Abielia

By Anthony Chylik

Abielia was born and raised in Heaven. She tried to be good, but could not always control herself. Now, cast out from Heaven, Abielia finds herself exiled to Earth to live life as a mortal, to try to earn her way back home. Aided by a human ally named Myra, she will pit herself against the forces trying to block her path, both from human and supernatural sources.
Will she be strong enough to once again feel Heaven's grace or will she fall under the Dark Lord's influences?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Apr 19, 2013
• ISBN: 9781483624976

Anthony Chylik

Anthony Chylik lives in Montana with his Wife and four children. His hobbies include reading, writing and restoring automobiles

Book preview

Copyright © 2013 by Anthony Chylik.

Cover Image by Anne Bolves.

Library of Congress Control Number:       2013906693

ISBN:         Hardcover                               978-1-4836-2496-9

                   Softcover                                 978-1-4836-2495-2

                   Ebook                                      978-1-4836-2497-6

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Rev. date: 04/17/2013

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

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Contents

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 23

CHAPTER 24

CHAPTER 25

CHAPTER 26

CHAPTER 27

CHAPTER 28

CHAPTER 29

CHAPTER 30

CHAPTER 31

CHAPTER 32

CHAPTER 33

CHAPTER 34

CHAPTER 35

CHAPTER 36

CHAPTER 37

CHAPTER 38

CHAPTER 39

CHAPTER 40

CHAPTER 41

CHAPTER 42

CHAPTER 1

Lucifer had long ago escaped his prison, only becoming stronger through the centuries. His thoughts had been filled with revenge, with scheming for a way to get back into Heaven and to over throw it. He would cast out God and place him in a prison, would finally show everyone that he was just as powerful, just as capable of ruling.

For the last six hundred years, the best craftsmen in Hades have been devising a means to tear down the gates of Heaven and set the realm ablaze. Preparations, eons in the making, were finally coming to light. The army was finally ready. Large enough now, through souls collected from earth from those souls sent to Hell for their sins against God. Selected were those who could lend a hand in God’s destruction. Magicians and satanists who had spent their lives studying, looking for any weakness were brought together to use their combined might in this coup. Corruptions and vile plots started at the beginning of time were now coming together.

The greatest challenge lies in getting into Heaven itself. His army would have to pass through the Golden Gates designed specifically to keep evil out.

Lucifer had not felt God’s presence in some time. When he was newly cast out, he could feel the loss strongly, to the point of being painful, as if a vital piece of him was no longer there. Now, he no longer felt this, had not detected his watchful eye for nearly a millennium. So, in his conceit, he was sure that either God was dead, or no longer cared what transpired.

Hell’s craftsmen have been busy making weapons designed to destroy Holy Beings. Vulcan, Brontes, Dwarfs and the Cyclopes have all joined together, forging a huge ram from the chains that had once bound Lucifer. Melted in the heat of dying suns, heavy of the weight of worlds, and adorned with evil insignia designed to turn all Heaven’s protections around. Shaped in the form of the serpent, and carved for the head is the defiant face of the goat, an inverted cross on the forehead glows red with unholy incantations. The horns wrap up and back as the striking face, and forming a three level spiral down each cheek. It was finally ready, masked even from God’s omniscience by Hell’s unholy magic, just in case some one still watched.

For centuries the magicians of hell had been coming up with ways to protect the army from Heaven’s overwhelming purity, and had finally devised a mask to protect the wearers from God’s light. Special eye shields had been designed to filter the holy brilliance, and earplugs were invented to block out the angelic chorus. The army is ready. One million stand ready to march, each eager to taste holy blood and watch Heaven burn.

Lucifer stands at the head of his army and looks down on the throng swarming below him, confident that each has had the proper training, that each has the desire to see Heaven fall.

He raises his arms above his head. The mass of demons below acknowledge his leadership and fall silent. He feels the wave of pride wash over him, and is sure God has no chance against this barrage of the dammed. He enjoys the feeling of this much deserved respect for a few minutes, then calls out to the multitude,

FOR TOO LONG HAVE WE SUFFERED UNDER GOD’S RULE! FOR TOO LONG HAVE HIS ANGELS TASTED HIS LOVE, SEEN HIS LIGHT AND BASKED IN HIS GLORY! IT IS NOW OUR TURN! OUR TURN TO BE RESPECTED AGAIN! MARCH WITH ME, AND BRING HEAVEN TO ITS KNEES! LET US SHOW THE MIGHTY GOD THAT WE ARE NO LONGER HIS PLAYTHINGS. NO LONGER WILL WE BE THE EXAMPLES SET TO SHOW THOSE WHO DO NOT FOLLOW HIS WAY!!!!!

Below, the horde churns as each tries to show their leader how excited they are, how ready they are to follow him to the very gates of Heaven. Voices raise in a triumphant shout. Weapons are raised, and fists pump the air. As one, they shout their readiness to follow Lucifer wherever he may take them.

