Free Beyond Life by Deb McEwan Page B

both Sandy and Ken before her felt when rescued by Gabriella. The penny still hadn’t dropped and she decided to risk a peep, opening one eye slowly and scanning the area. The white clothed black angel whooshed past her, lighting up the dark atmosphere as he did so. Claire’s mouth hung open as Raphael’s head made contact with the teenager she now thought of as Big Ed’s son. Both angel and demon disappeared into the atmosphere and knowing for definite that there was hope, Claire doubled her efforts, thinking only pleasant, loving thoughts. Gentle hands groped and found hers and she was now part of a circle of goodness with Gabriella, Ron and Sandy. Sandy had been terrified of returning towards hell but had fought the demons in her memory and had bravely accepted the challenge.
    They made slow and steady progress and all except Gabriella started to relax. They realised their mistake when a roar of biblical proportions shook their circle and the air around them. Looking down they saw a regiment of demons and their animal slaves heading purposefully and determinedly upwards towards them.
    ‘Concentrate!’ screamed Gabriella as she led the circle upwards towards safety as fast as she could. She tried to hide her fear but Claire sensed it straight away and it wasn’t long before Ron and Sandy picked up on their emotions.
    ‘Oh, no,’ Sandy wailed and was inconsolable.
    Gabriella would meet the worst fate – it had been centuries since the evils had captured their last high-level angel Zach, and he was kept down there, not giving them the opportunity to rescue him. As far as Gabriella knew he might be tortured on a daily basis or even be a slave of the evils. What she did know for definite was that he hadn’t turned to the evil side.
    She shuddered as she saw the enemy gaining on them.
    Salvation arrived in a timely fashion. As the evils neared, the whoosh of light returned and like a rocket, Raphael hit them from below and propelled the circle upwards. They gained strength as the distance between them and their evil enemy grew and they were able to slow down and watch the demons fall back to hell as if being pushed off invisible ladders. They were too shaken to appreciate the punishment that the demons would receive having been so near to, but now lost their great prize.
    Claire was shaking as she threw herself into Raphael’s body. The impact winded him but he recovered enough to hold her, his soothing words caressing like hot chocolate on a cold winter’s night.
    ‘I thought they had me,’ she gulped. ‘I thought that was it... for eternity,’ she broke away, embarrassed at the lack of control over her emotions. ‘Thank you, Raphael, I will never forget this as long as... well, for all eternity.’ She was almost back to her old self and turned when she heard Ron cough.
    ‘Thank you too, Ron, Gabriella and Sandy. It was so brave of you all, especially you, Sandy... I...’ she’d lost control again and Raphael pulled her into a hug. Facing the others with Claire’s head hidden in his shoulder he loosened one arm from around her back and shooed them away with his hand.
    Back in Cherussola, Gabriella settled Ron and Sandy on the settee and told them to expect a debriefing when Raphael and Claire returned. She left them there to comfort each other and disappeared. The episode had shaken Gabriella more than she cared to admit and she wanted to talk to her brother and Claire before going off to lick her wounds in private. She found them shortly after, arms around each other. Before it became too embarrassing to watch, Gabriella gave a gentle cough to make them aware of her presence.
    Totally absorbed with each other, they jumped when they heard the noise.
    ‘Sorry to disturb you but we need to talk...’
    ‘I was just comforting Claire. You can see how upset she is.’
    So that’s what they called it. ‘I can see that. But before you get too err... comfortable, we need to explain some things to Claire if