His Love In Time: Volume I

SEVERAL YEARS HAVE PASSED SINCE ADAM AND EVE were escorted out of the garden. Cain is growing up quickly, and Abel isn’t far behind.

It is clear that Adam and Eve are doing everything they can to make sure that their children know and understand God. Adam has shown Cain and Abel the importance of giving God their very best. My job, so far, has been to observe. God makes it pretty clear to not interfere. I feel like He blames me for what happened to Adam and Eve.

Both Cain and Abel are farmers in their own profession. Cain is the farmer of the land, planting seeds and harvesting crops. Abel is the farmer of livestock, tending his flocks and harvesting in the same nature. Once a month Cain and Abel will pull what they feel is the best and offer it to God.

For some reason, though, God seems to like what Abel brings more than Cain. I think that a lot of it has to do with the way the animal smells when being cooked. I mean who doesn’t love the smell of steak? And Cain’s offering is produce. Truthfully, God can make a great meal with the two of them. But the tricky part is trying to make them feel their worth.

Lilith, the same woman that was once Adams wife, is found in the forest a lot. Especially near the two boys. At this time, right now, there is not a whole lot to look at. Earth, population five, Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel, and me. It isn’t like I can fly to Japan and enjoy the sites. This is it.

I am nervous when I see Lilith walk into view from my treehouse that I made. What is her plan? Why is she showing up, continuously? Is she trying to put a wedge in the middle of them? With a small part of me, I watch the three of them like a hawk would watch its prey.

Cain and Abel are in their prospective fields when Lilith walks in the middle of them. Being the only female, besides Eve, around it makes things interesting. While God favors Abel, Lilith favors Cain.

My eyes go straight to Cain and Lilith to see what is going to happen, and then disappointment hits like a ton of bricks. Lilith is teasing Cain, and he likes it.

“Why don’t you come with me and start our own colony,” Lilith says to Cain loud enough for Abel to hear. Because I was in the trees, observing, I too am able to understand.

“I have plenty of work to do, why don’t you stay here with me. We can make a family here,” Cain responds.

“Sounds like fun,” she leans in and begins to kiss him. I am losing interest and losing it fast. I grab fruit from the tree I am in and throw it at Cain. Keeping myself hidden. They stop kissing, but I have a feeling that Lilith isn’t done.

Lilith tells Cain, “You know, God would favor you if you were giving the same offerings as Abel.”

“What do you mean?”

“Take him out of the equation, sweetheart.”

“I could never kill my brother, I love him. He just got lucky, with the job he was assigned to.”

“If you killed him, I would give myself to you,” she whispers.

“But how could I kill him? I’m not strong enough.”

“I can make you strong enough.”

He looks at the ground, at his crops, and smiles. He nods his head, and they run off. Something I have never heard before, I am worried.

I follow.

I keep my distance, to avoid being noticed, jumping from tree to tree without an ounce of noise. We stop near a cave, where I probably should not venture in. But the cave provides plenty of acoustics so I will still be able to hear what is going on.

Lilith says to Cain, “I will give you the strength of one-hundred men. You will never die, you will never get sick, and you will never age. You will stay my handsome, young Cain forever. The children you have will not be so lucky, but you will be able to create in your own image, the way God created Adam. With a bite and a drink.”

“I will become a demon?”

“Not a demon, something better!”

I can hear the sling of a blade coming out of a sheath. I have drawn my sword so many times, the sling is all too familiar. I begin to worry that I shouldn’t fly down and stop her from killing him. But as I am to observe, I do nothing.

“Drink, my handsome man,” she continues. “Drink from my blood, and you will have eternal life.”

If I didn’t know any better, I would say that she is making Cain into something that will have a powerful thirst for blood.

“Now, Cain, you will go out and kill the first thing you see. This will finish the spell.”

Please let it be a bear, a lion, a goat, I’ll even take a mouse. My wings flinch, as footsteps are approaching the cave. I look behind me and see Abel. “Of course,” I say out loud.

Cain and Lilith withdraw from the cave and are making their way back to camp. Abel falls and scrapes his knee on a rock. The smell of blood hits Cain’s nostrils, and he is no longer the sweet young boy I have gotten used to.

