Number 666 3: Fallen (Staten Krown)

3

"Bless me father for I have sinned. My last confession was 5 years ago."

The confession is in a small area of the church. Ana escorts me into the area. Ana is Jophiel's assistant. She's been with him from the moment I met him. She was always around. She quietly stood by his side like a puppy staring at him like he was the 2nd coming before even Jesus. I wondered if she was in love with him. I wondered if Jophiel was in love with her. Knowing Jophiel he probably was but he'd never show it. He was too busy being a holy man. Too busy with his duty for love.

Mass is just over. The stall is so small I can hear Jophiel breathing on the other side. His breaths are strong, quick and heavy all the same.

He recognizes my voice. I can hear it in his hesitation.

"May god, the Father of all mercies help you make a good confession Michael."

"I have killed people 2 times in self-defense. I have wished evil on others. I have insulted the sacred institution of the church many times. I have deliberately missed Mass on Sundays. I have used God's name in vain."

"Is that all my child?"

"I have had thoughts, words and actions that are ...impure..."

"About?" Jophiel asks.

There is a silence. Jophiel knows exactly who my thoughts were about.

"Uriel," I respond.

"For your penance you will refrain from all sexual activity. You will avoid seeing or speaking to Uriel. You will say the Lord's prayer at every thought of Uriel. Do you agree to this Michael?"

"Yes."

"Then I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

There is a silence for the next few minutes.

"Will you help me...now that you have absolved me?" I ask.

"A promise is a promise. Yes, I will reach out to the Pope himself. He will approve the return of the Archangels to your service. Gabriel and Ariel should return to DC shortly."

I had no choice. Raphael had gone missing. My back was to the wall and strange things were happening all over DC. I could reach out to Gabriel and Ariel myself. The two archangels were living their own lives away from me. They were my friends. Gabriel lived just an hour outside of the city and I spoke to her all the time. I could go against the will of the Church and try to get them to come back, but that would go against the will of the church.

And something was wrong.

Signs all around us that things had gone wrong:

Endless droughts cause forests to burn like kindling in California.

The bird flu breaking out in South Florida...

Nations going to war all over the news.

Signs.

Something was coming. Something big.