XIX. The Horror of It All

XIX. The Horror Of It All

Inanna walked ahead of Russ with a brisk step and her arms folded across her chest. She was upset and Russ damned near had to run to keep up with her. Her gray boots hit the pavement with hard taps as she moved with purpose but in no particular direction. She just followed the road to the nest of lights shining at what seemed to be its end. Off to its side, the lights from the nearby pier shone on the dark surface of water and it recalled to her memory a painting she’d seen during her brief stay before meeting up with Russ at the Jade Lounge. She looked at the tiny lights of lanterns that hung from the poles of the small schooners out on the water. She wanted to be out on the water and off the road, away from people, the dysfunctional adults that were her parents and from the new thing that was Russ. Everything just seemed like too much of a burden. There was so much that had gone wrong in such a short amount of time and she felt all the weight of the world on her shoulders.

“We’re all going to fucking die because of me!”

Russ ran to catch up with her and slow her down.

“Hold on angel face…what are you talking about?” Russ held her arms in his hands and rubbed them. Inanna shrugged away and continued to walk down the road. Russ caught her again and pulled her off to the side and sat her on the wooden railing post.

“Talk to me Little Sister.”

Inanna glared at him then stood up. She paced the side of the road then came back to Russ to have the talk that he wanted to have.

“First of all…” Inanna drew her right fist back and landed it on the left side of Russ’ face, right on his cheek, causing him to stagger backwards and grip his face.

“Ow! For fuck’s sake!”

“If you ever do that to Lilith again, next time it will be my foot in your ass! I don’t give a shit what you are or what you can do – harm her again and you’ll have me to deal with!”

Russ sat up and rubbed his face then tried to blink the floating green dot that he saw in his field of vision away. He gave Inanna distance to walk, kick, yell, or scream if she wanted to…just as long as she did it away from him. He noticed that when she made the threat to do him bodily harm that he had not felt that heat he’d felt earlier when Lucifer spoke to him rise over his skin.

“You do know that she wants me dead right? Like seriously…she wants to fucking kill me!”

“Touch her again and she’ll get her wish.”

“Like crazy fucking mother, like insane ass daughter”, he whispered under his breath as he walked away from her to sit on the wooden post and again noted that he was not in the presence of a liar. He looked at her with a bit of shock then turned away to stare down the road.

“What did you say?!” Inanna paced the road with the length of her coral and gray print maxi dress blowing around her legs.

“I said you’re crazy!” Russ yelled.

“We’re all going to fucking die and there really isn’t anything that we can do about it! There’s nothing we can do! And fuck you!”

Russ stood up and wiped a tear trailing out of his eye with the back of his hand. He stood in front of her and with his hands tucked inside the pockets of his designer jeans, courtesy of Lucifer’s House of Fashion, otherwise known as LILU (aptly named for Lilith and Lucifer). He looked something like a model as the wind beat against his body blowing his hair into his eyes. His faded Sid and Nancy t-shirt wrapped around his torso in the gust. He ran his tongue over the surface of the inside of his cheek then opened his mouth to loosen his jaw as he felt the onset of swelling and tightness in his face. He rolled his head on his neck then rubbed his hand over his mouth before speaking to Inanna.

“Apology accepted. Hey listen… Kid Ali …there’s some stuff I need to tell you about what’s going on and the right way to fix it.”

Inanna looked at him with narrowed eyes then sat on the wooden post he’d been sitting on. She really did look sick and tired. Russ thought that she needed to eat soon or else they’d end up right back where they were in Chicago when she was hungry. The human food fed the human parts of her, what she needed to have soon, was flesh and blood to feed the monster parts of her. He hoped the right type of wrong element came by for her to feed on. He didn’t want to think about her feeding on someone who didn’t deserve it. Venice was so much more of a different place than Chicago. Crime in Venice was literally non-existent. The best you’d get was a speeder or a pick pocket at overcrowded public events. He’d get her to walk while they talked, in hopes that they found someone with an unhealthy interest in beautiful women and their male companions. He found himself thinking the oddest thought he had ever had. He found himself hoping they’d run into a serial killer looking for two fresh new victims.

Russ laughed to himself then rubbed his jaw for the last time and pulled Inanna to her feet. He held on to her and kissed her forehead. He wrapped his arm around her then they set off to walk towards the city. More houses came into view the closer they got. While they walked Russ told her about meeting The Almighty in his office and she told him how she’d met him in the garden by the Tree of Life while she lay on the ground dying in front of it. Russ told her everything that had been told to him about how to save The Tree of Life, the universe, and the people in it. She listened intently and asked questions about the things she didn’t understand.

“So…how did you end up in Heaven when you weren’t dead?”

“He called me to Him. There were things he needed me to know, so when I passed out on the bed, he took the opportunity to bring me to him.”

Inanna shook her head as she took this in and kept going with her questions.

“And we’re supposed to go to the garden and eat from The Tree of Life in order to save it from dying?”

“Yes, something in the fruit is going to help us keep it living.”

Inanna stopped walking just as they came up on a set of concrete steps that led down to the beach and shoreline within the quiet city. A nearby clock towering over the small village rang out 12 times. When they reached the bottom of the staircase, they sat together and continued their conversation.

“How did you know how to bring me back and…why didn’t you just let me pass on?”

“God told me that you needed to live in order to save the Tree, you had to help. As far as the “how”, it’s too complicated to explain.”

