Jonathan's blog: "Poems"

Somewhere in a lush valley a lone figure lays admiring wild flowers in a green fields of grass. He is a striking man of six foot with flowing black hair. His olive skin is smooth and clean shaven, his dark eyes shine bright with amusement as he watches tiny insects crawl and explore the flowers in front of him. He stands to stretch his legs and takes a deep breath of clean crisp air. A soft breeze ruffles gently his white shirt and dusts off his jeans. On his feet are fading scuffed brown boots showing the miles of wandering the world. Here this lone man looks content and happy. He turns to the west away from the early day sun. In the distance he can see another man walking toward him from the plains below. The man below is walking along running his hands through the long grass of the fields allowing the grass to gently caress his fingertips. This man is tall as well with long dirty blonde hair. He is wearing square rimmed sunglasses hiding his eyes as blue as cool creek water. His black shirt drapes his muscular frame and is lazily untucked from his fading jeans. His black boots disappear with every step through the grass as he climbs the hill slowly to his friend. Seeing his friend above him, he waves a quick silent greeting and hurries his pace to get to the top. A smile spreads across the dark haired mans face seeing the greeting and he waves back.

Finally the two men stand before each other and with a laugh the embrace firmly as friends that have been away far to long. The history between the two me spans eons. And the centuries since their last visit show in the genuine love they share for each other. As they separate the blonde can see tears in his friends eyes and he begins to weep as well. Silently they admire the other taking in every detail of the face, the dress, the health of the other. Finally the blonde musters the courage to speak. "It has been far to long since we were last together, Satan-el." This brings on fresh tears down the face of the dark haired man. Shimmering wet tracks stand out on his dark complection. "It does me well to see you again, Jehovah," he replied smiling. "I am sorry it has been this long to see you as well. We both have so much going on and I am afraid things may soon get more difficult for us ."

A look of concern and questioning washes over the face of the blonde. But the embrace from Satan-el comforts him some. The two begin walking across the field of flowers with the fresh sun warming their faces through a clear blue sky. All around them are simple signs of life and wonder and the lush valley takes on an added warmth as the two walk admiring the beauty of this unspoiled beauty around them. High above them birds play gayly in large swooping loop and turns. Off in the distance they can here the sound of a river flowing strong and they can see below them deer prancing and grazing in golden fields. They walk together silently pointing and remembering earlier times comparing shared histories without a sound as only two close friends can. Their bond is tight, their love, eternal. As they come into sight of the river they had heard Jehovah finally speaks.

"We have created a beautiful realm, Satan-el. The Earth is vibrant and alive with so much. I think we did a wonderful job," Jehovah said. "When we set out to create a world where both of us could exist together, I think we have proven that it is possible for both of our visions to exist side by side."

"Yes, Jehovah," came the soft reply. "I think we did well. I never thought I would be so sad to leave a place such as this when we do go home. I do admit, though, that there are some things that trouble me about the middle realm."

"Oh? Like what?"

Satan-el takes a deep breath, almost distracted, lost in a lingering though. "We created this realm between Heaven and Purgatory to see if both our visions of a utopia could exist side by side without destroying each other. We also populated this realm with beings of both a n angelic and demonic nature to see if both races could coexist as well without killing each other off. But the creatures we have populated the earth with are something so vastly different than the angels and demons that populate our realms that I am almost weary to think that all three could really populate together. We have really outsmarted ourselves with human beings. As much as we have created and with all the beauty we have blessed this realm with, the humans seem determined to destroy as eagerly as they do to conserve. This troubles me greatly."

Jehovah listens silently, nodding in agreement. Satan-el continues. "In the realm of Purgatory, I am revered as a lord, a king if you will, ruling over Purgatory with an iron fist of fear and respect. In my realm that is acceptable because my will is the will of who resides within the realm of Purgatory. Every demon lives within my strict guidelines or the punishment is severe. I love my creations and I do have a degree of leniency for all. And I have the loyalty of the Fallen who still think they don’t deserve your love and forgiveness. They are my personal enforcers of my law even amongst my lords and generals . Even Lucifer has a begrudging respect, if not fear, of Gabriel. And he is he strongest and most cunning of all my children. More so than I care to admit at times." The last was said silently, and Jehovah could see that there was more to the story concerning Lucifer than his friend was telling but decided not to press right now. The journey they were to walk would be a long one and there would be plenty of time to talk about Lucifer later.

