Reign of Ruin

by Bene, Jennifer

  “Another burn spot, as officials are referring to them, appeared today over the southeastern part of Cordon County. Officials are reminding everyone that in the event of a burn spot appearing in your area, the best course of action is to stay indoors until it dissipates. Research is ongoing into the cause of these strange meteorological occurrences, but until more is known it’s better to be safe than sorry. I know that’s how my family and I handle it, what about you, Lauren?” The news anchor had a bright, plastic smile on his face, but Danielle could see the awkward way he held it.

  There was nothing casual or smile-worthy about the sky burning, or… at least looking like it was burning. Like someone was melting holes through some kind of plastic version of the sky and then you could see a fiery sunrise through the hole. It was weird as fuck.

  “Did you see that video online?” Mary asked, nudging Danielle with her foot.

  “What video?” she asked, pushing her back with her own foot as they sat on either end of the couch.

  “The one with the angel? Everyone’s been sending me the link today. It’s totally a real angel. The person who uploaded it said it appeared under a burn spot in Kentucky. Here, let me find it.” Mary was already looking for it on her phone when their Dad huffed.

  “It’s not an angel, it’s some asshole in a costume trying to get famous.”

  “Isaac!” Mom snapped from the kitchen, stepping into the living room to glare at him. “Really? Language. That wasn’t necessary.”

  “I saw that video at work today. It’s obviously fake. Special effects and CGI, and you two girls don’t need to be feeding into the hysteria. It’s not helping anything.” Dad sighed and reached for the remote, but he paused when he saw the screen. “Sarah! They’re interviewing Archbishop Dunne!”

  Danielle sat up, listening as their dad turned up the volume and their mom walked into the room. The interviewer was off-screen, with Archbishop Dunne in the center wearing black, with a simple priest’s collar at his throat. “Yes, I’ve been speaking with others about the subject,” he answered to whatever had been said before they paid attention.

  “And what does the Church have to say about the recent claims of angels walking on earth?” the interviewer asked.

  “See!” Mary chimed in, turning to look at Dad, but he just shushed her, waving a hand as he turned the volume up on the TV.

  “Well, while we know that angels serve God in Heaven, it takes a special circumstance on Earth for God to send one to us here. As the Pope said last week, we must all take stock of ourselves, our sins, and ask ourselves why God may be testing us and our faith.” The Archbishop smiled, tight-lipped, as he stopped.

  “Yes, we covered the Pope’s speech on the burn spots. However, the reports of angels, and the videos that have surfaced, are pretty hard to dispute. Don’t you think?”

  “I think that seeing an angel is a gift of God given to only a few. If there are those who claim to have seen them, who am I to dispute their belief?”

  “But, Archbishop Dunne, do you believe what has appeared in video? Have you seen the videos online?” the interviewer pressed, not giving up, and it was clear by the strained smile on the Archbishop’s face that he was losing patience.

  “I believe that God works on Earth through good works and good people. If, indeed, He has sent angels to walk among us, then I would stress the importance of following the guidance of the Bible in all things.” He shook his head, still smiling. “We know that many of us have strayed from our faith, but in trying times such as these it is more important than ever to be vigilant. To stay strong against sin in all its forms, and to follow the laws that He set forth. That is what I believe, and I am sorry, but I do not have time for more questions.”

  “Archbishop Dun—”

  “I’m sorry,” the Archbishop repeated as he began to walk away, and the cameraman followed him. “I really must say goodbye. Thank you.”

  The camera shifted, focusing on the interviewer who looked red in the face as the sun beat down. “It seems that’s all the time Archbishop Dunne has for us today, but I know many people are still looking for answers after the incredible videos we’ve seen appear online over the last couple of weeks. Stay tuned for further updates on Angel Watch with WXLA 5. Back to you, Ed.”

  “Can you believe that? They’re talking to Archbishop Dunne about these crazies,” Dad said, flicking the TV off with a huff.