“Well it’s a good thing I’m a smart girl.”

Russ looked at her then laughed and then tried his best to explain to her what he’d done to bring her back.

“See…I placed my hands over your wound and thought about it closing and mending itself from the inside out. When mending the wound didn’t bring you back…I thought about your heart needing to pump your blood through your body and your consciousness needing to be back within the confines of your body. I placed my hand on your head and the other over your heart and I concentrated on making your heart pump while calling you back to me. I kind of used myself as a beacon so that you could find your way to me, but when all that failed – I prayed.”

Inanna sat and listened to Russ speak while her memories flooded with The Creator coming into the garden at the Tree then picking her up and carrying her out and away from it. She heard his voice speaking to her, telling her that it wasn’t her time and that there were still a great many things to do yet before she could go home. She remembered the last thing that he said to her before she woke in the bed next to Russ.

“Only Truth can open your eyes now.”

Inanna gripped Russ’ arm and turned her body towards his. She looked him in the eye and asked the next question in half a whisper. She was afraid to know the answer to the thing that she was about to ask.

“Russ…what are you? What are you really?”

Russ looked out at the ocean and the waves running up on the beach. He watched the distant glow of bobbing lights on its black glossy water while he listened to ships horns as they went off somewhere far beyond the pier and watched the beacons out at sea.

“I’m a lot of things Inanna.”

“Russ…I want to know the truth.”

A strange feeling came over him just then. He’d felt it before but not in the capacity he was experiencing at that moment. He likened the feeling to when he used to have anxiety attacks while working at the armory. The feeling of a crushing weight rising from his body then bearing down on his shoulders sending his heart into palpitations as if he’d been running or had just become really scared and it stole his breath. Russ bent over his knees while he sat on the steps and groaned as the crushing sensation, the invisible weight increased and a pressure hit the pit of his stomach. A light from behind his eyes illuminated the tree branded on them and he stood to his feet. He rose from the concrete step. He kept rising until he was off the ground and hovering over the sand in midair.

The invisible burden he felt on his shoulders dissipated along with the crushing sensation he felt over his body and in his stomach had gone – all that was left was the question Inanna asked and its answer. A golden flash burst out from Russ’ body and in that glow Inanna saw another image of Russ. She stared in awe as the other image of the man floating in the air stretched his massive set of wings on his back and held a sword in one hand and a scale in the other. An hour glass hovered right in front of his chest as his eyes glowed too brightly with the images of The Tree of Life on them. The images of the man and of the angel merged into one body in a burst that lit up the shoreline and nearly blinded Inanna.

Down the beach, a man lying on his back on a flat rock called The Salty Table by the locals, saw the burst stretch out on the beach and over the water. This caught his attention for he knew the signature of the light. It was Heaven’s divine glow and it was on the beach. Samael removed himself from the rock and walked the beach with extreme caution towards it.

A winged and shirtless Russ set down on the beach with a sword in hand and the tattoo of the Scales of Truth on his left arm. He approached Inanna and knelt before her with the sword drawn and point down in the sand as he looked her in the eye. He spoke in two languages, the divine and English simultaneously with the same voice. Inanna’s mouth fell open as she listened and watched Russ’s transformed self speak to her.

“I am Veritas. I am the embodiment of Truth in flesh and blood. I am born of God through the blood of The Angel of Death and am given purpose to be in this time for the reasons that The Creator has set forth. In these times, the Truth shall not be hid away but made visible and aware to all those who seek to twist or destroy its strength where I dwell. I set free those trapped in lies and bound by their ignorance that they may know that I conquer all and that deceptions inflicted by the wicked and forked of tongue shall be eliminated.”

Inanna crawled backwards up the steps in a staggering motion, completely afraid of what she was seeing and what she’d just heard – and it was then that Veritas advanced and sought to put her at ease.

“You need not fear me Inanna, I speak my being as bond.”

He reached his hand out to her, asking silently for her trust and she took it with some hesitation. He led her down to the beach where they both stood looking upon each other, both seeing each other with their own eyes at that moment for who and what they truly were. Veritas raised his hand to rub her cheek then quickly snapped his head south toward the village. Something was moving up the beach. He narrowed his eyes then looked to Inanna with some sadness for the departure he had to make. He leaned in to kiss Inanna on the lips, lingering only a brief moment then whispered something to her.

“There is a hidden truth in love and hope that is as strong as any weapon man can make. Seek this out if you wish to destroy the coming evil Inanna for it vanquishes all foes, great and small. Always trust the love, light, and hope within your heart and you will see it not only heal but transform those touched by it.” Veritas looked toward the village at the figure stalking down the beach. “I must go. His time comes.”

He rubbed her cheek then walked away from her toward a wall of rock, he turned to look at her then gave a gesture that she should focus on the thing up the beach before proceeding to walk into the rock as if it had been a doorway and vanished. Inanna called out to Russ hoping…wishing he’d come back for her but none came except…Samael.

She looked on The Angel of Death and froze in her stance. Her fear had gone away and was replaced by a great anger and hatred that boiled deep within her. Samael stood, breathless as he set his eyes on Inanna parting a sick and twisted smile as he addressed her.

“Ahh…It was you. I was thinking about you just now.”

Inanna loosened the belt around her waist that held her sweater closed and let it slide off of her shoulders and into the sand. Samael watched as more of her skin, the skin that he’d fantasized about earlier was revealed to him.

