Читать книгу One Magic Christmas - A. C. Meyer - Страница 7

One

IN A DIMENSION THAT WAS FAR beyond human comprehension, there were beings of light that preserved the order of the universe. They had indestructible powers, mirrored the source of all virtues and passed on all their wisdom to the lower beings, guiding people on their missions. They were in charge of removing the obstacles that opposed the fulfillment of God's orders, driving away the evil spirits that besieged humans to divert them from their end and, thus, keeping the creatures and order of Divine Providence safe. They were very important beings, because they had the ability to pass on knowledge and divine energy. Immersed in the strength of God, these enlightened beings often poured out blessings from above in the form of miracles.

Obviously, Gabriela was not one of those beings. As she listened to Angela, one of the guardians and her advisor, call her name, she wondered: what have I done wrong this time?

“Hello?” - She replied, kind of asking, unsure about what the guardian wanted from her. Since she arrived there, Gabriela has passed through several guardians, but she had not managed to acquire sufficient skill to move to a higher level yet. Every time she had a chance to put all her learning to the test, something happened and things went wrong. It's what happened the last time. She got into a big mess when, due to a minor issue with fluency in the language, she ended up causing an accident that made a street to be covered by a ton of chocolate, leaked from a factory in Germany. On Earth, the newspapers reported that it was the fault of a small technical defect, but she, Angela and all the other angels and guardians knew who the real culprit was. Even today, even though a few weeks have passed, Gabriela was still flushed with embarrassment when she met the Great Guardian.

"Come on, my dear" - Angela's soft voice invited, and she went to her table.

Gabriela approached in awe, as she did every time she entered the room of one of the guardians, but the old woman opened that smile which had the power to calm all angels, from the youngest to the oldest like her. Her vivid blue eyes watched her fondly and she motioned for the girl to come closer.

She smiled, and Angela nodded as she pulled a lock of her short hair, chin length and so white it looked like a cloud, behind the ear. Gabriela thought it was incredible how she looked so youthful, despite the hair that shone like a halo.

"I got a mission for you, young lady" - she said, and her expression was serious for the first time.

“Ah... really?” - Gabriela asked while curling a lock of blond hair on her fingertip, already feeling nervous with the weight of responsibility.

"Naturally," she muttered as she rolled her eyes, as if questioning were completely dispensable. Which made sense, since as an apprentice she shouldn't doubt when a guardian said she had a task for her.

I just hope it doesn't involve sweets of any kind, she thought.

"Okay"- she muttered, looking down as she shifted her feet.

“I'm afraid to say, my dear, that this is an incredibly special mission. After the last events, the Great Guardian was determined to demote you to an auxiliary position, but I managed to convince him to give you one more chance. The last” - she pointed out.

The young woman shuddered at the words and felt her eyes fill with tears. To have been promoted to apprentice was a great achievement and to return to the auxiliary position would be the greatest dishonor that an angel could receive in the kingdom of heaven. It was like signing a certificate of incapacity and everyone, without exception, would know that she failed her mentors and guardians.

"But... but..." - she started, but the guardian raised her index finger, causing her to shut up immediately.

“You have a sweet and pure heart, Gabriela, and I trust your potential. Besides, one girl must help another, right?” - She blinked and smiled. – “I know you have... certain difficulties, darling, but I need your total dedication to this mission.”

Putting her hand on her chest, Gabriela felt her heart sink. At the same time that it was a great honor to have the guardian's trust, it was a matter of regret to know that this was her last chance to prove that she was worthy of moving forward.

Angela stood up, linked her arm with hers, and led her to the big screen on the other side of the room. Pressing a few buttons, the screen lit up and a beautiful place appeared. Marcela, Gabriela's best friend there - and who had recently been promoted due to a mission successfully executed -, had already told her about this equipment. It was connected to the Earth and transmitted everything that happened there in real time. And it was incredible! That was the first time Gabriela had contact with the equipment and she was delighted.

“What a beautiful place...” - she muttered while watching the illuminated city. Suddenly, she noticed the colonial-style cottages and a shiver of dread reached the base of her column. – “Will I have to deal with the Germans again?” - She asked, alarmed. – “But due to the language...”

Angela raised her hand, interrupting Gabriela.

“This place is called Gramado. It is in the South of Brazil.”

"Ohhh" - she muttered, looking back at the screen. – “And what do I need to do this time?”

The guardian looked in her direction, watching her closely.

“Unlike other times, you'll need to go there.”

She opened her mouth in a big O. Gabriela never left the kingdom of heaven for a mission. Never ever. All of her missions were executed at a distance and, thinking about it, she suspected that perhaps for this reason they had not worked out very well.

“That's why this is a great mission, darling” - Angela said and focused all her attention on her. – “Your mission is to repair a broken heart.”

“A love story?” - The young woman asked. She loved cases involving romance. It was so beautiful to see couples happily ever after!

"Actually, not. It's a... um ... general case.”

"Okay..." - she muttered, encouraging herself to continue, even though she had no idea of what a... general... case would be about.

"You will be transported there and will need to interact with humans" - she said, and the young woman's eyes widened. – “You will spend time with Samuel and help him to fix his heart.”

“But how... how... am I going to do this?”

"You'll know when you get there" - she said, keeping the mystery. But before Gabriela had a chance to protest, Angela continued – “however, my dear, it is very important that you do not forget three things: nobody can know you are from here nor anything related to us; you need to complete your mission by Christmas Eve. When the bell rings midnight, your time on Earth is over.”

She nodded, feeling stunned.

“And the third and most important: being in human form, like them, your free will are going to guide your destiny. Stay focused on the mission and be careful with the choices you make.”

“Will I have someone's help? And how do I know who this Samuel is? I'm very confused, Angela. And...”

Once again, the guardian interrupted her.

“Everything will be clarified when you are there. And whenever you need me, you will find the answers to your questions in the purity of a child. Now go, my dear. See you at Christmas.”

And with the snap of her counselor's fingers, the world she knew disappeared.