Blasphemy: A Like Story

Chapter Three

No fire trucks came, nor police; we were utterly alone. Every trace of Bishop's mother washed away by fire, along with everything he owned.

The night was warm but we were cold and shivering in the wet grass. In the weedy field behind the remains of the home, a figure appeared. It was dark and though there was enough moonlight I couldn't see its features. I guessed it to be Asmodeus. As he stepped out of the thigh-high grasses, darkness swirled and writhed at his feet like slithering black tentacles. The closer he got, the more these began to take the shape of sooty cats.

"They're alive!" Bishop cried.

He pulled himself up and ran towards them. He snatched up two cats and buried his face in their fur, then he set them down and picked up two more. He started to count.

"Fourteen. They are all here. Thank you, Asmodeus. You are the absolute best."

Everyone but me was staring at the demon with rampant adoration.

No one was thanking me, who had provided lifesaving emergency services, however. I started to complain, but without warning was sucked into the Waning. When I emerged, I was in a celestial court. I could vaguely tell I wasn't on Earth any longer, but I wasn't far from it as I hadn't needed a Spirit walker to travel there.

The court was vast and opalescent. Circular in shape with columns all around it, the room was built of stone with gold ribbons flowing through it. Off in the distance a holy choir could be heard singing. Atop four pedestals high above me were seated four angels. Each one a hot mess of wings, bronze faces, lion heads and hands. This a rather common, if messy, form of high guardian. These four watched over all the guardian angels on earth. I was in deep shit.

"Kokabiel," the four began in unison. The sound was deafening. "Is it true you were informed of the Holy High's judgement involving the revokement of your charges soul?"

My first thought was to lie. My second thought was how I am a terrible angel.

"Yes," I said, somewhat grudgingly. "I was told."

"And is it true you have defied the Holy High and sought to extend the life of your charge?"

"Yes."

"And is it true that you have conspired with The Enemy to see that this was accomplished?" Intoned the four guardians.

How did they...? Deep deep shit.

"First off," I said. "My charge, of his own volition, summoned a high-ranking demon into his home, who exposed us, and when I couldn't banish that demon and sought help, no one helped. Laurel lied to me. Hashut narked on me. And the demon is still there. Why has no one thought to punish the demon?"

"The Enemy will face his masters in the end. It is our understanding that this is a rogue entity and has yet to be brought to task by its superiors. It is the best interest of the Holy High to leave that matter to The Enemy."

"So, I just have to live with it?" I asked.

"It is furthermore our assessment," the heads continued. "that you are a very angry and volatile being, Kokabiel. In light of this, and your many transgressions, it is the order of the court of the Holy High that you face a punishment this day."

I thought about the absolute worst thing they could do to me. They could send me back to Heaven to sing praises for eternity. Oh God, anything but that!

"The court recommends that you, Kokabiel, be stripped of your wings and sent about the Earth as a mortal man, for so long as it should take you to erase the hatred from three human hearts." the guardians declared gravely.

This was bad. Of course, they didn't mean they would literally tear my wings off. I didn't even have any at the moment. But they would make me human. They were going to take away my immortality. And with stipulations like that, I'd be a human forever, or at least until I died of old age. Humans are the most hateful, petty, nasty beings in the universe. How could I make one less spiteful, let alone three? I tried to argue with the head guardians and tried to change their minds. Mind? But it was all for nothing. In the end they sent me right back to where I'd come from.

......

"Is he dead?"

"I hope so."

"Hey, wake up, Man," said a familiar voice. "He looks different."

"He's mortal."

"Really?"

I opened my eyes and met Bishop's. He was hovering over me. The sky behind his head was a deep, honest blue. I'd never thought of a sky as honest, but this one was. Such a blue. Such an amazing blue.

Bishop's eyes were teary, and I wondered if it was because he had thought me dead.

"Where are your cats," I asked.

His eyes filled. So not for me, then.

"I had to take them to the shelter. No-kill of course. I had to give them all up. I had nowhere to keep them. We've decided to get in the car and just drive. See where the road takes us. But we wanted to see if you'd come back first. And you did. You were just laying here," he said.

"His idea," Asmodeus added.

"How long have I been gone?" I asked.

"Day and a half, I guess," said Bishop. All I really have is my wallet, my keys, and the old Roadmaster there."

The car was older than him. It was boxy and red with rusty doors, and chipped silver embellishments. The California raisin plush had been dangling from the rearview mirror so long it was bleached a light pink by the sun. I'd never trusted it to get out of the driveway, but somehow it got him back and forth to the casino where he worked security several times a week.

"How are you going to travel with a seven-foot demon," I asked.

Absently I stared at my hands. Never before had I noticed how many lines and wrinkles they had. It was spectacular.

"He'll have to put a blanket on his head, I guess," said Bishop.

"I am not putting a blanket over my head." Asmodeus said, and sounded offended at the thought.

I looked up in time to see him shift form from the demon I was familiar with, to that of a semi-human male. He was ridiculously, laughably good looking, and his eyes and hair were still too dark to be natural.

"You said you couldn't shape shift!" Bishop sounded hurt. "Liar."

"I am a demon," Asmodeus pointed out.

"Right," the boy shrugged. "So, do you want to go with us on a road trip?"

I swallowed trying to steady myself and put all my feelings into place.

"I've been cursed with mortality. God wants you dead. And Asmodeus is just some roaming demon doing whatever he wants on earth while angels shuffle papers around waiting for Hell to do something about it. And you want to go on a road trip?"

"Yeah, I guess," Bishop said.

"Let's go on a road trip," said Asmodeus bringing his hands together.

"Shut. Up," I said.

"I call shotgun." The demon sauntered off towards the car.

Bishop pulled out his keys and jingled them invitingly then frowned. "Wait, what did you say about God wanting me dead?"