Doug:
The Despised Angel
By
Kevin Michael Guest
SMASHWORDS EDITION
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PUBLISHED BY:
Kevin Michael Guest on Smashwords
Doug: The Despised Angel
Copyright © 2011 by Kevin Michael Guest
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents, other than the historical information, are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
To my Mother,
who spent many an hour dressing me in my youth for Sunday school.
Without your tireless efforts as a Christian Woman,
I would not have the values I deeply cherish today.
Who am I?
I’m going to kill you. Your will remember the swipe of my sickle across the nape of your neck for the next thousand years. You will cower in fear as I draw back my weapon, pleading for God to save you, but alas he shall hear of you no more. Though my blow will be swift and timely, it will travel in slow motion as the dented and cracked metal scrapes against your flesh, collecting a sample of your blood, and severing your head from your body. Every lacerated cut will be felt until your flesh is no more. You cannot escape me, though you will try, I shall find you. Since the first cell of your being was formed I have been on the hunt for you, aching to extinguish the light from your life. That is your fate. All who have come before you have sold all they had to avoid me, but in the end, when they were penniless and all their worldly treasures had been taken, they cowered before me, and like I did to them, I shall show you no mercy.
I am guessing that’s what you expect to hear, but that’s about as far from the truth as it can get. Before we move on, I would first like to say I dislike the picture on the cover of this book. I neither carry a sickle nor kill people. It seems that the only image that the human world has of me is that of a monstrous figure who hides in the shadows waiting to steal your lives and deny your prayers. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
I have finally grown tired of being seen in such a monstrous way. So you may come to better understand me, I have decided to share with you the cases of Bill, Brian, Celina, Charley, Creep, Henry, Tina, Rob, and a few instant transformations. Together we will go in and out of these people’s lives as I try to counsel and aid them in the last moments of their journey. Some of these cases presented will be enjoyable and some will not, but what matters in the end is that they realize what’s important. The reason I am sharing this now, is so that when I come into your life, you will be better prepared to receive me. I hope after reviewing a few of my cases, it will give you a better perspective on your own life as well as my place in God’s universe.
Now I have to say in the world of the man, I am probably the most despised creature of all. You see, my name is Doug and I have no last name. As you have probably guessed already, I am not human. I am an Angel; however in places of worship, you will not find any statues of me.
You won’t hear my name invoked in religious circles, at least not for any good reasons and you won’t find me on any stain glass windows or any nice paintings. For all good reasons, most humans will spend their last dime to avoid me. The problem is, is that you’re going to meet me, like it or not, and I guarantee you, I am not what you expect.
Now some of you will meet me prior to your transformation. Some of you will have long talks with me as I comfort you throughout the process. Unfortunately, some of you will meet me in an instant and in rare circumstances, not at all, but we’ll get to that later.
If I just came out and told you who I was, it would have little meaning, so instead I am going to show you…
The Sudden Case of the Billings Family
The setting is a local grocery store just outside of Athens, Georgia. Meet Ann Billings, the proud mother of twin boys, Anthony and Mark. She stands all of five foot six, medium build, blonde hair, blue eyes, perfect smile, and teeth so white they could light a dark room. In her early days, she was a cheerleader for the University of Georgia. She has nearly thirty t-shirts and sweatshirts that say ‘Go Dawgs’ on them. She has never missed a football game and swears she never will.
She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and teaches at a local elementary school where she won teacher of the year. Her classroom is decorated in her favorite color, brown, because it is an earth tone and that nearly everything goes well with that color.
Her political views are right now the center. She agrees with government health care but wants stronger border enforcement. She is a registered democrat in a red state, but she does not always support the democrats. From time to time she has split her vote, rarely voting down party lines.
Now, while all of this seems to make up a perfect person, just like everyone else, she has skeletons in her closet. She has been successfully hiding her past from her husband. During her college years she experimented in the use of illegal substances, lesbianism and briefly as a porn star. In addition, she has been unfaithful to her husband twice since her marriage and she is still searching for an alternative lover. Her public screen name is AnnOfHearts, but her secret screen name is AnnsLegs. On top of this, she has a rather dark sense of humor and would not mind being sexually harassed by either of the school’s principles, one a woman and the other a man.
Now why am I telling you this? So you will pass judgment upon her? You better not! Did you know she is also the leader of her Sunday school class at church? She gives nearly twelve percent of her paycheck in tithes and offerings and also serves on several of the churches boards. If that is not enough, she also sings in the church choir and often donates her time to worthy causes.
Ann is what I call a flawed, but hopeful person. True, she has her issues, both morally and spiritually, but she is always at war with her vices and prays on a regular basis for help. She would be absolutely devastated if her family found out about her past.
Now Ann is married to a very successful lawyer, John Billings. He stands six feet tall, dark brown hair, brown eyes, thin to muscular build with Cary Grant good looks. He played football for the University of Georgia and was a member of the most elite frat house.
Today he works for a law firm on the east side of Athens; Barton, Craig, and Watkins. In another year, it is possible that he could make partner. He has tried several successful cases in Atlanta, most notably defending one of Atlanta’s elite on a triple murder case. It took just thirty minutes to deliver a ‘not-guilty’ verdict. Afterwards, his reputation in Atlanta was mixed and he made many of the nightly talk shows during his fifteen minutes of fame. Most of the shows were oppositional to him, as most believed his client was guilty.
