Unchangeable

Chapter 13

If it were anyone else telling her this, she would think them insane. But this is Saul, so she listens with her heart in her throat as he tells her the unimaginable. 

“He heard me, I knew he did even before they confirmed it. It made me feel what they were feeling, the horror. I thought that would be bad enough, until Hank.” He tells her of the murder of Dena, the yell, through his mind, that got the child moving, the angel he saw that came to get Dena’s soul. “I didn’t think I could do anything but witness but, I couldn’t leave him to die alone.”  Emily cries silently, her hands resting over his in the middle of the desk.  “I cried out in my mind again and he heard me, the monster. He heard me and let the child go. Hank ran back, to where I later learned was his fallen sister. I watched the murderer walk away. Then I came back to myself. The police found poor Hank laying over his sister. They found their father wondering down the street with his axe.” He stops, closes his eyes, let’s a breath out, “You must think me insane.”

It takes her a second to find her voice. “No, if it were anyone else, but Saul, we have been through to much for me not to believe you. Insane, no. I can’t see how your not but, Saul, I think you are brave. So brave and incredible.”

He chuckles a nervous reaction. His hands turn and he squeezes hers before letting them go. His hands find the Kleenex box and he takes a handful before pushing them over to her. Eyes and faces are wiped before noses are blown. When that is seen to, he says, “I have been holding this in so long. My parents know and the police. But..”

“I understand why you didn’t share. It is an unbelievable story. You couldn’t just share it with anyone but, Saul, I have been sick on you, you shaved my hair, helped me shower when I was to weak; you could have told me.” 

“I am glad I have now.”

“Where is Hank? Did his mom..?” He shakes his head.  

“I am not sure if she is dead or just gone but, he was there only parent, to loosely use that term. He is in special need foster care.”

“Well, at least he is safe. You saved his life.”  She smiles. “You’re a hero boss.”

He sighs. “He called me an angel. But Emily, I am glad the little guy is still here, don’t get me wrong but, I couldn’t save his sister, I couldn’t save the young lady before them, I couldn’t..” She reaches across the desk, placing her hand over his mouth.

“He called you an angel not the Messiah. You are his angel, his sister’s,” his head shakes under her hand, “you are. All there’s. Because they have justice. They have been buried and their people know where they are. Saul, you weren’t put here to save them all but to bare witness.  Not to save them all. You are doing what you were put here to do.” 

She moves her hand and he sniffs loudly. As many times as he had been told that, this is the first time he really gets it. “Thank you Emily.”