by Dynah Zale
As if he had just thought of a bright idea the bomber held up one finger high, “Ahh! I see I now have everyone’s attention.”
A herd of doctors and nurses rushed from the back of the clinic to see what was going on and they all came to a screeching halt when they saw the insane bomber.
“Heyyyyy!” the man waved to the group of doctors and nurses. “Now these are the real heroes. I’ve been waiting to see.” The man dug in his pocket, pulled out one cigarette and a lighter and said, “I hope you don’t mind if I smoke.”
His audience stared and when no one objected, he lit the cigarette and blew out rings of smoke. “Which one of you is in charge? I want the head man in charge to step up and don’t be afraid.” The man was brazen.
A couple of nurses stepped back simultaneously, leaving the doctors to determine amongst themselves who would be the brave soul to step forward. Surprisingly, a woman stepped forward.
“Oh!” The bomber sounded surprised; yet amused. “I didn’t think the head doctor would be a woman.” With his finger, he beckoned for her to come closer, “I’m so disappointed in you.” His words sounded sinister. The female doctor was so nervous she urinated on herself. A pool of pee gathered at her feet. “Ahh! Little lady, look what you’ve done.”
“Sir.” Embarrassed, she stuttered; her mouth dry and sticky. “Perhaps, the two of us can go to my office and talk.”
“Pissy, I’m not going anywhere with you,” he said, degrading her even more. His taunting of the doctor and her colleagues continued. A few doctors even tried to reason with him. That’s when Garrett noticed a closet in the corner of the room.
Carefully and without making any sudden moves, Garrett made his way over to the closet with Reneé right behind him. He quietly opened the door; the couple slid inside and huddled together on the floor.
“Garrett, I’m scared.” Reneé whispered. “I knew this was a bad idea and now look. We may not get out of here alive.”
Garrett kissed her on the forehead and rubbed her shoulders. “Everything is going to be all right.”
They sat together squeezed in that tiny closet straining to hear what was taking place outside the door.
“Listen,” A male doctor took small steps towards the bomber. “I promise. No one is going to hurt you.” Out of the corner of his eye, the doctor noticed the security guard trying to sneak up on the man from behind. He tried to hold the man’s attention so he wouldn’t see what they were trying to do, but the bomber saw him and panicked.
Afraid that he may lose control of the situation the bomber closed his eyes and pulled the cord to detonate the bomb.
Kaboom!
Thousands of tiny spikes, nails and screws that were embedded in each bomb plunged into the skulls, eyes, and bodies of the doctors, nurses, security guard and those patients in the waiting room. Daggers penetrated everything; the floor, wall and ceiling.
***
Garrett flinched when he saw the explosion. It was hard for him to relive this part of his life. But the moment the man detonated the bomb, Garrett clearly saw Kiel in the waiting room of the clinic lift his wings and shield the closet from any impact of the blast. Nails scattered everywhere but never penetrated Garrett and Reneé inside the closet.
Chapter 7
Garrett stirred a bit. A throbbing headache pulsating rapidly at the back of his head pushed Garrett to regain consciousness. Still in a fog he sat surrounded by darkness until it all started to come back to him. The man. A Bomb. An explosion.
Straining to speak, Garrett managed to call out. “Reneé. Reneé.” She didn’t respond and he called out for her again.
Barely coherent Reneé released a faint moan. It was so dark in the closet he couldn’t see if she was hurt or not.
Garrett moved his hands up and down the closet walls. “Well, at least the closet seems to still be intact. I don’t know how, but it seems to have withstood the blast.”
He then tried pushing open the closet door. He shoved with all his might, but it seemed to be stuck.
“Reneé!” Garrett shouted. She moaned in response. “Stay awake baby! I need you to stay with me.” Garrett kept talking, trying to keep Reneé alert. Again, he attempted to push the door open. This time he managed to open it just wide enough to see out. The waiting room was full of smoke and fire.
Garrett was desperate to get out of that closet, but something was barricading them in. He tried one last time to get out, and this time he was able to push the door wide enough for him to squeeze through.
He slipped out and immediately looked down to see what was blocking the door. Startled by the sight he stepped back a couple feet. He saw the family from the waiting room with the small child; all three of their scorched bodies piled on top of one another had been blocking the closet door.
Before Garrett had a chance to react he heard someone yell out. “Is anyone in here?”
“Help!” Garrett prayed that was a rescue team.
“Okay, hold on we’ll be right there.” A fireman climbed over mounds of debris and made his way to Garrett.
“My girlfriend’s in that closet.” Garrett pointed to the far corner. Within minutes the strong man singlehandedly moved dead bodies out the way and yanked the door wide open revealing a slightly breathing Reneé. He placed an oxygen mask over her face.
“She needs to get to a hospital.” The fireman gripped Reneé’s limp wrist looking for a pulse.
“Were you in the closet with her?” The fireman asked Garrett.
“Yes, sir. We hid in there.”
“You two are lucky to be alive.” He shouted out for a medic across the room to get him a gurney before turning back to Garrett. “I don’t know how that closet endured that explosion, but hiding in there probably saved your life.”
***
Kiel winked his eye at Garrett.