What’s the truth? His client was guilty. He killed his maid and his step son, and then stabbed his wife to death. Why did he do it? His wife was about to file for divorce because she caught him having an affair with an intern. His prenuptial agreement stated that ‘in case of an extra-marital encounter, the perpetrator will forfeit sixty-five percent of the estate and agree to alimony payments as set forth by the court.’
In any case, John is a dedicated father and spends as much time with his two boys as possible. Though they are young, he hopes to guide them into a life of sports, perhaps going all the way to the NFL. Something he was unable to do.
Again, describing John in this way, like Ann, paints him as pretty decent fellow. However, what his wife and family don’t know is that John is beginning to feel his family may be a burden upon his success. He has expressed the desire to run for Congress to Ann many times, but she is dead set against leaving Georgia. Lately, with the success of his last case, he has been contemplating a divorce.
Though he feels bad for this, his sin of vanity is growing every day. He is having trouble dealing with it and would like to see a marriage counselor, but Ann refuses. Unfortunately John is also engaged in an extra marital affair and the woman is encouraging his desire to be in congress.
Now, I am sure the women reading this now find John repulsive. They fail to see what a good father and provider he is. They are willing to forgive Ann for her transgressions, but John should be shot. Luckily for both Ann and John, I am not as judgmental, in fact, I don’t judge at all. On occasion I do give advice, but that all depends on the character of the individual.
Now why are we talking about Ann and John? Because like I said in the beginning, they are in a grocery store right now and their lives are about to be changed. Ann is watching Mark as she shops for groceries while John spends time with Anthony in the hardware section. Each one is picking out items and need or want.
It has been about an hour since they went in and the events that have occurred since last night have led them up to this point. You see, last night, Ann forgot to set the alarm clock. She wanted to wake up at 5:30a.m., so she could get an early start to the laundry. She hates it when her Saturday is bogged down with domestic chores. However, John forgot to turn off his alarm clock, which wakes him at 6:00a.m. Therefore, when his alarm clock went off, Ann got up as John cursed himself for not turning it off. He hates alarm clocks on Saturday, but Ann ignores him and always sets hers, except for today.
Later in the morning, around 10a.m., John rolled out of bed to the smell of bacon and eggs. He put on his robe, attempted to brush his hair, which remained in a bed-head state, and wandered down to breakfast.
As he entered the kitchen, he saw his wife and children already halfway through eating. Normally the family eats together, but on Saturday it’s a fend-for-yourself day.
Once he began eating, his wife began talking to him about all of the day’s activities. The boys had a soccer game at 2:00p.m., the neighbors were coming over for a barbeque about 6:30p.m., and a babysitter would be there at 8p.m., so the adults could go to a movie.
She told him that while he did the yard work, she would be at the store getting items for tonight’s dinner. He agreed to the plan and everything seemed to be in order, until he went to the shed in the backyard. He found that he was out of gas for the mower and charcoal for the barbeque. To make matters worse, he had crashed his car a few days earlier and due to a big event at the university, there were no rentals available. He and his wife had been sharing her car ever since.
Upon telling his wife of the gas and charcoal situation, she decided they should all go to the store and gather the things they needed. That brings us back to the store, where Ann and John have been shopping separately up until this moment.
Ann called John on her cell phone to let him know she was waiting in the front for him, “Would you hurry up John?! The boy’s soccer game is in an hour and we still need to get them ready!”
“Ok dear, I’ll be there in a moment.” John quickly gathered the remainder of his items and hurried to the front of the store. However, their hurried attempt was in vain due to the long wait at the checkout stand.
The employees hated working on Saturday and hated even more having to run a register on Saturday. They were not only taking their time, but also gossiping with anyone who would talk with them. This caused some blood pressures to skyrocket, but most customers opted not to say anything, although a few did. Ann was one of them…
She was staring at a rather overweight black woman with pink streaks in her hair, way too much makeup, long fake fingernails, and a shirt that was two sizes too small, showing off her bulging cleavage to anyone looking her direction. Ann smarted off to her after she had had enough, “Ma’am would you please just do your job and not tell your life story to every customer?”
The woman turned and looked at her with a daring expression, moving her head from left to right, “Excuse me?”
Ann looked at her with distain, “Yes I was talking to you. We all would be very appreciative if you would just do your job.”
The woman stopped what she was doing and pointed her finger at Ann, using it as she talked. “You don’t know who the hell you’re talking to?! You don’t know me! You can take your white ass to someone else’s line. I ain’t checking you out. Tell’n me how to do my job. Your white ass couldn’t do my job! Standing there with your box of Wheeties and your sagging cheeks. What I do is a service to the community! I’m as needed as a paramedic or some shit. So you can take your white ass and white on down the road!”
Some of the patrons could not help but laugh while some commented she would be a good comedian, but not Ann. She stood her ground and refused to move, though she did not comment further, she felt that the low class lifestyle this woman lived was punishment enough for her sarcastic mouth. In the end, she would leave and go back to her well-to-do home and this cow-of-a- woman would return to the projects.
