Prayers of the Righteous-Prologue

The Story of how a young woman's reluctant faith is strengthened as she learns how God answers the prayers of His faithful through His Champion, Archangel Michael.

PRAYERS OF THE RIGHTEOUS

 

 

Armed with the names of those who have had encounters with the Archangel Michael and a digital voice recorder, Tobias heads out on her journey to “find” him.  The next three months are filled with beautiful tales of Michael’s heroics against Satan’s right hand man, Samael, that are vividly relived in her head.  The colorful people that she meets create a feeling of hope that slowly melts Tobias’ icy, skeptical spirit, allowing her faith to become encouraged and strengthened. This new belief permits Tobias to search deeper into the meaning of God’s Plan and she discovers that she may be privy to the date of Christ’s return. What Tobias doesn’t know is that she will have an experience of her own, testing her new found faith, when Samael realizes he is in the battle of all battles with Michael for her soul.

As the stakes become higher and her heart raw and confused with emotions, Tobias can only think back to how it came to this.

 

 

Tobias Mathias is a college student home for summer vacation in the slow-pace, coastal town of De Dios Calas. A typical day in her very religious household begins with morning prayers, prayers before every meal, including snacks, and some kind of church function at least five days out of the week.  All of this “mandatory” church has made Tobias numb to its meaning causing her behavior to become routine.  Church services are now Tobias’ means to catch up on her texting.

Tobias’ religiously dutiful mother, Rita, prays constantly over and about everything especially when it concerns Tobias’ welfare.  One day as Rita and Tobias settle in the car for a visit to a church shut-in, Rita buckles her seatbelt, bows her head and blindly reaches for Tobias’ hand. Tobias stops texting long enough to obediently grab her hand, but not before rolling her eyes. Rita sighs as she instinctively knows what her daughter is doing.

Rita begins to pray for God’s travel mercies and Blood Covering as they embark on their trip. Upon saying one of the most favorite words to Tobias’ ears, “Amen”, Rita cranks up the car and they are on their way.  The car eases down the road and Tobias finds herself staring out the window pondering why this particular time, her mother’s prayer rattles around in her head.  She has heard this prayer many times before, but this time is different for some reason.  Tobias literally shakes off this feeling and puts her headphones on, cranking up her iPod so that she drowns out, just barely, her mother’s joyful humming.

 

 

Tobias and her mother are on the way back home from their visit.  It is late in the evening and Rita is driving while Tobias naps in the passenger seat.   Little does Tobias knows, her earlier reluctance to her mother’s faith in prayers would be tested. 

A weary Rita continues driving down the sharp twists and turns of the hillside when suddenly what looks like a shadowy figure crosses in front of her car.  She swerves reflexively and tries to correct herself as the car begins to spin out of control. Bouncing off the hillside the car crashes through the guardrail balancing precariously on the edge of a sharp drop.

 By this time, Tobias is wide awake to hear the familiar sound of her mother praying for God to save them.  Tobias jolts toward her mother causing the car to jerk forward and over.  Rita clutches her daughter and screams, “God, please help us!”  Suddenly, the women are pulled apart, hurtling through their respective windows.  Then, it goes completely black.

 

 

The darkness slowly drifts away and the two women look around them.  When their eyes lock on each other, they embrace in amazement that they are still alive.  Rita looks Tobias over, making sure she is all right, and when she completes her inspection both she and Tobias realize there is a glow in the distance.  Turning toward the source of the glow, they see what is left of their car, which is in a mangled heap and completely engulfed in flames.  Tobias stares at the wreckage in disbelief while her mother kneels, rocking back and forth giving thanks to God.  As if in a trance, Rita rises to her feet and walks toward the flames.  Tobias struggles to get to her feet in order to chase after her mother, but halts after seeing her mother stop and pick up an object from the ground.  Tobias walks up to Rita and sees that the object her mother picked up is her purse, unscathed by the crash.  Rita takes out her cellphone and calls for help.

Soon, red and blue flashing lights scatter all over the crash site.  Rita and Tobias are escorted to a waiting police car and as the car door closes, Rita sits back.  Suddenly Rita sits up straight and turns to face the window of the closed car door.  She stares out into the darkness with a look of relief and gratitude.  Rita mouths over and over, “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”  Tobias struggles to peer around her mother in order to see what she is looking at, but all she can see is darkness.  As Rita raises her left hand and presses it against the window, the car drives off.  She continues to stare at the darkness, turning her body to keep constant eye contact with that particular spot until she is completely turned around in her seat, facing the back window.  When the car rounds the curve, leaving the hectic scene in the distance, Rita faces forward and bows her head.  Fearful for her mother, Tobias places her right arm around Rita and lays her head on Rita’s shoulder trying to give comfort to her mother as well as herself.

