Hope and Faith

They were sent through the gate with the solemn words of Gabriel ringing in their ears. Their mission was clear and failure was not an option. The two petite girls looked like identical twins, although in reality they were not even related. To any observer they would have appeared to be sisters walking together to a private school; dressed in matching plaid skirts, white blouses and knee socks. Their blond heads bowed slightly as they conversed softly with each other. The breeze caused their hair to caress their navy backpacks with the rhythm of each tiny step.

 “Meeting him shouldn’t be a problem but convincing him that the message we have for him is genuine will be a bit more complex, I think.” Said Faith, “He is a very angry man and he might not even let us finish once he hears what we have to say.”

Their tiny patent leather shoes sounded like busy keys on a typewriter as they hurried in unison towards their destination. Hope considered her companion’s words for a moment before answering, “We must make sure that he listens. What we have to tell him is so important. He has to believe us! We will convince him of its legitimacy.”

Before long the girls stopped in front of a four storey brown building on a dirty street. An abandoned car sat opposite the building with its windows broken out and tires flat. Faith and Hope tipped their heads back in unison, looking up at the building. Yellowed lace curtains fluttered out of a window on the fourth floor. Together they walked up the front steps and disappeared into the darkness beyond the unlocked front door.

 A wide staircase to the upper floors was directly ahead of them; there were no elevators in this building. Their little shoes made no sound as they stepped onto the threadbare paisley carpet that covered the stairs. Up and up they climbed toward their destination, the seriousness of their mission giving both girls furrowed lines on their brows, although no uncertainty showed in their eyes. Their tiny backs were straight; their steps as firm as when they began their journey.

Only a few light bulbs actually worked on the fourth floor, creating the illusion of a sinister atmosphere. The patterned carpet here was also old, worn to the threads in the higher traffic areas. Somewhere in the building a couple fought and elsewhere a cat could be heard asking for his breakfast. All of this was seen and heard by the little messengers, but none of it concerned them so they tuned it all out and focused on their mission. They didn’t even speak to each other at this point, there was no need. With purpose they walked to the farthest end of the hall, to where the light seemed dimmest. They almost seemed drawn by the loud music that thundered from the last door.

Hope raised her tiny fist and knocked. Despite her diminutive size, the sound was heard above the music from within.

 ***

       Four bright blue eyes met two angry dark ones. The two little girls were unwavering in their strength, and to the surprise of the man that they faced, they showed no fear.

“Mr. Malachi Lightener?” asked Faith. The question was merely a formality as the messengers already knew who he was.

“Who wants to know?” asked the man, “Who are you and who would allow two little rich girls into this neighborhood alone?”  He was very puzzled by this situation and angry that they would dare to take such risk.

Faith and Hope looked carefully at Mr. Lightener, hoping to see some sign of the spirituality that he had been raised with. They could find no indication that he believed in anything anymore, even buried deeply. Perhaps if he felt that his mother’s violent death had been a retribution for something, they might see a spark of his former faith. They saw nothing but coldness in his eyes.

“May we come in please Mr. Lightener? We have a message for you and we think that you might want to sit down while we speak.” Hope spoke first.

Faith finished the thought for her, “It is really very important that we have a few moments of your time.”

This request was not what he had expected at all. Malachi was rather uncomfortable with having two strange little girls into his apartment, especially rich little strangers. It just wasn’t sitting right with him. Their confidence was also quite unnerving, no fear at all.

Just as he began to close the door in their faces, without responding to them, they spoke in unison, “We have a message from Jo-Hanna and Goodie.”

The statement, although nearly whispered to him, made his breath catch and his hair stand on end. He spoke only one word, “What…” Then he felt the world tip on end as blackness descended.

                                                   ***

   Malachi Lightener awoke rubbing his eyes. His first thought was of a very strange dream he had. Two identical little girls had knocked on his door with a message from his long dead mother and her tiny poodle.                                       

Faith and Hope sat on two of his kitchen chairs, placed across from the sofa where he now lay. They had moved him there after he had passed out. “I never expected him to do that.” said Hope.

A groan alerted them to the fact that he had awakened and had seen them again.

“Let’s not make him do that again, please. We can’t very well share our message with an unconscious man.” Faith spoke softly but firmly.

“Mr. Lightener, please, we have to speak with you. Try to stay awake. It’s quite imperative that you hear what we have to say.” Faith spoke softly but with conviction.

Hope stood up and paced quietly, “It was brought to our attention recently that you have agreed to assist a friend of yours with a bank robbery.”

Malachi’s eyes widened with shock at the statement. “Who the hell are you?” His dark face seemed to turn purple with emotion.

“Heaven.” Hope corrected him. He looked confused by the word. “I’m Hope and she is Faith. We are angels sent by Gabriel to speak with you.”

“I have two questions for you,” Malachi was very wary of what he was hearing and was suspicious of their intent. “First, how can you be angels? And second, why would your Gabriel take any interest in what happens with me?”

Faith stepped forward and reached up to unfasten her backpack. As it fell to the floor, soft white feathers ruffled from beneath it. Malachi felt the world begin to tip again, but a tiny firm voice interrupted him, “Mr. Lightener please don’t. We must speak to you.”

“It’s a bit of a story, and you must listen with your heart as well as your ears,” Hope stood behind Faith’s chair and the two darlings tipped their heads to the side. Identical but for the rustling wings that now silhouetted Faith’s shoulders.

“Your mother requested a meeting with Gabriel, and after seeing something in one of his visions, he sent us to speak with you,” said Hope.

“He was told that you and your friend had planned to rob a bank on Tuesday of next week. And then he envisioned that there will be a shooting during the robbery. A small boy will be there with his mother and in the vision he will be killed before his time.” Faith stopped to give Mr. Lightener a moment to absorb what she was saying.

With a dry mouth and his vision still a bit fuzzy, Malachi nodded his head to indicate that they should continue with their story.

“Your mother, Jo-Hanna, went to see Gabriel after she had dropped by to see how you were doing. She found you here with a friend, planning the robbery and she wanted to stop you from doing something terrible. She had always been so proud of you for working hard and being a good boy.” Hope spoke while Faith put her backpack on. “When she went to Gabriel, he looked into his vision and saw that the whole robbery was going to go badly. Consequently a little boy would be shot and killed.”

Faith concluded their visit, “Your mother wants a good life for you, and Gabriel wanted us to try to stop you from aiding your friend. It is hoped that we can save the boy. That boy's death would change circumstances, making it impossible for The Chosen One to lead the people in their journey toward absolute harmony on earth.”

  ***

Ten years later, the newspaper headlines announced, “Mr. Malachi Lightener will escort the three World Advisors on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land this week.”

Two little angels beamed as they stood beside Gabriel. They watched as Malachi bowed his head in thanks for the little schoolgirls who saved him from a life in jail for the murder of a toddler, at a time when faith and hope had nearly departed his spirit.