The Chronicles of Jo-kiel

FOURTEEN: Zadkiel

The unexpected bang as the door was forcefully pushed open made me stand to my feet instantly "What the" I breathed out when I realized it was Jophiel. My muscles relaxed and I let out a deep breath, but the relief was momentary. I had readied myself to reprimand her when I caught sight of her tear-stricken face and all the muscles in my body tensed up again.

My fists balled into a fist as I stared at her, "what is wrong, Jophiel?" I walked over to her as I asked, but the moment I got too close she took a step back. My chest tightened painfully at the rejection and I took a step back as well. "What is wrong?" I asked again and she let out a humourless laugh.

"I have a question, President," she said and I inhaled sharply. I had never heard her sound so cold. "God is good, selfless, he loves us and will always protect us, and he has power over everything, right?" I felt a gut-wrenching pain in my stomach and I swallowed bitterly. Whatever this is, it's not going to be good. "Right?" She repeated and I nodded.

She smiled at my answer and took a deep breath, "if he's all of this, then why does he let all these bad things happen to people?" My eyes widened as the octave of her voice rose steadily with each word, "Why on Earth! Does he let it happen? I'm only 18! 18 and yet!" Her voice cracked and a teardrop rolled down her cheek but that didn't keep her from continuing.

"Why did he let it all happen? He sat on this almighty throne and watched them hurt me over and over again!" Her bottom lip quivered and she paused as she struggled to catch a breath, "for 18 years," she began again and my chest squeezed painfully at the heaviness I could hear in her voice, "18 years! He watched them do it over and over again, and he never interfered but the moment, the very moment he got the opportunity to show off that he was real, he showed up. But after proving that, he once again let it happen. Why? Just why would a kind loving God give you peace then snatch it away when you least expect it!? Do you have an answer to it? Do you have an answer?" She met my gaze when she was done and I stared at her for a few seconds before I slowly exhaled.

"I don't," I said and her eyes widened. "I don't have an answer for you, Jophiel" She let out a breath through her mouth and shook her head vehemently.

"No, you should have an answer. You mus-"

"But I don't" I quickly interrupted before she could finish. "Not this time, Jophiel, I have no answer this time Jophiel. Bad things happened to you? Well, I'm so sorry but I don't know why. I have no clue. You think God let it happen? Well, congratulations on figuring it out. But why did he let it happen? You don't know and I don't know" I paused and took a shaky breath. "Listen, bad things happen to everyone okay? It happens every day to different people, horrible things happened to me too. Fathers kill their children, people rape others, people just do bad things to others and it's never Abba's fault. It has never been his fault and it will never be his fault. " I said, trying to sound as calm as I possibly can but she just scoffed and shook her head.

"Christians are very amusing creatures! Very very amusing! Your God is almighty and can do everything, he sees everything, he knows everything, he can protect, he can do this and that, but the moment someone tells you your God didn't come through for them, it is suddenly not his fault!?"

"Why should someone you rejected help you?" I asked and she froze, " Why does my God have to take the blame for humans and their actions because He is Almighty? Humans have free will, so someone hurt you? Okay, blame them! Hold them responsible for their actions! They did it! They! not God! Abba doesn't deserve this, stop being so selfish and stop looking for answers and excuses to try and protect yourself from the truth, such answers don't exist here. I don't have them. Blame the people that hurt you, and hold them responsible, they chose to hurt you, they chose to use their free will to do evil, not God. He isn't the one that hurt you. He never hurt you, not even once. And if you're blaming him for not interfering in a human's free will then thousands of you will call him a tyrant, so please, give him a break" I finished and heaved a deep breath.

Silence descended on us afterwards and we both stared at each other wordlessly. Her bottom lip quivered lightly and she kept clenching and unclenching her fist, I on the other hand just took in her actions with a heaviness in my chest. My stomach churned painfully as I watched but there was nothing else I could do. That was all I could do.

"Jophiel" I called out softly and took a step towards her but she immediately took two steps back, and I bit down hard on my bottom lip. I didn't mean to hurt her. "I'm so-"

"Save it, President" she cut me off and with one last look at me, she shook her head and walked away. Leaving me frozen on the spot I stood.

It took me a few minutes before I snapped out of it "What on Earth have I done?" I mumbled and gripped the chair as I stared at the door she just rushed out of. I'd messed up again. I was entrusted with a life and I went ahead and messed it up. "I'm so sorry, Abba" I managed to voice out despite the burn I felt in my throat, "I'm so sorry" I repeated and gripped the table tightly, almost bruising my hand. My body trembled as everything replayed in my head.

I have to go after her. I can't let another one walk away and stand the chance of losing them. I frantically looked for the keys, and once I found them I locked the door behind me and rushed out in search of her.

I was hoping she wouldn't have gone too far off but when I came out and saw no trace of her I felt like giving up. If she had gone so far by now that means that I wouldn't be able to reach her before she gets into her Dormitory and I can't just bamboozle in there. I thought of walking back to my office again, but on another thought, I ran off in search of her.

The school ground lay empty and there was no sight of her even though I was almost close to her dormitory. There was no point going further but something kept nudging me to keep going, and I did till I bumped into someone. Relief washed over me at first thinking it was her, but that soon disappeared when I realized it wasn't. "I'm sorry" I mumbled apologetically and made to keep moving, but I immediately stood dead in my tracks at the realization of who I bumped into.

I watched as a corner of his lips tugged up in a smirk and he pushed his hoodie back a little and stared at me, "we meet again" he said and shivers ran down my spine at how oddly familiar that voice was. It's been two years, and the last time I heard this voice it was screaming in pain. And staring at this face brought me back to the spot I was in 2 years ago, and I immediately took a step back and shook my head. There's no way it's him. I must be imagining things again. Franklin can't be here.

I stared at the petite boy again and shook my head, "there's no way" I whispered and made to walk away, but he immediately wrapped his hand around my wrist and held me back. I stared at his hands and shook my head despite the chills I felt up my spine. "There's still no way" I mumbled to myself. I slowly trailed my eyes up to his face and his smirk widened.

"Denying the truth doesn't change it," he said mockingly and it felt like a jab to my heart
I said that all the time to Franklin. How does he-?

"How do you...?" He immediately cut me off by placing a piece of paper in my hand. He released my wrist afterwards and took a few steps back, covering his face with the hoodie again.

"I just got newly admitted here, President and I hope you uncover my truth just like I heard you've been doing for other students" He paused and began walking backwards, "and when you find out, don't deny my truth, just because you're not ready for it" he finished and sprinted off.

I watched as if in a trance as he ran till I couldn't see him anymore. I let out a breath and stared at the paper he gave me. This must be a nasty prank, I thought before I slowly opened the paper. And just like last time, just one question was written down, "Do you even know who Gabriel truly is?" My heart dropped to my stomach as I read the question.

Gabriel again?

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