Cassy, Michael, Jophiel, Gabriel, and Azrael are sitting in a booth at the dusty, moldy corner of a local McDonald’s. They have not ordered anything, so they are naturally the odd ones out.
Cassy changed into her blue jeans and black combat boots. On the center of her white tee sits a big, black cross; her neck bares a thin, Cuban chain chocker necklace with a tiny gold cross dangling from the middle. Above her gold necklace are her small cross earrings, and her thick Cuban bracelet wraps perfectly around her delicate wrist. A gold ring sits around her middle finger, and she wears her colorful crossbody mochila bag on her shoulder.
“So, why did I get a visit from that Demon?” Cassy asked confusedly as she rested her elbows on the sticky table of the booth.
Michael clears his throat to speak, “Well—”
“Are you guys cosplayers?” A random worker asks, wiping the booth in front of the group.
Michael was about to respond when Jophiel cut him off with her quick wit, “Uh, yes; we are.” Jophiel chuckles nervously, waiting for the girl to leave.
“Oh okay; we get a lot of those around here, mostly gringos. You know how they are, very weird.” The woman pauses to bend down to grab an empty cup. “But anyway, enjoy yourselves at McDonald’s.” She smiles and leaves, throwing away the empty cup and going to clean a table at the other end of the building.
“You almost gave us away, if she would’ve found out—”
“Relax Jophiel, I was going to handle it just fine.” Michael hisses back to Jophiel. He clears his throat again to resume speaking with Cassy.
“We do not know why The Devil is sending his Demons to you, and we do not know why he would risk a grand scale spiritual war when the Anti-Christ hasn’t even been born. His parents have not even met yet, but we must do something, Cassy. Because this could be exceptionally dangerous for all of humanity.” Michael leans over the table on his elbows like Cassy is, he puts his hand to rest on hers. The windows to his soul, if Angels have souls, appear to be sincere and true.
Cassy leans back to consider this all. Being told an avalanche of information pertaining to a danger to your life is a lot, especially for a human. She stutters, “Um,” Cassy hesitates, “What do I have to do, though?” She tentatively raises her eyebrow.
“That’s the fun part, actually,” Gabriel adjusts himself upright into the corner of his side of the booth, next to Cassy. Speaking for the first time since they got there.
“Gabe, stop—” Jophiel rushes to silence Gabriel for his bad reputation with humans.
“Jophiel is right, do not talk to the girl, do not even look at the girl. We have all kept an inner record of how all you’ve ever done with humans is mess things up. You’ll only scare her, Gabriel.” Michael snaps at Gabriel, waving one of his hands.
“Um, guys,” Cassy puts her hand up with a low voice, gentle and innocent.
Azrael sits to the left of Cassy, looking down at her. Michael, Jophiel, and Gabriel still argue.
“Hey,” Cassy mumbles at them, again ignored.
“Guys?” Cassy says, yet again unnoticed.
“The human girl is trying to tell you all something!” Azrael finally thunders in place of Cassy. Cassy looks up at him in shock.
“That might’ve been too loud, Azrael.” She whispers into wherever his ear should be under the hood.
Michael sighs, he crosses his arms and straightens to say, “Well, Cassy. What do you wish to say…?” He gestures for her to speak.
“Speak up.” Gabriel whispers into her ear; Cassy takes a deep, shaky breath that rattles her chest and blows through her mouth.
“I want you to tell me Michael, now, if I’m saved. And if I am, then I want to know your possible theories on why I’m such a target…” Cassy crosses her arms as well, sitting straighter and adopting a strong stare.
“Cassy, I cannot tell you if you are saved yet, but what I can tell you is that you do find favor in The Lord’s eyes.” Michael leans forward once more, taking both of Cassy’s hands.
“So, with that said, I’m sure you know what I mean…” Michael nods to get her agreement, Cassy nods in agreement.
“And we have theories, but the most likely one of all, is that a righteous soul can strengthen Hell, if put down there.” Michael rests her hands facing down on the surface of the table, gently laying them slowly down.