Grotesque as the Angels are beautiful stand this diabolical assembly. Some, creatures beyond even the most vivid of man’s imagination. Some bearing too many arms or legs for their bodies, or having too many heads. Some have no limbs at all and slither, like slugs on the ground. The larger section, however, are at least somewhat recognizable, and follow the familiar human proportions.

500,000 demons lift the ram, and place it on a special wagon, made to carry the tremendous weight. Stablemen come forward and drag Behemoth from his stall who struggles violently against his reigns, roaring with indignation as they hitch him to the ram. Charon, raised from his station as the boatman, climbs between Behemoth’s shoulders and takes the reigns in hand. With a flick of his skeletal wrists, the leather cracks down on the mighty back, and Behemoth starts moving. Slowly at first, even his strength is almost not enough to start the ponderous weight moving.

Unholy voices cry out in an indistinguishable rabble. The very foundations of Hell shake with the stamping of feet, with the shouts from the army. Allowing the ram time to exit, Lucifer turns to follow. Now, with the army at his back, he signals for them to begin their march, allowing the ram to set the pace, as it will need to be first in line when they reach their goal.

Those capable of flight do so, raining their fetid petulance down on those below. Soiling them in their vile feces, vomit and urine, further corrupting the corrupt. Those on the ground defecate in the same manner, caring not where or how, and tramping it underfoot. They leave a vile path of filth in their wake, despoiling all that they pass.

They march through the upper realms, crashing through purgatory and turning it from a place of reform to one tainted with darkness. The demons destroy everything in their path, leaving behind a trail of death and decay. The guardians of each realm try to stop their progress, but each are crushed beneath the horde, the attempts to stop the Demons merely ignored. None had perceived it would ever be necessary to fight an army of those cast out. One or two they could, and have handled and sent back, but to deal with an entire host, unfathomable. Try as they might, they were merely pushed aside and trampled under foot in the Demon’s contempt.

For nearly a century they march, leaving behind them a trail of evil. A putrid path of corruption marks their course. As they pass through the cosmos, planets whither and die. Decayed shells, blackened and grey, no longer capable of supporting any kind of life.

On they march. As they draw nearer, Lucifer can detect the increasing holiness erupting from Heaven, and grows ever more uncomfortable. He ignores this as best as he is able, and continues on.

Forward the army marches. Never pausing to eat, or to sleep, until finally they can see the glow of Heaven on the horizon.

Lucifer is first at the Golden Gates, towering above even his mighty stance. He looks up, and can just make out the top of the gates before it is lost to his view. The gates themselves give off a blinding light, bathed in and forged from God’s own light. Even through his protections and charms, Lucifer can hear the dreadful music of Heaven, as the Angels sing to God and his glory.

Saint Peter steps forward to block the path. He raises up his hand in a motion to stop and says,

You have no right to be here. Turn now and go back from whence you came.

Lucifer looks at him and scowls with eyes burning of hate. This one look is enough to make Saint Peter tremble with fear. With a mighty shove, he forces the gatekeeper back. Saint Peter flies to the wall, where his head strikes against it, shattering from the force. His body crumples, lifeless, to the ground, blood pooling beneath him.

The King of the Devils stands waiting for Behemoth. He can hear the wheels now, grinding under the strain. The ram is unhitched and brought forward. Ten thousand demons stand on each side and roll it forward, placing the nose against the gates. Drawing back, and slamming forward, they begin the hammering of the gates. A loud, booming sound is heard with each contact to the gate.

THOOOOM

Lucifer smiles to himself, finally, the assault on Heaven had begun.

THOOOOM

The ram swings forward and crashes into the gate. It leaves a small dent in the center, and the gates rock from the impact.

THOOOOM

The ram is brought back, and slammed forward again with even more force, the Demons ever eager to get inside.

THOOOOM

The crashing of the ram against the gate is heard throughout the cosmos, a wave of force extends from the impact. Entire galaxies are destroyed by the reverberations.

THOOOOM

The course of planets farther away are altered with each passing wave of force. Moons collide into their planets, and suns engulf entire solar systems. The clamor of hammer on steel not only deafens, it destroys. Even on far away Earth is the mighty force felt. Buildings crumble and fall. Tidal waves pour over beaches and destroy millions of lives, mountains crumble, volcanoes and earthquakes break out in record numbers.

THOOOOM

Heaven is not equipped for such an attack, so sudden and unannounced. The Holy Host had not figured that demons would be able to escape the confines of Hell. Heaven is taken completely by surprise, unprepared for any kind of attack. Angels stand at the parapets, and can only plead with the Demons to return to their rightful place. Paradise is no match for such an onslaught.

