Guardian Angel Academy (2 page)

Chapter Three

“Joseph!  Joseph!” Matthew called from his Earth-watching position inside one of the Guardian Angel administration towers.  Matthew float-sat comfortably at his desk, looking out an enormous window at the earth and its inhabitants.  He turned to his wife who sat next to him and whispered, “Where is he?” Joseph's post was in the same large room, but he was not at his desk.

“Here I am,”  Joseph, a brilliantly lit angel, floated into the room.

“Please turn that glow down,” Matthew said, shading his eyes.

“Oh, sorry,” Joseph apologized while lessening his luster. “It's like I keep my brights on all the time.  Why did you call me?”

“Are you aware that one of your assignments is dying?” Matthew asked.

.“Oh, fully aware,” said Joseph.  “In fact, that's my granddaughter, Josie, you are referring to.”  He smiled, proudly.

“Well, why aren't you doing anything about it?” 

“I've got orders not to.”

“But she's only thirty-two years old and she's got two young children and a husband.  How do you think they are going to fare without her?”

“I am wondering the same thing, to be honest.”  Angel Joseph peered down toward Earth, his heart aching for the two forlorn children and the frantic father.  Just the same, his concern turned to the lifeless woman lying on the floor.  “It is not for us to question why,” he said.

“That's true.” Matthew said, looking at the family.  “Who is assigned the children?”

“That would be me and my wife, Rachel,” Joseph answered.  “We will watch over them with great care.”

“I know you will.” Matthew said.  “You've been one of the best guardian angels under my direction.  I'm sure you will do a good job.”

Angel Joseph turned to leave.

“Where are you going in such a hurry?” asked Matthew.

“I'm off to meet my granddaughter Josephine.  Her untimely death means it's time to Meet and Greet.  I can't wait to find out what her assignment will be.”

“Have a nice time,” Matthew mumbled.  Then he looked down toward Earth and shook his head.  “I feel so bad for the children.”

…………………………………………...

Back on earth, from my position floating near the ceiling, I looked down upon my deserted body lying on the floor. I watched my two children run into the room to check on me, then I floated upward and away from the scene as if gravity had reversed itself.  I wanted to go back and wrap my arms around my children and tell them I was okay. But I couldn't go back.  And I wasn't okay. 

I floated into a large ornate mansion. I was unsure of where I was at first, but soon it became evident that I was in heaven.  Heavenly angels took me to a reception room.  Upon entering the room, an atmosphere of warmth and love engulfed me.

Immediately I recognized the faces of my relatives who had passed on before.  They were smiling at me, radiating joy and recognition. They all looked young.  Some of them I only recognized from photos I had seen of them.  Then Joseph and Rachel, my grandparents who had died a few years ago, came forward and greeted me.

After I had greeted all of my relatives, an angel awaited me. “Hello, Josie. I will check you in over at the desk.” He motioned to a desk in the corner of the room.  I followed him. “Here in the Spirit World you will wait for your husband to join you,” he said, “but you will not be sitting around, we all have important jobs to do.”  He turned to look at me, then chuckled.  “We're not lounging on clouds playing harps.”

I laughed.

“Nor do we have wings or halos, as you can see.” He bent down behind the immaculate white desk to look for something.  “Many angels do God's work.  A few special individuals become guardian angels and get to help people on Earth.  Whatever your assignment, I wish you well.” He grinned and handed me a large envelope.

My grandpa Joseph came toward me, smiling.  I returned his smile.  He was young and handome, the way he looked in his wedding photo.

When he saw the envelope in my hand he turned toward the people in the room and spoke up, “Everyone, Josie has her assignment.”

As my family gathered around, I blushed at the attention. 

“Go ahead, open it,” my grandfather said, anxiously.

Butterflies swirled around in my stomach.  Pulling the flap, the envelope opened easily and I took out a piece of parchment paper.