  “Sounds to me like the Archbishop expects all of us at confession this week. Not just me and the girls,” Mom replied, giving their Dad a look before she wandered back into the kitchen to finish dinner.

  “Ridiculous,” Dad muttered, standing up to walk to the computer room.

  “Here, watch,” Mary whispered, handing her phone across the couch. Danielle took it and pressed play on the video. Quickly turning down the volume on the side, she checked to make sure their Dad hadn’t heard the loud talking, and then watched.

  It was shaky, clearly shot on someone’s phone, as they took video of the burn spot in the bright blue sky. There was a central hole, and then a few other small ones around the edges. It was still creepy to look at, no matter how many times she’d seen them. The guys making the video were talking about it, and then someone shouted, “Holy shit! Look!”

  The camera swung, tilted for a moment until it straightened out on a man walking across a field surrounded by trees. Huge, blindingly white wings extended out from the man’s shoulders. They were so massive that it seemed like the sheer weight of them should knock him over, impossible for him to be upright. Then the wings pulled in, hugging close to his back, and the movement had looked natural. Not artificial, and the grainy image didn’t seem like any kind of CGI Danielle had ever seen. It looked real… it looked like an angel.

  “This is insane,” she mumbled, still watching as the video shook again and slowly zoomed in on the angel.

  “Keep watching,” Mary urged, sitting up to lean closer, and Danielle shifted the phone so they could both see it. “This is the craziest part.”

  The angel took several steps forward, toward the guys, and they started freaking out. Backing up next to a truck, and the sound of someone opening the door on the truck preceded someone shouting, “Get in the fucking car! Get in!”

  As the person holding the phone climbed in, showing the dash for a moment before they aimed the camera out the front of the windshield, another person shouted, “Go! Just fucking go!”

  It seemed that the angel had stopped moving, but the quality of the video got worse as the person tried to zoom in further and then… it was gone. No flash of light, no movement of its wings, just gone. “What the fuck? What the FUCK?” one of the guys shouted.

  “Let’s go! Let’s fucking go right—” The video ended and Danielle immediately started it over as Mary sat back against the couch.

  “Crazy, right?” Mary asked, smiling a little.

  “Do you think it’s real?” Danielle looked at her sister and saw her shrug.

  “I don’t know… I mean, it looks real but, like Dad said, it could be faked.” Mary shrugged and took her phone back as the video continued to play, swiping out of the app. “What do you think?”

  “It’s probably fake. It has to be.” Nothing else made sense.

  * * *

  One Month Later

  Danielle’s head wouldn’t be quiet even as she laid in Christopher’s bed with his arm around her. He squeezed her tighter, pulling her closer, his exhale brushing over her ear. “Babe, you’ve gotta stop focusing on it.”

  “How can you think about anything else?”

  “Hmm… maybe because I have a really good distraction?” He kissed her shoulder, her neck, and then he held her chin, turning her face so he could capture her lips. She gave in for a moment, sinking into the temptation to ignore the world outside for a little while, but she turned out of the kiss when his hand slid down her side.

  “Christopher…” she grumbled, and he sighed.

  “What is worrying abo
ut it going to do, babe? I mean, really, this is something the government has to handle. They’ll figure it out and—”

  “Are you kidding? They have no fucking idea what’s going on!” Shifting so she was on her back beside him, she looked up into his eyes. “My mom agrees with the Pope. That this is some kind of punishment.”

  “That’s such bullshit,” Christopher groaned, rolling away from her, but she grabbed onto his arm before he climbed off his bed.

  “How else would you explain it? All of it?”

  “I’m not trying to explain it, Danielle. All I know is that it’s fucked up and I don’t want any of that shit to happen here.” He sighed and shifted so he could lean back against the wall at the head of his bed, shoving a pillow behind him. “Look, I know your family is super religious, but they’re going to find real explanations for all of this. It’s just going to take time.”