At the river the two friends turned to follow the running water and to walk the banks. The sound of the water flowing along side of them brought a great deal of comfort to them and soothed the pain in Satan-el’s face if for even the briefest moment. They walked in silence for a while as Satan-el collected his thoughts. Ahead they could see the fallen remains of a forgotten cabin. The timbers were old and rotted, the sight was of a mound of gray and decaying wood. At the front of the pile was still a wooden frame of the doorway leading into the once seasonal hunting cabin. It was here the two began to walk, as if the cabin was now a place to explore and play. The two climbed the broken stair onto the rotting porch and through the doorway. On the other side was not the rotting timbers before them, but the hustle of a farm. Chickens ran off to their left penned into a coup and the low call of cattle came drifting from their right. The smell of manure and freshly tilled earth filled the air replacing the crisp clean air they were just in a moment before. Satan-el turned and looked behind them at the gaping maw of the barn they had just stepped from and smiled. No matter how many times they do that, he always enjoys the quick change of scenery. Jehovah could see the boyish smile on his friends face and began to smile himself. It was a temporary joy, a fleeting joy, but one that Jehovah and Satan-el would take anyway. They began to walk through the farm out to the tall stalks of corn laid neatly in row after row.

"One of the things that I am concerned about is the religious principles that are in place here," Satan-el continued. "There are so many beliefs, myths, and stories that I think it would be difficult for the both of us to be accepted here on Earth. I mean, how would some humans react if they found out that I had a hand in the creation of earth as well? That I had actually come up with a great deal of ideas for the creation of life here on Earth? How would they react to the thought of that? Humans suffer a great deal already with the fact that they have this duel persona of both angelic and demonic qualities. They struggle every day with these facts. And even though the gift of free will guides most from destroying one another, there are still things in this world contribution to the genocide and eradication of whole cultures and species. How can we over come these problems without having to start over and keeping ourselves away from our realms again risking the same problems we had before? Purgatory still bears the scars from the war that raged while I was gone, and from when I returned."

Jehovah nodded in agreement. Heaven still bore the reminders of the rebellion of the Fallen as well. Part was because he wanted a reminder for all of his angels, the consequences and results of doubting him. And part because he needed a reminder or the frail bond he shares with his angels as well. It is a reminder that he can never neglect his adoration for his angels again. The reminder of the day he went back to heaven to see the destruction and carnage of the Fallen and the Loyal opened deep old wounds in his heart. The sight of both Jesus and Gabriel in a pitched battle over his love almost tore his heart from his chest. He had tried to hide the pain he felt over eons, but the thought of the carnage he saw that day in his name is still a fresh and weeping wound. Jehovah began to cry silently. He looked over at Satan-el and could see his friend lost in the thought of his own battles with Lucifer upon his return to Purgatory. Jehovah felt a sting of pity. He had only to see the destruction of his angels and that of heaven. But Satan-el had to fight to regain his realm, almost having to destroy his own creations to do so.

Satan-el was reliving his own personal horrors as they walked through the field together. The scene still visits him at night in his dreams as he sleeps. It was a scene replayed over and over again burnt into his mind and as vivid as if it had just happened. He was ambushed by lesser demons as he entered back into Purgatory and brought before Lucifer who now had control over Purgatory and its subjects. Lucifer decided that it was time for Satan-el turn relinquish his rule over Purgatory to Lucifer and if he didn’t he would have to fight Lucifer to the death. He still to this day bears the scars from the battle. He and Lucifer fought for three days before the Fallen came to his rescue, sent from Jehovah. He was not sure how Jehovah knew of his fight, or why he sent the Fallen. But he was so relieved and grateful for the aid. Gabriel was the most fierce, and fought with such conviction That Satan-el had a moment of fear of which would be worse, to allow Purgatory to fall to Lucifer or to Gabriel if he so wanted the realm. Satan-el still maintains that he could have beaten Lucifer, but deep down there is still real doubt.

