Chapter 9
Ann
Ann had not been able to get rid of her schoolmates quickly enough the morning after the party. Her mother had prepared a lovely brunch for about a dozen people. Ann really only noticed that the girls ate too much, talked too much, and stayed too long. She was terribly relived when the entire affair was over.
Without offering to help Shelly with the clean up, Ann said, "I really have to go upstairs and rest. I won't be back down for quite a while. Please try to keep it quiet while you straighten up." With that said, Ann went straight to her room, locked the door, and picked up the Ouija board.
"I hope I can make this work on my own," she thought. "It will be so much more complicated if I have to have help with it. Well, I'll give it a try."
Ann was thinking it might takes days, or weeks, or even longer to 'make contact' again. She didn't know quite where to start.
To her delight, her first attempt at speaking to the Ouija board yielded results. She had simply said, "Hello Ouija, it's me again, Ann. Are you there?"
The board marker moved quickly to 'yes'.
"Well, that was easy," Ann thought. "What should I do now?" Then she thought, "If I were praying I would just ask for what I want. I will explain to Ouija what I want, and ask if he can help me. Ok, here goes."
As quickly as possible Ann began to spell out her request. She was delighted to feel the marker move from letter to letter all on its own. "Ouija, I want a life of power - which would naturally include money, but really power is what I want. Now can you help me or not?"
"Yes," was the reply.
"OK, where do we go from here? How do I start? What is the first thing I should do?"
The next few weeks Ann spent hours tediously asking questions to the board and waiting for the Ouija board marker to spell out the answers. She paid strict attention to the suggestions and answers given by the board. There were suggestions about how to adjust her appearance slightly. Her classes at school were gone over. Her personal conduct was discussed. The one thing Ouija kept stressing was that she must always remain above suspicion. Under no circumstances was Ann herself to engage in anything less than conduct becoming the most upright public figure. The board commended Ann on how she handled the situation with Alice Wilson.
Ann had no real idea of what was actually happening with the Ouija board. Somewhere in her hard and selfish heart there was an idea that she was not doing what she should be doing. There was a distant revulsion to the Ouija board and everything about it. But Ann pushed those thoughts far away, and went forward with what she wanted to do; giving no thought to what might be the right thing to do. She did have a moment or two when she almost thought someone or something was crying out "burn it, burn it!! Get rid of it. Never touch it again." But she ignored those thoughts. They were just negative energy and not helpful at all.
Ann was getting very little sleep. Talking to the Ouija board took so much time. Then she had to go over everything it said and try to decide exactly what it meant. And how she could apply what it meant to her conduct and plans for the future.
Finally one night, Ann asked the board, "Ouija, is there any way we could communicate more easily? This is wearing me out? Is there a better faster way to talk to each other?
Malachi
Mal was spending the summer studying his Bible, comparing current events with Bible prophecy of things yet to come, and trying to map out how he would change his life to live like a Christian.
Now that was something. He had actually thought of himself as a Christian prior to becoming one. His mother had been clear that if he was good enough he would go to heaven. So he tried to obey the commandments and treat others the way he wanted to be treated. After all, everyone wanted to go to heaven didn't they? But now it was different. He understood that there was more to it than being good. First you had to be saved. That got you the promise of entry into the kingdom of heaven. Then, because you were saved, and because you loved the One who saved you, you tried to live a life that was pleasing to Him. Simply said, but not that simply done. As far as Mal could tell, he really didn't have any big sins in his life. He really had tried to live a life with old fashioned morals and standards. So he didn't have any major habits to change of which he was aware. As far as giving to the church, he could do that. He could attend church. He didn't have any major hobbies or recreational activities he couldn't give up. It was quite strange really. Mal knew he was different now. But he didn't know how that difference should play out in his life. He made an appointment with CC Hignite. Belle trusted Pastor CC, so Mal thought maybe CC could give him a few ideas of what was expected of him now.
CC had asked Mal to come to his office. He liked a quiet place for counseling and that was provided at the church. His secretary would not allow interruptions unless it was a dire emergency.
Mal arrived for his appointment on time. CC ushered him into his office and got right down to business.
"Ok Mal," said CC. "What can I do for you today?"
"Well, Belle gave me the idea that I wanted to become a Christian. So I followed some web sites on how to do that. I learned, first I had to 'get saved'. I followed the instructions to the letter. I believe I truly believe Jesus is the Son of God, who gave his life to make a way for me to enter the kingdom of heaven. I have eternal life. I am sure of it. But what do I do now?"
"That's nice, but pretty sudden don't you think. Are you sure you know what you are talking about?" CC asked.
"Of course I do. I can read. I followed the instructions. There are hundreds of web sites that all quote Bible verses and say the same thing. I looked them up. Everyone of them. Just to be sure no one was pulling my leg. Jesus said ask and He will save you. So I asked Him, and he saved me. The question is 'now what?'"
"The next thing you do is follow the Lord in believer's baptism."
