John was thinking about his dad again. All the times he would come home from the casino in a bad mood never ended well. It was always the same discussion. John hated that he was too afraid to stand up and tell his father to change.
In the Le house, there was never a time to talk. Mr. Le made the rules, and that was that. End of story. John was always being sent to his room when something didn’t go the way his dad thought it should have gone.
One night, John had confronted his dad.
“Dad, I want to talk about something.”
“What is it now?”
“Well,” John said, “I hate seeing you so sad.”
“I’m not sad. Why do you think I’m sad?”
John took a deep breath. “My friends at school … their parents don’t go to the casinos.”
“So what? What are you saying?”
“I care about you, Dad. I’ve been praying that you would be happy again.”
“John, you never listen. Going to the casino makes me happy. You need to mind your own business. Now that would make me happy.”
“Asking Jesus into your heart would make you have real happiness.”
His dad looked at John and shook his head in disappointment.
“Son, sometimes I think you’re not all there. How many times do I have to tell you that God hasn’t been paying our bills. I have!”
“I know I’m only a kid, but the Bible is God’s Word, and I get it. He promises to take care of His children.”
“Go to your room. I’m done talking to you. Go!”
And John went. But that night something happened that had never happened before. As he went to his room, he heard a smashing sound. Later he found out his dad had thrown his glass against the brick fireplace. John stood in the hallway and heard his dad start to cry. He heard him mumble something about Can’t do it anymore and Please save me.
That was just before John had gone to his sister’s house in New York. Six weeks ago. Who knew what his dad was doing or thinking now.
John’s trip down memory lane was interrupted by a beautiful figure of light that made its way down the lake-shore. It looked familiar.
Maybe he was one of the angels who helped save me from the dragon.
The glowing form walked up to him. “John?”
That’s when John realized he wasn’t in the fishing boat with Jesus and the disciples anymore. “Yes.”
“I’m here to help.”
“Oh, thank you. Can you help me find Jesus again? I was just with Him in a boat.”
“I know….”
“Great!”
“Come on, follow me.”
“I’m John. Are you an angel?”
“Hi, John. My name is Antas. I’m … just a friend who wants to help.”
John followed the man away from the lake. They walked for a long time without saying anything.
When they reached a big hill, Antas stopped.
Despite the warm temperature, a cold wind blew across the land.
John shivered.
Something wasn’t right. That’s when he realized that Antas hadn’t answered his question. John had asked him for help finding Jesus, but the reply was I know. The guy never finished his thought.
“I need to go now. I need to find Jesus!”
John looked around and saw that he had been taken into a nightmare. He wasn’t standing anywhere close to Jesus. He wasn’t near the water but in the middle of a valley filled with not one but six massive dragons, one red and the other five darker than midnight. Crawling around the valley in between the dragons’ massive legs were snakes bigger than the anaconda-looking one that had tried to attack John earlier. There were too many of them to count!
And every space of valley floor that was not covered with creatures was occupied by the soldiers who wore black hoodies and black jeans.
Like some demonic orchestra, the hideous gathering of darkness kept their eyes on Antas.
The shape that appeared to be an angel of light yelled out, “Take this child and teach him a lesson!”
The dragons spit angry flames into the sky.
The snakes recoiled, hissing venomous replies.
The dark soldiers began to march in John’s direction.
John looked around for a way out but there wasn’t any. The one called Antas blocked him from the back.
“I’m sorry, John.” Antas started to go dim. “This is where your journey ends.”