Eli Fletcher: The Golden Orb

Prologue & Chapter One: Birthday Plans

Prologue

We walk along the sandy beach. I don't know how we got here, but it's the one He and I always meet on. This time we aren't sitting in lounge chairs sipping on colorful slushy drinks, though.

"I thought we'd hang out and talk as we walk along our beach," Jesus says; I call him Jesus instead of Joshua now. He taught me recently that they're basically the same name, just a variation of the name Yeshua. But, I call him Jesus.

"Good idea," I say.

"Thank you."

We walk for another minute or so in silence, just listening to the waves crash on the shore. I'm really beginning to like the ocean. I wasn't the biggest fan of the beach when I was in California, but this one doesn't seem as harsh, and it definitely isn't as crowded. In fact, we're the only ones on it, and the sand is much softer than anything I've ever walked on.

"So, where were we?" Jesus asks. I know He knows where the story stopped before; He's just prompting me to go on. There's still a lot to tell.

"Abby had just been adopted and Marco was dropped on Miss O's doorstep. I think the next major thing to happen was right before my next birthday."

"Yes, eight months later."

"Was it only that long? It seemed so much longer with no demons to fight."

"You're welcome, once again."

"I'm beginning to pick up a trend here."

Jesus chuckles. "I protect when needed and I allow trials when needed. You needed a break after what you had just gone through; especially with the memory loss, killing the Adlers and accidentally killing Aiden, allowing Tentatio to take over his body."

I sigh. "Yeah, You're right. That was quite a bit to experience."

Jesus just nods and goes silent. That's my cue to continue the story.

 

Chapter One

Birthday Plans

"Eli! Have you made up your list yet?" Miss O calls from the other room.

I'm still sleeping after having fought some smaller demons the previous night. One night I'd discovered that there's a flash of light that shoots into the sky every time a demon escapes the hell mount. The first time I saw it I was out patrolling the grounds, out of habit now since there hasn't been a major demon attack for quite a while, and this green light shot into the sky. I thought someone was shooting off fireworks at the time, but then they never exploded. A few shot out and I learned that each time it flashed; another demon escaped the hell mount. Over the past eight months, I've tracked down twelve of the fifteen I saw escape that night. Three still haven't shown themselves.

"Eli!" Miss O says sharply from my doorway.

"What?" I groan.

"Get your butt out of bed and make your guest list," she says barely able to keep herself from laughing. I don't know what's so funny, but her laughter is contagious sometimes.

"You know I don't have many friends. The only people are you, Fi, Billy, Marco, Grace and her family, and then your brother, Jason."

"That's your list then?"

"Yeah, oh and maybe Sparrow if he's in town." I say and pull the covers over my head.

I drift off to sleep again and I see Fiona brushing her hair in the mirror. She's just gotten dressed to come over.