by Jerel Law
He ran and jumped, unsheathing his sword at the same time. Even though the scales on the back of the giant looked rough, he found them to be slick, almost glass-like. He slipped as soon as he landed just above the creature’s back legs. Standing again, he wobbled, as if he were trying to run along the curve of a giant glass bottle someone was shaking.
Thankfully, the creature must not have noticed him, so intent on its pursuit of Eliza now. If I can just get to its head . . .
Jonah was halfway up its back when he heard Eliza scream again. It was a different kind of sound—louder, deeper—and he knew that he had only a couple of seconds before she would be gone.
He felt something deep inside him well up—his love for his sister, along with an anger that this beast would dare attack any of them, especially her—and he grabbed his angelblade hilt with both hands. Taking two more steps, he leaped toward the beast’s head.
But just as he did, the creature reared back its head, and Jonah flew off, slamming into the city street below. His blade clattered away.
“Eliza!”
The monster dove its head toward Eliza, and all he could do was watch.
But just then, its jaws spun away and it let out a loud sound, more a gurgling noise than a roar. Jonah rolled out of the way just as the powerful beast toppled over on its side. The force of the fall shook the earth beneath them.
He stood up, unable to see around the beast. Frantically, he worked his way around, calling out Eliza’s name, expecting the worst. Anticipating the sight of her limp body on the concrete sidewalk.
“Eliza!”
But she was standing beside a hot dog cart with one arm raised. And in that hand, the one that had held the Bible, was something else.
An angelblade.
ANOTHER TEST
Jonah shouted to her and ran to her side. Eliza blinked a few times, looking upward at the sword, then over to the beast lying still in the middle of the road, vehicles cruising through it, unaware.
David, Julia, and Jeremiah came running across the street.
“Wow, Eliza,” said Jeremiah. “That is so cool! Where did you get it?” He marveled at the sword as she held it in front of her.
“The Bible I was holding . . . ,” she said, stumbling over her words. “That Bible . . . it turned into this sword.”
It was fiery and a bright shade of green, almost neon. The blade was a little smaller than Jonah’s. She waved it in front of her slowly.
“It’s so light,” she said.
Jonah smiled. “They’re made to fit their owners perfectly, you know. It’s made for you, and only you.”
She blinked a couple of times, then sheathed it beside her hip. It disappeared.
“We have to go,” she said, pulling them along with her around the behemoth and across the street. “And I mean now.”
“What is the rush, Eliza?” asked Julia. “I don’t see any other creatures out here.”
Eliza looked back at the creature, lying still on the road. “It’s just what I thought. A behemoth.”
“It’s gone, Eliza,” Jonah said, trying to comfort her. “You got it.” He could feel her frayed nerves himself. She shook her head a few times, as if she didn’t believe him.
“I don’t think so. I think I just stunned it,” she said. “I remembered this creature was spoken of, along with the leviathan, in the book of Job. Two of the most powerful creatures Elohim ever created. The verse said something really specific.” She closed her eyes, recalling it word for word.
“Its tail sways like a cedar; the sinews of its thighs are close-knit. Its bones are tubes of bronze, its limbs like rods of iron. It ranks first among the works of God, yet its Maker can approach it with his sword.”
Jonah glanced over at David. “See there, Eliza? It says it can be defeated with a sword. That’s what you did, right?”
She was still shaking her head, though. “No, we need to get out of here now. That’s not what it means. Whose sword does it talk about?”
She was watching the behemoth as she waited for his answer.
“Its Maker’s,” said Jonah softly. He looked back over at the behemoth. “But he’s not . . .” Just then the creature started to twitch. “Moving.”
But he was moving, and no sooner had Jonah spoken those words than the beast shook violently and crouched up on its front feet.
“Run!” Jonah and David said it at the same time, not that the others needed to be told.
Jonah scanned for an escape route as they bolted across the street and past the jewelry store. The behemoth was up and very, very angry. He could hear the rumbling steps behind him and chose not to look backward.
