Reluctant Demon by Linda Rios Brook Read Free Book Online Page B

thing God had placed upon this planet. All that did not perish immediately became defiled, injured, and hostile.
    It seemed as though Earth had lost its balance, as the seas boiled from the pollution of the raging angels. The waters were black and ominous and began to overtake the land as if trying to escape its domain. Finally, the dark water overtook and drowned every point of light and beauty on the injured planet. That was the first flood upon Earth. It was Lucifer's flood, caused by his wrath, and it destroyed all the wonder God had created on this delicate blue and green bauble.
    Earth could take no more. It jolted and spun off its course. It reeled and retched until it expelled us completely. It was as if we had been vomited from the mouth of Earth into yet another realm far above its surface. I knew we were in danger of being forever flung into nothingness. I thought we should apologize to Earth, make up with it if you know what I mean.
    "Look, this could work," I told the others as we hung temporarily suspended between the planet and oblivion.
    "We can adapt and live sensibly upon Earth."
    "And do what? Exist in the floodwaters? Nothing else is left," someone pointed out.
    That's when Satan had his second bad idea.
    "We will make our way back to heaven," he said as he began flapping his wings in an attempt to get traction.
    "Why didn't we think of that?" came a facetious voice that could not be identified. "I'm sure God has gotten over the rebellion by now."
    Futile as it was, we decided to try it. Everyone flapped for all he was worth. Some climbed on top of each other, as if getting tall enough would enable us to reach something. Satan climbed on top of everyone else, then he and some of the other strong ones were able to lift off and get a foothold into the kingdom of the air: second heaven. It was the same realm through which we had fallen when we were thrown out. It was not third heaven, mind you, or anything remotely close to it. It was dark and empty of all the glory that heaven is. It was a discarded part of eternity, but eternity nonetheless.
    "This is close enough," Satan announced.
    No one was going to argue. We knew if by some miracle we had made it all the way back to third heaven, the angelic guard would have been waiting for us, and who knew what might happen to us then?
    That's how Satan's kingdom came to be established in second heaven. It was terrible. It was dank and cold. It would be some time before I learned that the awful smell was sulfa. Because God made all things, He must have made this place as well, but I couldn't imagine why. Since we had fallen through it when we were cast out, I knew it hung somewhere between third heaven and Earth. We had been able to climb from Earth to this place, so I wondered if there might be a back door leading to third heaven. I desperately searched for one but did not find it. An ironlike ceiling above and floor below contained this new abode. It had three closed sides like a cave and a ledge from which we could see Earth and the empti-ness of space.
    That's when Satan decided he needed an army.
    "What will he do with an army?" I said to myself.
    "We lost the war in heaven, and we lost the fight with Earth. W h a t else is there?"
    I suppose he was looking for something else to attack, so an army it was, and, of course, a pecking order had to be established. He assigned us our place according to our aspects, which are particular talents held by some and not others. I didn't know exactly what kind of assignment I would have, but I was pretty sure it would be out of everyone else's way.
    Satan declared that we were now an army of demons whose purpose was to serve him. That's what we were now—demons. Don't ask me why. We had become more like a street gang than a heavenly host.
    The strongest ones he divided into categories of powers, princes, thrones, and principalities. Satan stirred them up by telling them they would have their revenge and rule again over Earth