  “Right,” she mumbled, clenching her teeth so she didn’t pick an argument with him. It was pointless. Christopher didn’t even want to pay attention to what was happening, much less read about it or watch the insane interviews and updates on the news.

  But, whether he wanted to admit it or not, the day the sky burned was a universal marker for every person on earth. Everything that happened referred back to that day. Every news report, every fervent speech from government and religious groups alike.

  It had become the milestone by which everything else was measured.

  There was nothing else that worked, because science was at a loss. Sure, they were still looking into it, and they had theories. Half-drawn conclusions that were all over the internet, the TV, and in people’s mouths. Everyone was desperate for an explanation, an answer.

  But the only answer that made sense was that angels were real… and they were very, very angry.

  That had become clear with the attack on St. Louis. Survivors from the surrounding area had described it as a blinding light, a silent explosion that had vaporized the center of the city and left a burnt ring of destruction for miles around it. Some people had said they’d even heard a ringing sound as the cloud of ash and smoke and debris had filled the air.

  If that wasn’t God’s hand… what on earth was capable of it?

  Another question Christopher didn’t want to debate or look into. She loved him, had loved him since they’d been sophomores in high school, but she definitely didn’t like this side of him. Head in the sand, hands over his ears, refusing to even acknowledge the absolute chaos around the world. Other cities in other countries had been attacked too. No rhyme or reason. Just millions dead, an endless, tragic recovery effort — and more questions than anyone had hope of answering.

  “Don’t be mad at me,” Christopher said, bumping her side with his leg. “Come on, babe, I’m not trying to be a dick.”

  “I know,” she answered to the ceiling, feeling the twisting anxiety building inside her again. “I’m just looking forward to hearing what the President says. He’s meeting with some key people that the Pope sent, and—”

  “And you think that the whole repent for your sins thing is going to make whatever is happening stop?” he asked, clearly mocking her, and she climbed off his bed.

  “A bomb didn’t blow up St. Louis, Christopher! The government already said that.”

  “No, they said they didn’t know what kind of bomb it was. That’s different, and—”

  “That’s because it wasn’t a bomb!” she snapped, growling under her breath as she turned away from him, walking to his desk chair to grab her purse. “I’m going home.”

  “Wait, come on, Danielle. Don’t go, I’m sorry.” He moved to the edge of the bed, hanging his legs over the side as he beckoned her back. “Come here, just lay down with me, I’m sorry I was an asshole.”

  Crossing her arms, she faced off with him, not moving any closer. “You are being an asshole.”

  “I know. You’re right.” He stood up and closed the gap between them, holding onto her hips as he dipped his head and pressed a kiss to her nose, and then another to her lips. “But I love you.”

  Huffing, she stared at him for a moment longer as he smiled and used his dimples against her. Dammit. “You’re lucky that I love you too.”

  “Oh, I know. I’m very lucky and I want to show you just how grateful I am.” He tugged her hips, walking backwards to draw her back toward the bed. “Think you can stay for a little while longer?”

  “Fine,” she said, unable to fight the smile anymore as he pulled her down with him, immediately rolling her under him so that he could plant another kiss on her lips. This time she gave in completely, let go of the anxiety and fear and reveled in how good it felt. How good he felt against her. She could talk to Mary about everything else later.

  * * *

  Six Weeks Later

  “This is His judgment. No one can deny that anymore. Angels walk among us and they are bringing with them God’s damnation of our society. We have strayed from His word, from the laws He set forth for us. We celebrate sin, bathe in corruption, mock the sanctity of marriage — it was only a matter of time before He punished us.” The preacher on the screen was almost shouting, but it didn’t deter the woman in another panel from laughing.

  “You’re ridiculous. Do you actually believe God is angry because women have jobs? Because that’s what you told your congregation last week at your mega church, the one with a multi-million-dollar facility. I wonder how many homeless and needy people you could have helped with that.” The woman rolled her eyes and the preacher grew red in the face.

  “The Lord sees your sins and you will suffer for them, harlot!”