 

A few days later when all the chaos dies down, Tobias takes her mother’s upbeat mood as an opening to address what was concerning her about her mother’s behavior the night of the accident.  Rita reluctantly tells Tobias (through a flashback) about being distracted by a shadowy figure, losing control of the car, and making pleas to God to save them which resulted in God sending  His Champion, the Archangel Michael, to rescue them.  Rita continues to explain to her shocked daughter how Michael pulled them through the windows of the car and protected them with his body as he safely placed them on the ground, which explained the sudden darkness.  It was Michael that she thanked as they drove off in the police car.  Tobias is skeptical of this story, but doesn’t want to offend her mother with any nervous laughter.  Rita only addresses her daughter’s silence by saying, “The prayers of the righteous availeth much.” and exits the room.

Tobias gathers herself enough to follow her mother out the room to continue the conversation.  Tobias  presses Rita about this Michael phenomenon wanting to know how he looks, what he wears, does he speak, what does he say, what are his powers…  Rita is cautious about her daughter’s sudden interest , but eventually goes on to describe Michael as being massive in size and height possibly close to seven feet tall with a muscular, athletic build.  He has very dark features.  His hair is jet black with slight waves that rest on his broad, strong shoulders.  Dark, heavy brows shelters piercing, hypnotic green eyes.  His full-lipped mouth falls into a half smile, half pout which presents a stoic expression with his strong, chiseled jawline completing his facial frame.  He wears a breastplate with a cross centered between flames.  There is a strap that appears to be slung across his chest.  Maybe it holds a sword or weapon.

I can’t be sure since I have only seen the front of him.” Rita’s voice trails off before continuing. After a few moments, Rita finally closes her eyes and just blurts out that Michael protected them by shielding them under his wings.

“Michael… has… wings.” Rita slowly repeats.

Tobias just stares at her mother before breaking into a wide smile as to keep from laughing and offending her mother.  Rita sighs and exits the room, ending the conversation.  Tobias runs after her half apologizing and laughing.

 

Later that evening, Tobias’ ever present thirst for knowledge has her thinking about what if all her mother talks about and believes is true and how many other people, if at all, believes as her mother does.  Tobias lies across her bed wondering how to start her search for the “truth” when her phone chimes with an alert that someone posted something to her Facebook page. 

Tobias’ brain explodes with an incredible idea just as she clicks on the announcement.  Using her artistic abilities, Tobias sketches out a picture of this archangel using the description her mother gave her.  When she finishes the picture, she is surprised to find herself attracted to the image before her.  Tobias scans in the image to her computer and begins to setup a page for “Archangel Michael:  Champion of the People”.  Just as Tobias finishes the last touches on the page, her mother walks in, peeks over her shoulder and frowns.  Tobias quickly explains that she is not mocking her, but trying to see if anyone else shares her beliefs.  Before Rita can say anything, ping after ping is heard from people posting “friend requests” and messages.  The two women are amazed by the multitude of responses and how quickly they came.  Rita sits down next to Tobias and asks her what her plans are now.  Tobias’ response is simple;

 “Read.”

Tobias reads the many messages expressing gratitude to the Archangel for his interventions on their part.  She is also introduced to another major player, Satan’s henchman,

Samael, who is the instigator of all problems.  Tobias diverts from the Facebook page long enough to do a little research on the two and what she finds out intrigues her.

 

It turns out that Michael and Samael once worked side by side in Heaven, but Samael became part of Satan’s rebellion and was casted out of Heaven.  On his way down from Heaven, Samael grabbed onto Michael’s wing to bring Michael down with him, but God interceded and saved Michael.  Ever since then, Michael and Samael became rivals even arguing over Moses’ body when Moses died.  Samael, knowing Michael’s “work” involves protecting God’s people, is on a mission to cause despair on those believers which in return will cause Michael to battle him.  These confrontations by Samael are in hopes that Michael will eventually become resentful of his duties, rise against God, and join Samael in Satan’s army.  Tobias leans back in her chair soaking it all in.  Shaking her head, she finds this all too much to be true.