THOOOOM

With each pounding of the ram, the gates bend and fold. Horrific shrieks emit from the tortured metal. The hinges give a little more after each forward thrust. Lucifer stands to the side, encouraging his men to break through. Finally, after a relentless pounding, the holy magic protecting them finally succumbs to the assault, and the gates fall with an unearthly crash. Still attached at the center lock, the gates have been ripped from their hinges, torn from the very walls. The ram is dropped at the gates, and the Demons come pouring in, trampling on the gates and tarnishing the gold with their filth. The Demons swarm in, as so many wasps or ants attacking an enemy nest.

At first, the Demons are over come from the purity of the place, but fight through their discomfort, bent on their evil intentions. Heaven is bathed in a purifying whiteness. Here there is no shadow, no place of darkness. The buildings are made from white stone, under a white sky, placed on white ground. Heaven is a place of worship, there is no time for personal leisure. The buildings are sparsely decorated, with no furniture, no food, no cupboards, sometimes only having a mimicry of a bed to sleep on. Over time, the Angels have adapted some of the human’s habits and comfort items, trying to be more like those they looked over.

Each Angel has their own home, but sometimes will come together in small family groups. The buildings are close together, with only narrow streets between them. Centrally located is a huge cathedral, where the Angels can come in a group to worship God. It is always full, packed from wall to wall with worshipers, knees bent, thanking God for his kindness and for his deeds. The constant hymns hurt the Demon’s ears, even through their protections.

Heaven burns as the unholy plague fills the streets. Principle buildings lie in ruin. Angels run for their lives, confusion and panic spread. Angels and Demons both lie dead in the streets. The Archangels do their best to stem the tide. Michael’s sword drips with the gore of slain Demons, Ariel fights with teeth and claws, and Ragul burns them with Holy Fire. Where the demonic blood falls, the stones boil and burn as if a volcano has erupted and lava flows through the streets. The taint of profanity meeting the innocence in a violent reaction.

Emoralee hides huddled in a corner of her house, the only safe place she could think to go. Frightened for the first time in her existence, she is panicked. She had been told all her life that she would never see a Demon in person, would only feel their presence on her dealings with Earth and those she watched over. Now she was faced with the cold reality. It felt as if God’s love had left, she could no longer feel him as acutely as she always had before, as if the Demon’s invasion had pushed his love away.

She sits, with her legs folded below her chin, her arms wrapped around, pulling her into as small a ball as possible. She sits quietly rocking, tears streaming down her face, praying that these foul things would just go away.

Suddenly, with a tremendous bang, the door to her house is brought down. Outside, stands a Demon. His hands covered in blood, the talons dripping gore. A foul stench assaults Emoralee, and she is instantly nauseated.

He comes closer into the room, seemingly to sense her presence. With nose pointed in the air and sniffing like a dog, he follows her scent to her hiding place. Turning the corner, he spots her. A smile spreads across his lips, and his eyes tell the story of what is about to happen. She notices his organ growing between his legs. Emoralee looks up at his form and begins to plead with him.

Please, think about what you are doing. God will punish you. If you turn and leave now, I am sure the punishment will not be as severe. He will see you mean no harm and will be forgiven.

If the Demon heard her, he makes no sign, but continues his approach. Now with saliva running down his lips, and his phallus now so large and erect that it rests in the center of his chest, nearly as thick as her own thigh.

He comes closer. She curls herself into a tighter ball and cries all the harder. He kneels down to her and spreads her legs. She fights and squirms, trying to get away. She calls upon the Angels, upon God, and even the Holy Mother to protect her, but no one comes. The Demon easily pins her arms to the floor, it wraps its wings around her body, squeezing her to the point of suffocation. His giant erection finds her opening, and he forces himself in. The initial thrusts rip her open. She can feel the blood run down her thighs and collect on the floor. The blood seems to excite her despoiler, as his thrusts become more intense, more savage. He now holds both hands above her head pinning them both with one of his, and with his other, begins tearing at her flesh, ripping large slices out of her skin. The Demon rakes his talons across her face, lacerating her ear, cutting down along her cheek and neck. He leaves four ragged gouges in her face. Her wrists are punctured by his other hand, bearing his weight and forcing them to the floor. For the rest of her existence she would bear these scars.

Her physical pain and the sight of the blood causes the Demon to become even more excited, and he shoots his seed inside her. Emoralee can feel his ejaculate burning within her, the unnaturalness of it, the darkness of it, causes her even more pain, as if her uterus had been sprayed with acid. He stands, and strikes her across the face one last time. She can see her blood and his semen dripping from his member. He turns and walks back out, ready to get back to his task, leaving her in a pool of her own blood, sobbing into her hands.

Even now, she can feel the seed taking root, trying to attach itself to her. She knows she is with child, and cries harder at the thought. Now, tainted with a Demon’s seed, and having committed the act of sin, she fears she will be ostracized, perhaps even kicked out from Heaven.