“Where is your companion? Did he leave you here all alone?’’ Samael looked around and behind her to ensure they were alone. “Pity, pity…that’s not very gentleman like now is it?”

She bent over and untied her boots then kicked them off in the sand as well. Samael watched with intent as she continued to strip down. He could feel his arousal peaking within and the phantom sensation of an erection in his pants.

“Inanna, why are you here alone, in the dark, near the water? Were you waiting for someone?”

Inanna stood still in front of The Angel of Death and watched him as he made small hesitating movements from side to side. She took her attention from him and looked out at the sea as a gust of wind came in blowing her hair back off of her face and dress against her body pronouncing the curves the coral and gray print concealed beneath. Samael swallowed hard as he watched her and listened to her speak in a voice that he felt also sounded like the soft current of waves washing up on the beach.

“Yes, I am always waiting.”

She tucked both of her thumbs into the top of her shoulder-less dress and slowly shimmied it down the length of her body. She then slid it over her hips where it then fell at her feet, revealing her in nothing but her bare flesh. Samael’s mouth went dry as he took in her nude body and began to walk toward her. Inanna stepped back and walked slowly to the water’s edge with the sway of her hips in his eyes. She felt the cool rush of water wash around her feet and up her legs then turned around to look at Samael, beckoning him with her eyes and he came to her. He removed his coat then tossed it away and went to her, ready to embrace and feel her naked flesh pressed against his.

The closer he got the more he could see the warm glow emanating off of her skin. The closer he came the more his sight caught every inch of her body in the pale ambiance of the moon hanging in the night. His eyes traced over every curvature of her body then fell and focused on her stomach. There was a faint scar, a small one as if she’d been through some type of surgery years before and that scar was all that was left. He looked into Inanna’s face to see her looking at him with an expression he couldn’t quite make out. Her eyes were low and her face was full of something akin to want or desire. Her breasts heaved on her chest and her posture was of assertion…even determination. He fell to his knees in front of her and planted small kisses on her thighs while staring up into her eyes.

Inanna looked down on him. Feelings of disgust filled every crevice of her as he kissed her. She ran her fingers through his hair and produced a moan while closing her eyes. Hunger filled her entire being. A heat rushed through her body then flared outward and away. Samael noticed the change in her body temperature.

“Oh…Inanna, you are so warm in my hands.” He raised one of her legs up on to his shoulder and gripped her buttocks and pulled her into him. Inanna continued to rub his hair then forcefully pushed his face into her pelvis.

“You know…you really should watch what you eat.” Samael attempted to pull away from her but Inanna’s grip was strong. The divine light and heat flared out from her body as Samael struggled to get away.

Thin white tendrils slid from the depths of Inanna and wrapped themselves around The Angel of Death’s head, pulling him further into her. He screamed against her pelvis and pushed at her body with all of his might. She tilted his head up towards her face just enough that he could see her clearly then asked him a question.

“I’ve been waiting a long time for this, how ’bout you?”

Samael screamed and began to hit Inanna in the sides and stomach. She caught his arms in her hands and held them out away from her. Her grip was astonishingly strong and it surprised him as he flailed his arms to break free of her.

Samael could hear the tiny teeth within her vagina descending and fought harder to break free. He screamed his muffled screams and tried his hardest to scoot away but she had him pinned and unable to move. Inanna spoke to him one last time.

“Sssshhhh….Calm yourself Samael, it’s not every day that another thinks you’re good enough to eat.”

Samael screamed one last time before Inanna’s teeth bit his face off. Her white tendrils released him and went back into the deepest reaches of her. The Angel of Death’s faceless body fell over thrashing on the wet sand on his side. Inanna turned and walked into the surf. She walked out further into the ocean to wash the spray of his blood from her thighs and stomach. After rinsing her body clean, she stepped out of the cool sea water, stepped on Samael’s chest and retrieved her clothing from the sand. She got dressed and climbed the concrete steps to the street then continued to walk into the city.

After walking for twenty minutes alone at night along the canal way, she ran into Russ who had been sitting on the ledge of a fountain of a pair lovers consoling each other in a courtyard wearing a new shirt, smoking a much longed for and overdue cigarette. She walked over to him and sat down on his lap. She tugged at his face, pulling the skin down beneath his eyes to look into them, turning his head to look at his ears and opening his mouth to get a good look at his teeth. Russ laughed and told her that it was him, not the embodiment of truth but him, Russell Lee Poole of Chicago, Illinois. Inanna nodded and rested her head against his then whispered in his ear.

“Good, cause that guy is kinda scary.”

“Yeah so is that other chick that lives with you.”

Russ held on to Inanna and rubbed his hands up and down her back. They sat in silence for a while in an embrace at the Fountain of Sorrows, just as the 12ft stone lovers behind them were doing. Inanna broke the silence sounding exasperated and out done.

“Fucking Facebook, no one is ever who they say they are.”

“I’m hip Little Sister,” Russ said in half a chuckle, Inanna following suit.

“I don’t think I’m ever going to get used to this.”

“What?” Russ asked pulling her away to look her in the face.

“You! You look young, your voice sounds young but you still talk like a 52 year old man.”

“Would you understand if I told you that I feel like Methuselah?”

“Yes I would.” Inanna said shaking her head and running her hand through the length of Russ’ hair. “You know I am older than you, by centuries.”

“What? Noooo…” Russ said in mock disbelief.

