Free The Redeemer by Linda Rios Brook

Hades and pick up all those people who are waiting for you in Abraham’s Bosom. Let me plant an idea with You: I am in just as much bondage to Satan as any of those humans. After You take care of everybody else, could You think about freeing me as well?”

C HAPTER 9
    T HERE WAS NO point in putting it off; it was time to give Satan a report. I made my way over to his compound and sat down on the granite steps to wait my turn to see him. I tried to make small talk with the guard.
    “So, I’ve been out of town for a while; how are things going?”
    “You’re the watcher, right?”
    I nodded.
    “I thought it was you.”
    He looked me over and wrinkled his nose.
    “What’s the matter with you?”
    “I don’t know what you mean.”
    He wrinkled his nose again.
    “I don’t smell anything. Where’s your odor?”
    Have I ever mentioned that demons stink? I’m sure I must have. Anyway, they do—we do. In fact, that’s one way you can always know if a demon is around. The odor may vary depending on the degree of horribleness, but a trained nose can find a demon’s location even if he’s invisible.
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
    A light flashed on his guard station.
    “Never mind. He’s ready for you.”
    I tiptoed into Satan’s throne room a little worried about what the guard said. If there was anything different about me at all, Satan would pick up on it in an instant. He looked up at me and sniffed.
    “Hello, sir. You’re looking well,” I said.
    “Where have you been?”
    “Why, on the job of course; you know me, work, work, work.” He rose from his throne and circled around me. I pretended I wasn’t nervous and continued to chatter.
    “Yes, sir, this was a long assignment, but I think I’ve got a complete report ready for you now. I know how you are about being thorough.” He circled me again. “So, that’s what I’ve been: thorough. Shall I tell you about Jesus?”
    “You smell funny.”
    “Oh, that, it’s from the smog. I had to fly right through it to get back. You wouldn’t believe how the humans have messed up the environment.”
    “You smell like water.”
    I held a claw hand up to my nose and sniffed.
    “Why, you’re right; nothing gets by you, sir.”
    His facial expression was a cross between curiosity and accusation.
    “Why do you smell like water?”
    “I took a bath. I got to thinking how Jesus is really Adonai, and being supernatural, He would smell me, and I’d be found out— spying on Him, for your sake, of course. So I hopped in the river to rinse off. It must have worked.”
    Satan held up his claw hand, which meant I should stop talking. He sat back down on his throne.
    “Do I take it He’s still there?”
    “Yes, sir. All grown up now.”
    “Does He know who He is?”
    “Yes, I’m sure of it. When He was a little boy about twelve years old, He went to the priest at the temple, and while I wasn’t in the room, I’m certain the priest told Him. But if that weren’t enough, after we were baptized…” I realized what I’d said and tried to swallow my runaway tongue.
    Satan glared at me.
    “What I mean is, Jesus went down to the Jordan where His cousin was baptizing people and—”
    “You were baptized?”
    “Me? Certainly not. I had to get in the river to hear what was being said. I knew you’d want a recount of every word, so it was necessary—”
    “You didn’t take a bath; you got baptized.” His voice was void of emotion.
    My chin dropped to my chest, and my wings drooped to touch the floor.
    “It was an accident, sir.”
    “Why aren’t you dead?”
    “Sir?”
    “Baptismal water is the same as holy water. It burns demons. We can’t get near it. Why didn’t it hurt you?”
    Think fast, or I will be dead.
    “Physics, sir. Yes, that must have been it. Jesus was surrounded by this surreal aura, and I was standing close to Him—just to hear, mind you—and I must have been in the aura without realizing it. And you know a