John just looked the other way during the exchange, which was the wrong move to make. Afterwards, Ann looked at him, wondering why he did not call for a manager. She thought to herself, ‘If this was court you would have spoken up!’
Ann’s seething anger continued after they had checked out. The cashier looked at her and said, “Have a nice day now.” But what she really meant was, “Go cross the street without looking.”
John knew he was in trouble when Ann refused to allow him to push the basket to the car. When she got angry, she always took charge. She always believed that in the end, it was her responsibility to see that things got done the right way, her way.
So she pushed the cart back to the car while John guided the boys through the traffic. She unloaded the contents of the cart into the back of the SUV then put the cart away. John loaded the boys into the back seat, into their baby seats. When he was done, he went to the driver’s side, but ran into his wife. The look on her face said, ‘I’ve got the keys and your seats on the other side.’
He had learned long ago that the best way to deal with her was to let her calm down on her own. She had quite a knack for bringing up past events to bring him down. It was best to just give her space. However, she really was looking for a fight.
As she backed out, she looked at John, “You know, I am getting tired of you just taking other peoples crap!”
“What do you mean?
“Oh come off it John! You stood right there as that woman mouthed off to me and didn’t say a thing!”
Ann turned right onto the main boulevard and moved into the middle lane. This, like many things always irritated John. The next turn was two streets up on the right, but now that she moved into the middle lane, she would have to move over to the right, again.
“Ann, sometimes events are just not worth arguing about.”
“Whatever, I mean—”
—Suddenly everyone in the car heard, “Close your eyes.” It was as much of a sensation as it was a feeling. Both John and Ann, along with the boys, closed their eyes, as a feeling of calm came over them.
A moment later they opened their eyes and saw me. “Hi, I’m Doug. I would like to welcome you to your transformational state.”
Mark looked up at me and smiled, “I would like to see Grandma, is she is available, and Grandpa too. I always wanted to discuss his role in the military and his thoughts on the global economic situation that gave rise to the powers of Nazi Germany.”
Ann and John were shocked. Mark was talking like a full grown adult, not a four year old kid.
Anthony looked at him, “Yes and also need to discuss the gaseous clouds that make up the majority of matter within the known universe.”
Ann and John were stunned. I looked at them with compassion, “Children accept this state much quicker than adults do. There imagination is more fused with reality at this point in their life. They don’t understand the complexities of the human existence and therefore do not dismiss things that don’t necessarily make sense.”
As much as Ann had to say before, she had nothing to say now. It was John who spoke up. “We’re not alive anymore are we?”
This is quite a common question. “You are very much alive! Living is not a human condition. Living is a condition set forth by God. Your existence on Earth has ended and now you have entered the transformational state.”
John looked at Ann, then me, “What do you mean the transformational state?”
I walked over and put my hand on each of their shoulders, “In this place you must come to the realization that your life on Earth has ended. You must let go of all of your responsibilities, dreams, fears, and emotional ties. This place is a temporary state before judgment. Where you go from here is between you and God. It is personal and it is private. Your children share the same intelligence as you, and you share the same intelligence as all others. To put it mildly, the bonds of Earth have passed. In your marriage, it was until death do you part. Now you have parted. Your time here is individualized. Any of you may be taken to the next step before the other. I urge you to separate from each other and to clear your mind of your Earthly concerns. That will minimize your time here, now go.”
Afterwards, Ann and John walked away from each other and their children. Where they went is unknown. They each entered their own state of transformation and my job with them was complete. However, my job with the children was not complete, as you will see later when we talk about another case involving a child.
Now, I understand that some of you may be curious on how the family got there. All of the events were set into play when John crashed his car a few days ago. The series of events that unfolded led to the final conclusion of their lives. As Ann was yelling at John on the way home from the store, she failed to see the red light and plowed the vehicle under a big rig. Had she remembered to set her alarm, this event may not have happened. I have to volunteer that, because some of life’s choices can lead to the same conclusion, even if you take a different path, but make no mistake; all choices lead to the same conclusion, to me.
In this case, because transformation was to be instant, I decided not to make my presence known until after the event had occurred. Now perhaps you understand what I do. It’s nice to meet you, my name is Doug, and I am the Angel of Transformation.
The Case of Bill
Now I have to admit that some of you might have found that previous story a bit depressing or disturbing. Because of that, I would like to introduce you to a person who has welcomed me with open arms. He resides in an assisted living home in Lancaster, Texas. Now from time to time, in places like this, you may have heard someone say, I welcome death. It is quite possible that they were talking about me. In some cases, as I mentioned earlier, some people spend a bit of time with me before they move into the transformational period.
As I walked into the assisted living home, I am not noticed by everyone. Like the rest of the Earth group, and yes, that’s how you are classified, I have the ability to make my presence known to anyone I choose to. God has put very little restriction on my activities, giving me the freedom to do my job as I see fit. You have to understand, in order for free will to prosper and for faith to take root, a hands off approach was implemented by God. He neither saves you from entering the transformational period nor stops you. That is a much kinder way of saying he does not save you from death. The reason I don’t use the word death is because death implies a final conclusion. As you have seen, the idea of the human death is a folly; you simply enter the transformational period.
