Cinderfella 3: Life Continues - 42. When in Roma

My favorite time of year!  Annual events, traditions, songs like the Twelve Pains of Christmas!, Wreck the Malls, The Restroom Door Said Gentleman and oh yeah!  Dominic the Christmas Donkey.  Bafana!!!  Love it, LOVE IT!!!  

When in Roma

Everyone take a deep breath. This isn’t supposed to be Sunday School. There is no Confirmation, no Profession of Faith. There is no religious significance except that they are mentioned. Why do we need censors!? And who appointed any of THEM!?!? Clark Gable said he didn’t give a damn. So, what? Neither do I. Porky Pig interrupted an ending after he stuttered and then said finally, “You thought I’d say bitch.” Yes, he did! I love every single irreverent, potentially offensive members of our species!! Mel Blanc, Chuck Jones, Hugh Harman, Rudolph Ising, you had to go. I know that. Just remember, I get to tell my side of whatever Daniel is telling you! The real story when I get there. I bow at your feet, gentlemen. Real genius!!

Get your child ready for an amazing and yes, sometimes hazardous world, don’t try to make the world ready for your child. Do your job! Damn it!! Educate them!!

The day was starting to wear on us. When I brought us back to Gitchi, we lost time. That wasn’t really true. We bounced hemispheres, but we lived a full day. We returned to cold northwest of our continent. We offered to bring Ahaka, but he declined this time. We offered Dakotah the trip, too, but he claimed he was too busy. I thought both Ahaka and Dakotah just weren’t ready for this kind of trip. Kohona maybe a tribal leader, but he not even a teenager yet! I didn’t speak a word of the excited boy language. He was moving his hands and gesturing grandly. No one’s Sign Language was used.

I sat with Seth, Demetrius, Dara, Max, Val, Thomas, and Hana. Some exception had to be made with Hana. She lacked confidence in her use of English, but she made it work. She had to know A’Dore spoke English. There might be some that speak Japanese, a few that spoke the Quinault language, but those languages change and evolve in time. There was one subject she had difficulty following.

“This war in Heaven,” Val said as he thought about it. “When was it?”

I shrugged, “It doesn’t really say.”

Val nodded, “Okay, but it would have to be after the creation, and before Adam and Eve.” He chuckled and shrugged. “Or Adam and Lilith…”

“Where is Heaven?” I asked Val.

He raised a hand cautiously and pointed up, “Up there, I suppose.”

“And Hell?” I asked.

He pointed at the floor.

“You’re sure?”

Val shook his head, “Not a bit sure. What do you say?” He challenged with a grin. “You’re the Theologian.”

I nodded, “Who knows enough to know I have no idea. Just really quickly, I’ll say, there have been cases of people that died. somehow comes back to life. That person then tells you who was there, what was being said and reports they were floating overhead, but no one saw them.” I smiled. “Why?”

Val thought a few seconds, “Maybe it didn’t happen?”

“Or?” I grinned, “It happened and we couldn’t see it.”

“The fact that Arthur is alive and, in this world…” Seth shuddered, “Anywhere on this or inside this world…” he pointed down.

“Does it matter?” I asked. “The truth is, it doesn’t matter. How long ago and how long the war was doesn’t matter. Where it was doesn’t matter.” I shrugged. “It adds context. You determine other parts of the Bible with these stories and books.” I looked at Demetrius. “Nothing was left for you? The Children of Lilith?”

Demetrius’ eyes grew, “A set of scriptures for the Children of Lilith!?” He though a few moments, but shook his head. “I never heard of anything.”

“This is all conjecture,” I cautioned before.

“So?” Max shrugged.

I chuckled and nodded, “Demetrius, you learned from your parents.”

“Yes,” Demetrius nodded, “And he learned from his parents.”

“Are they still around?” I asked. How do you subtly ask, are they still alive?

“My mother is,” Demetrius nodded and chuckled. “She’s approaching nine hundred and fifty years and still goes strong.”

Dara laughed, “I was youngest of sixteen. Both of my parents aren’t here anymore.”

“Would she mind a visit from me?” I asked. I didn’t know.

“No,” Demetrius waved that off, “not a bit! I will say she pays little attention to the world these days, but I’ll take you. Why?”

I shook my head, “You had language.”

Demetrius nodded, “Yes.”

“We’ve also speculated there was a long time between creation and Adam and Eve,” I said. “Thousands of years!” I held my arms out helplessly and then pointed at Demetrius, “Tell me nothing was written!”

“Did you live in cities?” Seth asked. “Perhaps different than ours maybe.”

Demetrius shrugged, “No one knows.”

“And we won’t find out without asking!” I said simply.