“Congratulations,” I read.  “You are assigned to the Guardian Angel Academy.  Only one percent of all of heaven's angels are chosen to attend the Academy and go on to serve as Guardian Angels.  Your spouse will join you on this assignment, when his life is through.” 

My family shouted out of joy and excitement.  I felt honored.  Then a sad feeling came over me and a tear spilled from my eye.

“You miss your children and husband, don't you?” Grandpa Joseph said gently, putting his arm around me.

“Yes.”  Even as I answered more tears gushed out.  I wiped them away as quickly as I could so everyone wouldn't see.

“Everything will be okay,” my grandmother reached out to embrace me.  “After your four week training you will get to be the guardian angel for your own children and your husband.  And someday you'll be together with them again.”

“Yes,” said Joseph.  “And in the meantime, for the next month, Rachel and I will watch over them.”

A feeling of peace came over me extinguishing my fears.  Then  I said goodbye to my relatives.  I could come back and visit them later.  I followed the angel out of the room.  He directed me to another angel in a white gown, who took my hand and lifted me into the sky.  We flew in the air speedily for what seemed to be many miles, toward our destination.  As a child, I had dreamed of someday flying, and now I was.  I wasn't scared because I felt like I couldn't fall.  It seemed that gravity was different here.  As we neared the campus of the Guardian Angel Academy, I could see the sparkling golden spires atop the ornate buildings.  As we dropped in altitude, closing in on the ground, I could see the pathways between the buildings were also golden.  Neatly trimmed grass and shrubbery and flowers of lustrous color surrounded the walkways.  Statues and fountains filled each courtyard.  We landed gently in one of the courtyards.

Here the angel directed me to the freshmen dormitories.  I walked along the path to the building.  Once inside, I was greeted by a kindly lady who gave me a room assignment.  I then stood in the clothing line with other freshmen new to the Academy.  Females received green gowns and males green robes.  I then walked outside and along the path that led to my dorm. I felt like everything was so shiny and immaculate.  Each building looked like a little palace.  Each door had a sensor, opening for me when I neared it.   I found my room, a large room that I was to share with five other girls.   I brought my gowns back to hang in the closet next to my bunk.  A girl near my bunk smiled as I came in.  Her green eyes sparkled as she brushed her long shiny blond hair.  She set down the brush and reached out her hand to shake mine.

“Hi,” she said.  “My name is Journey.  It looks like we are roommates.”

“I shook her hand. “Nice to meet you.  I'm Josie.”

I dressed and examined myself in the full-length mirror on the door of the closet next to my bunk.  I no longer had a body, just a spirit.  But my spirit body was in the image of my physical body and looked the way I looked in life when I was eighteen, except without the pimples. My silky dark hair flowed slightly beyond my shoulders and my big brown eyes augmented my pretty face.  I had my youthful slender figure. Although my spirit looked like my physical body, it felt different, an airy substance. 

Journey laughed when she saw me moving my hand up and down my arm.

“Weird, huh?” she said.  We're spirits.”

“Yeah, I guess.”  I looked at the bunk bed.  “By the way, I thought angels didn't have to sleep.”

“Uh, huh, that's true,” said Journey.  “But I asked the lady at the clothing counter and she said we do sleep until we graduate. And you know what's weird?”

“What?” I asked.

“The other students who aren't freshmen, don't even have bunk beds.  They sleep-float.”

“What's sleep-float?” I asked.

“Why it's sleeping in mid-air.  They don't even need a bed.”

“Crazy,” I said.

“Yes,” said Journey.  But after we graduate we won't need to sleep at all.”

“Oh, good,” I said.  “Who would want their guardian angel sleeping on the job?”

“Yeah, right?” Journey chuckled.

The dinner bell chimed and we looked at our map and then headed to the dining room.  Other angels going in the same direction smiled as they greeted us.  I couldn't believe how friendly everyone was.  But, this was heaven and I was among the purest most loving souls, so what should I expect?

