Jump: The Fallen: Testament 1 by Steve Windsor Page A

one.”
    Her fallen angel was right about one thing, time was growing short. Life said, “You twist and turn the word to suit your own purposes.”
    “And you do not?” said Dal. Then he pointed toward the fall. “ They do not? . . . They twist and pervert, and justify everything they do by bastardizing your words to suit them. I will tell you what I fear. I fear that one of them will surpass my own contempt.”
    “They seek only to understand,” said Life, “so they interpret the—”
    “Who are they to interpret your words?” said Dal. “None are capable of this. You give me fifty from—”
    “Theirs is to struggle to come to faith,” said Life. She would make one last attempt. “Yours is to come back to it.”
    Dal ignored her. Counting silently in his head the legion of fallen clergy in his section of the grandstands. “I have more than that at my disposal already—little child-raping monsters. They are hideously disfigured after they fall. I can hardly look at them. None of them agree on what the Word means. They do agree on one particular point, though: eye for an eye. They have mastered this lesson.”

    In the grandstands there was a cooing of agreement that could be felt throughout the faithful. As the two of them traded barbs, the power of the Word spiked through the inside of the Hallowed Hall as if it was being written before them. However, when it came to a battle of words, it was hard to debate with the current author.
    “You have heard that this was said,” Life spoke, “but I have told you, ‘Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.’ ”
    “Further hypocrisy,” cawed Dal. “You send your children to teach against your own words. The Word that came before them. You expect man to understand the nuances of that? They barely understand themselves.”
    She needed to temper the growing flames. There was much more at stake than the contempt of one fallen angel, even if he was the darkest of them. “Then we must strive to . . . enlighten them.”
    And a huge blast of light illuminated everything in the great hall. And angels screeched and covered themselves with their wings. And the steel in their wings glowed white from the bright and their armor reflected the truth of her Word.
    He responded with an orange blast and filled the hall with a fiery flame of defiance. Then he let the smoke subside.
    And as quickly as the two of them traded warnings, the hall was bathed in soft light and shadow again.

— XVI —

    IF I WAS falling slowly before, now it feels like I’m speeding up. And a bright light blasts me and I close my eyes.
    But my anger has turned to fear again, and I wonder what’s really at the end of all this. Heaven? Hell? What could possibly be worse than what I’ve already seen in my life?

    The bad, that has to be next. The good was good enough and I’m happy to have seen most of it again. I could’ve done without seeing Kelly’s vagina ripped apart. Doesn’t feel like I get to pick and choose events, though.
    I can feel them watching me. I know they are there. The question is, who are they and what do they want?
    The Devil? God? Gimme a break. I’m not that important. And fighting for my soul? That’s just . . . silly.
    “Hey,” I say. If they are out there. . . “Yeah, ‘vagina.’ I said it. It’s a word, deal with it. Could you hurry this thing up? I’m ready to see what’s next. Show me whatcha got.”
    There’s just more nothing in reply. It's just what I thought. Total bullshit. I wish I could go back. I’d tell all those idiots on Sunday the truth about their faith.
    I only wish I could have given some payback. As soon as I think it, I see the windows of the building again. Clear as day now. And here comes the bad.

    I can hear the screaming down the hall and I know instantly who it is. Amy—our little angel—the only child who lived through our baby years. The other one? I don't even know what