“Umm hmm… I wear my age well, yes?”

“Whatever serum you’re using is working.”

“I eat well. Well balanced diet of protein.” Inanna laughed.

“You know, there are some benefits to this”, Russ said raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah…what are they?”

“Baby, you get a young man with all the experience of a well-seasoned lover!”

“Lord…” Inanna shook her head.

They both shared a laugh and enjoyed the light mood for as long as they could. Things had been really heavy on their first day of meeting. So much happened to push them together and threaten to rip them apart, they both felt secretly in their hearts that it was nice to have someone that understood it all because anyone else simply wouldn’t be able to. Russ sensing Inanna’s hopelessness at the entire situation told her how he felt.

“We’re going to be alright and so will everyone else, Inanna.”

“How do you know?” Inanna asked as she felt a world’s worth of insecurity and fear roll through her.

“I just …feel it, ya know? We’re gonna be fine, the world is gone be fine and people ….in some capacity, even though they weren’t okay to begin with, will be too.”

Inanna nodded her head then rested it back on his shoulder, while whispering in his ear.

“Then I trust you, I trust you completely.”

Russ patted her on the back as a signal for her to stand up and led her by the hand down a sidewalk to a hotel not more than a five minute walk away. In his time away, he’d got them a room for the night so they wouldn’t need to go back to Lucifer and Lilith’s home. The thought pleased Inanna as well, she felt the space was needed. When they reached the room up the long winding staircase, on the 3rd floor Inanna took a shower to wash off the salt water from her body. Russ looked out of the window to find that his car that had been left in Chicago was parked across the street in the shadow of a textiles company. He stepped away from the window and scanned the room to find a duffle bag sitting on a plush green chair in the corner. He walked over to it and opened it up to find another set of clothes, shoes for them both and things to snack on with a note that lay on top of it all. It was from Lucifer, telling them that he figured they might need a few things so he got them and that it was the least he could do and to thank him later by following through with what they’d discussed at dinner. At the bottom of the note the words “tick tick tick” were scrawled out in Lucifer’s fancy handwriting. Russ tossed the note on to the side table and grabbed one of the chocolate bars from the bag to eat.

Inanna exited the bathroom and came to the bed wrapped in a monogrammed hotel towel. Russ tossed the chocolate bar on to the bed where Inanna lay herself down on her back and sighed heavily.

“Longest fucking day ever. Right?”

“Yes.” Inanna said with her eyes closed. She interlaced her fingers and rested them on her stomach. She felt the bed shift as Russ lay down beside her and trailed a finger up and down her leg slowly. She turned over on to her side and propped herself up on an elbow while looking at Russ.

“Eating his face must have done you a world of good. You look a lot better now”, Russ said twirling a strand of her hair around his finger.

“You saw that?”

“Yeah, I saw that.” Russ shivered then shook his head quickly.

“Well, it did. Hm…” Inanna said staring off into space.

“What’cha thinking?”

“I wonder… See, when Lilith ate him and The Creator brought him back, he looked different. He was taller, thinner and older looking – like his late 40’s. Then The Creator gave him a new body, with a new look.”

“So…” Russ asked not all that interested.

“So…he lost his face tonight. I wonder what he’ll look like now.”

Russ laughed then sat up to remove his shirt revealing all of his divine brandings and tattoos over his ripped body.

“Whatever he looks like, one thing’s for certain.” Russ said tossing his shirt away into the chair.

“What’s that?” Inanna spoke softly as she crawled across the bed to where a white tank top and panties lay for her to put on. She opened the towel and let it fall behind her on the bed as she pulled the tank down over her naked body and pulled on the fresh pair of white cotton French cut panties. She grabbed her bottle of moisturizer that she placed on the night stand before the shower and began to work its contents into the skin of her legs and arms. When she was done smoothing lotion on to the various other parts of her body shielded by her top, she crawled beneath the Egyptian cotton sheets and feather down comforter.

Russ stopped breathing momentarily as he watched her do all of this. Inanna settled into bed on her back and stared at Russ over the thick fluff of covers.

“Huh? Russ said confused, dropping his hands to the front of his pants to hide his massive erection.

“What’s for certain?”

Russ thought for a moment, willing some of the blood in his engorged penis to rush back into his brain so that he could answer her question.

“Oh… Umm – that he’ll be one superbly pissed off Angel of Death, having been eaten once by a mother and her daughter,” Russ said looking at his feet with his hands clasped in front of him.

“Yeah. Karma is quite the bitch.”

Russ excused himself to go to the bathroom and calm his body. Inanna lay quietly in bed thinking, there was a problem.

She sat up in bed, grabbed the chocolate bar and began to mull over her thoughts. While eating it, she knew how to get to the Garden but how would she get Russ there without having to devour him. The words that Russ’s Veritas spoke, she didn’t quite understand but she felt that she would soon. After all, time reveals the most.

Russ returned from the bathroom in boxer briefs. He tossed his pants to the chair where his shirt lay then climbed into bed next to Inanna.

Russ lay next to her in silence and watched as she stared off into space. He noted that she seemed entranced, her body taking on a slightly visible slow rocking. He nudged her out her trance with a gentle push to her arm.

“Space cadet – where are you?”

Inanna blinked twice, took a looked around the room then placed the chocolate bar on the night stand before sinking down into the covers. She scooted closer to Russ and rested her head on his shoulder, wrapped her arm around his body and asked him a question in the quiet dimly lit room.

