The Messenger

The thought of never coming back to heaven was devastating; the fact that I would never see my secretary Kuzko again was even worse. Honestly, I don’t know how I was going to tell her. “Hey, Kuzko while you’re filing those reports just know that both of us are fired. HA! Like that would go over well.” Rolling my eyes I sunk back into my depressed state looking at the vending machine, just before my office, trying to prolong this procedure so I wouldn’t have to see Kuzko’s glaring eyes as she was packing up her desk.

With a grunt I felt my former coworker shouldered past as he looked at me with disgust. Causing me to be further acquainted with the vending machine occupants.

Looking in the reflective glass of the vending machine I took in my haggard state. My golden hair was in disarray having been torn out in countless attempts to find out what I did wrong.

Not that I could blame him because according to everyone I betrayed my best friend. Yet if I let this slide by, I’m going to get a lot more shit from worse people.

Glancing over my shoulder to see who ran into me I noticed my former underling, Tom. Stupid ass-kissing Tom. Dressed in a sharp blazer with walnut shoes and ‘an I am so much better than you’ smile to match plastered on his face. He looked back at me smugly knowing that my former office was as good as his.

Flicking my wrists, I brought out my ace in the hole knowing what I was about to do would get me banned from the city forever. “But then again, I’m already banned, aren’t I?”

Fingering the smooth metal that seemed to almost hug my fingers I brought it to bear with a cold smile stretching over my face.

Looking at Tom’s smug smile quickly fall as I advanced towards him seemed to make it all worthwhile.

A messenger came in the night running through the elaborate gates guarded by twisting faces and horns aplenty. Rushing past gardens that reflected the night sky and promised a secret respite within its twisting passages. The runner had only one thought in his mind and one goal to fulfill. Barging through the tall dark wooden doors that towered above the outer walls he raped his fists against the doors in an almost frightening tempo sounding as if a man possessed.

After several moments’ guards relieved the door from the constant assault if only to stop the racket that was being produced.

“What is it?” A man dressed in heavy plated armor, etched with the patterns of stars, with a heavy-set face and mustache to go alongside it.

Dropping to his knees the messenger lowered his head while his sweating bangs hung limply from his head. Panting heavily the messenger dressed in a red cloak finally gathered his breath and said, “I bring news from the city, my lord.”

Squinting at the kneeling man he raised his arm to stroke his facial hair saying, “What news is there to bring? All went according to the master's plan?”

Reacting violently the messenger lurched forward, almost desperately, and grabbed the man in armor’s arm screeching, “There has been an event we hadn’t foreseen! He has gotten in the way again! I fear it is too late!”

A sudden slap resounded across the courtyard as the messenger flew away from the man as the lord lowered his hand. Hissing through his teeth and a snarl on his face he seethed, “You forget your place servant.”

The guards surrounding their lord quickly advanced sensing the mood of the meeting go south. With a faint tinge of steel; swords were drawn with glowing runes and silvered hilts then aimed at the man in red sprawled on the floor.

Throwing his hands in front of the guards the lord said, “Enough I am nothing if not merciful” with a wicked smile he continued, “We will listen to his story then see to a punishment fitting of his crime.”

Getting up as quickly as he was struck down the messenger prostrated himself in front of the man in armor and started his story without a moment to waste.

After listening to the report, the lord nodded his head and asked, “You mean Earth was not deleted?”

Shaking his head, he said, “No sir it was—but God must have kept a separate file outside the reach of the main H.A.L.O frame.”

“Hmmm…He must have seen that people were acting strangely and acted accordingly.” The man said nodding along.

“Acting strangely is an understatement my lord more like treason” the messenger chuckled darkly.

With a sudden flash of light and hiss of steel the messenger’s head collided with the floor with a look of astonishment on his face.

Putting his sword back into its sheath the man gave a look of disgust at the body that remained and said, “It is not treason if it is the best thing for everyone. Where God leads us is a place of destruction and death.” He finished almost frothing at the mouth.