by Jerel Law
In the hidden realm, the Egyptian bikers quickly maneuvered alongside the car until they had it surrounded. The guy on Jonah’s side was huge and muscular. He took his index finger, pointed it menacingly at Jonah, and motioned forcefully toward the side of the road.
“It looks like he wants us to pull over,” Jonah said.
“Well, that’s not going to happen.” Eliza scowled as she leaned over to get a better look at the biker. Then she bowed her head and quickly popped back into view of her parents and Jeremiah.
“Go faster, Dad!” she urged their father. “They’re completely surrounding us!”
“Hang on, everyone!” Benjamin said, finally convinced that what Jonah and Eliza were seeing was real. He pushed the gas pedal to the floor. They felt the old wagon hesitate and then lurch forward.
Jonah had both hands on the door, turning to watch as they sped past the bikers.
“Nice, Dad!” he shouted, forgetting he was in the hidden realm and Benjamin couldn’t hear him. “Keep going!”
“I’m not sure how long this piece of junk can keep going!” said Benjamin. “Where are the angels, for goodness’ sake?”
“I’ll be back in a minute, guys,” Eliza said, then quickly disappeared again.
The bikers had momentarily fallen behind, but with a rev of their engines, they moved back beside them, even closer than before. Benjamin seemed to sense this and punched the gas again, but the car sputtered and didn’t move any faster. The speedometer hovered at ninety miles per hour.
“Keep going, Benjamin!” shouted Eleanor. “I think we need to move faster!”
“Come on, car, come on!” Benjamin said, slamming his hand against the steering wheel. “We’re going as fast as we can! Where’s Henry? Why aren’t the angels helping?”
The same biker pulled up beside Jonah again. He motioned to the side of the road once more. This time he pulled back his leather vest. A short golden sword was attached to his side. The biker grinned, exposing a mouthful of golden teeth. He yelled something to Jonah in a foreign language and pointed to the side again.
“No way!” Jonah yelled, and reached back over his head, pulling out a flaming arrow. The bow automatically appeared in his other hand.
Before he could aim it, though, Benjamin slung the car to the left, and then back to the right. The Egyptian bikers moved away, out of the reach of the old wagon.
“I think that’s making them angry!” fretted Eliza.
Now, though, the biker closest to Jonah drew his sword. The others did the same. Jonah had no idea what the sword in the hidden realm could do to their car, but they were about to find out unless he could get a straight shot off with his arrow.
Jonah fired as quickly as he could. The biker closest to him leaned backward, the arrow barely missing his chest. The Egyptian grinned and moved in with the weapon.
The metallic ring of a blade echoed through the car, but the biker slumped, turning his front wheel wildly, and fell off the motorcycle.
An angel holding a sword hovered where the biker had been a moment before, looking back as a cloud of black dust flew away on the wind.
“Nice one, guys!” Jonah called up to the angels overhead.
More angels descended to join the sword fight, trying to position themselves between the bikers and the Stones’ station wagon, but the Egyptians were tough and giving the angels all they could handle.
“Benjamin!”
Jonah looked ahead of the car. It was Henry, now flying directly in front of them.
“Henry!” called Benjamin. “I see you! What’s going on?”
“Follow me, Benjamin!” he called out, pointing ahead. “You’re going to have to trust me, okay?”
Benjamin gave him a firm nod, gripping both hands tightly on the wheel and keeping the gas pedal pressed against the floor of the car.
Suddenly, Henry veered off to the right. Benjamin turned the car sharply, leaving the pavement for a bumpy gravel road. The car bounced so hard that their heads crashed into the ceiling.
“Sorry, guys! Hang on!” said their wild-eyed father, intent on following the angel. “Henry told me to stay with him!”
Jonah thought the sign they passed said Peacefield City Dump, but he wasn’t sure. He was trying to get another shot off with an arrow, but there was such a battle going on between the angels and the Egyptians that he couldn’t get a clean shot. His dad’s quick turn had thrown their enemies off, though, and now they were a few feet behind the old wagon.