“Russ, do you feel that?”

He took a moment to respond while cuddling her close to him. Searching and feeling for the answer.

“Like something big is coming? Yeah, I do. It feels…heavy.”

“Yeah.”

“Does it feel good or bad to you Little Sister?”

“Both.”

“Yeah.” Russ reached over and turned off the lamp at the side of the bed. Inanna turned over so that they were spooned. Russ yawned.

“Let’s just hope that whatever it is has the decency to wait until morning.”

***

A drunken homeless man staggered down the beach looking for the Salty Table, a large flat white rock named by the locals, not realizing that he’d already slept on it, walked away from it, and was now a good three miles beyond it when he came across the body of a man lying on his side in a broken position on the wet sand of the shoreline.

The old Venetian called out to him in his slurred and broken Italian.

“Hey you!! He rocked back and forth on his toes trying to steady himself against the wind that blew briskly across the shore being sure to maintain a firm grip on his bottle of rum.

“Signore! Hey!” He chuckled then moved slowly toward who he assumed was another homeless drunkard sleeping it off on the beach. The closer he got the more he’d begun to realize that the man was too well dressed to be homeless. So he did what any other self-respecting vagrant would do with an overly inebriated rich man left all alone on the beach. He asked if he was okay and when he hadn’t received a response, he looked up and down the beach for passersby then picked his pockets.

It upset the homeless man to discover that someone so well dressed gave off the appearance of wealth when he had very little cash. In fact, it upset him so much that he wanted revenge for having wasted his time pick pocketing someone as broke as he was. So he unzipped his pants removed his penis and let loose a dark and odorous stream of piss on the man’s back as he lay still in the sand. And when he was done, he kicked the poor slob, cursed him, then knelt so that he could give the well-dressed liar one final insult to his face.

He rolled the man’s head up towards his to spit in it and when he saw the bloodied chewed out faceless cavity he stumbled backward, vomited then took off in a drunken run down the beach shouting to any that would hear, “Is no face, no face. God help me, no face.”

Soon after the drunkard left Samael’s body on the beach a large snap echoed throughout the night and The Angel of Death’s body vanished from the shoreline with not an ounce of blood in the sand or trace that he had ever been there.

The Creator’s back was turned while he stood talking to Jesus discussing some much needed business when The Angel of Death’s body appeared in a flash light. With blood spurting from the open cavity Samael appeared on the floor thrashing around grasping at the air and feeling for a face that wasn’t there.

Jesus saw Samael’s face or lack thereof and dropped His paperwork, scooting himself backwards across the floor. The Creator hadn’t turned around nor did he startle at Jesus’ reaction because he’d seen the entire incident with his omniscient vision. He knew this was going to happen which was why he gave Samael his warning of “I’ll see you soon” at their last meeting.

When Jesus found breath enough to speak, he gave verbal recognition at the grotesque image flailing around on the floor.

“Oh, my g– “, Jesus said under his breath.

“Yeah, I know.” The Creator said with his eyes running over his documents.

“That’s disgusting Father,” Jesus said turning away from Samael.

“They must learn to control themselves.”

“What?! What are you talking about?” The Holy Son looked toward his father.

“You were commenting on humanity.”

“What? No, no. It’s Samael!” Jesus pointed towards the Angel of Death thrashing around on the floor.

“I know he’s here. I’ve seen it, even warned him. Never listens,” The Creator said over his shoulder while flipping through his papers.

“Father…” Jesus trailed off as he felt his stomach take a lurch towards his lungs.

“…told him about messing with people – he’ll learn one day.” The Heavenly Father looked over the tops of his glasses perched at the tip of his nose towards his great bookshelf.

“Da—”, Jesus hurked and took a deep swallow.

All still with his back turned looking at documents on a file folder and books on his massive bookshelf, he commanded the Angel of Death to get up off the floor and have a seat on the couch.

“No dad, I don’t think you want…”

“Jesus…come now we’ve got work to do.” This was said in a fatherly tone that only he could deliver.

“But…” Jesus added trying to draw his father’s attention towards one of his favorite furnishings.

“I’ll take care of him later.”

Jesus a little more sickened than usual, stepped back and said with a tone that The Creator recognized, “It’s your couch, just so you know – I’m not making you another one.”

“Why would you need to, I allow people to sit on MY furniture. That’s what it’s made for. Why haven’t you pursued that as a career choice? I mean sure the wine business is good, but the furniture thing – you know, use your talents.”

Jesus stared blankly at his father and shook his head.

“I would except I’m in line for the family business.”

The Creator took a tiresome and heavy sigh before turning around to address his son. “You make it sound like a chore or a burden. There are tons, Millions, GAZILLIONS who would kill to be in your shoes right now.”

Jesus paused, cleared his throat and spoke sternly, “Father – I DIED to be in my shoes right now.”

The Heavenly Father regarded his son and sucked in his top lip before speaking. “Point taken. I’m just saying that the job has its benefits and it’s not even that bad, you’d do well to remember that Son. You’re the world’s Savior, it’s time we do what must be done.  What is that infernal gurgling and splattering? Are they watering the gardens today?”

The Creator looked out the window in annoyance to see the gardens at a distance. He spun around to address Jesus.

“Jesus go fi—”

He broke in mid-word when he caught a glimpse of Samael out of the corner of his eye with blood pluming up out of his facial cavity.