***
Another victim cried from across the room. The fireman who was helping them rushed to the victim’s aid. “I need some help over here.” He urgently screamed.
Instantly a herd of fireman appeared. Together they lifted up a heavy metal beam to discover the clinic’s security guard. “I need a paramedic in here fast.”
The security guard’s chest was blown wide open. Exposed, the insides of his chest fell out and onto the floor. Intestines spilled out, blood squirted everywhere and his heartbeat slowed to a snail’s pace.
Garrett watched the man’s heart pump slower and slower, until finally it stopped. The guard’s eyes said he was no longer among the living. His spirit had departed this world.
***
“Angel of Death.” God called for his servant.
A glittering white angel swooped in from out of the nowhere, landed and knelt down before the Lord. Down on his knees the angel shined brightly like a brilliant star.
“It’s time.” With the Lord’s consent the Angel of Death descended to earth and down into the wreckage of the bomb. God, Kiel and Garrett watched as the angel crept through the fiery furnace of flames dancing around inside the building. There were many souls in the wreckage that pleaded with the angel to take them home, but the angel’s assignment only called for one. He glided past them as if they weren’t even there and stopped at the security guard’s side.
From heaven, they watched as the angel placed his hand inside the man’s chest, grabbed ahold of his heart and gently squeezed the life out of it. Lastly, the angel waved his hands over the man’s body and lifted out his soul. Together they vanished.
Chapter 8
“Hey! Aren’t you Judge Dunn’s kid?” A fireman recognized Garrett. Just that quickly, he had forgotten how high profile his family was. Being the son of a prominent city judge, his picture was often in the paper. That was one of the reasons his mother made them an appointment at that clinic. She didn’t want it made public that Judge Dunn’s son had fathered a child out of wedlock. So to prevent the family any shame, she made them an appointment at that exclusive clinic.
Not wanting to ca
ll attention to his self, Garrett ignored him by whispering in Reneé’s ear. “I’ll meet you at the hospital.”
Then instead of walking through the huge gaping hole in the wall from the blast that opened up to television cameras and reporters, Garrett exited through the back of the building, where all the abortions were performed. “Hey kid, you can’t go back there. It’s dangerous.” A fireman tried to stop Garrett, but it was too late.
Garrett climbed over rubble until he found an opening that led to an alley. He raced down to the end of the block, but the moment he stepped out, another news van arrived.
“This place is going to be swarming with the media.” He raced back up the block. The only way out was to climb the fire escape stairs to the roof. Then he could climb down from the roof of the adjacent office buildings.
Once he felt it was safe to climb down he found himself in another alley with only one way out. A huge brick wall blocked one end of the alley; the other end was occupied by three homeless men mulling around looking through garbage pails for food.
Continuing forward, Garrett figured he was only a couple blocks from the hospital. If he made it there quickly he might be able to get in undetected.
As Garrett passed the fattest of the three men, the guy turned and asked him a question. Garrett assumed he was a panhandler so he ignored him, but the guy caught up to him and grabbed him by his arm.
“Yo, watch what you’re doing?” Garrett pushed him off him and stared straight into the man’s yellow teeth caked with years of tarter.
“Young blood.” The man was so dirty he looked like he could have also been in the explosion. “All I tried to do was ask could you find it in your heart to help me out.”
The other two men walked up behind Garrett, making him feel uneasy and threatened.
“Listen gentlemen.” Garrett held up his hands. “I’m not looking for any trouble.” Garrett dug in his pocket and pulled out the money his mother had given him for the abortion.
“How about I give each of you a hundred dollar bill.” Garrett placed the money securely in their hands then turned to walk out the circle, but they blocked his path again.
“Thanks for the money.” One man spoke out. “But this isn’t all that we want.” Two of the guys grabbed Garrett from behind. They held his hands down behind his back and pushed him up against a wall. Then the ringleader of the crew rummaged through Garrett’s pockets looking for more money.
“Oh! So you guys are going to rob me. See I tried to be nice, but wait until you find out who my father is. You fella’s are going to regret ever doing this?”
They laughed at him.
“No, young blood. You’re going to regret ever coming into this alley.” Then in one stroke they stripped Garrett of his Dockers and underwear. They violated his manhood; each man took turns raping Garrett as if he belonged to them. Garrett did his best to fight them off, but it was three to one. Their attack seemed to last for hours and once Garrett couldn’t take it any longer he collapsed to the pavement. His body was physically exhausted and spent; they left him naked and alone in the alley.
Hours later he awoke in the shadows of the alley. Darkness surrounded him. He was too weak to call for help. He would rather die than endure that pain, so he closed his eyes and called out for God to take his life.
***
In the alley, Kiel knelt down and laid his hand on Garrett’s back. Kiel’s body glowed and Garrett could see small bolts of lightning pulsating from Kiel’s hand penetrate his body. Garrett’s mouth dropped wide open.
***
Suddenly, Garrett felt a surge of energy flow through him as if he wasn’t supposed to give up. Garrett found the will to lift himself up. He steadied himself on his hands and knees before standing to his feet. After a few moments he staggered to the end of the alley. He prayed that he wouldn’t run into his rapists again, but when he looked out into the street he didn’t see any one around. Relieved, his next concern was how he was going to get home. Then a real blessing came when he saw a pair of headlights pull up and stop right beside him. The driver door quickly opened and out jumped his mother.