As the two friends emerge from the far side of the field, they come to a fence with a gate latched. Satan-el takes the lead and opens the gate swinging the door wide in a grand gesture that brings a smile to the two somber faces. "After you," Satan-el said with a slight bow and an outstretched arm. Jehovah steeps through followed by Satan-el into the dark, dusty shadow of a pubs main bar. Jehovah looks to the bar and then to Satan-el with raised eye brows. "Sure, why not." came the reply from his friend. "I could use a drink." The two made their way to the bar past a half dozen patrons and took a seat looking at a metal sign hung directly above a bunch of stacked pint glasses. The sign read "Drink until she’s cute." A heavy set , middle aged man came up to the counter without a greeting and just looked at the two men before him. Jehovah held up two fingers and the bartender turned to retrieve two of the local favorite, Guinness. The bartender placed the drafts in front of his two guests and walked away without a word to focus again on his crossword puzzle at the end of the bar. Satan-el took a long deep drink from the dark brew before him and let out a long breath.

"This tastes good," he said. "But the taste of Mead is much better for me."

"And why is that?" asked Jehovah. "Is that because of the time you spent with the Scandinavian men of the North?"

A startled glare escaped Satan-el. "Why would you ask such a thing?"

"We both agreed that we would not interfere with this realm in any way so we would be of no influence to humanity as we could watch how they progressed. You broke your end of our agreement Satan-el." Jehovah took a long drink from his Guinness as well. "You tried to influence the Scandinavian men." Now Satan-el wore a pained and hurt face as he looked at Jehovah. Jehovah never looked from his drink.

"How can you say that, Jehovah," Satan-el asked the pain of the implication clear in his voice. "I was out walking though the forests in the north as we both agreed we could do. They stumbled upon me. I never went out seeking their company. You should know better than that." Jehovah looked at his friend cooly. "You broke your word to me," he said flatly. "You deliberately told them stories and myth that became legend and the cornerstone of their way of life. You gave them a religion when they were out and free to do as they please." Jehovah turned away hurt. He was angry and it shown bright in his cheeks as well as him tone. It was an anger that was a petty one, he knew, but a wound that was deep because it was done by a friend. Satan-el looked startled and angry now.

"You think I tried to misguide them? You think I tried to interfere with their lives?"

" You broke your word..." Jehovah began to say again.

"Shut up you pompous bastard," Satan-el shouted. Every patron in the bar jumped including Jehovah. "I was found wandering the forests when they came upon me. I had to fight to be allowed to live. And I said nothing about you or I until after they got me drunk! Damnation I was drunk when I came up with the stories about Odin and Thor, Loki and the Frost Giants. I could barely see strait and they wanted to hear about where I have been and where I was going. I just began to talk. I never thought the stories I told and the things I said would ever be taken into a content or being real. I mean come on, man? Who would really believe the stories I came up with that night? The universe coming from a cow? How was I suppose to know that they would take such things seriously?" Jehovah just sat there and said nothing. "It’s not like things that I said didn’t even get misconstrued at all is it? How would you like the fact that any religion after that was persecuted and represented by a goat?"

With that Jehovah cracked a smile. It was true, the current representation of the pagan religions were all represented by a goat in the main stream of humanity. "Where did they get the idea of a goat from anyway?" Jehovah asked. "How in the hell do I know," came the hot and short reply from Satan-el. This really had touched a cord with him and Jehovah began to see that the subject hurt his friend much more that was first realized. He wanted to apologize but was unsure how. A goat, for heavens sake. With that Jehovah began to smile a little more broadly.

"And don’t think I don’t know about the whole Jesus stunt either," Satan-el vented.