His eyes turn red, he stops walking to camp, and he bows his head and grins. I’ve seen this same grin in Lucifer. He turns towards Abel and begins to walk to him like a lion ready to pounce.

He is not stealthy at all and Abel hears him coming. They are right below me.

“Brother!” Abel says with glee. “Where have you been?”

“I’ve been busy, Abel.” The look on Cain’s face is scary like he wants to eat him.

“What is wrong, brother?” Abel says, not knowing what to think of the way Cain is looking at him.

Cain draws in, slowly, to Abel. Eyeing him up and down. Abel, defenseless, does nothing but stands there and watches Cain circling him like a shark. “I promise you two things, Abel.”

“What’s that Cain?”

“One, this will be over quick. And two, it will be the last pain you will ever receive.”

“Brother?”

Cain hurls himself at Abel to attack, but Abel gets out of the way. He begins running fast through the forest. He is quick. He knows the woods well, and he is making Cain angry. Cain attacks again but catches nothing but leaves.

Abel runs further into the forest and makes his way to the cave that Lilith is still hiding in. Cain picks up a rock and jumps after Abel. He catches up enough to tackle him to the ground. Cain, with a stone in his hand, rises it up and smashes his head in. Blood is pouring out of his skull. Even one who has had many fights is grossed out by the site. The blood is too much for Cain to bear, and he sinks his teeth into Abel’s neck. Cain drinks, until the blood flow stops, which isn’t very long with the gash in his head, allowing blood to flow.

He stops drinking, arches his back, and screams. The transformation is complete. He picks himself up, looks at the dead body, and walks away. He knows that he’s done something terrible, and he will have to face God at some point. But he doesn’t seem to care.

Seeing the lack of sympathy bothers me quite a bit. I lower myself to the ground to investigate the, now, dead Abel. There are two small holes in his neck, and the blood has stopped draining from both his neck and his head. It is clear to me, now, what Lilith and Cain are doing in the cave.

I grab a branch from the tree and break it off. “Father please forgive me,” I pray out loud.

I stalk Cain from a distance to be sure that he can not see, hear, or smell me. Now that he has become what I hate, his senses are heightened.

I inch my way to him, leap up in the air, and attack Cain from behind. But before I am able to plunge the stake into his heart, he turns and grabs me by my neck. His grip is stronger than Lucifer’s, but I am still able to breathe. He throws me across the area, into a tree, much like Lucifer. I get up but have lost my stake. Unsheathing my sword, I rush at Cain. Cain blocks my forearm, pivots, and kicks me in the ribcage. Surprisingly enough, Cain is a formidable fighter. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that becoming a vampire has taught him a few things.

We spar, unleashing kicks, blocks, punches, back and forth. Cain puts me in a chokehold. I twist out of it, throwing Cain over my shoulder. Cain performs a flip, kicks off a tree and attacks me again, bringing his foot to my head. I duck out of the way and catch his foot, giving his ankle a twist. Breaking his ankle. I struck Cain, making him fall. I bring my sword to his neck to cut it off.

“Jacob!!!” I freeze and look up to see God has come through a portal.

I withdraw my blade from Cain’s neck and stand up straight. Cain also stands up and adjusts himself.

God asks Cain, “Cain, where is your brother?”

“You would ask for him,” he replies. “Honestly, I don’t know, I’m not his keeper.”

“You dare lie to me?!” God gets quiet. He then says, “Listen. Your brothers’ blood is crying out from the ground. What have you done?!” He continues, “Now you are under a dark curse and driven from the ground. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”

“You’re going to cast me out of this land and force me to hide from you; Jacob will track me down and kill me.”

“No, Cain. You have done this to yourself. I will mark you so that no one can kill you. You will have to walk this earth forever, and never die. Food will not fix your hunger, water will not quench your thirst. You have chosen this life.” God looks at me as Cain walks away. “Jacob, you and I must talk to Adam and Eve.”

Cain turns one last time and lets out a monstrous roar and takes off running off into the distance.

Walking to Adam and Eve, I know that a conversation is going to happen about my failure as a guardian angel.

“I’m not upset with you, Jacob,” He comments.

“Really?” I raise one of my eyebrows. “I haven’t been able to accomplish a single thing that you asked me to do,” I continue. “You asked me to watch over Adam and Eve in the garden, they still ate from the fruit. You asked me to keep an eye on Cain and Abel, and Abel dies under my watch.”

