Pennies From Heaven

Pennies From Heaven

by Kady Graf

The sun shone brightly on the lawn of Memorial Park as the boys huddled together by the oak tree. Another bittersweet day as they said goodbye to a friend who’d been adopted.

A high inevitability that they too would be plucked from the confines of St. Anthony's Orphanage to start new lives with what they hoped would be loving families.

It was Nathaniel’s greatest wish, but unsure if it was worth the risk of never seeing each other again. But everyone deserved a family, even wayward children left over from a never-ending dragon war.

As they gathered around the hole, they dug for their makeshift time capsule—a rusty old metal footlocker they found behind the church. Some of the other kids thought an evil spirit possessed the thing, but Nathaniel didn’t believe in such nonsense and reminded them this was the perfect day to solidify their bond.

The missing handle on the top left two rusted-out holes that resembled dark eyes staring back at him as he flipped open the lid. It only solidified their standings on the creepiness of the faded metal.

But there wasn’t time to find something else that would suit their needs. It would have to do.

"All right, guys," he said as their unofficial ringleader. "Let’s do this."

Miguel stepped forward, cradling his warrior figurine in his hands like it was a priceless artifact. Its shiny armor is a testament to Miguel's love of all things brave and noble. With his long chocolate brown hair hanging in his eyes, he said, "This is for strength," carefully placing it into the box. "For the battles we'll face."

Joel grinned, holding his bird feather from a Phoenix. He'd been collecting them ever since he nursed an injured one back to health. With eyes as blue as the sky, he placed it inside. "For freedom," he said. "Knowing we can soar.”

Samuel, the eldest of the bunch at twelve, set his chess piece of the knight in the corner, a gratifying smile on his face. "For strategy," he explained. "To remind us to think before we act." He said, pushing his glasses up higher on his nose and moving aside.

Axel slid his pocket-knife in with the other contents. He took it from another boy who was bullying a smaller kid last year. "For protection," he said. "To stand up for what's right." Admittingly the toughest of the group, even at age eleven, he looked like a rebel with his nearly shaved head of obsidian hair.

Lionel, with his pale blonde hair and calm demeanor, placed a piece of scripture on the pile. "For faith," he whispered. "That God is with us even in our darkest hour."

Daniel, the youngest of the bunch at ten, went next with his sheet music, a solemn expression on his pale face, making his fiery red hair seem brighter. "For joy," he said. "May the love of music bring us happiness in times of sorrow."

Nathaniel moved forward and added his sketch. A drawing of an unknown man he imagined being the father he had never had. The lines were slightly smudged from years of touch-ups, trying for perfection he could never manage. As the tallest, he crotched and bent over at the waist to set his masterpiece inside. "For hope," he said. “To find a family, so we will never truly be alone.”

He wanted that for all of them. Even if it meant giving them up as his makeshift brothers and his most valuable asset. It damn near broke his heart to bury the thing, knowing he could never re-draw the thing from scratch again.

Nathaniel closed the lid, and they each grabbed a corner, or a handle, and lowered it. As the metallic surface bit into the soft earth, a sudden jolt of electricity vibrated through their hands. They yelped in surprise and instinctively moved away.

"What just happened?" Daniel asked, his eyes wide with shock.

Nathaniel struggled to make sense of it. "I’m not sure.” Not sure if he should run or face this head-on, he looked toward the others for guidance.

“Let’s bury it and get the hell out of here,” Axel said as he pushed at the dirt with his hand.

Together, they rushed to bury it, packing the dirt tight. When they finished, they staggered back, with sweat dripping from their faces.

"Ten years," Nathaniel whispered. If the war with the dragons didn’t claim them all, perhaps someday, they would reunite and retrieve their items.

***

A decade later, Nathaniel waited with anticipation. He smiled as his friends approached. Each face was like the passage of time, but still unmistakably them. They had all eventually found a forever home, except him, but he was happy for them and ecstatic that none had been called in for service.

After a round of hugs and backslaps, the men worked together, unearthing the capsule with excitement. When they retrieved the oxidized crate, they lifted it out and Samuel did the honors, gripping the lid tightly and prying it open. The thing popped and an invisible wave of air blasted outwards, throwing them backward, as a shower of copper rained down. Coins landed at their feet - coins no one put inside.

“What was that?” Nathaniel asked, forcing himself to his feet.

Miguel cautiously poked at the copper with a stick.

"Pennies from heaven," Lionel said, his voice steady and eerily calm.

Axel stepped forward to retrieve his knife. “Let’s get this over with,” he said. And Nathaniel couldn’t agree more. Something was off about this whole situation. He only wanted to retrieve his portrait and get out of there. He still considered it his prized possession and didn’t want to leave without it.

Before they had time to retrieve their treasures, the items began to glow and rise into the air. Infused with a mite beyond comprehension.

