Children of the Archangels

CHAPTER 18: A WELCOME MAT FOR GOD

There were two signs that generally scared Luke: one, his girlfriend being pregnant and two, the end of the world. The second sign scared him more because he would never get to experience the first sign if Jesus came and decided to nuke humanity with his glory.

Why the heck would he be a sign that Jesus is coming to end the world? What was so important about him?

Luke tried to call the Dean's bluff. "You can't be serious."

"How do the kids say it these days—I'm ode serious."

"But, that's not even English," Luke said pointing to the scroll. "That's just gibberish. How can you understand what it says let alone read it?"

"You're right. It's written in a language that neither I nor anyone else here can fully wrap our heads around. But, it was translated to me by a reliable source who does know the language."

"Who?"

"That's not the concern right now," the Dean dropped the matter.

"Then at least tell me what it says," Luke's heart was beating. He came here to learn more about his past, not his future. He still wanted to know who his real parents were, how he got abandoned in a weird Garden, and why Uriel gifted him with these elemental powers.

Before answering, the Dean took one last sip of whisky and spoke:

"The lost charge of fire and lightning,

Shall spark the second coming.

A Parent or a Child?

A Shepherd or a Star?

The side he elects to baptize with his allegiance,

Shall push or snap the wheel of vengeance."

Luke waited for more, but no, a big piece of paper pretty much said nothing. He wanted to laugh at how pathetic the thing sounded. A parent or a child? A shepherd or a star? What does any of that junk mean?

And most importantly, "Who wrote it?"

The Dean rolled up the paper. "A man who also was called upon to be a welcome mat for God. But you've gotten enough stress and details launched at you for one day. What I need from you now is for you to go back to your dorm and get some rest."

Luke could not rest so easily after hearing that he was supposed to pave the way for Jesus to come again. Yes, he knew that Jesus had said in the Bible that after he had resurrected from the horrible death by crucifixion he was dealt, he would show up again and crush Satan and his allies. But what the heck did Luke have to do with this? And most importantly, when will he come? Like tomorrow night? Luke really wanted to kiss his girlfriend back home in D.C. before being Jesus's welcome mat for him to destroy the world.

"I can't be this person," Luke pointed at the prophecy.

"You can't or you don't want to be?" Dean Ammon asked.

"Both," Luke admitted.

The Dean pointed to Luke's chest. "Do you have an S on your chest?"

Luke was caught checking out his chest to see if maybe the dried yak blood had formed a letter S for 'shit-luck.' When he realized he had nothing, he shook his head.

"Then don't think this prophecy gives you one. You don't have to be a savior or a superhero. Just be you."

Luke wasn't sure if it was the temperature in the Dean's office, who seemed to like it cold, or if it was the Dean's words that seemed to cool Luke down.

"Now get going to the dorm. From here on out, you'll have a lot of studying to do, including for my quadratics equations test tomorrow."

Luke cursed beneath his breath and wished the Dean would postpone the test considering the yak attack on the school. When he left the Dean's office, he was surprised to see how fast the school had bounced back to normal. The cracked pavements had been filled in. The craters on the sports field had vanished, and the remains of the Zengan had disappeared.

It was lunch time, and most of the people were in the mess hall grabbing a bite to eat. But even after slaying a smelly ice breathing yak and surviving Dean Ammon's math class, Luke wasn't hungry. He did what the Dean told him: he went back to his dorm, lost in thoughts.

Many questions crossed his mind. Too many to think about.

But two seemed to bother him the most. First, how will Luke recognize Jesus as the second coming? Yes, the Bible says Jesus will come riding in on clouds and start doing his Jesus thing; but if he's supposed to be so recognizable, why would he need someone like Luke to choose his side? Clearly the prophecy left Luke a decision that would either help or hurt humanity.

But the second question had nothing to do with the prophecy as far as Luke knew. It had to do with his roommate.

When Sirius teleported Luke underground, it seems Luke got a glimpse into Sirius's mind. Of course, he was only able to hear and couldn't see anything, but what he heard was both frightening and depressing. All the cries of pain, Sirius's family, his past...

Luke just couldn't help worrying that he was sleeping in the same room as a murderer.