“Jesus, my Son! Why didn’t you–” The Creator shouted.

“Father God!” Jesus yelled before taking a step backward and transforming into the man-made spirit.

“My Goodness!” The Creator spoke and found Himself transformed into the God of the Old Testament. The Savior and God both stood next to each other in their invocations briefly. Jesus dressed in his white robes and blue stripes of the Hebrew generation of which he was born out of and his father wore the White Robes of the Divine as he does every Sabbath –sun up to sun down; the very robe that he created the universe in. Jesus with his piercing eyes and God with his glowing fiery ones looked on each other as they stood before Samael. For a brief moment they were both the essential essences of good, loving, and peaceful before returning back to the business men that they were a moment before.

“Why does he – oh my – GET OFF MY COUCH!”

Samael slumped back to the floor trying to cover the gaping hole that was his face.

Jesus ran to the corner of the office removing and slinging his suit jacket to the armchair beside a very large ficus, shielding his face, and trying whole heartedly not to vomit.

“Make it stop father! Just make it stop,” Jesus said trying his best to hold back his tears.

The Creator winced and shook as cold chills and goose bumps overtook his body. He felt his stomach tighten into a high knot at its pit as small beads of cold sweat formed over his skin. He turned away from Samael and tried to gather himself.

“No, no. This simply will NOT do!”

He trailed off and took a slow hard swallow and fanned his face with his hand. His mouth had gone salty and overly wet from the sight, sound, and now the smell of The Angel of Death.

“Oh my… My my my.”

The creator’s secretary stepped in to inform him of the cancellation of an upcoming appointment and saw four archangels exchanging small weapons for a wager while pointing at the Creator and Jesus through the window. They placed bets on who would vomit first. She stopped in the middle of her sentence when she saw Samael on the floor with no face then turned and ran out of the office screaming.

Jesus while he stood in the corner, rested his head against the wall then moved over to lay his face against the cool of the large pane of glass and closed his eyes tightly. The Creator snapped his fingers and began ridding himself of the nausea he felt. Samael was then given a new face and his blood was removed from the floor and couch but remained on his clothing.

He was given the face of a man in his mid to late 30s, his 3rd face since his existence. He gripped his new face and rushed over to the mirror behind The Creator’s small office wet bar to look at his reflection. His transition to fit the younger appearance of his face was complete.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you..,” he uttered quickly beneath his breath.

The Creator took a deep breath and sat himself in his favorite armchair bent at the waist. He closed his eyes then rubbed his hand over his face and the back of his neck while his elbows rested on his knees. Samael turned to address The Heavenly Father but found himself stopped in his tracks and mute as The Creator put up one finger to let him know to be still. The Almighty took another deep breath, exhaled then removed himself to look out of the window and saw the four archangels, Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Uriel exchange glances amongst themselves then between him and Jesus. He regarded them with a knowing look and narrowed his eyes before turning towards the corner where The Holy Son stood. Jesus, moved back to his previous position, stepped away from the corner and turned slowly with his eyes on the floor.

“It’s alright son.”

“It most definitely is not!” Jesus yelled.

“Open your eyes and look for yourself.”

Jesus opened his eyes and looked up to see Samael fighting to remove himself from the spot he had been glued to. He looked him over and exhaled slowly but felt his stomach clench as he saw the blood on Samael’s shirt and smelled the stench of urine wafting through the air every time he moved. A feeling of dizziness overcame Jesus and a flash of heat washed over his body as he looked at the newly transformed Angel of Death. Flashes of the cavity that was there filled his eyes along with visions of how it came to be.

“I can’t unsee it. I can’t–”

Jesus vomited in the potted ficus then moved to lay his head back on the cool of the window.

Small weapons exchanged hands amongst the archangels while the Creator’s back was turned. As soon as the winnings were collected the Creator turned to show them their fares and placed them in a neat pile at the end of his desk. Their swords and shields were also lined in a nice neat row against the other side of the window where they stood to be collected later – during a very serious discussion about compassion, responsibility, and gambling. He signaled them back to work and placed several coins in the swear jar at the corner of his desk for the mutterings of the angels.

The Creator sat down heavily in his desk chair and looked upon Samael the way a father would a child who had been warned one too many times, he actually had been. He motioned to Samael with two fingers to have a seat on the sofa then found his glass of wine to take a drink from before he addressed The Angel of Death.

He bit his bottom lip and shook his head “No” slowly to let Samael know of his disappointment in him. Samael looked at the floor. The Creator looked at the miniature blue dolphin balancing itself in the middle of its small silver stand before pushing it lightly with his finger to make it rock slowly on its axis. He looked once again to Samael and then over to His son.

“Are you alright, my child?”

Jesus took a breath, pulled his handkerchief from his pocket while he was bent over and wiped his lips before standing upright, with a hand briefly outstretched.

“Yeah, just need a minute.”

Jesus excused himself to the Creator’s bathroom to clean himself up before coming back out into the office. Just as The Creator was about to address Samael, he was cut off by Jesus.

“Dude, what is that matter with you?!” Jesus shouted.

Samael frowned and looked at The Creator for help and found none. Only The Heavenly Father shaking his head no and looking upon his son with admiration.

“Why do you insist on messing with that lady and her kid? Don’t you know that they hate you? Why on earth…. You know what – the business isn’t mine yet but if it were you’d be stripped of your wings and answering letters to Santa in the mailroom. I cannot believe your arrogance, your total lack of obedience, and profound insubordination. You’re….YOU’RE….”