Finally, after hours of struggle, the strength of Heaven wins out. God himself comes forward, and with his blinding light, all but the very strongest of demons are destroyed., gone entirely from existence. He speaks a single word, which is not heard, but felt among those still there, a force slamming into their heads.

BEGONE.

All of the remaining Demons are forced from Heaven and back to Hell. Lucifer is brought to his knees, tears of sorrow fall down his face. He remembers now how great it was to bask in God’s glory, and to hear his wonderful voice. He finds himself back in his former prison, the chains that once bound him now around him again, thicker and stronger. Also in place are increased locks and holds, further measures to keep Lucifer imprisoned, lessening the chance of him breaking free again.

Months pass. Heaven has started to rebuild. Already the Gate has been replaced, larger and stronger than ever. Battlements are now being erected. More Angels are brought into the Archangel status, hoping to stem any further attack should it come.

Emoralee has grown with pregnancy. She can feel her child inside of her, can feel its evil surging through her own veins, but also detects the presence of goodness growing within.

She has been removed to a special section of Heaven where she can get the care needed in her state. This will be a permanent home for her to raise her child. She is no longer pure, but the ruling class decreed it might be best if she was separated.

In her time, she gives birth to a baby girl. She names her Abielia, which means God is my Father. Hoping, with this name to remove the taint of the actual father of her child. Abielia is half Demon, half Angel. She has her mother’s beauty, with fair skin and straight, dark hair. She appears as beautiful as an Angel, but instead of the white feathered wings, hers are black and leathery. Her eyes are dark, and at the end of her fingers and toes, instead of nails, she has strong, sharp talons.

For the most part, Abielia is a good baby, but occasionally bites her Mother during feeding, as if she needs to taste blood, or maybe just the desire to be mean.

School time is a little rougher. She often teases the Cherubs in her class, poking them with pins just to hear them scream. She is disrespectful to her teachers, but she does try hard to be good, and to study God’s word.

Her teenage years often found her fighting with some of the other Angels, the violence escalating to a point where something had to be decided. It was not safe for her to live in Heaven any longer, and before she seriously hurt or even kill, she would have to leave.

Purgatory was no longer an option. This realm was still trying to remove the contamination caused by the Demons passing through. It was decided that it would be unnecessarily cruel to send her to Hell. It was not really her fault that she was compelled to do evil things.

After much deliberation, it was finally decided to send her to the Earthen Realm. Here, she would have a chance to make her own decisions, and maybe earn her way back into Heaven.

She and Emoralee say a tearful farewell. Emoralee knows this will be best for her daughter, the only chance she will have to further herself and hopefully her soul. She can only hope that Abielia will understand and will harbor no ill will towards her.

CHAPTER 2

Abielia leaves the only home she has ever known, and finds herself placed on the Earthen Realm. She has been educated in the ways of love, God’s word and works, but feels she is wholly inadequate to live on her own in a world so different from the one she was used to. She had studied the languages of Earth, and felt confident in her ability to communicate, but still there is so much to learn, she feels overwhelmed by it all. She decides to spend some time in observation to see what other skills she might pickup.

She has decided that if she is to live with these people, it would be best to live among them, to live as they do and not as a separate entity sharing their space. She would try to become as human as she could, and hopefully use their established methods to retain her home in Heaven.

She floats above Earth for a time, deciding the best placement for her. She flies over cities and rural towns. She loves the atmosphere of the little houses, far off by themselves, but decides that in order to get the best feel for humanity, she would need to be among a multitude. She observes many cities, and can feel their presence, and how weak humans are. Finally, she settles on New York. This city alone gives her the strongest sense of trouble, cries out the loudest for some help. Here she feels she would be best placed to learn our ways, to become one and to live as they would.

As a supernatural being, she can choose to be seen or not, based on the circumstance and her own intuition. For now, she walks among the humans, invisible. Some can sense she is there, those more attuned to the spirit world, but even these shrug off her presence as just an unexplained draught in the room, or they just tell themselves it was nothing.

Abielia walks among the people, and tries to listen to their conversations. For the most part, the talks are of a thing called money, how to get it, how to get rid of it, and how to have even more. She is confused by this concept, and tries to learn more.

She finds that it is necessary in every day life, it is used to purchase things needed such as food, clothing and shelter. This money is all the humans ever seem to think about, so it must be important in their world. She decides that if she must walk among them, she will need to get some of her own money. From what she can gather, this is a very hard thing to come by, and once someone has some, it is immediately taken away. How should one go about gaining this commodity?

She walks among them for days, floating above, walking amongst them and even sitting down as they drink their morning coffee or attend the weekly board meetings. Notes are gathered, studied and analyzed, cross referenced to each other and cataloged, but still she finds herself confused. She has found a quiet spot, deep in the woods, and far from any human activity. There is an abandoned cottage, formed of logs and mud. The roof is damaged, but for the most part, it holds out the rain and snow. Here she has set up her home base, to be by herself and study the ways of the humans. Here she sits and studies these notes gathered. Often she weeps with despair, afraid that she will never understand this race of people she is forced to live with.

