Four Hearts

Chapter 1

The digital alarm clock on the nightstand showed a new day approached with haste. 11:58 p.m. I sat on the edge of the bed; my feet nearly touched the floor. Every few seconds, I lifted them into the air and stretched my calf muscles. I did this not for fitness, but because I was nervous and scared. I felt the warmth of my head in my cold hands. The light dimmed and shone bright again, and this caught my attention. My mom lay on the bed behind me. I hoped the change in lighting came from her movement. She remained still. I wiped the tears as I tried to focus on her. Must have been the power ready to go out. I heard the wind blow outside our home as the late spring storm raged with vengeance.

Why mom? My words did not rouse her unconsciousness.

Anger took over my senses, and I threw myself backward with a loud shriek of angst. I felt my hair drape over her legs. Breathing came with great difficulty because I hyperventilated. I had grown accustomed to this feeling. I shed many tears over her, and this incident added to my memories. I counted the swirls in the ceiling while my mind raced from scenes of my past to concern for my future.

Do I call 911? Do I go to bed? No one was there to answer my questions, but the silence did not come to me as a stranger in the night. I knew and accepted it many years earlier. But suddenly, I felt even more alone. I don’t like loneliness, but it likes me and knows me.

Mom? Silence prevailed. Patricia Anne Taylor, wake up now! There is no way this is happening! I won’t accept it. I couldn’t get out the words I wanted to express because the water poured from my reddened eyes.

Seeing it and sensing it in the absence of a pulse was one thing, but to speak it aloud took on a whole new meaning. Reality set in. Mom, please don’t be dead. No, you are not dead. I can’t accept this. I won’t accept this.

Calm down Charlotte, all will be well. The voice in my head was not my own, but of my grandmother. The one person who understood and cared for me more than any other in my nineteen-year life. Grandma E? What do I do? The enemy I knew presented itself again, silence mixed with loneliness. I hated the silence. I hated my mom at that moment. I hated life. I hated everything. Grandma’s voice always comforted me, but I knew even she could not help me with this one. 

Grandma E, you would know what to do here. Why did you have to leave me so soon?

The alarm clock on the nightstand displayed a new day as the midnight hour passed. It added ten more minutes to its tally while I lay still with my known enemy, my friend, silence.

I stood and reached for my mother’s wrist. Nothing. Two fingers on the jugular, exactly as my first aid instructor taught me. Finding what I anticipated, I moved my hands to her chest, climbed upon the bed, and knelt on her right side. I pressed fifteen times before bending mom’s neck back, I squeezed her cold and graying nose. I breathed twice into her mouth and repeated the cycle three times. But this was not my first attempt. I tried this same thing twenty minutes earlier when I found her lying unconscious and unresponsive on my bed.

She couldn’t have done this on her own, she had to defile mine. I will never sleep here again. I located my cell phone and pushed the power button and the volume up button together. I swiped the middle option and waited for a response. My breathing was very erratic. I tried to remain calm because I knew I was going to need to speak.

911, what’s your emergency?

My mom...

Yes, ma’am, is your mom, okay? What’s your emergency, ma’am?

My mom is... The words did not come forth. Memories of continued drug use and abuse raced through my mind. I recounted the times I screamed at her for being high. I remembered the late nights alone in the silent two-bedroom home in Denver, wondering if she was alive; wondering if she would return. I knew this day would come and I tried to prepare for it for many years, but nothing could have equipped me for what I experienced. 

Once again, I tried to reply but my thoughts manifested in my voice. That stupid trampoline!

Trampoline? Ma’am was there an accident? Are you okay? Is your mom, okay? Please let me know if you need an ambulance. I have dispatched police to your location.

I played back the memories of putting together the jumping device nine years earlier. Blisters formed on my fingers. The strength in my hands waned. With the hook tool, I pulled with all I could muster. Pain from the first blister sent a sharp jolt up my arm and I let go. Full of tension, the spring let loose and flew off the clip which would have secured the mat to the ring. It flew into the air before it bounced once on the black surface and rested near the middle. I looked at mom. She had a straight face and I wondered if she was angry. Her lips curved upward as she smiled and laughed at my mishap. She threw her hand in the air and dropped the tool, Mic drop.

We both chuckled. Mom scanned the contraption, counting in her mind, she mouthed the numbers.

Four more sweetheart.  She looked up at the sun as it tried to hide behind the backyard view of the Rocky Mountains. It’s getting late. Let’s finish this tomorrow. Besides that, I am starving. What do you say?

But I want to jump mommy.

I lifted my left knee upon the ring and pushed with my right leg, but mom’s voice stopped me, and I returned to the ground. The look of disgust on her face told me I better not try it again. I knew mom loved me with all her being, but I also knew discipline came with disobedience. All mom had to do was look at me and I knew not to try again. 

Yes, mommy. Let’s go eat

Good girl, Charlotte. Mommy loves you very much.

Mom walked around the unfinished trampoline to my location, she grabbed my hand and escorted me into the house. Grandma Elaine sat at the table and read the day’s newspaper. The smell of spaghetti filled the air and my mouth watered in anticipation of the first bite.