Some of this discussion was not necessary. It didn’t matter if there were cities before, if there was a war before and where. If there were parts that said don’t or do…tell us why? No religious group, leader or like that should mind you asking questions. If they didn’t want to answer, what is they’re hiding? It would be something to cause problems for the group and/or leader.

You know I have a problem with the story of creation. Six days? There was gathering information about people, Human Beings alive thousands of years ago in caves! There were those people on the large island continent with the Dreaming and Dream Sharing have lived isolated so long! We were all Human and yet so diverse.

I believed the Children of Lilith were Human, too. Only one parent was different between them and us. We shared some of the building blocks with them. We were related! But all those eons and not so much as a note? I was excepting that to be true with the six days. Are out!

Demetrius was right. There might be no answers, but there also might be. Here’s that glass again! Half empty or half full? It again doesn’t matter. There’s still the same amount of water.

I detest mysteries that just sit there! There should be answers! None of them should remain unsolved.

The world was old. Very old. I would like to know what it was like in the beginning. I mention that to some and suddenly I’m speaking a foreign language and they couldn’t understand me. It never crossed their minds that there was a time before our world!

Hell, they all knew our world was dead center to everything! Everything circled us, but we always were.

Okay, then…

“This Samuel…”

“No,” I corrected, “Samael.”

“Sam…I…el. He’s kind of important.” He looked at the others and shook his head, “or used to be…?”

I nodded, “Very.” I held my hands up. “I’m repeating what I learned. Not saying any of it is true, but…” I saw Seth give me my patience is wearing thin look. “I’m just saying!” I smiled. “Yes, there were seven in positions of authority. Michael, Gabriel, Samael, Raphael…”

“Why doesn’t God simply destroy him?” Beau asked. “He created everything, including the Devil.”

I leaned in Beau’s direction, “That is absolutely right! You’re the head of the class!” I cocked my head at Beau, “Could it be that God isn’t done with Lucifer/Samael/Beelzebub yet?”

“Doesn’t God know Samael would figure it out?” Thomas asked.

I held my hand up, “Bear with me,” I paused and took a breath. “Samael was given a shitty job!” I looked up and shouted. “A shitty job!!” I looked at the shocked faces, “It’s not like He’s never heard them before and some worse!” I shrugged, “It’s just a group of sounds we agree mean something. There is no power in them. I’m no hypocrite. I say it directly to Him.” I shook my head, “There are times I see what’s happening under Satan’s rule and think it’s awfully convenient. It’s like we’re being herded in a specific direction. None of which would have happened without Samael.”

“You think Lucifer is a Fallen Angel, on purpose.” Dara said carefully.

I nodded, “He could be God’s most trusted angel.” They were stirring now, and disbelief was clear. “God could have given Samael a task God would trust only his most trusted angel could do.” I grinned, “On a smaller scale, the Savior could have, too. Judas could have been asked to do the unthinkable! Betray Him! In order for us to be where we are, steps had to be made and you needed to know it was done and done right.”

Thomas sat back; his eyes held motionless as he considered what I’d said. Seth was also thinking about what I said.

“If you disagree, fine,” I said simply. “I’ll also ask you how you come to that dismissal. I can’t prove it, but you can’t disprove yours. I even have a friend at the Vatican in Roma! He was training to be a soldier, but was…” He was sent to the Heart of the Church. He sent me translated snippets from what could be the book of Judas! It would never pass the Church’s scrutiny.” I smiled, “they took what was known and seized control of it; about anything to do with God and religion.” I shook my head again. “To me, it’s all just a fanciful tale. But we’re here. Now. I am no authority…”

“You tell us,” Tom smiled and nodded, “We do it.”

I hoped it would be that simple. Nothing is ever simple.

Hana’s calm demeanor had worn thin and the Native in her was demanding an explanation from Thomas. He smiled at her and motioned for her to be patient, but I the hand on his arm tighten. She’d never hurt Thomas.

“If he can,” I said to Hana, “Thomas will explain it all.”

It wasn’t late…well, that’s not true. The missing day was not missing, but it sort just…merged into one long one.

“When I say this,” Seth began. When someone begins with a disclaimer, it usually isn’t good. This was to explain how he came to a conclusion. “You believe what you said?”

I chuckled, “It’s a possibility. I will tell you; the Church has evil in it.” I shrugged, “It has Humans in it. There is no proof.” I watched him think and delivered the other shoe, so to speak, “You and I have an upcoming need for…something to happen. Who would you trust to do it and have no doubt it would be done?”

“No,” I confirmed. “It has to happen.”

Seth nodded, “I guess.”