With that a cold glare shot from the eyes of Jehovah. "Watch where this goes, Satan-el. Choose your words wisely for they are coming dangerously close to pissing me off," he said coldly. Satan-el could almost feel the temperature drop in the pub just from Jehovah’s words. "You deliberately tried to change the Norse men into creatures like you. They soon pattered their lives like yours, reveling in war and carnage. They would prey on the weak plundering villages and killing simply because they could. They lived to take and to do what they wanted when they wanted and be damned any who got in their way!" Anger began to rise into Jehovah’s face as he spoke. "How many died needlessly in the face of what you wrought in such kindred spirits as those men?"

"Less than those of the Christian faith," came the soft and ashamed reply.

Jehovah rocked back as if the words had suddenly taken on a solid, physical form and he had just been stuck squarely with them. With eyes wide, Jehovah spun around and marched briskly toward the door leading out of the pub, pausing only to grab a brown heavy leather jacket hanging by the door on his way out. To Satan-el it was as close to a run as he could have seen and he ran out after Jehovah grabbing a heavy black jacket as well. The street was cold grey and crowded as he emerged outside the pub after Jehovah. For a brief moment he could not see his friend in the crowd. Across the street was and alley where he spotted the dirty blonde hair as it quickly strode away. Fighting through the crowd Satan-el had to run after his friend to catch up. Jehovah’s pace was quick and deliberate trying to put as much distance as he could between himself and Satan-el. "How can you just walk away when you are confronted with this?" he called after Jehovah.

"Go away!" came the angry reply.

"Jehovah, stop."

"Go away!" came the reply again louder.

"Jehovah..."

"DAMN IT, GO AWAY!" Jehovah bellowed spinning to face his pursuer. Satan-el stopped in mid stride. The voice of Jehovah echoed down the alley rattling windows as it bore down the alley toward the street behind him. "Go away, you have no right to throw that in my face after all that we have been through, Jehovah shouted pointing at Satan-el. In two long quick strides he was chest to chest with Satan-el, his cold blue eyes flashing pain and anger. And to Satan-el’s horror he could also see hate.

"You have no right’ Jehovah said in a hissed breath. "No right to throw that in my face. I had no choice to send Jesus here. There was a war in Purgatory. I sent the Fallen to you because I knew you needed the help. I sent Jesus here with some of the other Fallen because if they failed, if you were defeated, then the war in Purgatory could very well spill to Earth and destroy all we created. ALL WE CREATED TOGETHER! I could not take the chance of this middle realm falling to Lucifer because if that happened, then that ambitious bastard would eventually turn his sights on Heaven and your vision would end up destroying mine. Even if the angels of heaven won, we would still lose because of the taint of all your minion would bring would forever stain Heaven."

Jehovah closed his eyes, took a deep breath and hung his head low. Satan-el soon began to realize the full scope of what had happened and how hurt his accusation had really made his friend. Jehovah tuned away and spoke softly. "Jesus fell into his own plans when he came to Earth. He never realized what we were trying to do here. Or if he did he never let me know. He was angry about what he had to do. Because of being sent with some of the Fallen he felt as he was being punished by me. Some of the Fallen, angry at me for sending them here vanished off to do their own thing. They turned their backs to me, ashamed for their transgressions. Jesus and some of the Fallen soon met and they too were asked about their journeys and where they were going. Jesus, angry at you began to preach. He preached about what we do in Heaven and the kind of lives we strove to live. The remaining Fallen became his apostles as he traveled spreading the word."

Jehovah walked slowly to a crate that was leaning against a wall and sat down. He leaned over placing his face in his hands as Satan-el stood spellbound by the truth before him. "I had no knowledge of what Jesus was doing until it was much to late. What could I do? Without destroying all we had created, I had no way to fix what had begun. Jesus made his share of enemies as well with his preaching. As they crucified him, I stood by and did nothing. I saw them nail his arms and feet to a cross, a piece of wood to hang him in a public square in a morbid display of hate and fear!" Jehovah began to cry. "And I still did nothing. I did nothing because I was angry about what he did. Because he took it upon himself to try and change what we had put so much time, thought, and love into. Even when he looked up to the Heavens asking why I forsake him, to my eternal shame I did nothing."

