SHADOW GIFTS COME WITH SHADOW STRINGS

 

Major Richard Blaine stands on the cusp of the last day of his life and receives an unwelcome visitation.

BEWARE OF SHADOWS

“To warn, to comfort, andcommand;

And yet a Spirit still, andbright

With something of angelic light.”

– William Wordsworth

 

Helen’s lithe body seemedcaressed by licking flames as she soared up into the fire and snow.

“Great Father of us all, granther protection for she is beyond mine.”

A familiar sizzle of electricitycascaded down my body, and I heard Darael’s mocking voice beside me.

“Do you know how many of yourspecies all through your race’s history have prayed for any of mine?”

I turned and saw his waveringform as he drily chuckled,

“Let us just say you could countthem on the fingers of one hand and still have enough left to pluck a pennyfrom the ground.”

I looked up.

Helen was frozen in place againstthe unnatural azure sky like a butterfly stuck on a board, sparkles ofsnowflakes contesting hopelessly with sizzles of sparks.

“Sentient,” I muttered withoutkindness.

“No. I am afraid I am the culpritthis time. We are speaking in that nano-second it is taking your thoughts tofly from one synapse to another.

Darael sneered, “And, yes, yourpresent science would say this is impossible. The human brain does not act inthat way at all.”

He smiled in contempt.

“Shall I tell you of the frayed,raggedy history of your science? It has been, for the most part, incorrectpartially or totally for all of its existence. So, when your present sciencetells you something, ignore it, for it is likely full of cotton candy … if notsomething more malodorous.”

“Why freeze time like this?”

“You listen, but you do notcomprehend. How like all of your species. Not freezing, merely stretching themoment to Elohim standards.”

He sighed, “Does it ever botheryou when you pray and nothing happens?”

I frowned, “No. I just figure Iasked incorrectly or the Father gave me a brain for a reason, and it was pasttime for me to start using it.”

“Quaint,” he said, tapping myforehead.

“OW! That hurt like Hell!”

“Fitting since you are fightingHell. You were fated to die this day, did you know?”

“It seemed likely.”

“Ah, but the Dark One had tooverplay his hand as is his wont, throwing more pieces on the board than wasallowed. So, Elohim decided to throw you a bone.”

“I am underwhelmed.”

Darael ignored me as I wasbeginning to sense was his wont.

“You are now a livingteleportation devise much better than that madman, Reinhardt König, theorized …able to take yourself and whatever or whoever you touch anyplace you canconceive if the need be great enough.”

“How is that even possible?”

Darael sucked in a breath so deeplyI could imagine feeling the air rush from behind me to enter his ethereallungs.

“That is not unlike asking me whythose of my species find the scent of the color ‘Purple’ nauseating. Ironicsince that is the very color Caesars and Kings found so appealing and drove usfrom their very presence.”

“I have an I.Q. of 400.”

“Which is the I.Q. of my leftlittle toe.”

He shook his insubstantial head,

“Let’s have a go, then, shall we?Your eyes see images upside down and reversed. Those pesky inaccurate imagesfall upon the retina which detects the photons of light and responds by firingneural impulses in the optic nerve. 

The brain then uses those electricalimpulses to create a right-side up 3D image.”

He raised a very long spectralforefinger. “So help me, if you ask why the images are upside down, I willdevelop a nosebleed.”

I bit my lower lip in thought.

“And all this happens without mebeing aware of it like I am unaware of my brain controlling my breathing andblinking. It’s all unconscious reflex … 

as is my now being able to teleport meand others.”

Darael raised that forefingeragain.

 “If the need be great enough.”

“That could prove tricky.”

“If it was easy, then you wouldknow it was a gift from the Dark One and would ultimately destroy you.”

“You mean if I could convince mymen to come inside, I could touch a wall and transport all of us to St. Marok’sor the White House?”

He clapped his long hands. 

“Splendid! Now, you are getting the hang of it.”

Darael made a face. 

“Of course,that would leave your Helen to die a most horrid death. And the 100 Nephilimfree to decimate the Allied troops of Overlord.”

He shrugged.

“It would take over a year forAmerica to regroup feebly. 

In that time, seeing Germany free to focus totallyon his country, Stalin would sue for a peace he did not intend to keep.

 Churchill would be forced to negotiate a very unsatisfactory truce that wouldultimately end in ruin for the British Empire such as it has become.”

Darael flashed a wide politician’ssmile. 

“But you and your men would be alive.”

“I would tell you to eat fecesand die, but you can’t help being you.”

His eyes deadened. “Howmagnanimous of you.”

I pointed a forefinger at him. 

“Isthere a limit to how many times I can do this?”

I could see he wanted to turnaway, but his curiosity got the better of him.

“Pretty much indefinitely.Between the treatments you received in the future and König’s Tunnel, you trulyare a specimen worthy of being called one of the Master Race.”

“Good. I think I see a way I can winthis one.”

His voice became as dead as hiseyes. “How wonderful for you.”

“Oh, it will kill me. Maybe youshould stick around to see my final curtain call.”

“I think I will.”