As I walked down the hall of the assisted living home, I mostly go unnoticed. A few of the elderly residents saw me, but they are comforted by my presence, not scared. They know that in time, they will be going with me as well. In any case, let me introduce you to the man I am working with now. His name is Bill Rawlings.
Bill is a very unusual soul. He was born in Oklahoma, one of six brothers and one sister. Before we move on, let’s talk about Bill’s past for a few minutes to understand what has led him to me.
Bill’s childhood was fairly normal for this time in history. He lived in abject poverty during his entire childhood. He, along with his brothers enjoyed outdoor activities, with baseball being their favorite. As he grew up, he did all the things a normal boy would do. He was happy and content with life, until he turned eighteen and was drafted into the U.S. Army. He, like many he knew, was off to boot camp where they learned all manner of killing techniques.
Once he was done with boot camp, he was sent to the Philippines where he encountered some of the bloodiest battles of the war. He fought hand to hand combat and killed many enemies. Now you may be asking yourself, was I there for those men as well? The answer is yes, but this is not about their struggle.
Bill survived the war and returned to play baseball on a farm team in Oklahoma. He was talented enough that a farm team picked him up. He played in many games, but before he could take the field for the first time as a major league player, while playing second base, his left hand was spiked by the runners’ shoe as he tried to tag him out. It was a career ending injury and he never played baseball again.
His life from there was rather straight forward; he worked for several companies, but he never achieved more than a blue collar wage. Finally, after decades of hard labor, he was forced to retire because of his age.
One bad habit that followed Bill his whole life was smoking. While he was growing up, cigarettes were freely marketed and even promoted as healthy. However, his smoking increased exponentially after his wife entered into the transformation period.
At the time, he was not aware that he was suffering from the beginning effects of emphysema, however, his increased smoking habit caused his condition to accelerate. Finally, he realized he was unable to take care of himself and moved into an assisted living home. That is where I met him for the first time…
When I first saw Bill, he was being quite reckless with himself. I thought his transformation was imminent. You see this old man, dressed in tan kakis and a plain dark brown long sleeve shirt, racing a red electric wheel chair against other wheel chaired men in the parking lot of the facility. It was a sight to be seen. From what I understood, the men were betting their pieces of chocolate cake that they saved from lunch. Naturally Bill won.
I watched as he gloated over his victory but not in a mean spirited way. The real winner was actually the wheel chair. It had just come off the charger. When the management of the facility learned what was going on outside, they panicked and quickly rushed to stop them. They were just in time to see Bill avoid getting hit by a car turning into the parking lot.
The manager, a young woman in her late thirties, grabbed her chest as she witnessed the near collision. The car turned into the parking lot as Bill thrust the joystick on the chair to the right, causing the chair to almost tip as it turned. The expression on his face was one of horror as the vehicle missed him by less than an inch! The manager rushed over to him and scolded him for his brazen act. However, the men quickly came to his defense and told the ‘paper pusher’ to get back to work.
The young woman refused to listen to their demands and insisted that everyone go inside at once! The old men, though not intimidated by this firecracker, could not afford to be on her bad side. She often turned a blind eye to some of their antics, but they knew she had been pushed too far. They feared she might take away their biscuits and gravy in the morning if they did not obey.
The men returned and rolled into the dining room, where several women were sitting around a table gossiping. They ignored the women and gathered around a different table, where their chocolate cakes were waiting for them.
I expected to see Bill ungraciously accept his winning pieces of cake, but that’s not what happened. He did take his piece, but the piece he won; he gave to man name Mr. Yopp. He was a frail gentlemen; much older, and very sweet. His wife had passed some years ago. Her name was Gertrude and I remember assisting in her transformation.
I was amazed by Bill’s caring and generosity. I had a feeling that this was not going to be a quick transformation. I took a moment to look into Mr. Yopp’s past and found he was a sad lonely soul, until Bill arrived at the home…
Until Bill came, Mr. Yopp kept mostly to himself. That however changed when Bill traded his prize golf clubs, which he never let anyone play with, to his grandson in exchange for a big screen television.
Mr. Yopp had a difficult time seeing, but like Bill, he loved baseball. Once the television was installed, Bill gathered his friends, including Mr. Yopp, to show off his new toy. Suddenly, in the confined space of Bill’s room, Mr. Yopp was silent no more. He could both hear and see the picture on the television, and for the first time in nearly two years, he was watching baseball.
I was very impressed to learn how Bill improved Mr. Yopp’s life. Before Bill came to the home, Mr. Yopp ate little and was borderline malnourished. However, as soon as Bill met Mr. Yopp, he advocated for him and the other residents. One of the small things that Bill did was to improve the eating conditions. The food board was made up of women who did not listen to the men about the menu. Bill was quick to get himself appointed to the board and was successful in getting biscuits and gravy on the breakfast menu. Though that is a small gesture, the men really appreciated it. The manager however often threatened to take it away if the men got out of line, which they did regularly. However, she never did take away their favorite breakfast.
Mr. Yopp’s feelings towards Bill were just as strong. He took a shining to Bill the moment he met him. With Bill’s friendship, Mr. Yopp had something to live for. He began eating more and feeling better. Bill even made sure Mr. Yopp took the right pills on the right day.