Satan-el, frozen where he stood, began to cry as well. He wanted to go over and embrace his friend. He wanted to go and comfort his friend and cry with him. He wanted to try and ease some of the pain that was seeping out of Jehovah. The pain and guilt was a burden that Satan-el could almost see atop the shoulders of his friend sitting no more that six feet from him, weighing him down, crushing him with the weight, enveloping him, suffocating him. But despite all that Satan-el wanted to do, he remained frozen in front of his friend watching him cry silently and alone. How Jehovah could stand the pain in his heart was a miracle to Satan-el. The guilt would surly kill him in his own heart Satan-el thought. And for once he did not envy his friend.

"I have felt the burden of every death made in my name, Satan-el. I weep for every soul that was carved from the body of each human. I feel the chill of every light that is extinguished in my name. And I bear the burden and will bear the burden today and for all eternity. "

Satan-el could now find the strength to move and he did embrace his old friend. He could feel the moist tears of Jehovah on his cheek and the muscular body sag and droop in his embrace. Together the two stay there for a while lost in the bonds they share, two brothers seeing each other again and for the first time not recognizing the other. Satan-el pulled Jehovah to his feet. The two began to walk silent in the chill and drizzle down the alley. When they came to the end of the alley, they stepped out between two huts and into a village in the rain forests of South America. There the children of the village ran and played among the trees, laughing and shouting gleefully as they went. Satan-ell looked at his friend and could see a light in his eyes dim but there. A smile spread across Jehovah’s face slow and thin, and then broad and flashy. The children ran around the two men standing silent and watching the innocent and young in the best days of their lives and marveled that even in all the world with so many flawed and corrupt people, there was still laughter. And there was a light in every child’s eyes that they saw. Satan-el and Jehovah found a log to sit on and sat silently watching the children play for a few minutes before Satan-el spoke.

"I have been banished from Earth," he said.

"I know," Jehovah replied.

"I can no longer protect Earth from Lucifer. Once he knows this and that I can not come back, he may try and destroy the middle realm just to hurt me. And then try and take Heaven as a way to destroy you." Jehovah sat silent watching the children. "I was never mad about you sending Jesus here. I knew why, but I never knew the full scope of what you felt or went through in sending him here. Lucifer is far more ambitious than I gave him credit for, and my arrogance may have cost us all we created. For that I am truly sorry. I love this place and what we have done, especially that we did it together. That is what I am most proud of." Jehovah managed a small smile toward his friend.

"I know you made a deal with a man, a human named Ashe Blackwood. And I know you lost," Jehovah said. "Do you know why you were defeated? Or how?"He turned to face Satan-el. Satan-el could only look back with questioning look on his face. Jehovah turned away again to watch the children. "Because Ashe Blackwood is the descendant of one of the Fallen, an angel named Araziel. Araziel when he came to Earth took off on his own. He came upon a race of simple people who lived peacefully off the lands. His offspring became the Native Americans in North and South America.. Actually the Fallen that abandoned Jesus all came to the Americas and began to populate the lands. That is one of the reasons the Native Americans were so in tune to nature and their spirits. They are almost a cousin to all we have created. But Ashe is a direct son of Araziel. He was born with angelic powers and traits. Society today in North America taught his ancestors so well to bury their past and their heritage that it took the trauma inflicted in your meeting to finally bring all that back to the surface. He is the wild card in Lucifers plan to dominate and destroy Earth. He is a being that may well be the only creature to save all we see now."

Satan-el smiled. He rose to his feet and helped Jehovah to his as well. Without a word they embraced for the final time as brothers and kissed gently on the cheeks. Satan-el separated from Jehovah and silently turned and walked to the doorway of a nearby hut. There he paused and turned to face Jehovah. He took in the brilliance of the man before him one last time. Jehovah stood before him flashing his brilliant smile, his cool blue eyes bright as a mid summers day sky. His long dirty blonde hair gentle flowing in the soft breeze. "I love you," Satan-el said to his friend and disappeared into the darkness of the grass hut, and out of sight back to Purgatory. Alone Jehovah stood embraced by the laughter of playing children and smiled.