“The subway!” he shouted, pointing to the downward staircase on the other side of the street.
“Again?” Jeremiah moaned, but they had no choice. The monster wouldn’t be able to make it down the steps.
They bounded underneath the ground just as the behemoth got to the edge of the steps. All it could do was roar loudly as the quarterlings disappeared around the corner.
The short subway ride home was quiet. They all cut their eyes back and forth around the car. Jonah couldn’t remember what it felt like not to be at least a little paranoid wherever he went. With the happenings of the last hour, though, his jumpiness had gone into overdrive.
“The Bible says the behemoth can be controlled only by the sword of Elohim,” Eliza finally said quietly. They had come out of the hidden realm and were back among the visible, with regular people sitting all around.
Jonah’s head pounded harder than ever before, so much that he began to feel dizzy. He looked at her with half-open eyes. “How was I supposed to know what you were saying from inside a store and all the way across the street?” His voice had risen louder than he wanted, earning him stares from a couple of the people sitting nearby. When he stared back, they quickly looked away. It’s pretty bad when you catch looks from crazy subway people, he thought to himself.
Eliza threw her hands up. “I just think that you shouldn’t always be so rash. One of these days you’re going to really get yourself hurt . . . or worse,” she said. She had always been unwilling to back down from Jonah, and now was no different.
Julia sighed. “I have to agree with her, Jonah. You’ve put us all in danger again. How many times is that now?”
Jonah boiled over. “Nobody told you to follow me! I didn’t ask you to come to the hospital! And how was I supposed to know we’d be attacked on the streets by that monster?”
David looked at him sincerely. “Because that’s what always happens when we’re with you, Jonah.”
Jeremiah spoke up. “I thought it was pretty awesome to fight the behemoth,” he said quietly.
At least Jeremiah’s not throwing me under the bus, Jonah thought.
“You could have been killed too, Jeremiah,” Eliza said.
Jonah caught the sound of dark whispering again, but he was growing so angry he ignored it, his voice rising almost to a shout. “I suppose I should have let the behemoth have you then!” The whole back half of the car turned, but he didn’t care.
“Jonah!” Julia whispered loudly, trying not to make eye contact with the people who were suddenly watching them. She motioned toward them with her head.
“I was trying to do the right thing. I wanted to find M’chala. I just thought that I could do something about all of this. Stop anyone else from getting hurt. I think I’m the one he wants.”
“You did find M’chala,” observed Jeremiah. “And that guy was creepy. Way worse than any fallen angels I’ve seen.”
Jonah put his hand on the back of Jeremiah’s neck. Once again, he had rushed into things without a fully formed plan. This make-it-up-as-you-go attitude was going to catch up with him eventually. And now everyone was mad at him again.
They switched trains so they would land as close to the convent as possible. They planned on making a run for it, just in case they had been identified and were being tracked by the fallen angels
, or worse, the apparently undefeatable behemoth.
In the darkness, they entered back into the hidden realm and then jogged three blocks back home. Their eyes were everywhere—in front of them, behind, and upward. Jonah saw the angels, standing ever vigilant around the building above. Would have been nice to have a few of them with us back there, he thought. He caught the glare of several of them, no doubt wondering where this group of kids had been.
It was already the wee hours of the morning. They made immediate beelines for their rooms, agreeing that they all needed sleep before regrouping the next morning.
“Are you ready for competition tomorrow?” Jeremiah asked, half-asleep as he walked up the stairs.
Jonah didn’t feel ready for anything except sleep. His body ached, his head still throbbed, and the sores all over his body itched. He couldn’t get comfortable. He tried to rub his arm, but when he touched the sensitive spots, which were everywhere, he almost cried. One name kept coming to mind over and over again. The one reason he had this affliction. And, he had become convinced, the reason he’d had the dizzy spell in the tree.
