Angels

At the beginning of the universe, as we have come to realise, there existed the Angels. They were described as being the most benevolent beings that ever existed. We know this, due to the stoic tablets that were found in the year twenty twenty-four.

They stood upon the very clouds above, majestically, fondly, watching the first moments of life appear upon our very planet. They’d already witnessed the growth of a billion stars, a hundred galaxies and more. Their joy, their glowing light, providing the splendorous growth to which we now fully understand.

They watched, they found our world foundering, faltering, failing to progress due to the missing element of souls. For everything, a balance. For all of us, a time. With each planet they had visited, they’d witnessed the emergence of intelligence along with the fascination to adapt and grow. Upon our world, they waited patiently. A thousand years, which was but the blinking of an eye. A second, lasting an eon. Their joy, their delight, outweighing such human notions of impatience or boredom. Such emotions, such words, were human in nature and thus did not even exist.

The Angels, flying with their wings, wished for our world to flourish, to become an abundance of prosperity, despite knowing that such an event may never take place. Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Abaddon, sat upon the mightiest mountain conversing on how to fulfil this world’s intentions. All of them agreed, each of them accepting the same chose, apart from Abaddon. He, apart than the others, simply did not wish to abandon his life. He procrastinated, presenting many, many questions, until he accepted his fate.

Each Angel, each in turn, turned themselves into millions of precious atoms. Their lives, their intentions, seeding the world with their majesty and awareness. Humanity was formed. The human race appeared from the darkness, to embrace the light. From the very essence of each Angel, we were created to fulfil this planet’s majesty. We were to become the light.

Upon the day the Angels gave themselves, Abaddon held his anger within. His heart, tainted at having to extinguish his own soul, poisoned the human race with an ego, with the many segregated lines of life. Each new soul, trapped within a shell defined by external sources. Manipulated, tainted, but bestowed with the capacity to overcome such jaded views and understandings.

--

The professor closed the New Genesis book, partially ending the lesson for each of the interested individuals in front of him. He smiled, his entire life being lived with certain notions, with the understanding of events being broken, once the world understood humanities gifts. He walked from behind the table, to sit against the front edge, as he addressed all of them with his final words of the day.

“We all have the capacity to be an Angel and, when you really think about it, you cannot deny that statement. On the day of your birth, your parents looked at you in such a way that you could never, ever, be anything but an Angel.  This was what was intended for each of us. We can shine. We can virtually fly. We are not defined by the learned traits of our parents as we can change and adapt. We can seek understanding, within the closed environments of our world. We can become far more. It’s only the learned hatred and greed that taints our chances to do just that, to become real life Angels!”

See

Frank, moving the white stick left to right, slowly moved along the walkway. He’d walked along the same path for many, many years, with today being a special day. It was his birthday. Normally he’d have company, a family member or even a neighbour that would help him on his way, but today was a day when he simply wished to buy cakes for everyone at home.

He’d called a few days early, ensuring that there would be enough cakes upon the day, with today being that exact day. Ten eclairs, four iced doughnuts, as well as the delectable assortment of cream cakes. The stick continued to swipe left and right, searching for anything that might block his path. He wasn’t blind, as he still retained a small amount of sight from one eye. Tunnelled. A small, fine, reduced view of the world.

As he moved forward, thinking of which cake he’d gloriously devour, he felt a hand upon the side of his arm. He stopped, moving his head to the side, despite not being able to quickly focus upon whomever had stopped him, “Hello?” he asked, with surprise.

“Hey Mr. Thomas, It’s Francis from down the street. Can I walk with you?”

“Yes, you can young Man, yes you can!”

Frank did like Francis, as he was an upstanding, genuine sounding, young individual with his head strapped firmly to his shoulders. As they moved forward, Frank placed his hand onto Francis’ arm, allowing him to move forward that bit faster. Guided, trusting, happy for the assistance.

“Tell me, young man, what have you been up to?”

“I’ve been researching for my biomedical engineer’s exam. It’s been fun, but tiring!”

Frank smiled, finding the young man’s enthusiasm a breath of fresh air. He’d spoken to Francis on many occasions. A bright mind, a young mind, eager, willing, still seeing the world for what it could or even should be.

“Well, you keep on doing what you’re doing!”

They both stepped forward a few more steps, as Frank heard the silence between them. He wasn’t a backward person when moving forward, so simply engaged,

“Talk to me Francis. What would you like to ask?”