In the early hours of morning, before the humans are out and about, with the streets quiet of traffic, a thought comes to her. In order to understand, she will need to befriend someone who can teach her, and who can help her. Someone to confide in, who can be trusted, and who will believe she is who she says she is. Now, her biggest question would be, how to find such a person? Resting in her cottage, she tries to think of a way to find a trustworthy person, who she can share her secrets with and who can teach her those things necessary for survival on Earth.

She has gathered newspapers to try to learn the language, and to familiarize herself with day to day activities. Stories abound with one person harming another, or an entire country trying to hurt the citizens of another. She reads stories of crime, of murder and robbery. The stories are of humans doing good for one another are few, and in her present situation, this is what she needs.

Finally, she comes to a story where a woman was found in a subway station, with no memory of where she had been, or who she was. A kind person took her to a hospital where she got the help she needed. Abielia felt this was the way to go. She could fake having memory loss to hide her origins, and hopefully find that caring person she so desperately craved.

She finds a doorway that is big enough for her to sit down in. She chooses to make herself manifest, but appears as a human. She masks her wings and talons, but keeps her own face, hair, etc. She appears as an attractive, 30 something female. She has fair skin, almost to the point of being pale. Black, straight hair down to her shoulder blades, and cut in the Betty Paige style, with bangs over her forehead. She gives herself a dirty appearance by rubbing dirt on her and finds some clothes torn to rags wears these, inadequate to keep one warm in this cold weather.

Huddled in the doorway, she watches as people pass her, most not even glancing at her way. This is her first true exposure to nature, and humanity’s true ways, their cruelness to each other, and to those in need. Whatever hope she had, whatever faith in humanity starts to fade as more and more people pass her by, not caring that she is alive, and caring less if she dies.

Finally, someone comes over to her, and asks if she is okay. Abielia senses something not quite right in this person, some dark intent, perhaps a selfish desire. Perhaps in raising this cold, homeless person up would better the rescuer, some twisted sense of Karma. ‘If I help this person, someone will come along and help me later.’ Or perhaps he saw some other intent in coming to her aid. This type of person was not what she had in mind, someone that will help her to help her, not themselves.

Thank you stranger, but I am fine. I was on my way home, and became too tired to continue on so decided to rest a bit. It seems that I fell asleep. Thank you again for your kindness.

Having said this, she raised herself up, and made as if she was continuing on her way.

The stranger looked at her, a look of arousal now no longer concealed on his lecherous face.

Again, I thank you for your consideration, but my home lies only a short distance away, I will be perfectly all right in making my own way. As a further stab in his direction, hoping to get him to back off, she added, besides, my husband is home, and it will look funny in his eyes having a strange man guide me home.

This had the opposite effect, and the stranger became even more forceful. He now grabbed her by the arm, and pulled her closer to him.

How about you just shut your mouth, and come with me. I have something in mind I know you will like.

Abielia easily freed herself from his grasp, and struck him across the face. A reflexive action, performed before she had even given it any thought, her demonic nature showing through before her angelic restraints could stop her.

The man crumpled, senseless, to the pavement. She now realized just how fragile these creatures were, how easy it would be for her to seriously harm them. If she were to apply her full, preternatural power into her blow, she would have taken the man’s head completely off. She realized that it would be easy for her to rip these frail beings apart, if she so desired. Although in this case, the man was not seriously injured, merely knocked senseless, it still frightened her a bit. She would have to watch herself in further dealings with these people.

She left the man lying there, and began walking again, thinking to find another spot, to continue her search for that charitable person. With another spot selected, she folded herself in.

More people pass, with much the same experience as before. Now, more attuned to human nature, she hid herself from those with evil intent, and only allowed herself to be perceived by those who might be the most willing to help her.

Finally, after almost a day of watching and waiting, a young woman approaches her.

Excuse me ma’am. Is there anything I can do for you? You look like you could use a bath, some food and maybe a bed.

Abielia looked up to her, and saw a plain woman standing in front of her. Not beautiful by any means, but also not ugly either. She wore no makeup, but her hair was neatly combed, and while not dressy or expensive, her clothes were neat and clean. Something the average person would wear to the office. She was a little heavier than the normal, and her full, round face looked down on Abielia with a look of sincere concern, radiating with sympathy and worry.

If you can spare it, I suppose I could use something to eat.

Oh my, no, it is no problem. I have plenty. Please come. I live by myself and would enjoy the company.

Thank you. I appreciate your generosity. May Heaven’s blessings rain down upon you!

The woman removed her own coat, and stooping down to Abielia’s level, wrapped it around her shoulders. She then helped her to stand, and placing her arm around the waif’s shoulders, walked with her, side by side as equals. With no disdain, no contempt, only one person walking with another, they walked the few blocks to the other woman’s home.