You see, when I am observing a person, I get a good feel for the type of person they are. This gives me a better idea of how I should go about counseling or if they deserve counseling prior to their transformation. In Bill’s case, he does.
After the baseball game was over and the men had left, I appeared behind him. Now I want to tell you that there are spirits in the world, and when a person comes across one, it can be a very disturbing event.
Bill turned and saw me for the first time. His face was of shock and horror. “I’m going to die.”
I smiled at him, “No, you’re going to transform. Death is such a final outcome. This is not final.”
He just stared at me, “You’re the Angel of Death!”
I shook my head. I had heard that billions of times, but still, no matter how I presented myself, I could never get across to the human world that when their taken from their physical body, they are transforming, not dying. “No, Bill, I’m Doug, the Angel of Transformation.”
He put his hands out, “So I’m dead. So what happens now?”
I quickly learned how stubborn Bill was. “No, you’re not dead, nor will you be when you transform, which you have not done yet. I am here to help you. We are about to go through some things and I will be here to help you work them out.”
He sat down on the edge of the bed, “How will you do that?”
“First of all, I will answer any questions you have to the best of my ability. Second, you now know that your transformation is close, therefore you have time to put your affairs in order. Third, you also have time to work out any unresolved conflicts within you. When you do transform, how long you spend in that state is up to you. It is best that you come to terms with what is happening now, so that you can move on from the transformational state as soon as possible.”
“What happens after the transformational state?”
“You’re judged based on the life you led.”
“What happens then?”
I have learned over time that it is best to leave those kind of questions unanswered. One reason is to keep the person as calm as possible and the second is that I don’t really know. I just smiled at Bill, “This really is not why I am here. The Bible can tell you all you want to know about judgment. I am here as a counselor and a friend. I will come several times to visit with you. I want you to begin thinking of the things that need to be done prior to your transformation. This is not just about you, but about all of those around you.”
His eyes told of the deepness of his thoughts, “I need some time to ponder all of this.”
“I will come back soon. However, do not let this knowledge bring you down. Take care of Mr. Yopp and all those around you, and we shall speak soon.”
At that moment I felt my presence was needed elsewhere. I vanished from his sight and found myself in a rather interesting circumstance.
Lady Antabella and the Body Guard
The following may be difficult for you to understand, but though what you read below seems to happen in sequence, it actually happens at the same time…
I would like to tell you that I went to the beach, or somewhere similar after visiting with Bill, but I didn’t. In my occupation, a councilor is always needed. There is never a shortage of work. In this case, I found myself aboard a plane, a small private jet, a G-5, to be precise. On board was one of the most famous pop singers in the world, Lady Antabella.
Though she was an American pop star, she was actually from Great Britain. Her lyrics and onstage presence made parents uneasy as her music appealed to the younger audience, but her actions were quite adult.
She boasted that she often used illegal substances while writing lyrics and enjoyed a bisexual lifestyle. Her religious attributes leave a lot to be desired. She has professed to be an atheist, though I know that is only for shock value. She does believe in God and talks to him on occasion, but for the wrong reasons. She wants more power and fame. She is addicted to money and the lifestyle it affords her.
Unfortunately that is a common folly among the rich and famous. They become so self sufficient, that the notion of God only gets in their way. They feel that the burdens of religion are to boost the spirits of the poor and less fortunate. In some cases, the rich feel that they have been blessed by God, just as some Kings feel they have been ordained by him. They have been fooled by the people who surround them that they will not be held accountable for their actions, as they live above those who deserve judgment.
There are those who may read this and feel that is quite impossible, but I assure you, there are those in this world who are blinded by their arrogance and their possessions. Lady Antabella is one of them.
I have decided that after reviewing her life, I will not council her before her transformation. I have not found enough good within her soul to be effective in such a short period. That, however, is not true of her body guard Jacob.
He is a practicing Catholic and though he has been offered to take part in the benefits of wealth, he has rejected them. When less than Godly circumstances were occurring, Jacob left the area, usually to guard an outside door. His excuse was always, “If I am in there; who will be out here to see to it that the Lady’s good time is not disturbed?”
From time to time, he even tried to bring up religion with the Lady, but she shut him down quickly, and refused to discuss religious matters.
One might ask, why would he work for such a person? The reason is simple; he knew the Lady before her rise to power and is hoping his Christian example will eventually set her straight.
Another one of his great attributes is his generosity. Though he is unable to attend mass on most Sunday’s due to the Lady’s touring schedule, he does mail back his tithes and offerings with every paycheck. It is because of the life that he has led, that I am going to council him…
As I walked down the small aisle in the cabin of the plane, Jacob felt my presence. He turned as I put my hand on his shoulder. “Hello Jacob, I’m Doug, the Angel of Transformation.”
He knew that my presence meant that the plane was going to crash; however, the love of God that flowed through him calmed his nerves. He smiled at me, “Please sit down.”
I smiled back as I sat. “Our time is short here. I would like to answer any questions you may have.”
He looked at me and sighed, “Can I tell those in the back?”
I shook my head. The Lady was rather involved in an event of debauchery. “This is about you. Let’s focus on you, ok?”