He smiles, placing his hand firmly around the back of my neck and says, “Frustrating, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Jacob, I will not be upset with you, because you have tried. You cannot stop free will from happening,” he adds. “So, how can I be upset with you, for trying?”

“But, Cain is a vampire now.”

“And he will die, by your hand.”

“He will?!”

He pauses for a moment like he has just given away something that should have been kept quiet.

“Never mind.”

“No, you meant something specific.” He ignores me, and we approach the small village of women. “Wow, they work, fast don’t they?”

“Father!” Adam says, approaching God. He bows down and kneels at his feet. Eve follows, close behind.

“Adam… Eve… I have some terrible news to share with you.”

They both look up. Adam and Eve’s golden-brown eyes, stare into His. They stare at Him like two lost puppies, hoping to get a drink of water.

“Something terrible has happened to your son Abel, whom I have favored. Cain, your eldest, has chosen to take his life. He has been sent from this land and will create a new nation. Do not fear, I will bless you with another child, Seth,” He continues. “I am sorry for your loss.” He turns around and walks away.

I follow Him, as I am not entirely sure what He would like me to do, at this point. While we are walking, I turn to look at Adam and Eve crying, but when I turn back around we are in Heaven.

“God, why have you brought me here?” I ask God.

“Because you have done enough. Time to rest, my son,’ God says.

Looking around I begin to wonder if things have changed or not. Hopeful that my apartment is where it was and wishing Lynn will be home waiting for me.

“I appreciate the gesture,” I say.

I turn to look at God, but he is already gone.

I take flight, flapping my wings strong and fast, making my way to my apartment. Landing on the balcony, hoping that Lynn is here. But to my most profound regret, she is not. However, a familiar face is. My little buddy Gabriel.

“So nice to have a warm welcome, Gabe.”

I don’t see him, but I notice the same outline of his wings from behind my fridge. He asks me, “How do you have better food then I do?”

“Because I have better taste?”

“That’s probably true.”

“So, why are you in my apartment?”

“I was looking for something to eat. This type of bread and meat and cheese combination makes an amazing meal. The leaf and the red fruit, along with the white and yellow sauce. What is this called?”

I hadn’t looked inside my fridge since before I got stuck in this time loop. I didn’t realize that God gave me my apartment and food along with it. I thought it was just going to be basic stuff, like back in the old days. Still, I respond, “That’s bread, that is turkey meat. The leaf is lettuce, and that red fruit is a tomato. Putting mayonnaise, the white stuff, and mustard, the yellow stuff, makes a sandwich.” I take the food that is near me. I grab a cutting board, a plate and say, “Here, let me show you.”

We bond well, but it still isn’t the same as my Gabriel from back home. “Are you going to be here for a while?” Gabriel asks.

“For as long as I am allowed, I guess. I do need to figure out how to get back to my wife.”

“You have a wife?”

“Yes, her name is Lynn. She’s pregnant with my child.”

“So, it is true!”

“What?”

“You went to earth to find a mate!”

“Well, not exactly. Really, I met her in college, she followed me here.”

“Lies!”

He yells so loud that four large angels are at my balcony in a matter of minutes. They look at me, cold, and grab me by the arms. I am lifted and flown out of my apartments.

They take me to stand before Lucifer, the most trusted of angels at this time. “I want you to tell me everything about these women of earth,” he says. “They’re so beautiful!”

“Where’s Lilith?”

“You haven’t heard? She ran off with Cain. Her new minion.”

“Oh, I see.” Trying to avoid the question at hand.

I turn around to see a deep hole, like a well, with thick stone walls. The dark and cramped hundred feet drop below. Red light and fire peering through the cracks in the walls.

“I am glad that you’re looking down there. See, you’re the one thing that is stopping us from going to earth. We are going to throw you down that hole, and enjoy our time on earth,” he says with a devilish grin.

I look down the hole once again and say, “I’m not telling you anything.” I continue, “Why would you tell me your plan, before throwing me down there?”

“Because…” He is at a loss for words.

He snaps his fingers, and two more angels are by my side. The four of them pick me up and throw me down the pit of despair.

