Let There Be Darkness (Sneak-peek 2 of 2)

           Here is part two in a two excerpt post from chapter four of my book, Let There Be Darkness. It takes place in a world between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2. We are not given any specific details of the creation of God's angels. The book takes the stance that they may have been human at one time. The following scene (from chapter 4) continues with the execution of Rikali. If you have not read part one you may do so HERE. (This is an unedited copy) 

     Skylarm arrived with Stumpy at the Mintock Chasm. Uriel and Abaddon were already there. Stumpy grinned as they walked up the hill to the ledge overlooking the chasm.

     “What are you smiling about? You are about to die.”

     “You’ll see”, Stumpy said still smiling.

     Skylarm took Stumpy by the arm and handed him over to Uriel.

     “Thank you. You may go.”

     He had never seen such defiance and had already decided to see the sentence carried out.

     “I will stay and report back to Michael when the deed is done, since this case is so out of the ordinary,” Skylarm said.

     “How so? Is it not his third death mark?”

     “No, have you not heard? He rejected God’s grace outright,” Skylarm said.

     “I don’t believe I have ever encountered a case like this, the verdict we received said it was a third offence.”

     Skylarm thought this was odd since the trial was less than an hour ago and to his knowledge he had the only paperwork with him, but he said nothing.

     Skylarm and Uriel caught up to Abaddon who had moved the prisoner closer to the chasm. His feet had been bound along with his mouth.

     “Why is he gagged Abaddon?” Uriel said.

     “He was blaspheming God, but that is to be expected in his case.”

     “Let’s get this over with. Rikali you have been found guilty for the crime of rape, received a death mark, and rejected God’s grace. You have been sentenced to death and death you shall receive,” Uriel said as he began to walk away. Skylarm had heard that he never watched the actual execution.

     Stumpy’s face was full of fear and he was red from screaming into his bonds to no avail. It was remarkable how quickly his pride had left him. Skylarm wondered how anyone could reject God and even blaspheme him until the end. Abaddon had been right; this was to be expected in Rikali’s case.

     He watched from a distance when a thought struck him. How did Abaddon know that this behavior would be expected? They had been under the impression that this was a third offence. And who told them this in the first place? He had come straight to the chasm from court. Why was Rikali so confident before? What had he meant by ‘You’ll see’? Suddenly he was very interested in the muffled screams coming from Stumpy. As he approached he could hear Abaddon talking.

     “You have outlived your usefulness. Did you really think that we would let you go?”

     Something wasn’t right.

     “Wait!”

     Abaddon lifted Rikali’s bulky frame off of the ground as if he were a doll as he looked at Skylarm.

     “Stop!”

     Stumpy was heaved over the edge. There was a cracking sound as his head struck a rock on one side of the chasm and then nothing.

     “Didn’t you hear me?” Skylarm said with a look of alarm.

     By this time Uriel was at his side.

     “Are you a judge?” Abaddon said.

     “No, but I…”

     “Then you have no authority to stop an execution and so you were ignored. Isn’t that the way of it?”

     Something wasn’t right and Skylarm did not know if he could trust either of these hulking men. He would not become belligerent this close to the chasm.

     “Yes, I merely wanted to make sure his wrist restraints were tight. They looked like they had loosened.”

     “I don’t think it matters now, but thank you for the concern,” Uriel said. In the future please refrain from yelling at the moment of execution. Abaddon could have fallen in with the guilty.”

     “Yes of course, forgive me,” Skylarm said as he dismissed himself. He could feel Abaddon’s eyes on his back as he walked down the hill.