He nodded with a serious look on his face. I could see his mind racing, trying to find the perfect question. This is not unusual, especially when time is short. However, the truth is there is no perfect question. In addition, as with all those I council, I will answer all questions, one by one, until you have run out of them or you’re getting repetitive.
Finally he found one, “My parents died when I was a young child, will I get to see them?”
That was actually a very good question. I smiled at him, “In some cases, relatives are sent from Heaven to the transformational state to greet loved ones. In your case, yes I can have your parents there for you.”
I could see the tears welling up in his eyes. “They died when I was very young, in a fire.”
“Yes they did, but do you know how you survived that fire?”
“No.”
I took his hand, “Your mother woke to the smell of burning wood. She rushed out of her room into a hallway that was filled with smoke. She realized that the bottom floor of the house was on fire. Her only concern was for you. She rushed into your room where you were sleeping in your crib. She wrapped you with as many blankets as she could then carried you back to her room, where your father had busted out the bedroom window.
As he looked down, he saw neighbors gathering. He called for them and they hurried over. Your mother handed you to him and he dropped you into the neighbors waiting arms.
Moments later the floor of their bedroom collapsed and they perished in the fire. Their only concern was to get you out of the house. They transformed knowing that you were safe.”
Jacob wiped the tears from his eyes as I held his hand. “Now Jacob, I want you to close your eyes.”
He did as I instructed and when he opened them, he stood in front of his parents. They embraced him and shared the most heartfelt tears over the joy of his life. They had watched their son grow to being a faithful servant of Christ and a wonderful man.
I watched as the three of them vanished from the transformational state. I was glad that Jacob’s transformation was quick. I knew the gates of heaven were open as wide as possible to welcome him into God’s home. Unfortunately, Lady Antabella was a different story.
As I approached the Lady, I addressed her by her real name, “Lea, welcome to the transformational state. Here you must let go of—”
She looked at me as if I was the devil himself, “—I don’t know who the hell you think you are, but you better not be telling me that I am dead!”
“No, you’re not dead, only transforming into your next life.”
In an instant she vanished, but not because she transformed. She returned to Earth and was sitting on a tree stump near the crashed plane. Now some of you may find that hard to believe, well, you may find all of this hard to believe, but a soul does have the power to go back if it wishes to. This however is not recommended. Once you transform into the next state, you cannot go back to your physical body. You must move into the next stage of life or you may become stuck in the prior one.
I hurried to Lea, to convince her to return to the transformational state. As I approached I could feel how powerful her desire to remain was. “Lea, you have to return to the transformational state. Your life here has reached its conclusion. There is nothing more for you here.”
She jutted out her chin and shook her head. This is typical of the wealthier of society. They have such a love of their life that even in transformation; their vanity can overpower the natural order of things.
“Lea, if you choose to stay here, you will never again have the use of your money. No one will call your name and your life will be meaningless. Don’t do this.”
I could see the tears coming down her face. It is rare that I meet a soul this stubborn. Even of the wealthiest, they usually transform. If they don’t, they will remain on the Earth until the end. However, unlike the souls that transform, the time ‘til the end will not be the blink of an eye, but will be in actual Earth time.
“Lea, I am not allowed to be with you for much longer. You are setting yourself up for a punishment you do not deserve. I urge you to transform now or your wait could be thousands of years.”
I held out my hands to show her the crash site. “This plane has crashed in the forest. Soon people will come, but they will not be able to see or hear you. They will clean up the site and leave. Do not condemn yourself to this life. Do not become a ghost. It is a hellish life, but once begun, it’s difficult to be undone.”
She looked at me then walked into the forest. I had lost her soul. I felt my time with her was up and another poor soul was in need.
The Case of Celina
I have to warn you that this situation is extremely delicate. It is about a woman name Celina Quinn-Robinson. She is thirty-four years old and a survivor of breast cancer.
It all started about eleven years ago, just after she graduated college. She was working on a promising career in journalism and spent many weeks overseas. To her credit were her exceptional good looks. She had a face made for television.
During her adventure, she met the Queen of England and many other dignitaries. For a short time she worked in the London headquarters for CNN as an anchor. However, on one fateful day, during a routine mammogram, the Doctor discovered a tumor inside her left breast.
Upon receiving the news, she immediately was granted a transfer back to the states. Once she was back, she underwent two surgeries and months of chemotherapy, but a year later the cancer returned and she was forced to undergo a double mastectomy.
Her road to recovery was a long and painful one. For a long time, she refused to look at herself in the mirror and insisted on showering in the dark. Though many admired her breasts, she had often found them to be a burden of attention. She was a blessed woman and guys were quite cruel with their over eager stares and comments. However, now that they were gone, she felt as if her beauty had gone with them.
The story does however have a happy ending. Her therapist, a Dr. William Robinson, admired her for everything she was, and treated her with respect and admiration. At first he was leery because she was a patient of his, but Celina could tell that his interest was beyond therapeutic. She knew that if she wanted more with him, because of his situation, she would have to make the first move. She did, and they were married two years later.
For a long time, Celina had hinted at the prospect of children, but Will insisted that they wait the appropriate amount of time to insure she would remain cancer free.
