'Encounters with Angels' - a journey to the end Novel extract 1
Clouds gathered over the horizon. The foreboding of world events, the arena of the final scenario, the indignation of unseen powers, slowly gathered as one entity, forming a canopy of darkness that pressed upon the tender minds of many.
People on earth did not realize the power of these dark forces. They understood even less their tactics. Behind every quarrel, every dispute, every war, there were powers which maliciously incited anyone who would cooperate with it. Every slander, every bit of gossip, every scandal and every insult, were tactics of these dark powers. And everywhere, beginning with the school playground and ending with governments and the press were a breeding ground for the work of these unseen forces, trying to cause havoc amongst people and nations. Anyone who agreed to participate in any form of nastiness would fall prey to these forces, some more and some less.
Imagine just one young person to whom this foreboding reality was beckoning! Well, this was ten year old Rachel; Rachel, whose sunny disposition made her popular with everyone; whose chirpy mood spilled out everywhere, including her own home where her delightful nature was enjoyed by all. Home time was filled with fun and ease, playing Barbies or watching television, or poking about in the garden. And when her sister was too absorbed in her books, playing on her own was a feast. Her whole life was full of cheer and excitement. Mum was a permanent source of comfort and dad was fun to be with. Walking over with him on Saturdays to buy sweets was the highlight of the week.
In between all this cheeriness, Rachel felt this cosmic darkness chasing her in what seemed like a game of hide and seek. She tried to ignore it but it constantly infringed her awareness. Things came to a head when trouble brewed more visibly at school, coinciding with a new order of spiritual experiences which changed everything.
It was a crisp autumn day in which no particular change could be anticipated. Rachel loved such days. She breezed into the play ground her usual happy self, airy and light despite a few clouds on the horizon threatening rain. Trouble often brewed on days when the weather was undecided, as if to give meaning to what would otherwise be a senseless day. Rachel skirted the playground with her quick dark eyes. Was it going to be another one of those typical, ‘let’s pick on Jo’ days which Susie was so good at organisin? How she longed to tackle Susie for pushing Jo around and hogging Holly to herself! Everyone liked Holly but Susie made sure no one would get too close to her. And there was Hattie who was too wary to oppose Suzy and Naomi who didn’t care much about Jo. Neither Hattie, nor Naomi wished to get into conflict with Susie. They simply wanted to keep their Holly sweet. Rachel was divided between a desire to tackle Susie and a fear of alienating Holly. But today she decided, she’d had enough with the conflicts and the quarrels. She was going to sort things out.
The decision to act did not affect her usual charm. She trundled into the classroom friendly as ever. Most kids were already in; eyes lifted up to the sound of a creaking chair, pushed aside as Rachel made her way to her table. She sat down, took out a book, and joined the others’ half hearted reading at the end of registration. Mrs. Collins accepted her late arrival without a comment to Rachel’s raised eye brows, and a darting smile. Everyone was unusually quiet, and apart from the odd glance, no one’s reading was disturbed. Susie seemed soft and silent, something that happened only occasionally, and Majhul, the fidget, was relatively still. This was a good, start to the day. Rachel loved it when things were in order. The bell for first lesson rang almost as soon as she started reading. What frustration!
Tag Rugby proceeded on the big field in what was a stimulating if somewhat muddy P.E lesson. Kids were tearing about excitedly, and Rachel’s group won against Naomi’s. Naomi waved her arms around giving vent to her annoyance. Rachel scrutinised Naomi from afar to see her next reaction. Naomi could get stroppy when she lost a game. She too was one who always needed to have her way, just like Susie. Hands back down, Naomi stomped off the field, lips formed in a foamy spout, potential tantrum checked. It was a relief to stop for break. Small, sweaty bodies trudged through the muddy field then spilled into the playground, forming familiar alliances and friendship groups.
Rachel scampered across the play ground and into the girls’ loo. A moment later, she bounced out of the toilets ready for the fun. Tackling Susie momentarily slipped out of her mind. There was a rowdy noise across the playground as she searched for the other girls. Then she spotted them huddled together by the steps at the entrance to lower school. There was Susie, fervently whispering something to Holly who seemed unmoved; Naomi bent over, all curiosity and Hattie who was watching them humorously.