Nathaniel’s heart pounding in his chest. This was no ordinary reunion, and whatever magic they created years ago with that possessed box was still very much alive.

"Sweet mother…" Axel breathed, watching everything float without strings.

Nathaniel tried to snatch his drawing out of the air, but his hand went through the paper like a mist.

The metal footlocker groaned like a sleeping bear waking, and the lid slammed shut. The rusted holes on the top pinched shut and when they opened, staring back at them, were a pair of blinking white eyes.

“It is time.” A deep voice boomed from the faded green locker. The eyes blinked once, as Nathaniel's sketch split into seven identical images and hovered in front of each man.

“Holy…” someone mumbled from beside Nathanial. But he could only focus on the levitating items.

“He calls.” Said the box.

The scriptures Lionel contributed tore itself into pieces and merged with Nathaniel’s artwork. Their names emerged above each of the character's heads. The pictures morphed, taking on the distinct features of their human counterpart.

“What is happening…” Someone else asked, but Nathaniel didn’t dare take his eye off his drawing.

“The chosen seven.” The locker groaned.

Daniel’s hymns and Samuel’s knight broke apart simultaneously and became one with each picture. A golden trumpet appeared on the top of the page with the words "The Knights of Elohim." The phrase flowed from the trumpets like notes as Nathaniel’s ears popped, and he would swear he heard music playing a heavenly tune up in the heavens.

“Guardians of the realms,” the box said. The voice grew louder with each sentence it spoke.

Miguel's statue exploded, and a gleaming gold helmet, breastplate, belt, boots, and a shield appeared on the pages.

“Warriors of peace.” The metal box bellowed.

Axel’s pocketknife followed suit, splitting and causing the men to duck and cover as the seven pieces shot forward and hit the papers, appearing as flaming swords on the pages.

“Protectors of the innocent.” The locker shouted.

Joel's feather came next, forming shimmering wings that sprouted from the backs of the drawn figures like silver linings of the clouds.

“Soldiers of the most high.” The box screamed. “Decide now.”

“Decide what?” Nathaniel asked. The others shrugged. He took a step back and wondered what he was supposed to decide on.

Lionel spoke up first. “Yes,” he exclaimed and stepped forward.

Yes, to what? Did someone ask a question that he missed? Nathanial was ready to leave his picture behind, but not his friends. Never his friends.

Samuel and Daniel announced their decision in unison. “Yes.”

Miguel glanced at him and stepped forward. “I’m in.”

Nathaniel still didn’t understand and looked toward Axel. “What the hell,” he said. “I’m down for anything.”

“Do you even know what you're signing up for?” He asked no one in particular.

Then he felt a wave of pleasure seep over his skin and into his bones. A peaceful, soothing sensation and a knowing washed over him like waves on a sandy beach. He glanced at his friends. He couldn’t leave them. Never.

He stepped forward with a profound, “Yes,” exiting his lips.

Without warning, the newly changed artwork slammed into the men, sending a surge of kinetic energy coursing through their veins, knocking them off their feet and transforming them into the celestial beings from the drawing.

“Brothers.” The box whispered.

Nathaniel barely heard the last words before the eyes of the locker went dark. He groaned as he got to his feet and stared in awe at his friends. “Are we…?”

"Looks like it," Miguel answered with a grin as he stared down at the golden breastplate he was wearing.

"Obviously…" Joel said, "This happened for a reason.” His feathery wings flapped behind him in the air, knocking off Samuel’s helmet.

"Yes. And we shall face it together," Axel said, his sword of fire casting flickering shadows across his face until he sheathed it. The rest of the men followed suit, extinguishing their swords as they put them away.

"Right," Daniel agreed, clapping a hand on Nathaniel’s shoulder. His armor glimmered in the sunlight and reflected the happiness on Daniel’s face.

"We're brothers, after all,” Samuel added. His green eyes brightened without the glasses, and as he replaced his helmet.

"And we will make our Father proud." Lionel tacked on, moving a golden trumpet strapped on to his back.

The locker made a clicking noise behind them, and when Nathaniel turned to see what might pop out next, it shrunk to the size of a ring box. He scooped it up and was thrown into a vision of epic proportions. Visions of the future, prophecies yet to come, and their roles to play.

With a gasp, he opened his eyes and stared down at the rusty green metal. It had a heartbeat and spoke into his mind.

“My son. I have been with you always.”

Nathaniel smiled at the words, realizing he had had a family all along. It might not have been the traditional mom-and-pop he was looking for—no, this was better.

He slipped the box into his pocket, knowing this was his future, his brothers. "Let's go," he said, a fierce burning in his soul. "We have a world to save."

The newly formed angels spread their wings and took to the skies. Together, they will embrace their destiny as the protectors of the innocent, and embark on a divine mission.