Cassy sighs heavily and breathes in quickly, she can’t find the self-control to stop and recollect herself. She turns and hugs Gabriel, crying to him for comfort; she weeps into his chest as he cradles her head, carefully putting one hand on the back of it. He kisses her forehead and whispers, “It’s gonna be okay, we can get you out of this…”
He was quite good at this. He is quite good at this. He was always deemed the party animal of The Archangels, but none had ever seen him for the comfort and compassion he could offer humans; how he had a way with them. When he didn’t mess up…
Mary had a moment of panic when she was told about Jesus, but Gabriel comforted her and told her she’d be more ready to be a mother than she thinks, and that her son’s kingdom would never end. Gabriel made sure Daniel felt safe when explaining the latter’s vision of a war. Gabriel told Zechariah that his prayer was triumphant and that he and Elizabeth would have John, saying that John would be a righteous man. Gabriel did all of this, and none of the others recognized him for those deeds, but for messing everything up. Scaring humans.
Cassy sniffles and rubs her nose into a tissue Gabriel handed her.
She says thank you as Jophiel says, “We must be fast; we must take the girl to the borehole in Siberia.” Michael nods in agreement, Azrael as well.
“W-Wait, just where do you guys plan on taking me without even asking me?” Cassy intervenes.
“Do you know of The Well to Hell, young girl?” Azrael ominously asked, looking her straight on.
Cassy grows frustrated as she blurts, “First of all, can you guys stop calling me ‘girl’ or ‘mortal’—”
“I haven’t,” Gabriel interrupts, raising a hand.
“And second of all, I just heard the word Hell being thrown around like it’s nothing, so I am not going there, no matter how much you all need me!” Cassy raises her voice at them only so that The Archangels can hear her, no one else. Her cheeks reddened with annoyance.
“Relax, Cassandra. The Lord may have mercy, but I have reached my patience’s end! Now as a human, you will know your place. For a follower of Christ of your caliber, I would’ve never thought of the day I see you question YHWH’s plan.” Michael blurts out in response to Cassy’s discomfort. Jophiel tries to get Michael to calm down, she lays her hands on his shoulders.
Gabriel looks stunned at how Michael, someone he thought to be calm and peaceful, snapped—especially at a human. Azrael just sits side-eyeing Cassy as she cools down.
“Okay, well.” Cassy recollects herself enough to speak to Michael again, her eyes distant. Michael’s eyes soften a bit as he hears the shift in her tone. “I think I can save up just enough money to buy a ticket to Siberia then.”
Gabriel clears his throat, “Actually if we move tonight, we ourselves might be able to get you there fast enough…” Gabe’s eyes turn devilishly amused. He raises his eyebrows as if to ask if Cassy would take the offer.
“Oh no,” Cassy slowly shook her head in sudden realization. “Oh God no! There is no way in Hell—pun not intended—that I’m going to let you all fly me there. I feel much more secure in an airplane!” Cassy blurts.
Michael rests his elbows on the table, his fingers intertwined as he rests his chin on his hands to think.
Michael finally speaks, “What if I were to say that we can protect you in Hell?” Michael proposed, he looks straight at Cassy.
“I know very well that you can, it’s in all your capacity. But how is it guaranteed to me that you can get there in time if there is just the slightest chance something might happen?” Cassy looks between Michael and Jophiel, then to Gabriel, her eyes hesitating to look at Azrael head-on.
“Fair enough, Cassandra—”
“It’s Cassy.”
“Yes Cassandra,” Michael says, furrowing his brow in confusion at what he just said. “A-Anyway, I don’t think there’s anything else we can do, so either you come with us, under our protection, to Hell, or you could stay put.”
“I must interrupt,” Jophiel puts her hand up. Michael and Cassy look at Jophiel. “I can’t bring you yourself to Heaven, Cassy, but what I can do it bring a little Heaven down to you.”
Cassy’s eyes narrow, Michael stares sidelong at Jophiel, for he might know where this is going.
“Jo—”
“I can go up to Heaven tonight and get a little something for you to wear, and I think it might change your mind about this whole journey.” Jophiel smiles at Cassy then looks at Michael mischievously. Michael groans at Jophiel’s plan…
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Produce, Before Dawn
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