Seven and a half years later, Celina gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Together with Will, they named the child Hope. It was a darling, healthy little baby, full of life, just like her mother.
Celina adored the child, taking every photo opportunity she could. Will also proved to be quite the father. He often spoke of future Father-Daughter dances he would attend with young Hope. Out of such tragedy had come such joy.
Unfortunately, all good things must end, and since I am telling you this story, you ultimately know where it ends. It is now the eleventh year since Celina first contracted breast cancer and she and her husband have been called to her oncologist’s office…
“Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, thank you for coming.”
Celina and Will have been dreading this day. A few months ago, Celina began getting headaches and normal medication was not solving her issues. She was treated for migraines, but there was very little relief.
Finally a doctor suggested they do an MRI on her head, and that’s when her oncologist was notified.
As Celina and Will sat across from her doctor, time seemed to stand still. They hung on his every word, fearing the worse. It was like a nightmare where a person could not run away, no matter how hard they tried.
The doctor pulled out a copy of the MRI and delivered the news, “I am sorry Celina, but you have a brain tumor.”
The couple was in shock. Celina had been cancer free for so long and now it was back. Will looked up at the doctor and mumbled, “How did this…” In mid-sentence, his emotions overwhelmed him and he was unable to finish.
The oncologist was used to delivering bad news. He felt the five stages of acceptance were the healthiest way to deal with such a devastating diagnosis.
Celina looked up at him, “When do I have to start chemo?”
He rolled his upper lip over his bottom, “You won’t. The tumor is too deep. It is inoperable and untreatable.”
The sadness and shock on her face told the doctor to give them some privacy. “Take all the time you need.” As he left she kissed Will on the head as she starred at the wall. She was more worried about consoling him at the moment than herself, then it hit her…Hope.
Like I said before, this is an extremely delicate situation. In her particular case, it was less about her getting her affairs in order as it was getting her mind in order. For now, it’s time to check in on Bill.
Counseling Bill- Session 1
As I walked into the room, though Bill instantly sensed my presence, he did not turn away from his television. He continued to watch his program, “I saw your handy work this morning.”
He was referring to the plane crash. “Now Bill, we’ve been over this. I don’t cause people to transform.”
Bill is a brash character. He loves to argue! I tend to know what he is going to say before he does. Even as he turns to me now, I can mouth the words as he speaks them, “Transform my butt, it is called death! Those people died. Why can’t you accept that you’re the Angel of Death?”
“Bill, we’ve been over this. I am the Angel of Transformation. Death implies permanency. I am there to aid and comfort them during this time in their lives.”
“Yeah, yeah, so is it my turn yet?”
“No, soon though. Do you have all of your affairs in order?”
He rolled his eyes, “What affairs? I am a poor veteran who spends every dime just to live in this place. Look around, this is all I have! Let’s get this over with!”
As much as I would like to oblige him, I can’t. See, he is a good soul, and thus I try to give those who have lived a long and full life a good amount of time to see to their affairs. He is still holding on to something, and I want to give him a chance to let go of it. “Don’t worry Bill, your time will come. In the meantime, is there anything else you would like to ask?”
He looked at me and sighed, “Actually yes.”
I walked over and sat down in the chair next to him, “Proceed.”
“Can you tell me how my wife di—, I mean, transformed?”
This was a question that I am frequently asked. It often helps people to understand about those who went before them. “Sure, I’ll be glad to tell you about that…”
As I entered, Francis was sitting in her wheel chair at the end of the kitchen table. The trailer was a double wide, but still quite cramped. The table was a 1950’s design with steel legs and a marbled veneer surface. Covering the table were letters, newspapers, and medications.
Bill sat at the table, smoking and reading the newspaper, with a portable electronic air filter next to him. Francis was working on one of her dolls, a hand crafted piece of art. She was disabled, with so many ailments it would take all day to list. Her main issues were diabetes and arthritis. The doctors were often amazed she was still alive, but it was her own will that did it. She had two goals, to see her grandson, Justin, graduate High School, and to see the millennium turn.
As I observed Bill and Francis, I got a pretty good idea of how they lived their lives. Later in the evening, I noticed that because of Francis’s medical condition, the two slept in separate rooms. This gave me the perfect opportunity to visit with Francis in person.
As she was just about to fall asleep, I walked into her room. “Hello Francis.”
You might expect that she was startled. Most people are. However, she simply looked up at me with pursed lips and said, “You’re a bit over due aren’t you?”
I smiled at her, “My timing has everything to do with you and your needs. I am here to make this transformation a bit easier on you and your family.”
She looked off to the side, “I am ready, as is my family. There is nothing to be done, let’s just get this over with.”
“My dear Francis, everything is not done. I want you to think about what you still have to give and what you’re still holding on to. I want you to sleep easy and enjoy the time you have left. We will speak again soon.”
After I vanished from her sight, I watched her fall asleep. She slept more peaceful that night than she had in years. For some, the understanding that the time they have left is short can be a relaxing feeling. They don’t typically go through any type of depression or denial. These are the ones I give the most time. They tend to make the most progress toward preparing their families in the way they feel will be the most gentle.