Jesus looked at his father then back to the Angel of Death.

“YOU’RE FIRED!”

Samael’s jaw dropped. The Creator leapt to his feet quickly and went to calm Jesus.

“Now Jesus – you can’t…”

“Sure I can! He’s reckless, self-serving, and needs to learn discipline!” Jesus said pointing at Samael. He paused, thought heavily for a moment then addressed his father.

“How do I take his wings?”

Samael shook his head no quickly then pulled his wings in closer to his body to shield his wings in an attempt to keep them safe.

“Now now, Jesus. You can’t take his wings.”

“Sure I can! I’ll rip the damn things off!”

The Creator chuckled slightly under his breath and placed a coin in the jar. Samael fearing the worst, wrapped his wings completely around his body and hung his head low while looking up with wide eyes and a shaky bottom lip.

“This can’t continue Father. He’s more trouble than he’s worth and it’s causing a problem. He likes his job too much. He’s sick! He needs therapy. YOU NEED THERAPY! You’re not right! He’s not right. The collection of souls is a delicate thing and a serious business, you’ve made it a thing of…of…” The Creator cut him off.

“Jesus, calm yourself. Breathe. Now go take a walk.”

“But he…”

“I know and I will deal with this.”

“Father!” Jesus implored.

“Jesus”, The Creator laughed.

“This is no laughing matter – he’s making what we do a mockery and a perversion.”

“I will deal with it. Go and calm yourself.”

Jesus looked at his father and then to Samael and said one more thing.

“You should remember this Samael – soon I will be the one in charge and you will have to answer to me and your sickness will not be tolerated. You can be replaced!”

Jesus left in a huff. The Heavenly Father called after him.

“Jesus my….fi….cus”, He gave a heavy sigh. The ficus disappeared and was replaced by a big flowering hibiscus with coral colored blossoms.

The Creator turned to regard the Angel of Death, while releasing a slow breath. He pushed his hands into his pockets and walked a slow circle around his sofa without taking his eyes off of him. Each time he passed he made a short hum. To let Samael know of the severity of the situation. Samael had heard tales of that hum and it set him shaking beneath his wings. The Creator rubbed his temple with the forefinger of his right hand. The Business Hand. Samael knew then that he was in for a very long, much winded one-sided talk with The Heavenly Father.

Samael shook where he sat. He aimed his sight towards the floor and began to contemplate all the ways the Father had dealt with defiance over the years and just how many he ever smote. He thought of many smitings right off but offenses of defiance were pretty severe too. He had already noticed his sword and the vessel to collect souls aligned with the swords and shields of the other archangels. He knew truly that he was going to be in for a tough talk.

“Samael, we are now beyond the back and forth of communication. Consider this the last warning. We are in a highly sensitive time and we cannot have our Angel of Death full of vengeance and hate! Do you know why I allowed and keep allowing you to fulfill this function?”

Samael shook his head no.

“Your eyes have seen death like none other here, besides The Holy Son. You have experienced it in a way that I understand has traumatized your immensely but it is because of that fact that I wanted you to continue to do this job. You were to learn compassion and respect for the living and the dead. You were to understand the grieving process and all it entails…because you are the collector of souls and the last thing humans see before they come to me. How dare you sully the work and the things I work so hard to keep in order! And to think, you sat in that very same spot earlier and accused me of not understanding…”

The Angel of Death went to open his mouth and was cut off.

“Oh no, Samael. I took it the way you wanted me to take it. You think me unfeeling or ignorant of what goes on in my creation?! You think I don’t know horror?” The Creator removed himself from his seat then bent to one knee before Samael and rolled up his sleeves. “Do you see these wounds??? Do you think The Holy Son went through that alone? I was there. I felt his pain, lived it with him, with each thrash of the whips that scourged his body, with each pound of the nails driven into his wrists and feet. I felt it. And you accuse me of not understanding!”

Samael was silent and dared not speak. He had only heard stories of the Creator being angry, not seen it with his own eyes. He was frightened.

“I hear your thoughts. They took away from you…is what you believe. You believe yourself innocent of the crimes against them, that somehow Lilith deserved the crime you committed against her, that somehow you taking out punishment on her daughter was the right thing to do, that you even hold contempt for one of your bloodline… Who are you? Is your name Almighty? Did you create this world, these beings and those humans? My humans, my creatures and my kingdom here and on Earth will not be brought to rubble by the likes of you, Lucifer, nor Lilith. Do I make myself clear?”

“Why should they be allowed to live? Why should they have your love? They are abominations.”

“Who decides who lives or dies? Who called them that? Have you ever heard me refer to YOU in such a way, or any other creature that roams the Earth in such a manner?”

“Lucifer.”

“And what business is it of yours if I have ill feelings towards one that I created?”

“I don’t understand you, Father.

“Be careful of the things you’re about to speak…because there is no turning back from what awaits you. Hear me, Samael….”

“I hear you, but it must be said.”

“Samael…” The Creator said with warning.

“I didn’t understand him before, I didn’t understand why he felt so strongly about your Creation but now I do. You place such significance on those that aren’t us, in a place that would turn away from you with no remorse, you set them above us when we were the ones you crafted first. Where is the care for us? Where is the love and forgiveness you offer them for those of us who falter? Judge them as you judge us.”