I attempt to flap my wings to fly up out, but for some reason, my powers do not work. All I do is fall further and further down. Landing on the surface of molten rock. The walls and ceiling are all molten rock with glimmers of fire, streaming through all the cracks.

Fixing myself after the long fall, I look up to see the five angels staring down at me. Laughing at me, with the seeming impossible adventure that is ahead of me.

They vanish.

I look around, trying to figure out my new home. The iron bars, much like a sort of underground prison. It feels like, hell. I am looking around for a way out, but the only thing I can think of is the hole I fell through. My wings don’t work, and there is no other option. I notice a chain hanging from the wall. If I jump high enough, I can barely reach it.

I move to the chain, hanging down from me. I jump and miss. Jump again, and push the chain from side to side with the wind. It feels hopeless. If I listen carefully, I can hear a crowd of angels cheering.

“Angels, hear me!” Lucifer yells. The crowd of angels gets quiet. “What you have heard and seen, is true. The humans have begun to populate the earth, and as I speak, many of them are becoming beautiful women.” Lucifer continues, “Believe me when I say that God has chosen wrong, to allow them to procreate. But if you follow me and choose to turn from God, we must first shed our fear of Him. I stand before you unafraid of what will come. Why? Because I want to be the creator? Nonsense. I stand before you not afraid of Him because I know something. I know that we have the power to create children of our own, rather than sit and watch the earth get destroyed by the humans!”

The crowd remains silent, as he gives his war speech. “Just wait until I get out of here, Lucifer. You’ll be the one stuck in here,” I say out loud.

“I know that for centuries, God has allowed for this to continue. My Lilith is with Cain, creating a strong army for us. I know that for centuries ahead, God will be afraid of these armies that Lilith and I will create. I also know that no matter how strong God thinks He is, one thing is for sure. We are the future!” The crowd is going crazy. Lucifer continues, “Tonight, let us send a little message to our friend locked up in the well. Tonight, let us cause a mighty shake in that prison. Tonight, let us cause all the lava, the steel, and rock to fall. Let him know that we are not going down without a fight. And let us let him know that we will be waiting on earth for him. Tonight, let us make sure he knows that we are the angels, and we are not afraid of him or God!!!” The crowd screams loud, once again.

Hell is shaking all around me. Luckily enough it isn’t causing anything to break or fall. In the shadows, however, a familiar beast is lurking. A massive dragon growls and inches his way out from the shadows. Thousands of demons begin to turn around from the walls that shade them. They are jumping off every pillar, every cliff, running at full speed towards me.

I open my hand, and a long sword appears. It is the sword of the spirit that never leaves my side. I know that I am going to need it. The demons lunge towards me, while the dragon roars.

I back up and start to swing at the demons, hitting five to ten at the same time. I then backflip and hit a wall, springboard up and over the demons and land on a few. The demons cower in fear but start at me again. The dragon is attempting to get to me, but the shadows that he is hiding behind, are a barrier of some sort.

The dragon unleashes a wall of fire towards me, and I jump out of the way. The fire, however, pushes over half of the demons over a massive cliff. The other half begin to run away.

I take the sword of the spirit, raise it up high, jump and hit the dragon in the head. Causing the dragon to fall to the ground. While he tries to get himself back up, I notice that his massive head is underneath the hole right now. Knowing that he cannot follow, I use his nose to jump up and grab the chain.

The crowd is running, all the angels and the noise are getting more and more distant. Thumping, like thousands of soldiers running. Until the noise is gone. They’ve gone to earth, I think to myself.

I put the chain around my waist, locking the chain around itself. I look up, determined to make the climb happen, staring at the clear blue sky in heaven. I begin to make the climb. Finding every little ledge, that I can fit my hands on. I climb higher and higher. Ten feet, twenty, thirty. I can feel the cool breeze coming from me. Fifty, sixty. Just forty more feet to go. I refuse to stop and take a breath. The last few feet away. I know that I am not going to let fear get the better of me. I make the mistake of looking down. It’s a long way down. I reach the last ledge that I can find. Only ten feet above me. I know that if I jump, I might be able to grab it. But if I can’t catch the ledge, it is going to hurt.

