ago. Some of the people he met surprised him more than others.
Paw-paw introduced Darion to a gentleman with short, spiked blonde hair, dressed casually in a white T-shirt and jeans. “This is your great, great, great, great, great … uh, how many greats would it be, Luke?” Paw-paw asked the man.
“A lot, James,” the man replied.
“Well,” said Paw-paw, “this is your really great-granddad, Lucas Elmore.”
Darion was taken aback and looked back and forth between Lucas, his grandparents, and his uncle. After a moment, Darion spoke. “You’re white,” he said to Lucas.
Luke and the others all began to laugh hysterically. “See,” said Paw-paw. “Same thing I said when I met him.”
“Yeah, that’s very perceptive of you guys,” Luke laughed. “I can’t wait for the next prolific insights.”
They continued making the rounds, joking and conversing with everyone at the party. He met the ancestors and relatives of his own friends, including some Ascended relatives of his good friend Jacob. Though he honored his grandfather’s wishes for him not to discuss it, the fate of his friend Jacob and his team weighed heavily on his mind.
Finally, Darion’s grandparents introduced him to a formidable looking man in sleeveless robes similar to Darion’s, but accessorized with golden spaulders, and greaves over his boots.
“Darion, this is Joseph Hughes,” said Paw-paw.
“It’s good to finally meet you,” said the tall, brawny man as he shook Darion’s hand. Hughes’s brown hair was cropped low, and he had a gentle face with penetrating green eyes.
“Watch out, Darion; he’s a recruiter,” said Granddad with a smile. “They’re tricky, son. Don’t let him fool you into anything.”
“Will, the only person here trying to fool anyone is you, going around impersonating a golfer,” Hughes responded.
“Any time, Hughes. I think you’d be surprised if we had a match now,” said Granddad.
“Darion, you voiced concern for your friend Jacob and the rest of your team. I’m sure Joseph here can give you some answers,” said Paw-paw. “He serves in the Host, the warriors of heaven.”
“I know of the Host of Heaven from the Bible,” Darion said. “You’re an angel, Mr. Hughes?”
“Nah,” Hughes replied. “I’m Ascended. Class of ’65,” he said with a smile.
“I thought angels made up the army of heaven,” said Darion.
“All who populate heaven,” said Granddad, “the loyal angels, the Ascended, and the Supernals, essentially comprise the Host, though there are some who opt to serve in the Host directly, taking an active role in what is called spiritual warfare on earth. We were given a choice, as will you, of whether to take a more active role in the conflict on earth—a job that can be extremely disheartening even for those of us who have seen glory—or forsake such involvement for the inheritance of eternity. Whichever you choose, you will be blameless, because Lord knows earthly life was a struggle in itself. As for me, James and Martha here, we’ve chosen to live post ascension in relative peace. There have been times when we have had to take part in earthly conflicts with the forces of the enemy, but our activities pertained more to the defense of our own families, rather than the global effort perpetrated by the Host.”
“Man, Will,” said Paw-paw, “Did you have that little spiel prepared?”
Granddad gave him a cutting glance.
“I hope you have time, Hughes,” said Darion. “I have a lot of questions.”
“I have a lot of answers,” said Hughes.
“Can we discuss this in a more private place?” asked Darion.
“I have an idea,” said Hughes.
Hughes’s eyes began to glow with a golden light. The light connected between his eyes and formed a circle around his head—a halo. The ring of light began to grow larger until it brought Darion within its circumference.
“See you in a bit, Darion,” said Paw-paw.
His other grandparents and Uncle T said the same.
“Uh … okay. See you in a little bit,” said Darion as he looked about questioningly at the ring of light surrounding himself and Hughes.
“You saw the large mou
ntain at the center of this continent, right? Let’s go there,” said Hughes.
With that, the ring collapsed—bringing them both into a miniscule ball of light—and disappeared.
CHAPTER 3
In the Beginning
A round and oddly level summit rose above the clouds into the blue expanse. In the midst of the mountain peak, a small sphere of light suddenly appeared and expanded into a ring in which Darion and Hughes appeared. The two stood facing each other.
“What the … ” exclaimed Darion as he looked around and realized where he was. “How did you do that?”