The Creator eyes went fiery.

“What is your crime Samael, Angel of Death?”

“I’ve committed none.”

“That is a lie, to my face in my very presence. I will ask you again… What is your crime?”

“What do you mean? I have committed no crime, crimes have been committed against me! All I’ve done is what I was tasked to do.”

“Did I tell you to brutalize your wife, to treat her with no mercy, to take her forcibly, and abuse the trust she had in you? You call her a monster but you created her. YOU, you did that!”

“I… she was untrue, she kept with the man Adam… I …she had to be disciplined!”

“Who told you that? Hmm?? Who told you to do that to her?”

“It was a whisper…”

“Was it me? Did you hear my voice?”

“No, it wasn’t you.”

“Then why did you listen? Why did you do it?”

“Am I to be held accountable for things that happened in the past?”

“Yes you are! I offered to Counsel you but you wish to be judged. And so judgement it is.”

“Wait… I don’t understand.”

“You understand perfectly. I am the Judge, not humans, nor angels. You sit where Lucifer sat so long ago saying the very same things you have said and more. You have hatred in your heart. That hatred has been there since the beginning of time. The contempt you held against Lilith when you thought she was with Adam was unfounded. The hatred you felt against Lilith after you harmed the woman, has filled you since. You have not acted on my behalf.”

“I claimed souls and brought them to you.”

“And now we get to the truth of a deeper matter. How many of the souls you collected were meant to come home?”

Samael fell silent.

“Let me jog your memory.”

The Creator caused Samael’s mind to flood with memories of the moments he caused deaths in order to collect souls, of times where he stole away life before it was time, and of instances where he allowed those who were ready to be taken to suffer. He passed judgement and acted according to his own will.

Samael looked up into The Creator’s eyes and trembled with fear, “I was only doing what I thought was right.”

“But not as I told you.” The Creator stood before Samael, not in black but in white robes with gold sash at his waist. “You were favored and forgiven and you still acted against my will. Samael, you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.”

“No. NO!”

“You’re title and function are henceforth stripped away from you. The Holy Son will now meet the departed and bring them thus, until Veritas returns.”

“Veritas? What is that?”

“The Angel of Truth, to you known as Russell Poole.”

Horror and disbelief filled Samael. “You can’t do this! I am the Angel of Death!”

“You are no more. Your wings are gone. In judgement, you will now become what you fear and have hated throughout time. Human. You will be subject to their laws, you will get to know their customs and ways, and you will know them intimately.

Samael fell to his knees before God. He placed his head at his feet and pleaded for this judgement not to pass, for it not to be so. He bargained and made promises that he couldn’t keep but to no avail.

“Stand.”

Samael rose to his feet with tears in his eyes.

“Consider it a blessing that your life is preserved. That you have not been destroyed. That you, are not amongst the Fallen. This will be a learning experience for you. I warn you to do what is right while you are there. Earth is a world of many differences.”

“Father, pleeeeease.”

The Creator placed a finger at Samael’s forehead and gave a push and Samael’s eyes closed. When he opened them again, he was lying on his back in a bed at a mental health institution in the Midwest. Restrained at the wrists and ankle to the bed, he called out to God. The door opened and there was The Father dressed as a doctor checking in on his patient with a nurse, whom God referred to as his earthbound angel, at his side.

“Here is the treatment for Mr. Samael Angellus. And I am to be referred to as Dr. Zohar Kadosh.”

“God, God please… take me home. I’ll do better I promise.”

“You have much healing to do before you can return to me. Take heart that you are given this opportunity to have such.”

“Noooo… What am I supposed to do while I’m here?”

“Learn to love them.”

“I don’t know anyone, I don’t want to know anyone…. People are… they are…disgusting.

The Father narrowed his eyes at Samael, “They’d say the same of you.”

“I mean, I’m sorry. Can you please just take these off?”

“No, no… you are a danger to yourself and others. Those don’t come off until you are behaved. I must go, I‘ve rounds to make and I promised to have tea with Suzie down the hall.  She looks forward to our meetings and I like being on time.”

“NOOOOOOOO… you can’t leave me here!”

“I can and I will. If you don’t calm down, Nurse Vita will have to sedate you.”

“Don’t you touch ME!”

“Rest assured I will do nothing of the sort, but this needle here … you better calm down Samael.”

“Don’t you dare address me, I am the Angel of Death. You have no power over me!”

“Vita, you know what to do.”

Vita smiled and lowered Samael’s cloth pants and stuck the needle into the firm meat of his buttocks. Within minutes the angel calmed and fell into a deep slumber.

“Keep an eye on him. I’ll be back to check on him soon. Oh, and introduce him to green Jello. I have feeling he might like it.”

“But no one likes green Jello.” Nurse Vita said with a hint of “eww” in her voice.

“He will,” Laughed Dr. Kadosh

“Will do, sir.”

“Off I go.” Dr. Kadosh left the room whistling down the hall toward Suzie’s room.

Samael fell into a deep slumber. In his dreams, he saw Lucifer’s descent to Earth and the many that fell with him. On the ground they all beckoned for him to join them. Before the masses of fallen angels, Samael looked over all their faces. Some he knew and others he’d never met before. One came through the crowd that stood next to his father, Lucifer. He spoke to Samael and asked again if he’s join them in their cause. And Samael… said yes. Though he slept, a devious smile spread across his lips.