Rachel didn’t immediately see Jo who was standing a little distance away; her gangly body poised with embarrassment and concealed rejection. Rachel stood taut, her dark eyes fleeting all round, weighing up her next move. Then quite without warning, she glimpsed a strange appearance. He stood right opposite her, about a meter away, a small figure; Christopher, written on his chest, a beaming smile on his face and a silk cape over his shoulders. His name was embroidered on a silk jumper with bold gold letters. One glance and she knew he was an angel, though of course she couldn’t be absolutely sure.
She knew angels existed but she’d never seen one. Bubbling anticipation tickled her tummy. Something special was going to happen! His smile beamed at her. His eyes gleamed with a kind, mischievous jolliness. He was stocky and pretty short for his age, which may have been about eighteen. He stood there as confident as the day, not a sound from his mouth; Just a half crescent moon on his face, with charm as a permanent fixture. His sheer presence and vibrancy encouraged her and spurred her on. His cheerful look conveyed a message. Surely no problem was too difficult to solve and the whole of life was just one big game. She was now confident and ready to tackle Susie.
At a distance, stood Susie, Hattie, Holly and Naomi still conferring. Jo, still standing a little distance away from them, held her hands behind her back; her feet bent outwards, her posture bewildered. From time to time when she could no longer hold her feet outwardly bent, she straightened them to regain balance, but stil self-conscious and unsure. Part of her wanted to get away and disappear from the scene of rejection. The other part, unwilling to admit defeat, glued her to the ground. Looking at her angel one more time, Rachel walked over to Jo waving and calling.
“Jo, Jo, would you like to play!”
Jo didn’t seem keen, but was relieved at Rachel’s sudden appearance. Rachel was next to her in a moment.
“I am sick of this lot. I don’t care if they beg me to play again. I’m done with them. When it suits them, they are my friends but as soon as Susie starts getting nasty, they join her. They push me out just because she says so. I’ve had enough of them,” said Jo bitterly.
From a distance Susie was seen gliding towards them exuberant, her entourage walking behind her a little uneasy. Susie skidded to a halt right next to Rachel and Jo, full of the joys of a sunny day, as if nothing was amiss. The other three soon came to a halt next to them.
“What’s up?” She said, waving her arms gesticulating in false excitement. Rachel and Jo exchanged knowing looks.
“Your ‘what’s up’ can’t fool me. Don’t pretend everything’s alright. You always get nasty, every time we try to play together!” said Jo defiantly.
“Nasty! What are you talking about? Who’s nasty?” She looked at Rachel, then looked at her friends, raised her shoulders and eyebrows, pleading innocence.
“You always push me out of your games and hog Holly to yourself,” continued Jo.
“Hog Holly to myself….” She mimicked. “Is Holly your private property? And any way, who’s pushing you out? It’s all your fault! You stand there like a lemon all on your own. Who would want to play with a moody lump? We don’t want a sulking dummy in our games. You can join us if you behave normal, like all the others.”
Susie gathered momentum and strength, seeking to put herself in the right. She’d done nothing wrong.
“You are a liar, as well”, said Jo in disbelief.
At that moment Rachel glimpsed two different figures of a totally opposite nature standing in their vicinity. Right next to Susie there appeared the most hideous looking creature with pointed rubbery ears and a grin on his face, two bulgy eyes and a squashed up nose with wide-open nostrils. The rest of his body was rubbery, a long thin tail trailing behind him, slightly curled up at the end. He was standing there wringing his hands with delight at the mounting strife. Then he jumped and galloped on the spot, swishing his long tail on the ground with one hand, beating it again and again, like a jockey over his horse. The grin on his face was fixed. He was highly pleased with himself.
A good meter behind him stood Christopher, his face lit up, a steady smile radiating towards Rachel. As soon as Rachel glimpsed him, she relaxed. She knew what to do. Susie was looking at her triumphantly her eyes saying, ‘Dare to challenge me. I can lie as much as I like!’
Holding back again, only for a split second, Rachel then spoke with confidence, “Be honest Susie. You always upset Jo, push her out of games, or try to split her from Holly. And you’re doing it not just to Jo, but also to others. Can’t you just play fairly? ”
Susie was taken aback. She didn’t expect this kind of reaction. Her confidence deflated, she just stood there, shrugging her shoulders. The monkey face disappeared and when Rachel raised her eyes in search for her angel, his space was empty. The bell rang for end of break. Then Susie, Hattie, Holly and Naomi shuffled towards their prospective classrooms dispirited but Rachel ran ahead, her body swinging with strength and resolve. She was pleased with herself, and delighted at this mysterious angelic appearance called Christopher. She certainly hoped he would turn up again.
