The Seraphs: Benjamin & Gabriel

By Stephanie Barnwell

The Seraphs follows Ben, a science teacher, who is disorganised and completely unprofessional, save for his desire to help a boy in his class. However, one day Ben is able to see his guiding spirit: a Seraph. But these have been long forgotten by the humans they are supposed to help. Bens mind is also set on winning the affections of his colleague, Lucy.
Will Ben and Gabriel be able to impress Lucy and help Mike before they are discovered by The Elders?

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Oct 30, 2015
• ISBN: 9781504992480

Stephanie Barnwell

Stephanie Barnwell is a newly released fiction author. Her love of fantasy and fiction started at an early age, reading stories by Roald Dahl and Lewis Carroll. She attended university in Cambridge, in the UK where she now lives with her partner. Writing from a young age, Stephanie has had years worth of practice, dreaming up characters and stories and is now delighted to be able to bring one of these magical stories to the public.

Book preview

THE

SERAPHS

Benjamin & Gabriel

STEPHANIE BARNWELL

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AuthorHouse™ UK

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403 USA

www.authorhouse.co.uk

Phone: [phone]

© 2015 Stephanie Barnwell. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 10/30/2015

ISBN: 978-1-5049-9247-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5049-9246-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5049-9248-0 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Characters

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

Seventeen

Eighteen

Nineteen

Twenty

Twenty-One

Twenty-Two

Twenty-Three

Twenty-Four

Twenty-Five

Twenty-Six

Twenty-Seven

Twenty-Eight

Twenty-Nine

Thirty

Thirty-One

Thirty-Two

Thirty-Three

Thirty-Four

Thirty-Five

Thirty-Six

Thirty-Seven

Thirty-Eight

Thirty-Nine

Forty

Forty-One

Forty-Two

Forty-Three

Forty-Four

Forty-Five

Forty-Six

Forty-Seven

Forty-Eight

Epilogue

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Written by Stephanie Barnwell

Created by Zofi McKenzie & Stephanie Barnwell

Illustrated by Stephanie Barnwell

Edited by The Writers’ Workshop

Published by AuthorHouse

For my parents,

the reasons that I don’t need a Seraph.

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CHARACTERS

Humans

Benjamin Finch

Lucy Kenzie

Georgina Hitchen

Penny McGillhan

Mike Mitchell

Dave Mitchell

Seraphs

Gabriel

Sinclair

Edmund

Aaism

Zachary

Ronald

Lancelot

Sprites

Gilbert

Jude

Kellen

Griffith

ONE

It was dark in Ben’s bedroom. Only a little bit of light came from the Victorian lamp post outside, creating a silhouette of the chair on the wall. He had gone to bed a while ago and now began to snore softly.

Seeing that Ben was asleep, Gabriel came in and approached his designated human. Then, sitting in his usual position next to the bed, he placed his hand softly on Ben’s forehead.

He had been working with this particular human for about twenty-five years now. But still, he found himself hesitating before his dream-talk with Ben. This particular evening he somehow felt nervous. Gabriel looked around the room for a moment, gathering his thoughts and reminding himself of what he was trying to achieve.

He took a moment to think over the things he had to review with Ben: His day at work; the conversation he had had with a colleague; sorting out his car. Then, Gabriel started to focus, making contact with his Ward.

The art of ‘dream-talking’ has been practised for thousands of years; here a Seraph will wait until their designated human, or Ward, is asleep. Then they make contact by touching them, often gently placing a hand on their head or any part of them that is available. This way the Seraph will help their human think through their lives. Talk through a situation from work; re-visit an argument with a loved one; weigh-up whether that purchase on the internet should be returned.

The pictures, or ‘dreams’ that people experience have been speculated over for centuries. But the truth is, it is not only the human who influences these; their Seraph has a say too.

Often the humans will be full of their thoughts from that day but sometimes they will also have new ideas or fantasies that they want to enact. Gabriel had discovered over his many years of dream talking, that it was best to follow their thoughts and ideas first. Only then would his advice or opinions be heard.

This particular evening, as Gabriel touched Ben’s head, he found that he really had to concentrate. Some evenings it took a Seraph more effort to connect with their Ward and tonight, Gabriel was finding it difficult. Trying to tune in to what Ben was thinking, Gabriel breathed deeply and tried to relax. As he closed his own eyes and tried to centre himself, Gabriel found that he was finally seeing the thoughts of his human.

Ben was remembering things from his day at school and the lessons he had taught. He seemed calm; his body was still and his breathing nice and steady. Gabriel reminded himself that these were good ways to monitor his Ward’s thoughts; Ben’s opinions and thoughts were often given away by his physical reactions at night.

The Seraph couldn’t help but smile as Ben’s heart rate rose slightly; his human was thinking of Lucy. The slight rise in pulse and the shadow of a smile that Ben showed was only noticeable to his own Seraph. Another may miss these signs entirely. But this is why it often takes an entire childhood for a Seraph to get to know their Ward. Sometimes it can take even longer to persuade them to do something in their waking life.

Then as Ben’s thoughts continued to go through the school day, his body tensed. Again, it was slight but Gabriel definitely saw the signs of the irritation and frustration that Ben was feeling. However, trying to see through Ben’s thoughts, Gabriel couldn’t understand why he felt like this.