His mouth hardened as he whispered the name.
“M’chala.”
Jonah awoke in a sweat, but it wasn’t the picture of the monster behemoth breathing down his neck on his mind. The image of the green shadow of the fallen angel that had appeared out of the ceiling at the hospital dominated his thoughts. He was sure he had dreamed about him, although he couldn’t remember any details. It was that feeling that he disliked. It reminded him of the iciest of days deep in the winter in Peacefield, when dark clouds rolled in from the west—cold and full of dread.
Where was that evil creature? Where was he going to show his ugly face next? Whom would he harm? Those questions relentlessly pounded inside him, and he couldn’t seem to shake them free.
He lay in bed, unable to go back to sleep and unwilling to get up yet. He could tell his back was going to hurt all day. His body ached. All of it was finally catching up with him. Hot tears burned in his eyes, and he muffled his face in his pillow so David wouldn’t hear him cry. His chest heaved in silence as he let out all of his frustration and heaviness, pressing the pillow even tighter onto his face.
“Elohim,” he whispered as his chest finally slowed. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what is going on. All I know is that I feel awful, and responsible, and like this all has something to do with me. I haven’t meant to, but I’m bringing my friends into this. They’re suffering because of me. David and Julia, they almost died because of me. And Eliza . . .” He paused as the emotions welled up again, crashing over him like yet another ocean wave.
He continued his conversation with Elohim. “I want to believe that all of this is in Your plan. I want to be able to trust You. I know that’s what my dad would say to do right now. I just feel so lost.”
Jonah listened to himself breathe for a while, and gradually the exhalations grew further and further apart, and steadier. He had poured out his doubts to Elohim. He had seen Elohim work before, and his whole life was all the evidence he needed that He was real.
The words that he spoke next felt more like they had come from somewhere else than him.
“Whatever You do is okay,” he whispered. “Whatever happens, I’m here. I put myself totally in Your hands today.”
The next wave that came over him was a strange, exhilarating feeling, the kind he got when he saw his mom and dad watching him play basketball. Someone delighted in him. It had to be Elohim.
With new strength, Jonah pushed himself out of bed and headed for the showers. In spite of everything, he found himself getting excited about today’s exam. It would be a full-fledged battle simulation that would challenge all of their abilities, and then some. But as he exited the bathroom, there was one thing he wanted to do first.
Taryn stood with him outside of the convent and once again raised her hands to create an Angelic Vortex.
“Thanks for letting me speak to my parents,” Jonah said as they stood in the middle. He needed to check on his mom. Especially after discovering that it was likely M’chala who was responsible not only for his troubles, but for hers as well.
The image of his father’s face came up on the screen, along with an angel standing beside him.
“Son,” Benjamin said, rubbing his eyes beneath his glasses. “This is a nice surprise. It’s good to see you this morning.” He leaned forward, looking Jonah up and down. “Doesn’t look like you are doing any better, though. Actually, you look worse.”
“Yeah,” Jonah said. “My head is still hurting, and the sores are awful. But I didn’t really get in touch to talk about that. I was wondering how Mom is. Where is she? Is she okay?” Not seeing her there worried him.
“She’s still in bed,” responded Benjamin. He sighed loudly, as if he were letting his guard down for the first time in a while. “She’s not doing very well, to tell you the truth. The doctors are stumped. She just keeps getting weaker. I told her you wanted to talk, but she couldn’t get herself up.”
“Well, here I am,” came a weakened voice. Jonah watched his mom push herself through the vortex and come into view on the screen. Her hair was pulled back off her face, which looked tired and creased. She looked thinner than Jonah had ever seen her. “Hi, Jonah,” she said, forcing a smile.
“Mom . . .” Jonah never wanted to give her a hug as much as he did right then. “Dad was just telling me that they don’t know what’s going on with you.”