"I'm pretty sure I was baptized when I was a baby," Mal interrupted.
"Well, that doesn't count," CC countered. "That is pretty much like getting the cart before the horse. First you get saved. Then as a public profession of your faith, you get baptized. That publically identifies you with Jesus Christ. It also symbolically sets aside your old life and tells the world you are starting a life has a different set of rules and allegiance. Don't worry. Getting baptized now won't mess up the records in heaven or anything."
"OK, then what?" Mal asked. I can do that, but then what?"
"Next thing you do is continue in Bible study. You need to set aside as much time as possible to study. I can give you some good commentaries on the Bible. You also need to go through a class here at the church on the basics for new Christians. And if you really want the full blessings of God on your life, and on the family you may one day have, you must surrender your life to do what ever God asks you to do."
"What do you think he will ask me to do?" Mal inquired apprehensively.
"I have no idea," CC stated.
"But I am supposed to surrender BEFORE I know what He wants?" Mal asked again.
"Yes. Look Mal, God has a plan for your life. It is the best plan for your life. He loves you like no one else has ever loved you. Usually, people either love what God asks them to do in the first place, or they come to love it later. It is wonderful. I have never heard anyone who lived a life surrendered to Christ lament their decision on their death bed. But I have heard multitudes crying about a life wasted on what they thought they wanted. God knows what you want better than you do. He put the desires in your heart. He will fulfill your dreams if you trust in Him."
"Ok pastor. That's a lot to think about, but I think I can do it. Again, it won't be that hard since I really didn't have any real goals or ambitions anyway. When can I get Baptized?"
"Sunday. Sunday is good. The sooner the better"
"I'll do it. I am ready to discover my destiny. It sounds like I can't do that until I take the first step
."
"Son, Baptism is the second step. Salvation is the first step, and you already make that decision. Baptism doesn’t save you. It just tells the world that you have become a believer. God bless you. I'll see you Sunday."
Angels of Darkness
Cabiri was apprehensive. He had been called to a special meeting. He hated it when that happened. Nine out of ten times it would be bad news for him personally. He was certain this would be bad. And he was right.
His immediate supervisor had called a meeting with Cabiri and Zisa. That was bad. Zisa didn't know her place. She thought her power equaled his. Of course she was wrong. Furthermore, he was called to the meeting down in what was known as the Bermuda triangle. That strange things went on there was old news, and really discredited with the global community. It was a convenient location, but it was just not a place that was currently in the news, and he really thought that someone of his stature and authority should be called to meetings in New York, or somewhere in Europe, or something a little more prestigious. Certainly not the Bermuda triangle. So he was certain the meeting would not be favorable to him. He was correct.
The meeting was short. Cabiri's supervisor had said, "Cabiri, you are following your old pattern of bringing along your protégée's much too fast. You know they burn out long before their usefulness is complete. So in this case, you are being pulled off the Ann Jones case, and being reassigned, at least temporarily, to the terrorist sector. Zisa is going to stand in for you. She gets a lot more mileage out of converts than you ever have."
"Zisa?" Cabiri fumed. He hated her. He hated her from before the cosmic war had actually begun. He really hated her now. "She just plays around with her converts. She never gets anything done."
Zisa laughed in Cabiri's face. "I take my time, get the full use from the silly humans, and then have my fun. Your impatience has cost all of us. This time, we will use this woman however we can for as long as we can."
Zisa left on her way to Ann's house, leaving Cabiri to face his supervisor alone.
Cabiri was afraid to say anything else. He knew the power of the one who stood before him. Surprised, Cabiri heard the supervisor say, "Don't worry, you will get her back. I just need you to do something else immediately. Zisa is good at reeling in her fish slowly. Ann will soon be ours. You will eventually be back in charge. And in the time being, I have a couple of terrorists groups I want you to help out with recruitment. I have it from the highest level that the time is right for aggressive recruitment in the United States. You are in on the ground floor in that country. That is a win win for you. You hook them, reel them in, get them to blow themselves up, and then you have them eternally. And the people of the United States are a little more afraid than they were the day before. The problem is we don't want Americans so afraid they actually start praying.
Cabiri nodded.
Angels of Light
Raphael, invisible as always, stood quietly in the corner guarding his charge. He heard Mal's conversation with Pastor CC. It sounded good. Raphael wondered what was in store for Malachi. He wasn't all knowing, but he was a good guesser. Human nature being what it was, and God's willingness to use willing people, Raphael was pretty sure Malachi Jones was going to be very useful in bringing others into the fold.
But he had a sinking feeling that Ann was lost too them. It was beyond his control. He wondered about Mal's parents. He thought they might still be won under the right circumstances, but it would be hard. They could still be lost too. "Which of the fallen ones are after Frederick and Shelly he thought?" "By the signs of the times, time is growing short. I hope Mal starts praying for them right away. Even better, maybe he will boldly tell them what Jesus did for them."
Choosing Soul Wars Trilogy Book One Page 13