The voice of the 911 operator jolted me out of the memory. Ma’am, I need to know more information. The police should be there any moment, will they be able to get in? Is the door locked?

I took two deep breaths and composed myself. It’s not locked

Good. Are you at 6115 Green Road?

Yes!

Ok, great. Should I dispatch an ambulance? Is anyone hurt?

Send the coroner

Ma’am, please explain.

I was disgusted. I didn’t want to say it. I knew it would make the situation real. I sighed deeply.

My mom is dead.

Chapter 2

When I saw her anguish , it left me in sorrow. I had spent every moment of her life in her presence, never leaving for exceptionally long. I have been with her through every valley and every mountaintop experience. I felt her pain. Not having a mother of my own, I could not fully relate, but I certainly felt the emotion of sadness she experienced in this moment. The Holy Spirit comforted me, and I regained my composure. I had work to do, and I could not let my emotions control me. Another lesson learned. One of many, I had many more to learn.

I moved to the living room to prepare for the first responder’s arrival. My companion, Shimron, had returned and stayed in Charlotte’s room with her while I began my patrol. She could not see us. She never had.

The silence Charlotte believed she experienced was real this time. No evil spirits manifested nearby, and this concerned me. This group of demons rarely performed tactical maneuvers, but I prepared for anything. This was not a normal situation, and I envisioned a large-scale battle awaited me. Time proved my suspicions to be accurate.

Shimron called out for me, and I quickly returned. They outnumbered us. Five spirits unknown to Charlotte started to speak in her ears while several familiar spirits, which consistently ran recognizance on her, circled to create a barrier. Highly trained demons who specialized in death events used the lower-level imps to create this weak barrier around them. But even they had their limitations too.

As I entered the room, Shimron gave the signal and together, we drew our swords and lunged at the fifteen imps. Five saw us coming and immediately scattered. Now weakened in number, they held strong until our swords cut through them with a bright light. With the barrier gone, I discerned a power demon whispered in Charlotte’s ear while four other lower ranking spirits tried to draw our attention in a clever ruse. I had not seen him before, I wondered if Shimron had. Not being present when Charlotte’s grandmother passed, I did not know these death tactics well. I had no knowledge of the commonality nor the irregularity that presented itself now.

The four, in uniform procession, flew toward us, but we both dodged their attack. The smell of sulfur filled the air as we moved past them and toward the power demon who gripped Charlotte. She laid back on the bed, and her hair covered her dead mother’s legs. Shimron and I spun around the sole demon and Charlotte. We formed a barrier of light which prevented the return of the four. Like the imps before them, they vacated the scene. The sole demon remained. Shock on Shimron’s face spoke more than one thousand words. I still did not recognize the unclean spirit before us, but he did.

Hitabed, you have no place here. This one belongs to the LORD Most High, and she is off limits to you. You cannot and will not convince her.

The demon turned and snarled at Shimron. I slipped in between his turned head and Charlotte’s ear as she placed the phone down and raised up from the bed. The demon saw I protected her and yelled obscenities at me before he departed. Safety made its presence in her life. My actions pleased me.

Moments later, while I tried to discern what had happened, his face appeared before Shimron. My companion raised his sword as the demon spoke.

No! I come for warning and not to war. He directed the words at me.

Speak your peace but I warn you I am under authority of the Father to terminate if necessary.

Unaroused by the threat, Hitabed glanced at me, and back at Shimron, only his disgusting face showed as he spoke from the spiritual world. I stepped in front of Charlotte to offer protection.

Foolish rookie! he spoke in my direction. God was unwise to give you this assignment. You are weak and your friend here, though I respect him, I will overcome him.

Shimron batted away the demon’s talon that appeared beneath the ugly face. Speak your peace or be gone.

There will be no peace. I will have her. He tried to look beyond my protection at the girl who stood, cried, and remained behind my light filled body. The generational line has been set. The decree of your leader allows me to torment her, and I will have her. With death, depression will enter and prepare the soil. I will have her and then when I have convinced her to take her life...  He rose higher to look down upon us. I will laugh and watch your sorrow as you prepare to take her soul to The LORD.

You know you can’t...

Yes, foolish rookie. I know I cannot have her soul for she belongs to Jesus, but I will end her life by convincing her to take it and she will not fulfill any calling you think she may have. The generational line has been set and the decree of your leader allows this.

I lunged toward him, but Shimron’s sword blocked my path. I didn’t know what I would have done if I had reached him. It was a rookie move and one I had vowed to improve. I obeyed my friend’s unspoken command and returned to Charlotte.

Sorry.

Hitabed vanished from our sight.

You have much to learn. You have served for twenty-eight years Matana, you should have a little more self-control by now.

I felt shame. He was right. A few years after my activation as a guardian I should have learned more than I had.