Abielia used this time, this closeness, to analyze this person even more. Her initial judgments held up, and knew that the person who now guided her was the genuine article. A good person set on doing good for others, with no intention of furthering her own station.

As they walked, her savior asked,

I do not want to call you honey or sweetie all of the time, although I probably will anyways, its just my nature, but do you have a name that I can call you?

My name is Abielia, but most people just call me Abi.

I love that name! It sounds so pretty! Does it mean anything?

My mother always said it was Hebrew for ‘god is my father.’

You must come from a religious background. How is it you find yourself in such a situation? Surely you could find a church, or a decent Christian home to put you up?

Yes, I do come from a very religious upbringing. I never thought to go to the church as I would feel terrible having them help someone like me. They have only limited resources and need to use that for the people who actually need it.

Abi, hon, I have known a lot of people who could use help and never ask for it. I think with your sweet disposition, you do yourself an injustice. Come with me and let me take care of you. For an evening, or longer if need be. My name is Myra, and I hope that we can be good friends.

Myra led her up the steps, and into her apartment. She sat Abielia down to the table with a roast beef sandwich and some crackers. While the other ate, she went and drew her a hot bath with plenty of suds and some sweet smelling salts.

Although she had no need to eat, and the consumption of food did her no good nutrition wise, Abielia could enjoy the taste of it, and actually liked the way it felt sliding down her throat to her stomach. She had just finished when Myra came back out and led her to the bathroom.

I have a bath ready for you. I hope the water is not too hot. There are towels over there, and you are welcome to use my shampoo. I am going to leave you now, and try to find you some clothes to wear, I think my clothes are all too big for you. You look like you’re a what, size 9?

Thank you, you do not have to do that. The clothes I have are fine.

Oh pish posh. Those were rags, fit only to be burned. I won’t be long. You just sit here and enjoy your bubble bath.

Without saying anything more, Abielia just sinks back and lets the water soak into her. This is one delight even Heaven itself did not possess! Having no dirt, there was never a need to wash it off.

She sat here for almost an hour, when she could hear the front door open. Myra’s steps came down the hall, and there was a knock at the bathroom door. She entered, carrying several bags from a nearby discount store.

I couldn’t decide what you would like, so I got you a little of everything!

Her face lit up in excitement, eager to show her guest her purchases. She reaches into the bag and pulls out a t-shirt and some sweat pants.

I figured you could use these for pajamas. I know I like to just sit around in sweats on my days off. I will leave these here for you to get into after your bath. I also got you some jeans and shirts, and a nicer dress if you want to go out.

She then laid the pajamas on the toilet seat and turned to go.

Thank you so much for this. I will find someway to repay your kindness.

Myra turned, and giving a small laugh and said,

Please don’t worry about anything like that right now. Let’s just get you fed and in bed for a nice, relaxing sleep.

Abielia finished her bath, and rejoined Myra in the living room.

Well, you look much better! So much prettier without all of that grime covering your face!

I feel better. And these clothes are so comfortable, I wish I could stay in them all the time!

Myra looked at her and laughed, full of mirth and good nature.

Well honey, you can, for as long as you like. I have dinner going in the oven, and you can have my room tonight. I will sleep on the air mattress in the spare room.

Abielia looked up at her, with a surprised look on her face. Never before had someone offered her not only a meal and a bath, but their own bed as well.

Honestly Myra, I cannot accept that of you. Why should I take your bed? I would be perfectly comfortable sleeping on the floor, or even the couch. Or, if you want, I can take the air mattress.

Don’t worry about that. The spare room is kind of an office/storage area. This will give me time to go through it and straighten it out. I have put clean sheets on my bed for you, and the air mattress is just as comfortable anyways.

Abielia gave in with only a nod. She knew that arguing with this woman was futile. She knew that she was not putting herself out, otherwise she would not be making these offers.

Just then, the timer on the oven went off and Myra excused herself to tend to dinner. A few minutes later, she called out to the living room.

Abi honey, dinner is ready! Come on in and get your self something to eat.

Placed on the center of the table was a nice pot roast, with potatoes and carrots, and some homemade bread. The table was set for two, opposite each other so that they may see each other to talk.

Sit down over there, and grab a plate. I apologize that I am not much of a host, but I don’t know how much a person eats, so I prefer they help themselves.

She sat down across from Abielia, and began slicing herself off a piece of the meat, and spooned some of the vegetables onto her plate. Abi mirrored her movements, and followed suit. Although familiar with food and human’s need for it, she was unfamiliar with the utensils used, and with proper table manners. She thought this would be a good time to see if her amnesia ploy would play out. She watched as Myra cut her meat and used the fork to bring it to her mouth. She tried to follow the same actions, but with poor results.

Myra noticed she was having some difficulty, and stood up to bend over the table to help Abi cut the meat and the larger vegetables.