I was feeling better! About the situation, the new access to magic I had and calmed down from my worry. I was feeling some confidence rise as I feared so much less! Demetrius stubbed his shin. Or did he? It was for effect! Whatever. It worked!

There was a whole chunk of time missing. In the beginning, there were angels that saw people born and fell in love with them. All of this in a book the Church wouldn’t accept. I would have dismissed it, but other places in other books and scriptures refereed to this. There were special angels called the Ben Elohim, or fallen angels. They watched us and reported back? Many of these angels took Human wives! The Watchers’ Children were the giants I mentioned earlier. They also taught their half-angelic children about teaching psychic things, magic, and gave unknown technology. That read like the many of the Children of God!! Not just Children of Eve or Children of Lilith. I knew there were missing eons! This world is much, much older!

These Watchers we so much like Humans, you couldn’t see they weren’t! Short of pinning an angel down and lifting that long white robe to peer at what was beneath the robe…and still they were just like us! And had children!! That was in the first book! Genesis!? The sixth chapter! I can’t be accused of making things up. It’s there!! I have to include the book of Enoch! Enoch is quoted in Genesis! It makes sense!! The whole situation was confusing and only the brightest minds could grasp it and I didn’t mean me! I wanted to know. I wondered it Demetrius could get me a copy of the Book of Enoch. Could I get it myself? Where should I go? I wondered if the vault to the Vatican would open for me now? Should I? We were going to our room as we, strolled at a leisurely pace.

“Uh, oh,” Seth said slowing to let the distance between us increase.

My eyes widened as I turned back to Seth, “Uh, oh? What’s uh, oh and why?”

“I don’t know what,” Seth said reluctantly, “or why until you tell me. You’re preparing to do something…dangerous.”

I rolled my eyes a little as I thought, “Well, it’s not really dangerous, as you say…”

“Okay,” Seth nodded as he used his hand to encourage me to move forward, “Let’s hear about this not so dangerous thing.”

It was fun all the time Seth and I spent together. Here was another example. “I never considered it before because of the massive amount of time it would take to do with the travel there, the many that would object, the time I would study, and travel back…”

“What?” Seth asked with a reduced amount of patience in his voice. He wanted me to say it, not talk about it. “Now, I can just…” I searched for the right word, “Pop? Over there and be right back.”

“Over there?” Seth pointed as he repeated. “Over where?”

“Roma,” I explained quickly, “They have this vault full of testimonies,” I said and hurried on. “It will take time, but I know the answer is in there!”

Seth nodded as I confirmed what he knew. “The Vatican’s locked and secure vault in Roma?” He nodded, “I know what you’re going to say, but…why!?”

“There’s a sort of a How-To instruction manual that instructs us how to act and what to do,” I shrugged. “It’s broken up in all these testimonies in the Vatican!” I began a slow pace walk in a circle. “I considered becoming a priest once.” I looked at Seth sternly. “And I mean once! It lasted approximately fifteen seconds. I hate lying.” I motioned to the books I saw in my head, books no one else saw or could see, but I remembered. “Even to the Church. Could I go the rest of my life alone? Sex is everywhere, including the Church. I couldn’t give the…sacraments I’m supposed to. I could join another group, but why? The Church had those hidden books and scrolls. I didn’t have to deny myself who I am to do that and I got you!” I pleaded with him to understand. “There is a lot of time unaccountable and I think the writing may have that! All that I mentioned is in those writings!”

“Maybe,” Seth nodded.

“Yes, maybe,” I agreed. “I’d rather look and be wrong than right and never know it!” I shrugged. “It’s important do know where you are and how you got there.” I shrugged. “You know? To avoid going in the wrong direction again by mistake.”

Seth’s left eyebrow rose, “That was…almost profound.”

I chuckled, “I’m not accepting credit for it. I’m sure someone has and will say it more profoundly.” I pushed Seth back against the largest portion of the pie-shaped wedge wall.

“Do you know where to go?” Seth grinned as I backed him up. “I mean with that missing book of Enoch.”

“And then the hard part,” I chuckled. “Reading it!”

“You said you’d know it!” Seth protested.

“And I will!” I laughed. “Old English looks and sounds like German! It changes over the years. The only way to stop the change is a lot of use! English is becoming that language!” I could no longer force him back. He ran out of room. “I’ve seen Arabic, Hebrew, all in their original forms old and new forms. Latin! Old Latin. They are still arguing about if was originally in Aramaic, Hebrew or even in Greek!” I grinned.

Seth wasn’t resisting me at all. I don’t there was much space at all between us.

(I promised no Sunday School. I meant it.)

We hear feet as someone approached us.