  “Harlot?” She laughed harder, waving her hand. “Are you guys really giving this guy air time?”

  “The only path to salvation for this world is to return to the laws set forth by Him in the Bible. We are approaching the end of this time of sin and we must do our part to ensure God wins dominion over the earth, or we will all suffer under Lucifer’s reign. We have destroyed the family by allowing divorce, by allowing woman — who brought us original sin — to abandon the home and take on the role of man. That is why—”

  “You have to be kidding me! How am I supposed to debate someone this irrational?” she laughed. “The global economy would collapse without women in the workforce. We’re so far beyond manly men swinging hammers for a barn raising. It might be a good idea for you to join us in this century.”

  “Good women will return to God as the promises made in Revelations show up on earth. We are already face-to-face with God’s wrath, and we must act before we reap naught but destruction!”

  “Good women? You mean women being subservient to men,” she snapped.

  “This is God’s will. As it was set forth in Eden, so it should be on earth.” The preacher raised his hand, like he was swearing a promise. “This is the truth that all of you refuse to accept, but the angels will make it clear to those still listening to God. We must act to save mankind. We must return to His laws. St. Louis, Ontario, Dallas, San Francisco… these have all been warnings, and we must listen.”

  The woman in the other frame threw her hands up, and then the anchor looked up from the pages on his desk with a solemn expression. “Unfortunately, that is all the time we have. Many thanks to Pastor Elridge and Theresa McDonald for their time today to discuss the recent comments coming from religious leaders around the world. Next up we’ll have…”

  Danielle pulled the headphones from her ears and sat back against the wall. Everything the preacher had said was still spinning inside her, bouncing off the more gentle sermon that their own priest had given at church on Sunday. While Father Thomas had not spoken of women the way the preacher had… there were too many similarities. The same concerns that we had strayed from God’s laws, that the terrifying events were somehow God’s anger showing itself on earth as it had so many times in the Bible.

  Part of her wanted to brush it off like the woman had, but how else did they explain angels walking around? The
missing women? The destruction of cities? The lack of bodies in the ruins?

  “What are you sulking about?” Kennedy asked, dropping down next to her with a latte in hand and a paper bag.

  “Nothing,” she answered, locking her phone and tossing it into her purse. “Just waiting for my last class before I can head home for the day.”

  “I’m already done, but I’m going to grab a movie with that Luke guy.”

  “Seriously? A new guy?” Danielle laughed, and Kennedy stuck her tongue out at her.

  “Not all of us found our one-and-only in high school. Plus, Luke is on the football team and hot as fuck. I think that’s worth a movie… and maybe more.” They both laughed, and Danielle stole a piece off of Kennedy’s blueberry scone, even though her friend pretended to be irritated by it.

  She needed to listen to Christopher’s suggestions and stop watching every little thing that popped up about the burn spots, the angels, and the church’s comments. It was just making her feel crazy, and that was the last thing she needed. She had the new semester to worry about.

  * * *

  One Month Later

  “Mom, that’s downtown, isn’t it?” Mary asked, still staring at the television like they all were. “What does this mean?”

  “Yes, honey, it’s downtown, and I…” Mom trailed off, but Danielle could see the worry lines in her forehead, and she knew the pinched set of her mouth. Their mom was worried, and Danielle could see why.

  The demonstrations and rallies had popped up over the last few weeks, but this one was here. Downtown, and based on the panning camera it was a packed space full of angry men. Hovering over the roaring crowd were signs saying things like ‘God’s Law is the Only Law’ and ‘Serve Your Husband, Serve God’ and ‘Women made Original Sin #NotAgain’.

  “I don’t like this, Sarah,” Dad muttered, and he looked furious as he glared at the television.

  “We can’t give in to fear. That’s what we have to remember.” Her mom reached over and squeezed Danielle’s arm, patting it as she continued. “People do things like this when they’re scared, but it will stop. The government will stop this.”