“As Ascended beings,” explained Hughes, “our bodies have been imbued with the Light of Creation, the primordial essence that causes all to be in the physical universe. From the void, the universe exploded into being in a flash of light, what earthly scientists refer to as the Big Bang, and what we know to be but a thought in the mind of the Creator. It is a fraction of the power of that Light of Creation that we Ascended—and all transphysical or spiritual beings—have been granted by the Creator. With it, we can perform innumerable acts of creating and manipulate it for any number of purposes … expedition not among the least. We call this Light of Creation granted us the Essence.”
“So, you used the Essence to bring us here. You tap into it, and it gives you superhuman abilities,” said Darion.
“Yes. Though superhuman only in that it grants abilities superior to terrestrials—people still bound to earth. Here, in heaven, we all have these abilities; we’re all superhuman. So, you will learn that such abilities are not superhuman at all, but simply how things are.”
“How do I use the Essence?” Darion asked. “Flying is pretty simple, I think, basically the same as in a dream.”
“Flying is the first lesson in learning to control the Essence. When you find yourself hovering thousands of feet in the air, you learn quickly to believe—or you fall. Belief—determination and faith—is what allows us to command the Essence. The Essence that resides within us is but a minute fraction of that which was used to bring the universe into being. As it is the power behind the universe itself, its presence in us grants us immortality within the universe. Though it grants us nearly unlimited potential within the framework of the created, it is limited by the scope of our belief and imagination, as well as by the fact that our actions are subject to the authority of the Creator, to whom our broadest notions are mere inklings. The Essence within us always remains, but is depleted with strenuous use, and must therefore recharge. The Essence grants us the power to create and the power to destroy, though only pertaining to the material; unlike the Creator, we cannot create sentience. I can show you how to use the Essence to do many things, if you wish.”
“I’d like that Hughes,” said Darion. “Hughes, my grandfather said that you could tell me about my squad, about what happened to them.”
“Of course,” said Hughes. “Let’s sit and talk.”
They walked to the edge of the peak and sat with their legs dangling over the side. In front of them, the clouds that lay just below their feet expanded like a white sea into the blue horizon.
“I witnessed the events that led to your death,” said Hughes. “Heaven does not turn a blind eye toward the earth, especially in times of war. Your Stryker was caught in a well-coordinated attack—a VBIED blast, followed by RPG and small arms fire from rooftop assailants. After the blast, you managed to escape from the wreckage and get Simms to the alley. Then, the Stryker was hit by an RPG and you attempted to get back to it. You took small arms fire and had to get to cover.”
Darion sighed. “I know what happens from there. From my perspective, at least.”
“Simms succumbed to his wounds in the alley,” Hughes continued. “Mitchell managed to get out of the Stryker, but he was hit by small arms fire. He survived, but he’s paralyzed—there’s a bullet lodged in his spine. Cervantes … Cervantes was captured.”
“What?!” Darion said in shock.
“He escaped from the Stryker and scrambled to an alleyway,” Hughes continued. “There were insurgents there waiting. He was pretty out of it, and when they saw that he was unarmed, they took him.”
“What will happen to him?”
“The insurgents plan to use him as leverage to force the U.S. out of Iraq.”
“They won’t withdraw.”
“I know, Darion. His predicament looks grim. The other team members—Rose, Oh, Taylor, and Cooper—didn’t make it out of the Stryker.”
“They died,” Darion said solemnly. “What about Jacob Jarvis?”
Hughes sighed and looked into the blue expanse in front of them for a moment and then turned to look Darion in the face.
“Jacob survived the initial explosion, but he was trapped in the Stryker. The medics arrived in time to save his life, but he was severely injured.”
“How severely?”
“He suffered third-degree burns over 80 percent of his body… ”
Darion’s head dropped, and he cupped his face in his hands.
“And he’s in and out of a coma,” finished Hughes.
“Why, Hughes?” cried Darion. “Jacob isn’t a bad guy. He’d be better off dead, like me. Ten days, man! Ha … sorry, eleven. Eleven days, Hughes! Crap man. Wait a minute … ”
Darion’s mouth gaped and a look of contemplation came across his face.
“Hughes,” he said, “I don’t remember seeing a boat with Oklahoma’s—with Jacob’s—name on it down at the marina. There were other boats with the names of my friends on them. Why not Jarvis?”