People on earth did not realize the power of these dark forces. They understood even less their tactics. Behind every quarrel, every dispute, every war, there were powers which maliciously incited anyone who would cooperate with it. Every slander, every bit of gossip, every scandal and every insult, were tactics of these dark powers. And everywhere, beginning with the school playground and ending with governments and the press were a breeding ground for the work of these unseen forces, trying to cause havoc amongst people and nations. Anyone who agreed to participate in any form of nastiness would fall prey to these forces, some more and some less.
Imagine just one young person to whom this foreboding reality was beckoning! Well, this was ten year old Rachel; Rachel, whose sunny disposition made her popular with everyone; whose chirpy mood spilled out everywhere, including her own home where her delightful nature was enjoyed by all. Home time was filled with fun and ease, playing Barbies or watching television, or poking about in the garden. And when her sister was too absorbed in her books, playing on her own was a feast. Her whole life was full of cheer and excitement. Mum was a permanent source of comfort and dad was fun to be with. Walking over with him on Saturdays to buy sweets was the highlight of the week.
In between all this cheeriness, Rachel felt this cosmic darkness chasing her in what seemed like a game of hide and seek. She tried to ignore it but it constantly infringed her awareness. Things came to a head when trouble brewed more visibly at school, coinciding with a new order of spiritual experiences which changed everything.
It was a crisp autumn day in which no particular change could be anticipated. Rachel loved such days. She breezed into the play ground her usual happy self, airy and light despite a few clouds on the horizon threatening rain. Trouble often brewed on days when the weather was undecided, as if to give meaning to what would otherwise be a senseless day. Rachel skirted the playground with her quick dark eyes. Was it going to be another one of those typical, ‘let’s pick on Jo’ days which Susie was so good at organisin? How she longed to tackle Susie for pushing Jo around and hogging Holly to herself! Everyone liked Holly but Susie made sure no one would get too close to her. And there was Hattie who was too wary to oppose Suzy and Naomi who didn’t care much about Jo. Neither Hattie, nor Naomi wished to get into conflict with Susie. They simply wanted to keep their Holly sweet. Rachel was divided between a desire to tackle Susie and a fear of alienating Holly. But today she decided, she’d had enough with the conflicts and the quarrels. She was going to sort things out.
The decision to act did not affect her usual charm. She trundled into the classroom friendly as ever. Most kids were already in; eyes lifted up to the sound of a creaking chair, pushed aside as Rachel made her way to her table. She sat down, took out a book, and joined the others’ half hearted reading at the end of registration. Mrs. Collins accepted her late arrival without a comment to Rachel’s raised eye brows, and a darting smile. Everyone was unusually quiet, and apart from the odd glance, no one’s reading was disturbed. Susie seemed soft and silent, something that happened only occasionally, and Majhul, the fidget, was relatively still. This was a good, start to the day. Rachel loved it when things were in order. The bell for first lesson rang almost as soon as she started reading. What frustration!
Tag Rugby proceeded on the big field in what was a stimulating if somewhat muddy P.E lesson. Kids were tearing about excitedly, and Rachel’s group won against Naomi’s. Naomi waved her arms around giving vent to her annoyance. Rachel scrutinised Naomi from afar to see her next reaction. Naomi could get stroppy when she lost a game. She too was one who always needed to have her way, just like Susie. Hands back down, Naomi stomped off the field, lips formed in a foamy spout, potential tantrum checked. It was a relief to stop for break. Small, sweaty bodies trudged through the muddy field then spilled into the playground, forming familiar alliances and friendship groups.
Rachel scampered across the play ground and into the girls’ loo. A moment later, she bounced out of the toilets ready for the fun. Tackling Susie momentarily slipped out of her mind. There was a rowdy noise across the playground as she searched for the other girls. Then she spotted them huddled together by the steps at the entrance to lower school. There was Susie, fervently whispering something to Holly who seemed unmoved; Naomi bent over, all curiosity and Hattie who was watching them humorously.
Rachel didn’t immediately see Jo who was standing a little distance away; her gangly body poised with embarrassment and concealed rejection. Rachel stood taut, her dark eyes fleeting all round, weighing up her next move. Then quite without warning, she glimpsed a strange appearance. He stood right opposite her, about a meter away, a small figure; Christopher, written on his chest, a beaming smile on his face and a silk cape over his shoulders. His name was embroidered on a silk jumper with bold gold letters. One glance and she knew he was an angel, though of course she couldn’t be absolutely sure.