 

Tobias decides she needs to clear her head and a ride into town for an Oreo Blizzard at the local DQ sounds perfect.  Heading out the door, Tobias gives a shout out to her mother that she’ll be right back.   Tobias gets into her car and is startled by her mother, who somehow is now standing next to the car, as she closes the door.  To stave off an argument, Tobias just reaches out her hand as her mother takes it and “lay hands” on the car in prayer.  After a quick “Amen”, Tobias heads down the long driveway and out toward town.  She can’t believe that it is so dark out so early in the evening.  Tobias soon approaches the stretch of road aptly nicknamed “Vader’s Yawn” after Star Wars’ Darth Vader because it is so dark, sinister feeling, and dead. All phone or electronic signals are lost during this two mile stretch.  She shudders and steps on the gas to hurry through this part of road, when all of a sudden the car sputters and jerks forward a few times before dying.

Tobias panics as she repeatedly tries to start the car with no success.  She checks her phone in hopes to get a signal, but she is too far into the Yawn.  Tobias sighs, resigned to waiting until her over protective mother notices she has been gone too long and comes searching for her, when she sees headlights in her rearview mirror.  Her heart begins beating fast as she debates whether to get out and ask for help.  The vehicle, a large black SUV, passes then swerves in front of Tobias and comes to a halt.  The driver steps out of the truck and walks up to the front of Tobias’ car.  He motions for her to pop the hood and, obediently, she releases the latch and the stranger lifts the hood.

 Tobias remains in the car somewhat stunned as the car jerks every now and then from the stranger’s movements under the hood.  She squints to see through the gap between the car and the hood, but all she can see of the stranger is the shadow of his nose peeking from under the hood of his jacket.  Tobias takes a deep breath and cautiously steps out of the car.  She slowly walks around the stranger until she comes over to his left side.  He is still bent over the engine and all Tobias can see is that he is tall.  Tobias moves in a little closer to the stranger as to pretend to see what he is up to under the hood, but she soon becomes distracted by a pleasant scent of “clean”.  Like a soap and water clean.  Tobias doesn’t realize how close she is to the stranger until his sudden movement to face her, startles her.  Tobias looks up to see him peering at her over his left shoulder and becomes lost in his eyes.  His hypnotic GREEN eyes.  Tobias pulls back stunned.  The stranger lifts his head to reveal a slight smile that slowly spreads across his full lips.  He straightens up and slams the hood close never losing eye contact with Tobias.  Tobias stands frozen in his gaze with her mouth slightly open as if trying to find something to say but can’t.  Finally, he nods his head in the direction of the car as to motion Tobias to get in.  As if telepathically communicating, Tobias obeys by getting into the car and turning the key.  The car cranks up smoothly.  She glances down briefly in amazement and back up to thank the stranger, but the truck is gone. 

 

Tobias immediately turns around and heads back home.  She reaches home within minutes practically jumping out of the still moving car.  Tobias leaps up the steps and bursts through the door.  She sees her mother standing frozen with shock in the kitchen doorway and runs to her. While putting her mother in a bear hug, she begins telling her mother about all that just happened.  Tobias releases her mother mid-sentence and runs into her room to her computer.  She pulls up the Page and stares at the image of Michael.  After what seems like forever, Tobias releases her gaze and collapses in her chair.  She gets up, walks across the room and plops down face first on her bed.  Turning her head to the side where she can still see the faint glow of the computer and Michael’s face, Tobias begins to drift off to sleep. Tobias asks two questions to the image on the screen, “Who ARE you?”, “How can I reach you?”

 

The morning peeks through the curtains gently waking Tobias.  She slowly rolls over and stares at the ceiling.   Replaying last night’s events over and over in her head, she realizes that she is very intrigued with Michael and needs to know more about him.  Whether from a religious standpoint or this odd, almost unnatural attraction she has toward him, Tobias is determined to “scratch this itch”.  But how?

She walks over to the computer and runs her finger across the mouse pad bringing the Facebook Page of Michael’s back to life.  As if stung by a bee, Tobias jolts up and starts reading

through the screens.  Her plan of action is to find all those “friends” who were located within a close distance to her and message request to meet them and hear their story.  Maybe, this would help her connect with Michael in some way…ANY way.  To her surprise, Tobias’ requests are met with enthusiasm from everyone.  She smiles and exhales deeply. 

“Here we go!”

 

THE END