I jump as high, and as hard as I can. I catch the ledge with my fingertips. Trying to use all my strength to pull myself up, nothing is working. I can feel the ground my fingers are touching is not giving me any grip. They are slipping. I drop a hundred feet down. The chain, that was locked around my neck breaks, slamming me into the molten rock.

The dragon looks at me, bored, as I am laying on my back. I roll over, in pain, and pick myself up again. Thousands of demons start to make their way towards me, once again. This time they bring weapons. I duck down, hoping to avoid too much of a painful welcoming. The demons dogpile on me. They are caught off-guard by me jumping up out of the crowd. I begin to engage in vicious hand-to-hand combat. Regardless of being in pain from the drop, I am able to get most of them to the ground swiftly and efficiently. They are now creating a pile, high enough to reach the first ledge. As more demons are making their way towards me, I decide to try the climb, one more painful time.

I jump up and grab the first ledge with much more ease. I do not have time for failure. There’s no telling how much time is passing on earth. I make my way up the rock, carefully this time. I was not allowing myself to fall. The demons below are attempting to climb as well. I jump from ledge to ledge, just as before. I slip on one, fall, but catch myself. Only a few feet below. The demons are still thirty feet away. I reach the point that I fell at last time. I look down, take a breath, and look up again. I bring my knees up as high as I can to create a ball. I push myself off the wall and jump up high. I grab the ledge, as before, but with a much better grip. The ledge is not the very top, but I can tell it will be a much easier climb.

I hoist myself up onto the ledge and stand up fully. I arch my back to pop it and take a moment to breathe. The demons were still all the way to the bottom and trying. I look at the freedom above me and climb out of the hole. My powers have returned, I can feel myself getting stronger. I bring the sword of the spirit up, above my head, and throw it down the hole. The sword pierces all of the demons, causing them to fall. They are no longer in a pile like before. I open my hand, and the sword is once again by my side.

I look around to see where I am, exactly. The palace isn’t far away. I flap my wings hard, fly up and take off in a blur. I land in the throne room in a matter of seconds. Michael is sitting on the throne now.

“Where’s Father?” I ask.

“He is giving a tour to a human… Enoch?”

“Enoch?!”

I quickly run to the dish of water. I zoom in, like God has shown me, and I see earth. The earth had changed so much, there was no longer just one village. There are several. Giants are roaming the earth.

I quickly turn around and see a portal. A white one that I haven’t noticed before. Is this the portal that God uses? It doesn’t matter, I need to get down there.

I walk through the portal and am on earth. The sky is covered in black storm clouds. But the earth feels dry. I take flight, to see where everyone is. I notice a boat in the distance. But it is not near water. How long was I up there?

I fly to the boat and land on the helm. Two giant angels appear from the other end of the ark. I recognize one of them. It is Gabriel.

“Gabriel!” I call out. “What’s going on?”

“Lucifer and his followers fell from Father. They fell to make children with the daughters of men.”

“I know that part, but I don’t understand.”

“It has been a few thousand years, since Cain. God sent Azazel and me down to help Noah build the ark. But I fear that Lucifer and his clan are on their way.”

I turn to look off in the distance. As sure as Gabriel says, I can see an army. “Keep working, I will fly up and see what I find out.”

“Be careful, Jacob. There are vampires there.”

As I fly up, I look down to nod in agreeance to Gabriel. On the deck of the ark, Noah’s family emerges. Of the family, a beautiful woman that seems oddly familiar is there. She is holding a baby, in her arms. Eve? I think to myself.

I fly off to get a glimpse, but to keep my distance. Among the thousands, giants, vampires, Lucifer, and men are walking towards us. I fly back to the ark, to see how we can speed up the process. But aside from me lifting trees out of the ground, there isn’t much I can do. “Well, I am a guardian angel.” I pull my sword of the spirit back out and stand ground. On my left arm, I felt a tingling sensation. A shield begins to form. It is the shield of faith. I never knew it was real. Michael doesn’t even have one. A helmet begins to develop on my head, the helmet of salvation. I have all of God’s gifts for battle. Losing is not an option.

Just before the ark is finished, the army arrives. “Azazel, Gabriel… we have company,” I warn them.

Noah and his family begin to grab as much food as they can, while the two giant angels stand their ground behind me.