Sitting back down, she gave Abielia a motherly look, and said,

OK hon. Maybe I need to know more of who you are and where you are from. Have you only eaten food that you can pick up in your hands? Tell me if it’s none of my business, and I will just sit over here and eat.

No, I do not mind telling you. The problem is, that I cannot remember. I know my name is Abielia, and that I grew up with a religious upbringing, but as far as anything else, I do not know.

Really? That is very odd. I’ve heard of cases like yours. Some kind of selective amnesia. I think it only comes in cases of traumatic experiences, like a blow to the head, or the mind trying to block out something bad that has happened. Do you remember falling down, or maybe that someone tried to hurt you?

Abielia immediately thought of the strange man trying to take her away, but only shook her head and said,

I do not believe so. I have no bruises, and my head does not feel like it received any kind of harm. I am afraid that I will have to re-learn all of the things I am supposed to know, like how to use a knife and a fork.

Tell you what. I will teach you everything you need to know. I will support you and help you in any way I can. You seem like a decent enough person. I offer you my house for as long as you need it. I would rather you stay here, where I can keep an eye on you than have you wind up in one of those icky hospitals that just ignore their patients and hope they go away.

Thank you for that. I will do whatever I can around here to earn my way. I can clean for you, and if you teach me how, I can cook for you.

That will be splendid dear. Now, please eat. It seems like you haven’t eaten in days!

Abi did so, enjoying her meal, loving the textures that the different ingredients brought.

The meal now over, both women set to work in clearing the table, putting the leftovers away and starting the dishes. Myra guided Abielia in those things not familiar, and it didn’t take long before she was performing these tasks with no support.

After dinner, they sat for a while in the living room talking. Myra tried to get a better understanding of Abi’s situation, how best she could help, but without trying to pry too hard into her life.

Although close to the same age physically, Myra quickly learned that this current situation would have her playing the mother role, trying to teach her offspring the ways of the world. At one point Abi looked at her and asked,

What is this money, and how do I go about getting some of it?

Taken back a bit, Myra had to think about the best way to answer the question.

Well, money is something that we use to trade for goods or services. A person can get it various ways. Some people just have it, but most, such as myself, have to go to work and earn it. In this way, I am performing a service in exchange for a reward. I go to my job, do what the boss asks of me, and if I do a good job, he rewards me with a paycheck, which I then turn into food for myself, and this apartment.

So I should find myself a job, and turn those rewards into helping you with this apartment, or in finding my own?

If that is what you want to do my dear, then by all means, do it. I think that you are pushing things a bit for now, but if you like, I can help you find a job of your own.

They talked for another hour or so, when Myra announced that she was tired and would go to bed. Having nothing better to do, Abi said she would as well. They both retired to their separate rooms. Abi knelt down next to her bed and said her nightly prayers. She thanked God for sending Myra to her, and also asking forgiveness for harming the man earlier today. Having no need of sleep, she just lay on her back, thinking of her next step, listening to Myra snore quietly in the other room.

CHAPTER 3

Morning came, and Abi heard Myra’s alarm clock g off in the other room. She heard Myra get up, and go into the shower. After the shower had shut off, she listened to Myra’s footsteps go down the hall and into the kitchen. Deciding this was a good time to get up, she left her bed, staying in the pajamas because she liked the way they felt on her human skin.

She found Myra at the stove, frying up some eggs.

Good morning dear. If you’re hungry, I can fix you some eggs, and there is coffee brewing.

Abielia nodded, and sat down at the table.

Myra cracked some more eggs, and started scrambling them while she put some bread into the toaster.

So, how did you sleep?

Fearing to give out too much information regarding her nature, and that she didn’t sleep at all, Abi lied and said that she slept fine. Better than she had in years it seemed. Certainly better than sleeping in a cold doorway.

That’s good to hear. Said Myra as she slid a plate of scrambled eggs and toast in front of her guest. I slept better than I thought I would. That air mattress is just like sleeping on my own bed!

They say in silence, enjoying their meal. After a time, Myra stood up and said,

Well dear, I hate to leave you, but I have to go to work. Do you think you will be okay staying here by yourself? I can always call in if you are feeling uncomfortable.

No, I think I will be fine. I would hate for you to miss work, and not get any money.

Oh, I have plenty of sick time I can use, so I won’t miss out on any money.

So you mean, you can not go to your job and still get money? I thought that you had to perform your duty to get compensated?

Well, yes, you do. But sometimes you can build up a day off by the work performed. For example, in my job, for every 160 hours you work, you earn 8 hours off, to be spent during those times where you are just too sick to come in to work.

But you are not sick.

No, but my boss doesn’t know that. I don’t call in that often, so he would think that I am sick, and wouldn’t think anything of it. So, if it would make you feel better, I can stay here with you today.

I will be fine, but I thank you again for your consideration. I am sure I can find something to do to pass the time.