When he heard his mother scream, his attention was drawn forward again.
They were definitely at the city dump. Massive piles of garbage were visible now directly ahead of them.
But Henry was waving his dad forward. And Benjamin wasn’t slowing down.
“Benjamin!” said Eleanor. “We’re heading straight for—”
“I know, Eleanor!” But he still didn’t slow down or turn.
Then Jonah saw why she was screaming. An enormous mound of smashed metal cars, rusted red, loomed directly in front of them.
Henry seemed to be leading them right toward it.
Jonah and Eliza came back out of the hidden realm now, while Jeremiah was frozen in the seat next to them. Benjamin continued at top speed.
Everything was happening so fast.
Henry looked back at the angels this time, nodding once. Acting as one, they sheathed their swords and sped forward beside him.
Sweat poured down Benjamin’s face, but he kept his focus straight ahead.
“This is it, guys!” he said. “This is it!”
Jonah braced himself for a crash. But instead, working so fast they were just a blur, the angels began pushing the cars aside for them. Jonah watched in total amazement as the mountain divided, right in two, and they drove down the middle, barely missing the cars in front of them. The angels held them back and, as soon as their wagon passed, let them go again.
Right on top of the Egyptians.
The clear path for the Stones’ car was there for only a flash. Behind them, the cars crashed back down on the ground.
“Woo-hoo!” cried Benjamin.
Jeremiah joined him with a fist pump. “Yes!”
A few more seconds, and they were through the giant mountain of cars, the last one crashing down just behind them as an angel let it go.
Finally, Benjamin took a cue from Henry and slowed the car down, and then stopped. Jonah went into the hidden realm once more but quickly returned.
“They’re all gone,” he said, eyebrows raised. “Every one of them. Crushed in that mountain of cars. They must have been crushed and disintegrated.”
“Just like . . . the Egyptians and the Red Sea,” Benjamin said, raising an eyebrow toward Eleanor.
The angels stood in front of the car, giving the Stones a moment to catch their breath.
Jonah breathed out heavily.
Was this going to be their new life? On the run? Just like those ancient Israelites? Were they going to be on Abaddon’s hit list for the rest of their lives?
The thought made him shiver. Benjamin must have had the same idea because he turned the car back toward the main road, away from the city dump.
“Keep going fast, Dad,” Jonah said. “You never know what else we’re going to run into on the way to New York.”
SIX
THE SAFE HOUSE
We’re here.”
Marcus stopped in front of a collection of older buildings on a quiet side street in central Manhattan. The Stone family set down their bags and looked up at the darkened stone walls and filmy windows. Eliza peered up at the tiled rooftops, shielding her eyes from the sunlight with her hand.
“Looks like we’re not the only ones,” she said, pointing.
Across the top of each building were dozens of angels, standing guard.
“Wow,” said Jonah. He turned to look at the buildings on the other side of the street. They were there too.
“What are those angels doing?” Jeremiah said, wonder i
n his voice.
Taryn touched the back of his head, smiling. “Standing watch, young friend.”
Their eyes returned to the building in front of them. It was dusty and looked old, with a set of heavy wooden doors beneath a large archway.
Across the top of the arch were the words:
CONVENT OF SAINT JOHN OF THE EMPTY TOM
“Convent of Saint John of the Empty . . . Tom?” said Jonah. “Who’s Tom?”
“It’s tomb, genius,” Eliza answered, rolling her eyes. “Look closely. The b is missing.”
Jonah squinted. She was right. It was supposed to say empty tomb.
“What’s a convent?” asked Jeremiah.
Benjamin straightened his glasses. “It’s a place where nuns live.”
The five of them stood for a minute, staring at the building, angels behind them.
“So,” Jonah said, “the safest place for us in New York is in a convent with a bunch of nuns?”
His dad cleared his throat. “It . . . uh . . . appears that way, son.”
Marcus walked down the four steps from the street to the entrance.