“Aw, it was only a few more feet!” Chitto lamented as he moved us to a door, opened it and shoved us in the familiar surroundings. His room wasn’t far from ours. “You two were so close to it!” He waved at the room and smiled. “You can go wherever. Remain standing, take everything off…the possibilities are endless!” He slapped our arms. He held up a hand with two opposing fingers nearly touched, “you were that close.”

New discovery was super. Seth and I knew each other. You’ve heard me say it enough, but do you know? There were shortcuts. Any path well-traveled will have shortcuts to make getting to your goal faster. A touch a certain way, for so long, or touch a way to make it more intensive…goal achieved!

No, we were not strangers on this trip. Seth and I were married. Thomas and Hana were going to be married. Ceto and Beau were…what? Girlfriend and boyfriend? They could have a few decades together. Reese, Val, Max were adult men. Chitto was married with a wife a thousand miles away. For those reasons that they had to do without, I didn’t want to rub anything in their faces. Innuendoes included. That would be cruel. More devoted than comrades. I knew what it meant, Espirit de Corps. My head did. Now, I really understood as I felt it for the others. There is nothing I would not do for any of them. Even kill. More a kinship of flesh, ideology, honor, or even morals.

There was somethings about The Watchers I would like to see. In the original language if possible. I didn’t have it long, but it was there that God had these specially made angels that were to watch people. The first humans at first were Children of Lilith, right? Did they give birth to the giants and other creatures to use magic? And get this! There was an angel named Azazel, the “bringer of Light!” Lumiel. Lucifer!! It was Lucifer that taught Humans to make metals into swords, body armor, breastplates, and shields!

This was a tangled mess.

It was at breakfast the next day as Demetrius came and sat with us.

“What’s going on?” Demetrius said in a hoarse demand. He held his finger up and went on. “The first time I saw it was just before you asked me to take you to Creid.”

I pulled on my shirt and looked at it, my arms and even felt my own face. “Alright,” I growled, “I don’t know what’s written where, but you don’t know everything.”

Demetrius sat back; his voice had a challenging tone to it. “So, you’re not planning to try something risky?”

I was about to reply when I knew they were right.

“I don’t think it’s risky. No one should have their safety threatened.” He pointed at me. “They probably won’t even notice at night. It’s eight in the morning here. Do you know what time it is in Roma?”

“It’s morning?” Seth asked.

Demetrius shook his head, “Nope, it’s after two in the afternoon…” Demetrius shrugged a nod, “and therefore may be busy.”

“It’s the Vatican,” I said simply. “It may never have low time. All of those little minds working to find answers.”

Seth sat back a little, “I’m sure there are copies that can be used…”

Demetrius grinned, "You bet! And all the different versions of the scriptures.”

“Different versions of the scriptures?” Seth repeated.

“Yes!” Demetrius laughed. “There are several! Some are merely a chapter or two, but there are some that had books from the unexpected source.”

“Like the book of Judas?” I asked with my eyes looking at him from the side.

Demetrius froze as he stared at me quietly a moment. “You know it?”

I nodded, “I know that it is in one of those other versions of scripture.”

“Not ours.” Seth said to be sure.

“No,” Demetrius shook his head, “It’s in the Gnostic scripture. Part of their gospel.”

“Why!?” Seth shouted.

“To avoid these questions!!” Demetrius said as loud, no longer concerned with others looking. He pointed at Seth and said to everyone there, “This…is a STUBBORN man!!”

That satisfied curiosity for the moment and conversations went on.

“I wasn’t kidding.” I said, “I met Caleb when I was eight?” I guessed. “He was six. Ella wasn’t showing up for another year or so, but…Caleb’s parents had somewhere during the day for Caleb to be.” I raised a finger. “There were times when separating a child from a parent isn’t possible. He mother worked in the kitchen, but broke her right arm.” Everyone knew how bad it was to injure a key limb. That was her right arm and we all nodded understanding. I looked at Demetrius, “All you had to do was vanish and reappear!”

“Yeah, so?” Demetrius asked and said indignantly. “I know how much it hurts until I do that!”

“Okay,” I said. “Anyway, Dad was doing Kingdom stuff.” I waved that off. “Caleb and his mother stayed at the palace a couple of days. That morning, I was in school! Caleb was asked to sit in.” I grinned. “He was a prodigy! He is in this part of the Church doing translating…”

“Do you trust him?” Demetrius asked.

I had to think. Not that I was afraid of him, but our paths separated and we wrote, but I never saw him anymore. “Y…eess,” I admitted hesitantly. “I haven’t seen him except ten to fifteen years ago. I’d have to say yes.”