She knew angels existed but she’d never seen one. Bubbling anticipation tickled her tummy. Something special was going to happen! His smile beamed at her. His eyes gleamed with a kind, mischievous jolliness. He was stocky and pretty short for his age, which may have been about eighteen. He stood there as confident as the day, not a sound from his mouth; Just a half crescent moon on his face, with charm as a permanent fixture. His sheer presence and vibrancy encouraged her and spurred her on. His cheerful look conveyed a message. Surely no problem was too difficult to solve and the whole of life was just one big game. She was now confident and ready to tackle Susie.
At a distance, stood Susie, Hattie, Holly and Naomi still conferring. Jo, still standing a little distance away from them, held her hands behind her back; her feet bent outwards, her posture bewildered. From time to time when she could no longer hold her feet outwardly bent, she straightened them to regain balance, but stil self-conscious and unsure. Part of her wanted to get away and disappear from the scene of rejection. The other part, unwilling to admit defeat, glued her to the ground. Looking at her angel one more time, Rachel walked over to Jo waving and calling.
“Jo, Jo, would you like to play!”
Jo didn’t seem keen, but was relieved at Rachel’s sudden appearance. Rachel was next to her in a moment.
“I am sick of this lot. I don’t care if they beg me to play again. I’m done with them. When it suits them, they are my friends but as soon as Susie starts getting nasty, they join her. They push me out just because she says so. I’ve had enough of them,” said Jo bitterly.
From a distance Susie was seen gliding towards them exuberant, her entourage walking behind her a little uneasy. Susie skidded to a halt right next to Rachel and Jo, full of the joys of a sunny day, as if nothing was amiss. The other three soon came to a halt next to them.
“What’s up?” She said, waving her arms gesticulating in false excitement. Rachel and Jo exchanged knowing looks.
“Your ‘what’s up’ can’t fool me. Don’t pretend everything’s alright. You always get nasty, every time we try to play together!” said Jo defiantly.
“Nasty! What are you talking about? Who’s nasty?” She looked at Rachel, then looked at her friends, raised her shoulders and eyebrows, pleading innocence.
“You always push me out of your games and hog Holly to yourself,” continued Jo.
“Hog Holly to myself….” She mimicked. “Is Holly your private property? And any way, who’s pushing you out? It’s all your fault! You stand there like a lemon all on your own. Who would want to play with a moody lump? We don’t want a sulking dummy in our games. You can join us if you behave normal, like all the others.”
Susie gathered momentum and strength, seeking to put herself in the right. She’d done nothing wrong.
“You are a liar, as well”, said Jo in disbelief.
At that moment Rachel glimpsed two different figures of a totally opposite nature standing in their vicinity. Right next to Susie there appeared the most hideous looking creature with pointed rubbery ears and a grin on his face, two bulgy eyes and a squashed up nose with wide-open nostrils. The rest of his body was rubbery, a long thin tail trailing behind him, slightly curled up at the end. He was standing there wringing his hands with delight at the mounting strife. Then he jumped and galloped on the spot, swishing his long tail on the ground with one hand, beating it again and again, like a jockey over his horse. The grin on his face was fixed. He was highly pleased with himself.
A good meter behind him stood Christopher, his face lit up, a steady smile radiating towards Rachel. As soon as Rachel glimpsed him, she relaxed. She knew what to do. Susie was looking at her triumphantly her eyes saying, ‘Dare to challenge me. I can lie as much as I like!’
Holding back again, only for a split second, Rachel then spoke with confidence, “Be honest Susie. You always upset Jo, push her out of games, or try to split her from Holly. And you’re doing it not just to Jo, but also to others. Can’t you just play fairly? ”
Susie was taken aback. She didn’t expect this kind of reaction. Her confidence deflated, she just stood there, shrugging her shoulders. The monkey face disappeared and when Rachel raised her eyes in search for her angel, his space was empty. The bell rang for end of break. Then Susie, Hattie, Holly and Naomi shuffled towards their prospective classrooms dispirited but Rachel ran ahead, her body swinging with strength and resolve. She was pleased with herself, and delighted at this mysterious angelic appearance called Christopher. She certainly hoped he would turn up again.