I visited Francis again the following week. She was just sitting on the bed in her nightgown, preparing for another night’s sleep. She did not see me, but she could feel my presence, “I know your there. I’ve been waiting for you.”
I materialize just before she turned her head. “What have you been doing?”
She smiled at me, “Giving stuff away.”
“Good, I am glad you’re letting go. Is there anything you would like to know?” This is a pivotal moment. Most of the time people have hundreds, if not thousands of questions. The more I answer the more questions they come up with. However, one question is asked more than any other…
Bill looked at me, “Is is going to hurt?”
“That’s right, that’s what she asked me. How did you know that?”
“Because I remember when she started giving things away. It was during that time that she began asking those type questions.”
Even though I knew the answer he was about to give, I still had to let him get it out of his system, “And what was your response?” I could see the tears welling up in his eyes. He instantly had a feeling of regret.
“I told her she was being stupid. That death, no matter how it came, would be painful. I asked her why she was dwelling on such foolish nonsense.”
I reached up and put my hand on him. “You could not have known that she was in contact with me. Your response was innocent enough, and she was not hurt by it. She knew how you felt, how you hated to discuss what was inevitable.”
I watched as Bill broke down emotionally. I knew talking about his wife would not be easy, but perhaps it has made things easier on him. Perhaps now he can put things in perspective. “I’m going to leave you for now Bill. I will be back later, we will talk more then.”
His emotional state had deteriorated so much that he did not respond. Perhaps that was for the best. For now, a fine officer is in need of me.
The Case of Charley
The case is about a seventeen year veteran of the Fort Worth Police Department in Fort Worth, Texas. He is a former Army Sniper and a good man. He served his county in the first Gulf War and did not lose any of the men under him. He was well respected by his superiors both in the army and in the police force.
The name of this good man is Charley Hurst. In addition to his military and police service, he was married to a wonderful woman named Jane and had two daughters, Alice and Kerry. He was a wonderful father and Christian.
When I became aware of Charley’s imminent transformation, I decided to pay him a visit. It was on a clear Tuesday night with a full moon directly overhead, as if the eye of God was looking down on all.
The air was clean and crisp. A cold front in the early evening had blown out all of the pollution and dust. The air smelled fresh and clean. The night was described by most as perfect, but not for Charley.
Charley was sitting inside a black van with his fellow officers. They were strapping protective armor onto themselves, preparing for the worst. Each of the men prayed silently, worried about the mission at hand and about their families they might leave behind.
Charley was the front man. He was the one who would enter the building first. He had earned this spot and was proud of it; however it was also the most dangerous spot.
A moment later the back door of the van opened and a man in a black and white suit handed a packet to Charley. “It’s a go.”
Charley looked at the rest of his squad as he held the large envelope in his hand, “Just as we practiced!”
The men nodded as their nerves went into overdrive. The van suddenly lunged forward and sped down the street. The men readied their weapons in anticipation of the stop. Suddenly it happened! The van slammed on its breaks and came to sudden halt. Charley reached over and opened the back door and hurried out. The rest of his troop followed.
As he emerged, he saw three other vans stop as well. The other members of the team got out of their respective vans and made their way to their positions.
Charley’s squad was assigned the front door. As they ran around the van, the squad saw the house for the first time. They had seen it in pictures and even practiced in a mock-up, but now they were face to face with the real thing. It was an older house, two stories with a possible basement. The house was once the pride of the neighborhood, but now its faded white paint and its rotten siding made the house look menacing in the moonlight.
The squad carefully opened the rotted wooden gate of the faded white picket fence and stealthily made their way forward. They glanced to the side of the house where another squad was working their way to the back door.
As the crept onto the porch, the wood creaked beneath their feet. Their heart rates doubled as the old structure began defeating their cat-like precision.
Suddenly a flash of light came from down the street. It was the mobile command center signaling that all the squads were in place. Charley looked at the officer with the ram and signaled for him to go ahead. He crept up and with extreme forced, hammered the ram into the front door, breaking the lock as the door swung back violently and slammed against the drywall! Charley screamed out, “Police! Search Warrant! Everyone down!”
As Charley yelled, another member of his squad tossed a concussion grenade through the window! It exploded with a deafening shock. Suddenly gun fired erupted and Charley took a round in the chest! He hardly acknowledged it as he began firing his weapon!
Another loud explosion was heard as the other squad breached the back door. Charley and his squad surged into the house as the gun fire ended. The inside was dark and deceptively quiet. They flipped on their night vision and moved throughout the bottom floor until they came to the other squad. Charley gave orders to begin the search.
As members of both squads began searching the bottom floor, Charley and three other members began ascending the staircase. The night vision goggles made the inside of the home glow a ghostly green. Lights from the helicopter above illuminated the inside as it circled.
As they ascended the stairs, Charley yelled out, “Police! Get down on the ground and surrender! We have a search warrant!”
There was no sounds coming from above, but there were also no bodies found on the lower level, so whoever had fired on them had to be in the upper part of the house.
The squad slowly stopped on the second floor. Their night vision illuminated the hallway that ran on either side of them. Both sides had two doors.
Charley and a squad member went right as the other two went left. On cue they opened the south doors and illumined the rooms with their flashlights. Both rooms were filled with marijuana plants.