“The nuns in the Convent of Saint John of the Empty Tomb have graciously offered their help to us. They have always aligned themselves closely with the will and voice of Elohim. You will find no stronger, more faithful women of prayer than these.”
Eliza wasn’t convinced. “Yeah, but what are they going to do if some Egyptian biker gang shows up? Just . . . pray?”
Taryn laughed lightly. “You have much to learn of the ways of spiritual battle, Eliza.”
Jeremiah wrinkled his brow as he looked up at his father. “What’s a nun?” he whispered.
“A nun is a woman who has dedicated her whole life to Elohim,” Benjamin said patiently. “So much that she doesn’t get married, lives with other nuns, and serves the community with them.”
Jeremiah thought for a minute. “So you’re kind of like a nun, right, Dad? Except that you’re married. And you’re a dude.”
Benjamin cocked his head and squinted at his son with his mouth open, but didn’t say anything.
Jonah was the first to follow Marcus inside, finding himself in a small, dank-smelling room. There was a wooden desk in the middle of the space, but no one sitting at it. A hallway stretched out behind it. They stood together in the small foyer and dropped their bags on the floor.
Jonah heard a rumble of whispering voices that seemed to be coming from a room off to the left. He walked over to the doorway and peeked inside.
A circle of women were kneeling together on the floor. Each had on the traditional black-and-white robe and veil. With eyes closed, they were praying.
He watched in silence, enchanted by the display of faithful devotion. Some were kneeling and others were standing, swaying slightly. None of them noticed, or at least acknowledged, Jonah’s presence there. They took turns praying softly to Elohim, speaking to Him in a way that Jonah had never heard before. Passionate, loving words that sounded more like talking with a friend than praying to a far-off God. Among the whispers, Jonah heard the words children, protection of Elohim, and comfort multiple times.
“Jonah. What are you—?” Eliza popped into the room beside Jonah, causing him to jump and blink. She saw the nuns and whispered, “Sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
One of the nuns picked her head up, saw Jonah and Eliza standing in the doorway, and quietly stood, leaving the others. She immediately smiled at them, putting Jonah at ease. Her dark skin radiated a glow, and her eyes were full of love.
“Hello, children,” she said. “We’ve been expecting you.”
She led them back out into the foyer, where she greeted Benjamin, Eleanor, and Jeremiah as warmly as she had Jonah and Eliza. Apparently Marcus and Taryn hadn’t stuck around. Jonah figured they’d gone to catch up with their friends on the roof, or more likely, discuss their strategy and get the latest developments on the attacks.
“It’s so nice to meet you all. My name is Sister Patricia. We will do our very best to keep your children safe and sound while you continue your own journey.” Turning to Jonah, Eliza, and Jeremiah, she continued, “I’m afraid you won’t find our accommodations similar to what you are probably used to. But we do have cozy rooms for you. You’ll be bunking with the others, of course.”
“What others are you talking about?” asked Jonah, feeling confused.
Sister Patricia gave him a blank look. “The others—the other children. The other ones like you, of course.” They continued to stare at her. “No one told you?” She studied the floor, hands on her hips, and sighed loudly. “Well, they really should have filled you in. It’s my understanding that you—Benjamin and Eleanor— were merely dropping your children off. It is not safe for the five of you to be together.”
Eleanor put her hand over her mouth. Benjamin put a hand on her shoulder in comfort.
“So . . . you guys aren’t staying?” As soon as Jeremiah asked the question, Eleanor stifled a sob.
“It’ll only be for a little while,” whispered Benjamin to his three kids. “If the angels want to keep the nephilim and the quarterlings separate until they get this situation under control, we should trust them. Everything will be all right. I promise.”
But something in his father’s voice bothered Jonah. He was trying to put a good spin on it, but Jonah had the unsettling feeling that his dad was trying to promise them something that he couldn’t be sure of.
Two stone-faced warrior angels approached them in the hallway. They stood silently behind Benjamin and Eleanor.
Benjamin turned and his eyes grew wide. Jonah knew these angels were allowing him to see them now.