Hughes looked down before looking at Darion.
“For a time, Darion, this is the way of the earth,” he said. “The forces of good and the forces of evil, vying for the souls of men. When you were in your coma, you had horrible visions. Those were the work of the enemy, the Fallen. They were trying to terrify you, to bring you as much torment as they could in their last moments of access to your spirit. They knew they couldn’t corrupt you—your faith is too strong. Others, though, do not share your conviction. Such individuals, the enemy attempts to turn through various methods. Typically, their goal is to get them to focus on nothing but themselves, which leads them to fall. It saddens me to inform you that your friend Jacob has chosen the wrong path.”
Darion stood up and paced a bit before speaking.
“You speak of vying for men’s souls. My grandparents spoke of watching over me. Funny, I just met Jacob’s grandparents at the party. My grandfather didn’t want me to discuss it at the time, so I didn’t mention Jacob, but his grandparents know the condition he’s in, yet they say nothing?”
Hughes stood to face Darion. “Do you think your friend’s grandparents don’t care about what has happened?” he asked. “His predicament digs at their very souls. What his grandparents know, and what you will learn, is that the choice of good or evil cannot be decided for a man, but that all men choose their own paths.”
“That’s garbage, Hughes. What choice did he have? How can he be expected to resist the enemy in his condition? The man was burned alive!”
Darion threw up his hands and turned away from Hughes.
“It is possible,” said Hughes. “Right and wrong remain the same. He knew the danger, Darion. You did too. You went through a similar predicament, yet prevailed.”
Darion turned back to face him. “That’s not what I mean, Hughes. I mean, why is the enemy allowed to infiltrate someone’s dreams—someone’s mind—so freely, to do whatever they want?”
“That is a question that has weighed heavily on the minds of men and the loyal angels for ages. The conclusion, you will find, is to trust in the wisdom of the Creator. Though I will attempt to rationalize the dilemma to you to the best of my ability, I do not have all of the answers, for through faith we serve, and the Lord does not reveal the reasoning behind his every action, even to his loyal subjects.
“The story is one of betrayal. In the beginning, this universe was but a void in the mind of the Creato
r. With but an inkling, he caused the material universe to explode into being in a great flash. The Creator is life—is love—and, so being, desired to create sentient beings who would attend to the development of the material universe, to tend to it much like a garden. It was in the initial flash that the great beings known as angels were formed—from the Light of Creation. For billions of years, they tended to the created in perfect reverence to the Creator, reporting to him their ideas and looking to him for guidance. They monitored the formation of galaxies. They set in place stars, around which they plotted the trajectories of planets and moons. If a configuration of celestial bodies wasn’t to their liking, they simply did away with it by creating a vacuum and cast it into a void—what scientists refer to as black holes.
“After eons, the Creator expressed a desire to form more sentient beings out of the created material itself. The Creator conveyed to the angels his vision of a being that could tend to a planet and lesser organisms, as the angels tended to the cosmos—a being that could replicate itself and bring new sentient life into existence. He instructed them to construct the life form of the same materials of the planet, and chose the earth—a raw slate so to speak—to begin work on these concepts. He also expressed a desire for the being to attain sustenance from the planet, a concept wholly foreign to the angels—their bodies being sustained by the Essence. The angels were tasked with preparing a place for this new sentient being. Regarding the planet that would sustain the new life form, the angels considered the Essence and how it provided them with power from within. They figured that the planet, being separate from the new life form, would have to be internalized somehow by the being. They considered different functions for their own physiology. For instance, they figured the mouth, which they used to communicate with each other and the Creator could be an entry point for sustenance. They envisioned a planet covered with materials that the being could ingest and thus draw strength.
“With the guidance of the Creator, they stabilized the planet for their delicate work by giving it a solid surface and an atmosphere tame in comparison to others in the universe. Some worked on developing the life form, others on developing the materials that would sustain it. The beings created by the angels possessed no sentience, mere automatons. After countless millennia of perfecting their work, which involved the occasional scrapping of a few non-sentient beings such as the majority of the dinosaurs, the angels believed they had finally perfected the processes by which the new sentient life form would interact with, take sustenance from, and maintain its environment.