Demetrius nodded, “He maybe how we can get in.”

Seth nodded equally as eager, “And can turn us in!” He reminded us.

“What about the disembodied voice again?” I asked Demetrius. “Like the first time to Creid?”

“Sure,” Demetrius nodded, “Like we did with Mordor.” He shook his head, “I still love that man’s name, it has this…otherworldliness about it.”

“And a big cuddle bear,” I chuckled. Except a few people, they were right about me. I did love everybody and everybody loved me. Mordor loved his grandchildren! All three of them! I wish he had gotten to see Allister. “You’re now pushing what’s in the vaults?”

Demetrius shrugged, “Yes, I suppose we are.”

I nodded, “Because you’re dying?”

Seth inhaled sharply and looked at me sternly, “They aren’t dying!”

I nodded, “Yes, they are.” I reached over for Demetrius’ hand. “I adore this man now. He will live long after you and I are buried by Toby or Dennis, but no more children of Lilith? There were some Daughters of Lilith who married the Ben Elohim! They had children! Where are they?”

Seth blew a breath out, “Ben Elo…” He shook his head. “Who?”

I was teaching school. I apologize. I said I wouldn’t, but to know what happens, you need to understand. “The Fallen Angels? Angels so much like us, they could mate with us!” I laughed, “and did! Was one Lucifer?” I pointed at myself. “With those Little Warriors, I should be here a while longer, but now I can work the magic, we need to move quicker.” I waved my finger at Demetrius. “We can no longer waste time.” The Children of Eve were used to thinking about things in a short-term way. Not the Children of Lilith. Three or four hundred s of years to go? Why hurry? Because any or the resources you had as in other people were going to thin out. Caleb in Roma could be reassigned! He could hate the Church now. Or he could totally under the spell now and enraptured with the whole thing. I felt guilty about spying on Caleb. I had to have Demetrius sit right with me to help show me what to do. The last time, I was just along for the ride, now I was doing on my own. Even how I got there. There was nine more into the hours to think about. Was Caleb awake at three in the morning? I wouldn’t be. He didn’t want to be a priest. He was a young man still. You never just barge into a man’s bedroom. Even with the vow of celibacy he didn’t have to be alone. Please. He wasn’t difficult to find, either! I thought of the studious attention in books he shouldn’t be able to read, but did! It took five seconds.

“Okay,” I said and got a motion to lower my volume and Demetrius pointed at the bed sole occupant. “I need a light show or something.”

Demetrius chuckled and pointed down, “This him?”

Okay, who sleeps pretty all the time? I’ve seen some…interesting positions from the boys, Seth and even Kitty once. How Kitty got down with breaking his neck I wished I’d seen! He was twisted and upside down and…you had to be there.

Caleb was not a big man. He was a few inches shorter than my five-ten or sixty-five inches. The heaviest thing he carried were those scrolls. In his room, and there was no real room for it, was a desk he could fold the scroll out and read carefully. I felt guilty! This was Caleb’s room!! His place to get away from the demands of the Church. There were innocents here. Caleb had been one of those innocents. This was his room, his space and his privacy.

“Yes,” I grinned, “It’s him.”

Demetrius shook his head and finger at me and spoke in Toby’s Sign Language. No! You can’t. No more strays!

There was enough light from the stars to see, if you look. One. He’s not a stray! And two…

You should not bring this one home!

When we reappeared, we were in Gitchi.

“I need to you to be able to sense your surroundings and know what’s there.” Demetrius turned away. “You were right.”

“About time?” I asked.

He shrugged, “Yes, we always thought…tomorrow we’ll get right on that…whatever. But there wouldn’t be a tomorrow.”

“Maybe,” I nodded. “Where are the children of the Watchers? There is as much time from being thrown out of the Garden of Eden as there is between creation and being thrown out! You, Dara, Lukus, Martha, Ceto, Eabha are Human every bit as we, the Children of Eve are. To make it my first judgement, I’ll write it, say it and yes, take an interview with him and ask him. I respect Him. Creator. I’m not, and I’m scared, but there’s no way you’re being left out!” I brought Demetrius in for a tight hug. “I love you, Demetrius!”

The door to our room opened and the smell of popcorn and melted cheese greeted us as Seth walked in and looked disappointed over the big bowl. “Back already? Check again, you might have missed something.”

“I told you,” I only stopped one arm of the hug so I could get some popcorn. I popped them in. Delicious!! “How long were you planning on?” He had a book he enjoyed reading.

“A few hours?” He turned to the side, taking the popcorn away. “You forgot something, right?”

“Sorry,” Demetrius grinned taking the bowl and putting where we could all share it. On the bed.