Short Stories

Guardians Inc

by collette mcfarland
10/04/06
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Guardians, INC.

We were in the debriefing room getting our assignments. There were too many of us to count but six of us would be receiving individual instructions. Twelve more would be getting another set of orders. This job was coming close on the heels of several other similar bittersweet incidents. It would be a rough night for a lot of people. Parents can't be everywhere, so we're on call for them twenty-four/ seven. We're Gaurdians, Incoporated. We've been specially selected to care for the young and we have excellent references. Our training is without reproach, our instructor has been in the people business for...let's just say a long time. No one really knows for sure how long.

We watched our surveillance camera as it tracked "Man" on his exploits. He had several malevolents who trailed him that he was unaware of but dictated his every move. They were hideous looking outcasts, from our kingdom. Man had allowed them to enter into his life to torture him endlessly, it had been his choice, help had been available for him but he refused it.

Several of our group had attempted to make contact with Man but he had us totally tuned out. They sat  on his shoulder and yelled in his ear, trying to dissuade him, unsuccessfully. He was too far-gone to the wrong side. We couldn't interfere with free will. It was out of our hands, er wings.

Man entered a building and crept down the hallway, looking one way then the other. He was looking for a full room. He didn't want to waste his time doing a insignificant job. Finally. He busted in a door and unsuspecting faces turned to alarm when they realized their predicament. Screaming. There was lots of screaming and chaos. Chairs and desks toppled over. A window broke as someone attempted to escape. This was our cue to rush in behind him. He raised his weapon and started to fire. Bodies fell and blood flowed. The scene was awfu but we were able to miraculously deflect a few bullets, push a few heads lower than the missiles, and encouraged a few to play dead.

The Boss was in charge of who lived and died. His ways were unquestionable. This physical scene was nothing compared to what was about to go down.  Man turned the weapon on himself and we didn't attempt to intercede here. As he hit the floor those that had been his pseudo-friends broke out in raucous laughter. Man had successfully played the role they created for him and was no longer useful to them.

He slowly rose from were he fell, disembodied. Not peacefully but writhing in agony. No pity was offered him as one of my team members secured a chain to his ankle attached to a heavy weight and transported him to the nearest ocean. He was unceremoniously dumped into the midst of the water where he sunk, rather quickly, to the ocean's bottom where he joined others of his ilk. They were treacherous destroyers of youth and innocence. Man spewed forth profanities and curse's all the way down. His voice was buried amid all the wailing of the other miserable souls. They would stay here till that "Day" dawned. On that day, they'd go from the ocean to the fire. Their fate was sealed. Our leader had no sympathy for this type of evil and he had strict orders to eliminate trash of this kind. As good-hearted as my friends and I were this punishment gave us the greatest of delight. We have zero tolerance for sin. We had tried our darnedest to dissuade Man before things reached this magnitude. His wicked cohorts prevented us from getting through to him. We felt no self-reproach. You either listen to us or not. It is your choice. We're simply messengers of the Greatest.

The small torsos that lied on the floor in the building began to shed their spirits. They sat up and looked about, confused but at peace. They patted their chests and felt no pain, much to their surprise, but not ours.

My friends and I went rapidly to their sides. "Shh, it's alright. We're here for you." We announced as we reached for their petite hands.

One little body wasn't totally motionless, his chest heaved slowly, up and down. His guardian laid her hand gently on his forehead. His tense little body relaxed. He wasn't ready to follow his friends yet but his devoted gaurdian would make sure he'd feel no discomfort. They would join us shortly. Several other little bodies writhed in agony. They would mend eventually. Their angels would stay by their sides as long as they were needed.

Slowly, those of us with young souls to care for began to rise, and guided our charges upward. We went through the roof and towards their homes. We wafted by mothers hanging up clothes, and fathers sitting in offices. They had no idea how their lives had been changed. We allowed the parents a brief glimpse of their children through  a reflection in a window, or an image in the clouds. A brief insight into their children's eternal fate, before the news reached them about the horror that had just been committed on their families.

Several of our numbers stayed behind with the parents. It was their task to provide comfort and support in the bereavement process that was about to begin. The higher into the heavens we rose, the smaller our team became as we were dispatched to where we would be the most beneficial. To the house of a grandmother, stepfather, neighbor, school friend. Wherever we heard an agonizing cry, or felt a heart break.

We proceeded on past several planets and galaxies. We left the sight of the big bang millions of miles behind us. In seconds, earth's time, we were home with our new inhabitants. We were far from the prying eyes of the mightiest telescope or reporters. We entered the conference room surrounded by cheers. The young spirits were excited and joyous of all the attention. No separation anxiety.  No fears, just pure bliss. But the conference room wasn't our final destination. We kept traveling onward to the throne room; it was here our charges would stay, at the feet of Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior, till they could be reunited with their families. Actually, family was already present since all genes were shared, down to Adam and Eve. Jesus never refused children from his presence on earth, so he would surely keep them safe in this royal haven. Never would they know a moment without love and joy though they'll be there ten thousand years and counting.

Math 10:28

Math 18:2-10

2 Corin. 4:16-18