Guardian Dear: Chapter 3 – Every Sinner, a Potential Target

Chapter 3 – Every Sinner, a Potential Target

As I stand in the chaos I’ve caused, I’m speechless as to why and how this is the right thing to do. How is this a good God’s will?

“These people are guilty of all manner of corruption that has lead themselves and others to Hell, Thaddeus,” my guardian angel says. “Everyone is guilty of sin and deserving of death. Some receive it while being surrounded by family. Others, like the ones at your feet, receive it in this horrid fashion.”

What about the people in that news helicopter? They’re escaping!

“They’re carrying news of your deeds to the masses. You have gotten your fame, and God’s will is being done through you obtaining your infamy.”

I’m getting really sick of this. I accept your penance, and I end up killing normal people and friends. I want fame, and now, I have a target on my back. How am I still not a horrible sinner? Are you making me do evil things to punish me? Are you even an angel?

“Yes, I am an angel, and though you are still a sinner, you are a redeemed one. I know these may not seem like the actions of a hero, but you only need to be seen as a hero in the eyes of those in Heaven. The judgment of yourself, those in Hell, and on Earth don’t matter at all in comparison.”

I shudder as I fall to my knees and pray for guidance and wisdom to make this all make sense.

“This is good progress. First, you asked for more time for your friends. Secondly, you’re asking for help from God. You will get it now, though not in its entirety, all at once. Come. There are more sinners to punish.”

With no better path forward, I do as my guardian angel says. This time, I’m able to move my body more on my own, and yet, I don’t feel satisfied in having more control. It feels like an empty prize, now that my entire life is ruined. I don’t even care about the fact that I’m going to a dance studio where my sisters work. Blowing open the doors, I scorch and cut through the many adults and guards there, all the while, leaving the children to flee in terror.

“I know you’re curious as to why we attacked here, but don’t want to ask. I will answer anyway. Your sister and the women here trained women of all ages to dance provocatively and sleep their way to riches as they did. That is why their lives had to be brought to an end tonight.”

I understand. If prostitutes were a target, strippers, belly dancers, and risqué dancers were a given. What’s next?

“A bank that your brothers own.”

They were always snobbish and cheap, despite the money they had. When I arrive at the bank, I feel even less pity for them and their employees than I do for my sisters. In fact, I feel satisfied in doing this, especially when I cut into their vaults and burn all their gold, silver, and cash to ash.

“Usury is a horrible sin that takes advantage of those in need by profiting off their poverty. It is the vice of gluttonous wealth, while being poor in spirit, and your brothers thrived off the many gamblers and dreamers who needed a loan for their goals. Few were able to pay back their loans, but most still owed them money, even those who died or killed themselves trying to obtain their dreams. Now, those poor souls and their families can rest easy.”

I’ve stuck the end of one of my swords through the throat of one of my brothers. It’s strange. Minutes ago, I would’ve been horrified by this, but now, I find it both bitter and right at the same time. Taking the sword out of my brother’s throat, I let him bleed to death as he scrambles to save what he can in the fire. I pity the fool, and hope that others don’t become stupid like he is, and if they are, I hope they change their ways.

“There it is, Thaddeus. The virtue in your soul is growing, and you are beginning to pray for those you would otherwise hate or be disgusted by. I’m proud of you.”

My guardian angel’s words fill me with a sense of brotherhood and comfort amid what is happening around me. Not wanting to witness the pathetic sight of bankers and loan sharks failing to scavenge their wealth, I fly away to where I’m guided next. In my flight, I see heroes, vigilantes, and law enforcement on my tail, but I ignore them for now. The next place I find myself is the city’s outer areas, where much of the electrical grid is. Instead of targeting the people here, I cut apart and burn the equipment, machinery, and generators. Once they’re dealt with, I blow apart more areas that power the city until the gleaming Jewel of the desert is dark for the first time in years, with the only light coming from the fires I’ve started. I’ve lost the law enforcers who were on my tail, probably because they couldn’t keep up and are now focusing on saving people from the mess I’ve made.

I feel that my job here is done, until my guardian angel says, “We are close to completion, but not yet.”

Already having a feeling of where we’re going next, I allow myself to be flown there, and sure enough, I find myself in a church that my family owns and profits from. There’s not a shred of real faith here or the true God, only people who worship money and praise God when He does what they say and believe as they believe. Huh. Where did this thought in my head come from?

“Your awakening conscience. What else is telling you in the silence of your heart?”

To…pray for these people.

“Yes, pray for them, despite their heresy, what you’re going to do, and what they’ve done to you and others, by leading souls to Hell through their false Christ.”

“Thaddeus?” my mom asks. “Is that really you?”

“You saw it on the news and social media! It is him,” my dad says. “He’s possessed by some kind of devil!”

The flames on my face disappear to reveal it as I say, “I’m not possessed by a devil. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever done as much good as I’ve done in these past few hours. If you think God is on your side, you’d better start praying to him, because I think there are more devils in you than me.”

The crowds call out to Jesus Christ in such a way that makes me disgusted. They use His name like it has no weight, and there’s no true apology or call for mercy for their souls. Instead, I see in them a familiar pride that I know all too well. They think they’re justified in their sins and beliefs, and have a thousand and one excuses for their deeds. That’s a pity. None will see Heaven today.

Flames flow out from my body like water, flooding the mega church with fire and burning everyone to ash along with pictures of their false Christ, who hasn’t come to save them. For some reason, I start to feel a cold presence in the flames, and I don’t know why until I see the inner flesh of the people I’ve burned cut themselves out of the people and come to life. These same beings of flesh come out of the statues and images of the false Christ. They have horns on their heads and hollow faces. Together, they scream so loud that they blow out the windows and break all the screens. Their screams sound like nails on a chalkboard that scratch at my inner ear and cause me to freeze in place, unsure of what I should do.

They all leap away from the flames before they can consume them and go into the city. Were those demons? Why didn’t I do anything to stop them from escaping?

“The public must see them to recognize the demons they’ve been keeping in their walls. Now that the true threat has been smoked out, we must eliminate them and send them back to Hell.”