Almighty God created all celestial beings at the same time. He created some as seraphs, powerful and mighty and serving God. Some He made to be cherubs who battle in the heavenly realms. Some are thrones, principalities, powers, and authorities. He created us, the angels, in greatest number and intended for us to serve his coming creation, humans. We are messengers and warriors. We are most like his human creation in that He created us without wings and with arms, legs, and a head. Our purpose is to serve them, and though He created us like them, we are not human. We are angels.

As humans are born, some of them receive an assignment that day. Some receive one of us when they come to know God through Jesus Christ. Assignments and activations do not happen at the same time or in the same way. I have yet to learn why this is. Shimron received his first assignment and activation thousands of years ago. God assigned me twenty-eight years ago. Until our activation as a guardian, all angels serve on a general basis, delivering messages and warring if needed, fighting, and protecting each other until He commissions us as guardians.

I am a rookie as a guardian, but I am an angel created by God for a purpose. I still have much to learn and Shimron is a great guide. But in this moment, I felt shame. I lowered my head and turned toward Charlotte who walked out of the room as the doorbell rang.

Great move by sneaking in between me and him though, I didn’t see that one coming and neither did he apparently.

Thanks friend. I have worked with you long enough I anticipated he would turn his attention from her to irritate you. He seemed to recognize you and I knew he would respond in such a way.

Yeah, he may have looked big, but he proved to be an amateur this time. I assure you however, he is not. He will return and the battle for her life has only begun.

I have a lot to learn in this don’t I?

Yes, and you will. It may take time, but we all learn the ways of the enemy and they try hard to learn our tactics, but to not much avail, praise the God of Heaven.

Shimron had been a guardian for Deborah, the judge of Israel. He also fought in the battle of David and Goliath and was present when Jesus raised Lazarus from the tomb. To say he had seen his share of evil would be an understatement. Charlotte was my second assignment and prior to her birth nineteen years ago, I spent nine years with someone that nearly ended in my downfall. God moved me to Charlotte so I could learn as she grew. Patricia received Shimron when she started to abuse drugs. It was one of his many specialties, guarding those who are addicted. Prior to Shimron, she had a different guardian. I have learned and continue to learn a great deal from him.

God believes I can serve Charlotte alone, but I do hope Shimron can spend time with me to continue my teaching when he gets his new assignment. My luck, he will be in a different part of the country, or even the world. I will be fine. I have learned a lot and am ready. But Charlotte is a chosen one. I am ready. I will be fine.

In my moment of self-assurance, I did not see nor sense Shimron who read my thoughts.

Yes, you will be fine my friend. But as it turns out, I get to spend some more time with you. My next assignment will be close by so I can still serve you in training.

Oh, you found out when you took Patricia to heaven. Praise God!

We do praise every day and yes He told me about my assignment.

We both smiled. Praising God is the best part of being an angel, but I have grown fond of Charlotte and appreciate the opportunity to be her guardian. Not all angels have this opportunity, so I want to make the most of what I have received.

CHARLOTTE HAD TIME off work and barely slept in the days since finding her mom. In the past seventy-two hours, she should have eaten nine meals, but she only managed to feed herself four. Thankfully, God did not permit the spirits that demanded to have their way with her to harm her during this time of mourning. An angel does not get bored, so I waited on guard while Shimron visited his new assignment. He returned as the funeral home director, Woody Jenson, left her home. He had come to help with the funeral arrangements and provide her with information on estate settlement.

Welcome back my friend.

Any attacks in my absence?

No, God declared a time of mourning for her, and they are not permitted.

Good, the first few months can be a time of weakness for any human losing a parent and the enemy ramps up their attacks for this reason. God does not always grant this protection. Elaine prayed for this day, knowing it would come.

Oh yes, she did. I remember hearing her one night. Patricia was in rehab, so you were not here. Elaine stayed with Charlotte and prayed for the day her daughter passed. She asked God to prevent the enemy from attacking Charlotte during this time.

God is good. Elaine was wise.

Yes, He is, yes she was. 

We both turned our attention to the door to see a young police officer accompanied by an older veteran detective. They stepped in. The younger wore a uniform and the older wore jeans and a navy-blue jacket with the words Denver Drug Unit printed in white on the left lapel. Familiar spirits who could not enter the house followed the younger officer, but the older veteran had an attachment of death.

Death was a dark, inactive spirit which attaches itself to people who have seen gruesome scenes. He is not an active spirit that wars against angels but brings to his victims a sense of dread and disgust. Immediately, I discerned this veteran detective had seen a lot in his day because the spirit covered seventy percent of his body. If I took time to investigate this man’s guardian angel, I am sure he would tell me he lived a life of distractedness and disorganization. Being a death spirit, this man suffered from bouts of depression. Had this man worked on his relationship with God, death would have lost his grip and eventually fallen off completely and as a result, his life would change. Their two guardians waited outside the home to honor the prayer request of Charlotte’s grandma.

There was nothing either of us were going to be able to do and the inactive spirit would have no effect on Charlotte as it was a personal attachment for the officer. We both knew the conversation would not be easy for Charlotte.

Chapter 3

Iopened the door wide as