Francis felt awkward, but had been meaning to ask the question, sat within his mind, a few times. He couldn’t ignore the question, but needed to learn or even try to appreciate the possible answer from Frank.

“It’s an odd question, but how do you stay so upbeat and happy?  You never ask for a thing, yet you always want to help and offer words of wisdom!”

Frank laughed, lowering his head as he reflected upon the question. He could, probably, find a hundred different things to say, but instead he just let whatever sat within his mind appear from his mouth.

“Francis, you two options for the various things that happen to you in life. Ignorance or acceptance. My eyes left me when I was ten years old. I was a happy child, full of energy, just like you, but my sight wasn’t who I am or what I’ve become. I came to accept the situation for what it is. You can spend your entire life with sight, yet still be blind. You can hear everything around you, but still be deaf!”

Francis paused for a second, taking a few moments for his words to settle into the young Man’s mind.

 

“You will never be your religion. You will never be the colour of your skin or the sexuality that you state that you are, as you are the words you say and the thoughts that you think. Everything else is blinding you, deafening you to what your heart really wants. Every word, precious. Every action, worth something. Right or wrong. I lost my sight but gained an understanding. When you switch off the lights all that you have left is your sense of touch and the words people use. I decided to stay bright. I decided to light my own world.”

Francis, listening to each word, felt the emotion rise within him. He’d known full health, full ability, so couldn’t truly understand how the loss of sight would impact his life. Frank felt the emotion from the young man, as they both stopped.

“Francis. We adapt. We’re human beings. Take something from us and we will replace what’s missing with acceptance and understanding. Well,” Frank started to laugh as he finished the sentence, “Most will!”

They both continued to move forward, crossing the road towards the Bakery. Frank mussed over his thoughts, wondering what life would have been like if the events didn’t happen as they did. He didn’t regret any actions, any of his decisions, since that time.

“Thank you!” stated Francis, as the both of them stood in front of the store.

“That’s okay Francis. Remember, no matter what you see, or hear, the powers that be wish for you to be deaf, as well as blind, to the working ways. Ignore the media. Keep thinking for yourself and no matter how blind you think you are, listen to the words and watch their actions. Eventually, hopefully, you will always be able to see!  Take care young man.”

Francis squeezed Frank’s arm, nodding to himself, as he turned and walked away. Frank, smelling the sweet pastries inside the store, also turned to face the entrance. No matter what happened in his life, he didn’t need to see the cakes in front of him, as he could smell and imagine them just fine.

Lesson

“What would you say if I called all of you expendable cattle and idiots?

Two of the attendees looked at each other, mildly perturbed by suddenly being insulted.

“Don’t get me wrong, I don’t blame you for being what you are, but that’s why you’re here as I’m going to teach the six of you a lesson. You want to know how the world works? I’m going to show you.”

Derek, moving a chair ever so slightly to face each of them, sat and crossed his legs. He’d seen this  room over a hundred times, enjoying each visit, each time watching as the attendants worked from their ever so subtle sleep. Their perfection, possibly, finally being freed. They were trapped, strangled, subdued by the constant barrage of media influence and corruption.

He looked at each of them, in turn, with the silence of the pristine room speaking volumes. Each participant, sheep, walking the very same steps as the many before them. Moderately self-obsessed, willing to conform and consume, as long as the world didn’t notice them. Derek smiled. Each candidate, actually wishing and wanting to be noticed, but each afraid to even remotely step forward in case their world turned against them.

They all had their designations. No names. No truths to be seen or thoughts concatenated to create any form or image. The first two, wearing business suits, were simply called number One and number Two. Uptight. Yet to relax and see the fun nature of being awake whether their lights were switched off or on. Then there was number three, the blonde, the beauty and probably brains, wishing to move forward and be all that she could be. Number four seemed defiant, the scowl giving away his instant dislike, his troublesome glare to be enjoyed over the next few minutes and, finally, Five and Six. The random creatures sending themselves forward to possibly find a solution to their life’s disadvantages.

Derek relaxed, his instant opinions for all of them settling into his thoughts. He wasn’t often wrong, if at all, whilst being obviously aware of such possibilities. This was life, his real actual life, where facts were needed before the fiction grabbed hold of his thoughts. He stood, walking over to the wall, only to turn and rest against it They all wanted to exist within the new ‘woke’ world that had suddenly appeared before them. Ten years, even five years, could make a person move from being within the limelight, to being left far, far behind.

