Nobody's Angels

CHAPTER 1

-CHAPTER ONE-

Deuteronomy 11:26-27

See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse-a blessing if you obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today;

David stared after the man with mouth agape. He couldn't explain it, but something was different, something felt different.

"Wait!" He called after him.

The man stopped and turned with lifted eyebrows.

"I gave you my name, so what's yours?"

He smiled that peaceful, serene yet know-it-all smile that was so out of place in this neighborhood.

"Raziel."

David didn't know if his tone was condescending or humble, but he knew this guy didn't belong here, something was out of place about him.

"Well, Raziel, I haven't always been like this." David stated defensively. This Raziel was just a fellow nobody, but he felt it necessary to defend who he is, or who he once was... that he was also important.

"I know David."

Silence enveloped them.

"David?"

"Yes?"

"You won't always be this way, I promise."

With that Raziel walked away, turning down the next alley and out of sight. Loneliness and despair filled the gap after the stranger had left. He almost laughed after a while. What a ridiculous notion. Of course all will remain the same. Everything was lost and it would stay that way. His sister was gone, the only one who had watched over him like a protective mother bear. When he lost her he spiraled into a dark pit. In that pit fame was meaningless. Friends became non-existent, for who would want to be associated with one who had lost everything? Money had no value. Love was non-existent. No, it would always be this way, of this he was sure.

*-*-*

Raziel continued walking through the night. Once morning dawned upon humanity he stopped by a common intersection where motorists would exit the highway. Rushing, always rushing. There was no time. He felt their urgency. They had to be on time, couldn't be late, they had a job to keep.

For the longest time he just sat Indian-style on the sidewalk, listening to them, hearing them loud and clear. The stop light changed many times from green, to yellow... to red. When it was red he heard the most.

A man was barking into his cell phone, making demands that his bank needed to transfer the funds now, not the next minute, not tomorrow, it had to be now. He had no time to wait, he had bills to pay.

A husband and wife were argueing, not enough time-the wife cried-he never gave her enough time, and now he would leave again for another week, on another business trip.

Time. Yes. There was never enough time in this microwave world these humans had built for themselves. This stress vacuum. This black hole that demanded more and more, and still gave nothing in return... nothing was going to be enough anyway.

Raziel held David's simple sign in front of him, looking to see who would take the time to read. He couldn't help but smile at the words on the worn cardboard:

I WILL SING FOR YOUR BLESSING.

Indeed, David's voice had resonated throughout heaven, demanding his blessing.

Cars continued to whizz by. The lights turned red once more and cars came to the necessary halt. Some of the occupants tapped impatiently on their steering wheels. Some immersed themselves in their oh-so-important cell phone conversations. Some kept themselves busy switching radio stations. They did everything but look at him. He could hear their thoughts for the Father allowed him to hear what needed to be heard. It was not always pleasant.

The lovely young woman, tapping on the steering wheel was debating, her mind going back and forth.

"But what if he gets drugs? I have too many bills to pay to fund his habits. I can't, I just can't God, I'm sorry."

Raziel ambled over to her car and boldly tapped on her window, startling her out of her mental struggle. Reluctantly the automatic window rolled down. Raziel just pointed to his sign.

She shook her head.

"I'm sorry, I don't have anything." She said apologetically as the light turned green. Relieved she sped off.

Indeed, thought Raziel sadly, she had nothing, and what she did have she would soon loose.