***
The moment then seemed to move in slow motion. With his wings, Kiel helped Garrett to his feet; Kiel was the one who guided him to the street.
Garrett looked up at Kiel with tears in his eyes, “Thank You for saving me.”
“Haven’t you learned anything yet? I’m not the one who saved you. I can do nothing without the Father’s command.” Kiel replied.
Garrett turned to thank the Lord, but God spoke up first, “I heard your cries for death, but death wasn’t in My plan for you. You still had work to do for me; that’s why your life was spared.”
***
“Garrett, what happened?” She quickly helped him into the back seat of her Mercedes Benz and took him home. Once she got him up to his bedroom, she realized the devastation her son had endured.
Garrett lay in bed and groaned in agony as his mother wiped his body clean with a cool sponge. She had never seen so much blood in her life. “The bleeding will eventually stop.” She tried her best to soothe her son’s fears.
“I want to go to the hospital. I need medication to stop the pain.” Garrett felt like he had an open wound that would never heal.
“What did you say?” His mother asked.
“I need to go to the hospital.” He struggled to sit up. “I can’t take it. I don’t think I’m going to live through the night.”
His mother stared him straight in the eye before rearing her hand back and smacking him as hard as she could across the face. Stunned, Garrett held his face. His mother had never hit him before.
“Look at me.” She ordered with rage in her eyes, “You cannot go to the hospital. You can never go to the hospital and you can never mention this incident to anyone; not even your father. As far as I’m concerned this never happened, and the quicker you forget about it the better off we’ll all be. Image means everything and I will not allow you to ruin this family’s reputation.” She turned to walk out his room.
“Mom,” he whimpered. “What about Reneé?”
His mother looked down, “The baby’s dead. That’s why I came looking for you. To tell you she lost the child.”
From that day forward Garrett could never shake the feeling that he had greatly disappointed his mother. First an unplanned pregnancy and then a brutal rape that would disgrace the family name. These were secrets he would have to carry to his grave.
***
Garrett’s heart was heavy with guilt. “Garrett, what happened wasn’t your fault.” God said.
“How can you say that? I got what I deserved.” Garrett blamed himself. “I was the one who convinced Reneé that we had to get rid of the baby. She never wanted to kill our child. I’ve always felt like what happened to me was punishment for that baby.”
“Garrett it’s time you let go of the hurt. You’ve been carrying it around for such a long time.” Kiel spun Garrett around to face Reneé and his mother. “Tell them. Tell them both how you feel.”
Garrett looked deeply into Reneé’s eyes. “I’m sorry I abandoned you at a time when you needed me most. I know you were at that hospital all alone and I never came.” He wept. “I’m sorry.”
Kiel then turned Garrett to face his mother. At the sight of her, all of his remorse dried up inside. The whites of his eyes turned red with rage. “I hate you. I realize I shouldn’t be saying this when I’m trying to get into heaven, but I can’t help it. You have always done what was best for ‘the family’, but that day you put a burden on me so great that I could never share it with anyone. It ate away at my soul every single day of my life.” His mother’s facial expression was stone cold and expressionless.” Garrett screamed in her face like a drill sergeant. “I want you to say something. I want you to apologize and tell me you were wrong.”
Then hundreds of tiny black and brown tiny flying objects that looked like butterflies flew out from the center of Garrett
’s chest. It seemed to be thousands of them. Their sudden exit made Garrett’s knees tremble in fear. He reached out for Kiel, “What’s happening to me?”
“Don’t be scared.” Kiel stepped back to allow the flying objects room to escape. “Your soul is releasing the hurt and pain you’ve been carrying around with you for years.”
Garrett watched the objects leaving his body and once they were gone he smiled to himself. “I feel lighter.”
“That burden is forever removed.” Kiel informed him.
“For the first time I feel like I can move on, let go of the past and forgive my mother for what she did to me.” Garrett admitted. “God, I’m sorry for allowing that guilt to ruin my life.”
“Your sins are forgiven and forgotten.” God replied.
***
Weeks passed and Garrett refused to talk to anyone. When Reneé called the house he wouldn’t take her calls. His mother covered for him by saying he was sick, but he was sure Reneé wasn’t buying her lies. Garrett wanted to talk to Reneé, but he was so ashamed of what happened to him that he couldn’t even face her. He just needed some time alone.
Two months passed before Garrett found the courage to go and talk with Reneé. He drove to her house with the intention of sitting down and making everything right between them, but to his dismay her parents said she had left for college and they refused to tell him where she was. She was gone for good.
Chapter 9
Once church ended Garrett and his family were escorted to the pastor’s office.
“Garrett, it was a blessing to see you finally join the church family this morning. I never thought it would take you this long to commit yourself to the Lord, especially since sister Mecca has been a member for quite some time now.”
Garrett took a seat on the sofa along with his wife and family. “This is something I have been wanting to do for some time now, but...” He took a deep breath, “you know my position dictates I portray a certain image.”