He waved a hand and the auto-gesture feature sprung to life, showing the first slide upon the screen.

“Okay. What do we have here?”

Each participant stared at the screen. A single, solitary, blue square displayed in front of them. The words, ‘blue’ and ‘red’, appearing below the square. First to reply, were Five and Six. Their eager smiles betraying their innocence of what was to happen. One and Two, replied immediately after. Derek stared at Three, knowing that she wanted to answer with the correct reply, while being hesitant. She knew that something wasn’t quite right. Four, on the other hand, now fully relaxed, yawned a small yawn and replied with the word blue. Finally, after number Three looked at Four, Three replied with the answer of 'blue'.

Derek moved from the wall, satisfied, knowing exactly how this would now unfold.

“Okay. Correct. It is a blue square. Could you all now switch on the bands that we gave you when you arrived?”

In turn, each of them raised their arm and pressed the small red button that enabled the devices. Four, actually now responding, straightened himself in his chair. Derek, finally, knew that he had all of their attention.

“Okay, once again, what colour is the square?”

Each of them, in turn, replied with the correct answer. Blue.

“Wrong!”

Derek, placing his hand into his pocket, removed a small device with a button. He pressed the device and, immediately, each candidate received a small shock. All six of the candidates literally jumped out of their skin, not even remotely expecting the result from their answer.

“Let’s try this again. What colour is the square?  I can answer for you. It’s red!”

Number One and Two looked at each other, smiling, as they both replied with the answer of ‘red’. Their smirk, written all over their faces, quickly fuelled Five and Six to reply with the same answer. Three, once again looked at Four for a possible reply. Four shook his head slightly, willing her not to give in. “Red!” she replied, to the disappointment of Four. Each of them, including Derek, stared at Four. The last to answer, the defiant one amongst them, not willing to engage with the natural order of things.

“It’s blue!” Four replied, with defiance.

“Wrong!” replied Derek, pressing the button.

Once again, all six of them received the shock and, as the effects faded, One and Two glanced at Four.

“Let’s try again. The answer is ‘Red’!”

Derek listened to their replies, all of them falling in line, apart from Four. He leaned forward, smiling.

“The answer is Blue. It will always be Blue!”

Derek, laughing slightly, turned and moved to the display.

“This is and always will be, red. It is red because I’ve said it’s red and that is your new way of thinking. You will not resist, and you will be fucking listen!”

Derek, his aggression now apparent and written across his face, walked from the screen right up to number Four. Leaning in, placing his face in front of Four’s face, he asked the question again.

“What colour is the square?”

Four, feeling the aggression and through gritted teeth, replied.

“It is Blue!”

Derek pressed the button with all six, again, receiving the shock. Derek returned to his chair, listening, as Three asked Four to correctly answer the damn question.

“Come on man,” asked Five, “just say ‘red’!”

“No. It’s BLUE!”

Another shock hit the six of them.

“It… is… BLUE!”

Another shock.

The other five participants, all facing Four, echoed their dissatisfaction with Four’s answer.

“Please, just say red and we can move on!”

Four, looked at each of them, as another shock hit his wrist.  He closed his eyes and whispered to himself, “It’s blue,” but then raised his voice, “but it’s now red!”

Derek, finally happy with the result, once again stood from his chair, slowly clapping his hands.

“Well done. Finally. This is how life works. You all, every single one of you, eventually conform and fall in line to the way things work and function. Only ‘Four’ could see the correct illogical answer. You think that you stand together, but in reality, you are all apart and controlled by the very media you trust. The more you read, the more you obey and fit into the hatred and idiocy of life!”

Derek smiled, the message firmly settling into each of the candidate’s minds and realisation.

“You see, you think you have a choice, but even if you see the world for what it is, you will be labelled with many, many offending labels. Weird. Odd. Idiot. The world is a messed up, jumbled, quagmire of desolate greed and solitude. Do not believe what you are being told. Find the facts. Find the answers, even when you’re being blatantly told that the blue square, right in front of your very eyes, is red!”

Derek paused, for dramatic effect, watching each of them sitting silently, perfectly still.

“Well done Four and somewhat Five. You could see that there was something wrong with the answer. One, Two, Five and Six… you need to attend next week’s session, as you’re not children and won’t ever receive a fucking Gold star for being the first to reply with the wrong answer!”

The session, over with, the moment, explained.

“Thank you for attending. The lesson is over.”