Annoyed? Gabriel asked, trying to a use a soft voice as he addressed his Ward.

But Ben simply grunted. As Gabriel focussed on what Ben was looking at in his dream, he saw one of the students in his class. Gabriel sighed as he realised who Ben was thinking about.

Mike? Gabriel asked, trying to encourage his Ward to focus on the student.

But as Ben grunted again, he managed to turn his thoughts back to the school receptionist. Lucy, he said, his body now relaxing again. This time the smile that spread across Ben’s face was obvious to any Seraph and Gabriel found himself smiling too.

Then Gabriel realised that this was his opportunity. If he was going to influence Ben’s thoughts and therefore his actions whilst he was awake, he had to get through to him. Usually it was best to do this whilst the human was thinking of the appropriate topic; so Gabriel decided to act now.

Using all of his focus Gabriel shifted forwards. He drew on the relationship he had been building with this human for twenty-five years and said Lucy. Gabriel then sat and waited for his Ward’s response. He was happy when Ben smiled, his affections for her obvious.

Sure that Ben was now focussed on the lady in question, Gabriel started to speak. Here he used a soft voice to try and encourage as well as instruct his Ward.

Ask Lucy out for a drink, Gabriel encouraged, trying to evoke the image of a local bar in Ben’s mind. Take her out and let her see you out of school, he continued. Gabriel was trying to sound soothing and nurture the relationship between his Ward and Lucy, knowing that it was his job to try and encourage their relationship.

But as Gabriel continued, tempted to push the subject further, he felt Ben’s muscles go tense. Shaking his head slightly, Ben seemed to retreat and Gabriel sensed his Ward withdraw from him.

It was at this point that Gabriel knew that he was done for the evening. He stood up, gently removing his hand from his Ward’s head and stood back from the bed where Ben lay. He sighed and consoled himself that at least he and Ben had focussed on Lucy. Some evenings, Ben’s thoughts would wonder but tonight, at least, Gabriel had been able to encourage his Ward to ask Lucy out.

Gabriel sighed as he tried to console himself, knowing that Ben would still be too shy. He had encouraged Ben to speak to Lucy many times but the human’s insecurities had always been too much of an issue. Despite Gabriel’s guidance, Ben still wasn’t sure how to speak to the receptionist that he clearly had feelings for.

Gabriel stood tall in the dark room, looking down at Ben, telling himself that he had performed his task. Looking out of the window from where he had entered, he thought about the bar. He knew that his fellow Seraphs would now be making their way up to their refuge. A place where they could all go and discuss their humans, have a drink and even relax a little.

All ready to start again the next morning.

TWO

Leaving Ben’s flat, Gabriel opened his wings wide and stretched. In the moonlight, the feathers of his large wings glistened, a sparkle from the orange glow of the street lamp. As he flexed, he looked up at the sky and then, promising himself a large glass of The Angel’s Share, he took flight.

The ‘Angel’s Share’ is a form of whiskey that has been produced by humans for centuries; it has appreciated by the Seraphs for just as long. It is given off in the form of fumes, which are produced when the whiskey is distilled. Once the raw whiskey product has been made from the barley, it is stored in wooden barrels; allowing the whiskey to ‘breathe’. But because the wood is porous, a certain amount is always lost. The loss of the ‘Angel’s Share’ has simply been accepted by the humans that make it – it is seen as a consequence of the process.

However, this evaporated alcohol benefits those in the world of the Seraphs. Many of them will be found hovering above such distilleries when they need a break from their duties. Chatting away to their peers and whining about their orders.

The particular spot that Gabriel favoured had a bar set up, similar to that the humans below might use. This idea had become so popular, that it had even gained a barman, Ronald.

So, ready for a drink and in need of a rest, Gabriel made his way to Ronald’s. As he entered, he smiled and nodded at some of the regular faces. Raising his hand to get Ronald’s attention, he then sat down on one of the bar stools, folding his wings neatly behind himself.

As the barman came over with his glass of whiskey and a cheerful expression, the two Seraphs exchanged the usual pleasantries. Then, returning to his other customers, Ronald left Gabriel to survey the bar and the other Seraphs that gathered there.

Gabriel looked around and he realised the value of this haven: somewhere that Seraphs could go and relax or possibly even get advice. It wasn’t always easy managing your duties and being able to talk to other Seraphs had been helpful to Gabriel before.

He could see one group of friends dealing a game of cards and another laughing at a joke that someone had made. Gabriel almost had to laugh when he realised the parallel this bar held to those used by the humans below. But his thoughts were cut short as he saw Edmund appear. So, turning to Ronald, he ordered another two whiskeys and turned to greet his friend.

How goes it? Edmund said, approaching Gabriel and smiling.

Not too bad, Gabriel said, sighing.

Really? his old friend asked, looking concerned. Have you had new orders? he asked, raising his eyes.

Gabriel had always thought this gesture was strange. Seraphs often motioned with their eyes to infer which world they were speaking about. When they discussed their Wards or anything that was happening to a human, a Seraph would look down briefly. Over the centuries this had come to infer the human world and things that happened