Lucifer, the leader of the group, walks up to the trio that is standing between him and the ark.

“You made it out, I see,” Lucifer taunts.

“Yes, I did,” I respond.

“Good,” he says. “Now, give us the girl.”

“What girl?”

“You know which one, her son is behind me.”

“If you want the girl, take her. But you’ll have to go through me,” I threaten.

Lucifer walks back towards his followers. I know that this is not going to be a good battle. But I am ready to end him.

I retreat into the trees, as the two giant angels get ready for a fight. I stand next to Gabriel’s ear and whisper, “I’m going to take them by surprise.”

A few of the vampire warriors come into view. I swing down from behind one of them and jam my sword into his heart. He shatters into dust. I move, silently, to another and do the same. I repeat the vampire deaths, one by one, avoiding any notice by the others.

Another falls at the end of my sword. Followed by another. Lucifer is getting anxious because he is noticing that nothing is changing. He sends in a herd of angels. They are walking together, backs facing each in a large circle. I retreat into the trees once again. The two giants have nothing to worry about. They haven’t moved a muscle.

In the distance, I can see that the family is safe on the ark.

I drop down in the center of the angels, and a loud crunch sound happens. I isn’t as smooth as I thought. They all turn to me. One of the angels throws a rock at me, I duck and sweep him. Another swings a whip at me, and I catch the whip and kick him in the chest, causing him to fall. I jump up, with my leg down and kick another angel in the head. I roundhouse kick the fourth angel, making him fall into a tree. The last of the angels in the circle runs at me, from behind. I jump up and behind him, landing with his neck in my arm. I squeeze my bicep, and he passes out.

Lucifer begins to growl at me.

Azazel then walks towards Lucifer, turns around and faces us.

“You traitor!” Gabriel screams.

Gabriel strikes at Azazel, attempting to complete a spinning back kick. Azazel catches his foot and pushes him over. Gabriel kicks himself back up and tries again. Azazel grabs Gabriel by the neck, pulls out a blade from his back, and gets ready to plunge it into his neck.

Just before Azazel gets the kill, a beam of light comes down from the sky, and Gabriel is gone from Azazel’s grip.

Now they are facing me. I fly up and dive into Lucifer, pinning him down. The mob behind him, start to charge at me. But they are not able to get within fifty feet of me. Grounds open up, and water begins to sprout out like a geyser. Geysers all over the earth sprout up. The heavens also open up, the floodgates and hundreds of thousands of gallons of water begin to fill the earth. The humans drown, Lucifer is still underneath me. I am holding him for as long as I can.

I switch positions and put my foot into his neck, pushing him into the ground. Azazel jumps up and engulfs himself in flames and disappears.

I watch the ark begin to lift and sway. I know it is time for me to let go. I jump up and see Lucifer float to the top of the water, splashing around, and turning upside down. He appears to be dead.

A giant shark swims up and eats him whole. Maybe he really is gone.

The storm is like the worst hurricane that you can imagine, but it is worth it. I wait in the deck, with Noah and his family for forty days.

I get to know the entire family, quite well. But it is time for me to depart. I emerge from the deck, to see the whole earth covered in water. It is like watching God call Pangea out, but backward.

Noah steps out as well. He grabs my shoulders and forces me around to face him. “Jacob, thank you. You have helped my family for long enough.”

I smile and shake his hand, then give him a hug.

“You are always welcome with my family,” he says.

“Live well Noah, the fate of the world rests with you,” I continue. “When you land, have a drink for me.”

“That I will,” he says with a smile. We stare at each other, just for a moment. Happy with everything.

I jump up and fly. My halo, out of nowhere, opens up and takes me inside. Flying through the swirling stars, I am beginning to think that my task is complete, I get to go home now.

A bright light appears, and I fly through it. My wings, however, stop working. I am no longer able to take flight, and I am falling fast.

CRASH

I plow through the roof of a grass house but land in a pile of hay.

“Baa-aa-aa,” a sheep next to me belches and begins to lick my face.

“Thanks.”

I get myself out of the hay pile and inch my way to the curtained door. I step out, into the sunlight to see a small village of people.

“Hagar! Fetch me some water! Abram is tired!” a woman says.

‘Great,’ I think to myself. ’So much for going home.’