Alright hon. I have TV, but only get a few channels. I haven’t gotten cable because I feel that too much TV just rots your brain. I have some jigsaw puzzles and some cross words if you like to to those.

Thank you, but I will be perfectly happy just sitting by the window watching the birds.

OK. Well I will leave you then. If you get hungry, make your self a sandwich, or I have some pop-tarts in the cupboard.

Saying this, she grabbed her purse, and waving good bye, turned and left the apartment.

Abi sat at the table for a bit, and took this time to send off another prayer to her Heavenly Father. After a while, she looked around for some service she might to to help to repay Myra’s kindness. She did the dishes from breakfast and put them away. She went in and straightened out the spare room, but not knowing what Myra wanted to do with the assorted junk, just left it, only putting it into neater piles and clearing more space for the mattress. As she walked back to the living room, she noticed a bookshelf, packed to overflowing. On its shelves were numerous books regarding the Occult. She skimmed the titles, seeing books on Ghosts, Vampires, Witches and Astral travel. One caught her eye, A Study of Angels and Demons, Their Works and Histories. She took this one down, and sitting in a chair, began to read.

She read this book all day, laughing to herself at a human’s perspective of things they could not possibly understand, amazed at how such blatant lies could be put in a book designed to be used as a source of fact. She was so engrossed in the book, that before she knew it, she heard the keys in the lock, and knew that Myra was home. She started to get up to put the book away before Myra noticed, but it was too late, she was already inside.

Oh, I see you found something to do. That’s wonderful! I was afraid you would just sit here all day with nothing to do!

Abi looked at her, with her head hung and said,

I am sorry. I should have asked your permission before touching your things. I will put it back.

Nonsense. I told you to make yourself at home. Do you have an interest in Angels and Demons?

Abi had to stop herself from blurting out more than you know, but stopped herself. Instead she said,

It is something I have always been infatuated with, but I must say, this book is incorrect on many points.

Oh yeah? How so?

Well, for example, this book says that Angels only exist as points of light, not perceivable by humans. That they are always around, but we would never know it. I know this is wrong. Most of the time an Angel is sent to earth as a messenger, spreading God’s word. They can make themselves manifest, and in many cases walk amongst us, appearing as a normal human being. There are many more cases I could point out, but I do not want to argue with this man’s ideas. It just seems strange that he can write this book and play it off as fact, when he is far from having the facts at all.

Sometimes we think we know more of a subject than what we really do, and it is easy for us to pass ourselves off as experts, often fooling others into believing we are smarter than they are. So tell me, how is it you know so much about this subject?

Here Abi felt that she had let her knowledge ruin her deception, and tried to think of a way around it.

Maybe I do not know a whole lot about it. It is just what I was always taught growing up. Maybe this man does know more about it than I do. It could be that my religious teachers were wrong, or that they perceived Angels to be something entirely different.

All I know is that I have never seen an Angel. I have never been visited by a beautiful creature with wings. But I do know that good happens all the time, and there must be some reason for it. I like to think that the Angels do walk amongst us, protecting us from Satan and his evil works.

It was all Abi could do not to burst out laughing at this last statement. Here she was, an embodiment of both Angel and Devil, and Myra had no idea!

At this point, Myra decided to change the subject and said,

So, I was at work today, and was thinking about our situation here. I really would like it if you stayed with me for a while, at least until I am comfortable sending you out into the cold world. I even went so far as to order you a bed online. It should be here at the end of the week. You can have my office for your room. We will have to share the bathroom, but I think we can be adult enough about things not to get in each others way.

That sounds wonderful. I would really like to stay with you. I think there is a lot I need to learn. I do not want to be a burden to you, however.

Stop that silly talk! You are not a burden, and I really enjoy your company. I have been alone so long, I was thinking of getting a cat, just to have someone to talk to. Having you here means I don’t have to clean out litter boxes!

She then turned, leaving a stunned Abielia sitting on the couch. From the kitchen, she heard Myra call out,

Thanks for doing the dishes hon! You didn’t have to do that!

Abi yelled back,

It is no problem. I am glad that I am able to do something nice for you, a small gesture it is compared to what you have done for me.

Oh pish posh. So, what do you feel like for dinner? I have some frozen pizzas, or I can make up some stroganoff.

Not having tasted either, Abi did not care what she fixed, but she thought that stroganoff was a funnier sounding word, opted for that, curious how it would taste.

Can you teach me how to make it? She asked.

Certainly. Come on in here, and we can make it together.

Abi got up, and joined her friend in the kitchen. Myra showed her how to brown the hamburger, and how to boil water for the noodles. It reminded Myra of her own childhood, helping her mother in the kitchen. It was a good feeling, and for a moment she forgot that she was a 32 year old, unmarried spinster, with no kids of her own. It felt as if Abi had been sent to her just for this reason. They both needed each other, and could offer each other different things. Abi would have a safe