The Messenger

The Messenger

Prologue: Gabriel, God’s Messenger

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There were a lot of things I regretted in my life. One was that I never really got to taste the pleasures of the flesh or to actually feel that way with someone I truly loved. Another was I was never going to get to see the opening of the Space Station to the public.

I never really expected that to happen in my time, but when your life is cut down so short there are a lot of things you wish you could have done. A boy and his dreams huh?

Anyway, I was diagnosed with acute kidney failure, among other things. Acute Kidney failure was the only thing I could understand along with ‘we don’t know why but your body is shutting down’. I didn’t understand either.

You have a lot of time on your hands when you’re waiting for death to come claim you and I spent most of that time searching for an answer on the internet through my laptop. Doctors from around the world came to poke and prod at me and I glared at each and every one of them.

There was one doctor that stood out among the rest. He stared at me with knowing, waiting eyes. What was he waiting for? I had asked myself that each and every time I saw him staring at me like that. For me to die was my rueful answer each and every time.

Death for me was not as painless as I would have liked. The doctors observing me would have claimed it wasn’t as bad as it was because I have such a high pain tolerance. Every one of my nerves were on fire and I could feel my heart shudder to a stop, feel my lungs exhale that last breath and then I watched it all as if it was some kind of show.

I know about Astral projection, but wasn’t that only when the person was alive? I was a gruesome sight to behold. My body had poured out blood from every available orifice. I winced when I looked at myself and wondered why God or whoever hadn’t come to pick me up yet.

I floated two feet above the ground and like some invisible chain was holding me I was forced to move with my body. That doctor that had given me that waiting look made shifty eyes before he stepped out of the room with his cell phone. I wanted to go see who he was calling but as I said I was chained to my body.

I died at 2:53am on a Sunday morning.

I sat on the floor in front of the morgue’s freezers and stared at the number on the door where my body had been stored. 019. There was a shuffling noise and I wearily looked up to see the shifty eyed doctor make his appearance.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t say anything earlier, there were too many witnesses.” He said looking directly at me. My eyes widened and I shot to my nearly translucent feet. Funny I was wearing the same hospital gown I died in, but that did make sense.

“You knew this whole time what I was going through and you didn’t say a damned word!” I said accusingly pointing my wispy fingers at him.

“And I am sorry for that. Listen, there are going to be people here to claim your body before they embalm it. If they were to do that then it would make the Change ten times more horrible. It’s a good thing you are astral projecting which means you’ll only have to endure the mental aspects of it.” He said as he turned his head and looked down the hallway to make sure we were alone. I was downright confused as to what he was talking about.

“Change?” I voiced my thoughts.

“You were chosen at birth to be born again as a Vampire.” Whoa wait a minute, what the fuck!? I was going to say more but he raised his hand to try to explain a little better.

“Don’t ask me why, there are some theories that when a soul has suffered a tremendous amount of torment and yet persevere through it all they are deemed worthy enough for a permanent reincarnation.” He said then shifted to his other foot.

“I can’t say much more than that, your Guardian will explain it in full detail as soon as you wake up from your Change.” No sooner than when he had stopped speaking four men dressed in what looked like SWAT uniforms came in with a body bag and a stretcher. My body was unloaded from the freezer and they took me out of the building to an awaiting black, unmarked van with tented windows.

“Good luck Gabriel,” he said before he walked out of the alleyway and disappeared around the corner. I jumped in the van with my body and watched as they drove out of the alley and into the street.

“Your name is Gabriel?” I heard one of the men speak. I turned my attention to the one I was ‘sitting’ next to and he pulled off his mask.

“This is the first time I’ve ever seen an Astral. I’ve heard they’re more powerful when it comes to the mental capabilities if they survive the change.” He told me. He had bright amber eyes and long reddish brown hair that had been pulled into a ponytail so he could wear the mask.

To be honest, he could have passed for a woman easily if his jaw was a little more round. He had long feminine eyelashes and soft looking full pale lips.

“I’m Michael, Michael Fynch.” He said with a nod. I nodded back with a semi-smile. This was beginning to be a little too much for me.

“Gabriel Edwards. My friends used to call me Gabe in High school.” I thought I should share. This man was only doing his job, and I didn’t want to be pissy with him just for that. Even though I felt a little peeved that I didn’t know what the hell was going on at least I had someone I could feel I could trust.

“I’m Raphael. You can call me Raph though, everyone does. I’ll be your Guardian.” A new voice called as another of the men pulled off his mask. He had long ebony colored hair much like my own only it was slightly curly as were mine was completely straight. It looked to me like Raph and Michael were twins.

Except the hair difference they had the same eyes and same physical appearance. When I looked a little closer I noticed a small barely noticeable scar that went through the middle of Raph’s eye.

“We’re twins if you hadn’t guessed.” Came the humorous voice of Michael from beside me. Raph’s voice was deeper than Michael’s I noted. I was about to ask more when my body suddenly lurched and thrashed around I was writhing within myself in pain.

“Mikie hold him down! It has started!” Raph’s voice filtered into my ears but it was odd hearing it from two different sources. I didn’t remember much more after that because my world was suddenly filled with pain and then darkness.

‘Wake up my Little Messenger…’ what was that voice? Where was I?

‘Who are you?’ I asked the faceless void.

‘Open your eyes…’ the voice told me. I did and was surrounded by nothing but pure light. I blinked a few times and a startlingly beautiful face came into my vision. No man had the right to be that beautiful, he was just sinfully gorgeous.

I heard his deep amused chuckle as his warm red eyes stared at me with nothing but pure love radiating from them. His long honey golden blond hair cascaded around him and touched the floor much like his silk robes which were pure white.

His presence brought me nothing but peace and I inhaled and reveled in it. His arms wrapped around me and he hugged me close to his chest.

‘The time has come where I must step in and take control of the chaos that has slowly started to corrupt your world.’ He told me and I sighed in bliss. I didn’t want this feeling to end. It was like being in the arms of my mother when I’d had a terrible nightmare.

‘It will be tough on you My Child, but keep faith that I will always watch out for you and be with you, my Little Messenger…’

And just like that he was gone and I was thrown into a world of torment, pain, and anguish.