Journey and I joined the dinner line.  Ahead of us were several other freshmen and roommates.  A freshman named Felix stood in front of us in line. His dazzling dimpled smile greeted us as he raised his hand to say hi.  His short brown hair was combed to perfection and he peered at us through dark-rimmed glasses.  I thought it was strange he wore glasses, because angels have perfect vision.

So I asked him, “Do you need those glasses?”

“Oh, no.” He chuckled.  “I just haven't got used to being without them yet.  I wore glasses in life.”

“I see,” I said.

A server floating behind the serving table asked me my choice of main dish.  I looked at the vast variety of entrees and chose a large salad.

Felix turned to Journey and me. “I'd like you two to meet my roommate Kevin.  We just met yet I feel like we're best buds.”

Kevin, who was standing next to him, was a half-foot taller than Felix.  His blond hair sported a few natural curls.

“Nice to meet you,” his smile broadened as he reached to shake my hand.

I accepted his hand with a shake and nodded.  “I'm Josie and this is my new friend and roommate, Journey.”

Felix looked about sixteen.  So once again, my curiosity got the better of me and I blurted out, “Felix, you look younger than the rest of us.”

“Yes,” his curved mouth flattened into a straight line and he lowered his eyes.  “I died when I was sixteen,” his voice softened.  “Those of us who died young, still look the age we were when we died.  We will eventually mature to our prime age.”

My eyes widened taking in what he was saying.  “I'm so sorry.”  I blushed for having asked the question.

“No problem.  I'm sure it was meant to be.”Felix looked up, again smiling, but I couldn't imagine dying at such a young age.  How hard it must be for his parents.

As we neared the buffet, I saw fruits, vegetables and an array of delicious breads and rolls.  Journey and I took some food and then sat by Felix and Kevin.  As I ate, I noticed other tables filled with green-robed angels smiling, laughing and eating.  I couldn't keep my eyes off the server angels floating to and fro from the kitchen to the serving line.  How graceful, how easy.  And no need for legs and walking.

The next morning after breakfast,  Journey and I followed the other students to the auditorium for instructions.  When Angel Persephone, the director of the Academy, floated to the front of the room, we all stared at her beauty and magnificence.  She wore a gown of crushed stars.  Her long white hair was pulled back in a bun from which long curly locks cascaded down her shoulders.  Each jewel in her sparkling tiara symbolized a life-saving event.

I noticed, unlike auditoriums on earth, this one had no seats.  The students were huddled and whispering with their groups of friends, some touching the floor, others floating just above the ground.  The students wore colored robes and gowns.  We were greenies and wore green, symbolizing that we were not yet ripe.  I assumed the other colors indicated the level of the students. 

Angel Persephone floated high above the ground so all could see her.  “May I have your attention please,” she announced.  “We will begin with Mendelsohn's Hallelujah Chorus.  I expect all of you to have it memorized by now except for the freshmen.  Please go to your places as if on risers. I would like green-robed angels on the floor, red second level, yellow third level, and blue fourth level.  Young men will be on my right side and young women on the left.  Breathe deeply and formulate beautiful tone quality.  I want you to sound like the angels you are.”

The upper level students floated to their places for the choir number.  Alex, Kevin, Journey and I walked up to where all the other freshmen were and took our places. Journey and I joined the women on the left, noticing sheet music was only given to the freshmen.

When everyone was in position, Persephone waved her baton.  “Hallelujah” filled the air. Freshmen who hadn't even sung before were able to carry the pitch. The music poured out in clear true harmony, near perfection, until the sound of rustling papers interrupted the melodious praises.

“What is this I hear?” Persephone waved her hand through the air to put a stop to the music.

“I'm sorry,” a freshman spoke up from the front row.  “I lost my place.”

“Bertrand if you cannot keep your music quiet, you will spend extra time in the study hall memorizing the words.  It is imperative we not hear any papers rustling.”