“I guess this means it’s time for us to go,” he said softly. The angels said nothing, but nodded, an urgency on their faces for all to see.
Sister Patricia spoke. “Take a minute and say good-bye to your parents, children.”
The five members of the Stone family gathered together in the hall. Benjamin and Eleanor gave multiple hugs to their kids, and Eleanor didn’t try to stop the tears now.
“We’ll see you soon,” she said, wiping them away. “You’re safe here, remember? This is . . . the best thing for all of us right now.”
Benjamin held her hand in his. “It’s time, Eleanor.”
She quickly kissed her children once more.
“Okay, Mom, okay,” Jonah said, but he hugged her again tightly around her neck, giving her a quick peck on the cheek too.
Benjamin and Eleanor walked down the hallway, under guard of the angels.
Jonah, Eliza, and a sniffling Jeremiah watched them leave until Sister Patricia shut the heavy wooden door, and the sound of the ancient metal latch was a jarring reminder that their parents were gone.
SEVEN
GREETINGS
Second-floor accommodations are for the sisters of the convent,” Sister Patricia said as she led them up the stairwell after dinner, past the door with a large “2” painted on its surface. “Floor three will be for the girls, and floor four will be for the boys,” she said.
“So the other kids . . . they were attacked too?” asked Jeremiah.
The nun smiled thoughtfully at the youngest member of the Stone family. “Yes. One survived an attack on their home in the middle of the night. Another made it through a house fire. I’m sure when they arrive they will be in a bit of shock.” She sighed, and Jonah saw pain crease across her face. “But Elohim is Lord, even over days like this. He has a plan.”
They walked down the hallway, the dusty wooden floors creaking with each footstep. The nun ushered them past a handful of closed doors, each of them numbered, before she stopped in front of one. Room 312. She looked through a large set of keys.
“Are you the janitor here?” Jeremiah asked, staring enviously at the key ring. Her cheeks creased, and she laughed loudly, the sound echoing down the empty hall.
“No, dear, but you would think so with all of these keys, wouldn’t you?”
&nb
sp; She opened the door to Eliza’s new home. There were two single beds against either wall, a small wooden desk with a chair and lamp, and a small sofa. A worn rug had been placed across the floor. Someone had made an effort with the room, trying to make it comfortable. There just wasn’t a lot to work with.
Eliza put on a brave smile and set her bag on the bed. “This will be . . . fine,” she said. “Thank you.”
“There will be another child who will join you in here eventually,” Sister Patricia said. “We don’t have enough lodging for everyone to have their own space. It’s rare that we ever have this many staying here at one time.” She smiled. “Elohim will provide, as He always does.”
Eliza nodded, the prospect of a roommate darkening her face. “I’ll just take some time to get settled here. You can go ahead and help the boys find their rooms.”
The nun nodded. Before she pulled the door closed, she said, “Come down to the main hall at ten thirty in the morning. We’ll gather there for some important information and then have a meal.”
Jonah wondered what important information they would receive. Maybe they would get an update on the attacks. They walked up one more set of stairs and onto the fourth floor, Jeremiah sticking closely by his side.
“This is the top floor, if you don’t count the attic,” Sister Patricia said. “You’ll be in room 408, Jonah. Third room on the right. It’s much like your sister’s.” She slid a key off her key ring and handed it to him. “Why don’t you go on down the hall and get yourself settled? This young man will be in room 420, right here,” she said, touching Jeremiah on the shoulder as they stopped in front of his room.
“I’m going to get a roommate too?” Jeremiah said, excitement in his voice. “Just like them? Jonah’s my roommate at home.”
She patted the top of his head. “Just like Jonah and Eliza, dear.”
Jonah left them, continuing down the hallway on his own. The only light came every so often from the small lamps with faded yellow lampshades that were attached to the walls.
He didn’t like walking alone down the hall, even if they were in a convent. After hurrying to find his room, he was soon sliding the key into the door with 408 on the outside.
