Undone by a Broken Angel

17.) Being Followed

“So then, submit yourselves to God.  Resist the Devil, and he will run away from you.”

-James 4:7

David doesn’t like this.  Paul called him to Dianna’s, and even though he was planning on stopping there anyway, why would his instincts be screaming at him that it’s a bad idea?  His gut is always right- he learned that nineteen years ago when his prince tried to kill him again and again when his little brother was infected.  Now, as he lands to find a place to rest, he feels like he should keep flying.  It’s late at night and he’s tired.

He can’t wait to meet the girl.  He’s a little irked that he wasn’t the one to find her, but then again Abe can’t be with her.  Transitioning to David will be easy since they look so much alike.  He can’t wait to see her awed face.  Everyone looks shocked when they see the two brothers side by side.

From the sky he saw a farmstead and a cozy looking barn he can lay low in for the night.  He follows a road until the small buildings come into view.  It’s not the best place to sleep, but he doesn’t care, his body is so tired.  Flying for a full day is taxing even for a younger man like David- Joshua says thirty five is old, but David thinks he’s an i***t. 

The barn is silent when he enters and he sees the animals are all nested for the night.  No dogs bark at him, so he moves about more freely.  He finds a pile of hay and sits down in it, cozying down to find a comfortable position.

A stick snaps outside and he’s alert in an instant.  He doesn’t move, doesn’t breathe, he listens.  It could be anything.  An animal, most likely, so he’s not going to jump to conclusions.  It’s when the evil aura meets him, he knows it’s a reaper.  They found him quickly.  He was barely on the ground for an hour, so they must have been near where he landed.  He has a sinking suspicion that the reapers sense that they’ve found a falcone woman.  Why else would they all be moving towards Eden at the same time?  If he’s in danger, so are the others.  He just hopes that the girl got there safely.  He may be in danger now, but there’s still, there’s a chance that the animal scents are covering his own.  Let them come.  Let them see what happens when they try to take on David McKinley.

They push on the barn door, but it holds.  Footsteps surround the barn on all sides; they’re looking for a way in.  His eyes scan the walls and he sees a window to his right with the glass broken out of it and just as he’s about to get up to put some boards across it, he sees a black shadow on the other side.  It moves to put at arm through, but just as it touches the threshold, it pulls back with a scream as if burned.

David is surprised!  Relief floods his system and it’s so soothing, his eyelids start to droop.  Not many humans bless their barns.  He’s very lucky this time.

David wakes up before dawn.  The horses in the barn shuffle in their stalls, waiting impatiently for their owners to come out to feed them.  He hears the bleating of goats and sheep and the barking of dogs.  The sound of a door opening and closing from across the yard meets his ears and he springs into action.  The reapers are surely still outside and the humans who own this property are going to walk right into them.  David led them here, he cannot be the cause of their deaths!

He pulls his sword out of his scabbard and heads out into the morning, the sun slowly peeking it’s way over the horizon, but the sight he sees isn’t what he was expecting.

The reapers are pushed back along the property line and they fight to get in, but it looks like a barrier keeps them on the other side.  They howl, hiss, and screech upon seeing him, but he gives them a smug smirk and motions to challenge them.  They don’t like that and he laughs out loud from their reaction.

“Who are you?” he hears a male voice ask him.

David shifts to see an older human man walk towards him from the house.  He looks apprehensive about having a stranger on his land.  David puts his sword away and gives the man a reassuring smile.  “I’m sorry for the intrusion,” he says and the man’s face shows no indication of lowering his guard.  “I was traveling and stumbled upon your property late at night.  I helped myself to a bed of hay for the night.  I can give you compensation, if you’d like.”

It happens so rarely that it's always a surprise when he stumbles upon a human with strong faith like this.  It’s his prayers and blessings that keep the reapers off his land, but because David is a product of God, he was allowed to cross the barrier.  

“Where are you traveling from?” he wonders, keeping his distance.  He glances over at the reapers with worry.  They frighten him, as they should.

“The middle east.  I was doing some medical research.  I’m on my way home now.”  David feels no need to omit much from the farmer.  He’s a man of God and therefore can be trusted.  “Are you frightened of me?” he wonders.

“No,” the farmer says with his chin jutted out.  “I’m more worried about them,” he says motioning to the reapers.

“You should be.  I need to be on my way now, but keep your eye out for them in the future.  Always keep the Word as your shield.”

The man understands, David can see that.  He’s not finished here though, he needs to dispose of these reapers before they can do any damage to anyone.

He crosses the threshold with his sword drawn.  They’re so worked up that they don’t strategize their attack, they just go for it.  It doesn’t take long.  He counts five, but he’s well rested and has years of sword training on his side.  They fall one by one, their screeching and yelling ringing out in the morning quiet, his sword connecting with their flesh one by one.  They fall around him and start to disintegrate.

When he looks back to the farmer, he sees an impressed look on his face.  “I don’t know who or what you are, but you’re welcome to come inside for breakfast.”

David pants.  “Mind if I send a letter?”