She rested her head softly on Benjamin’s shoulder, closing her eyes for a few seconds. “I’m sure the doctors will be able to figure me out. You don’t need to worry about a thing. You have a big exam today, I hear.”
Jonah shook his head. “I don’t care about that, Mom. I had an encounter last night, one that made me realize that the things I am going through and your sickness are probably connected.”
Benjamin perked up. “What do you mean?”
He told them about discovering M’chala and his confrontation in the hospital. “For some reason, he’s been tormenting me with these sores and making me feel awful. But I think he’s also been responsible for people around me getting hurt.”
Benjamin eyed Eleanor, placing his arm around her shoulder. “We have suspected that there might be something like that going on here. We’ve been praying for her protection and healing every day.”
What else could they do? Jonah was at a loss. “Just keep fighting, Mom,” he said. “Keep fighting. Promise me that you will, okay?”
She nodded. “We’re going to get through this, Jonah. I’ll be okay. Please don’t worry about me. This is a big day for you.”
They said their good-byes, and Jonah walked slowly back into the convent.
He saw the quarterlings enter the meal hall, jabbering about the upcoming day’s big event. Nervous, loud laughter was coming from the room, but Jonah suddenly wasn’t in the mood to join them.
Passing by the room, he shuffled down the hall farther, unable to get his mother off his mind. He found himself in front of Camilla’s office door, which was cracked open. Peeking through the slit in the door, he saw a winged figure in a glittering blue garment facing the window, standing perfectly still.
He pushed the door open and waited.
“Jonah,” Camilla said without looking back. “Are you okay?”
Jonah stepped into her office and slumped down in one of the chairs in front of her desk. Am I okay? I am not even sure how to answer that question.
He shrugged his shoulders. “Something happened last night.”
“I know,” she said, turning toward him now. “I spoke with Eliza this morning.”
It hit him that he had never seen her look more tired. The lines on her face were somehow deeper and more pronounced. She reminded him more in this moment of the Camilla Aldridge of his past, the feeble woman who sometimes walked with a cane down the aisle of their old church in Peacefield.
“Then you heard about M’chala,” he s
aid. “I found him. I tried to . . . I wanted to . . . I don’t know. Stop him, I guess. But I couldn’t. And now . . .”
She nodded, raising an eyebrow. “Yes, Jonah?”
“And now he’s attacked my mother, and there isn’t a thing I can do about it!” he blurted out, grabbing onto the armrests of the chair.
Camilla moved around, sitting on the edge of her desk, right in front of him. She looked down at him with love and compassion. “There are many things in life that we cannot control, Jonah.”
He slammed his fist down on the chair arm, snapping the wood in two. “Sorry,” he said, holding a piece of broken wood in his hands, “but that’s not really what I want to hear right now.”
She nodded, ignoring the broken chair. “It never is.”
Jonah and Camilla sat in the room in silence for a few minutes. Finally, Jonah peered up at her again.
“I just want to know what’s going on.”
“You are being tested, Jonah. There is no doubt about that.” She sighed and seemed as if she were about to tell him something more, then thought better of it. “Your decision, in the midst of all the uncertainty and pain, is how you are going to respond. What will you do when pushed to your limit, and then beyond? Will you turn toward Elohim with everything you have, or turn away? That is all in this life you really can determine anyway.”
“That’s it?” Jonah didn’t like hearing that things were out of his control. That there was nothing he could do to fix his problems. He also knew, though, that as much as he didn’t like it, those words were true.
Camilla moved back around to her window again without a word, and Jonah knew this was her signal that the conversation was over. He stood and made his way to the dining hall.
An hour later, all the quarterlings were gathered in the lobby of the convent, waiting for the messenger angels to appear, along with Camilla. The quarterlings were standing in small groups, filling the hall with nervous chatter as they took turns offering opinions on what the final exams would look like today. Jonah stood quietly to the side, hands shoved down in his pockets, glancing at the other kids every so often but mainly staring down blankly at the wooden floor.
