Chapter 1

The two heard several muted Christmas songs as they sat on the shopping mall’s roof, peering down through the skylight above the central courtyard. Since it was night, the bright lights inside made them nearly invisible to the humans below, but none of them looked upward anyway. The smaller one said, “Like you, I know what Rufus is feeling. He’s been that way all his life, but never harmed another soul in his fifty-two years.”

The other folded her wings and commented, “You elves are neutral towards good and evil. You turn a blind eye or find excuses too often. His lascivious and sinful thoughts are some of the worst possible. He desires things which would corrupt and befoul many pure children.”

“And you angels care too much about the rules, and not enough about human happiness. Consider what would improve or harm the world overall.”

Rufus adjusted the Tyrolean winter hat atop his thinning salt and pepper hair, then slowly slid his hand into his pants pocket. He had no idea he was being watched by a pair of supernatural beings, and stared across the food court at a very young and pretty brunette. There was lust in his eyes as he stealthily touched himself through the thin fabric of his pocket and boxers. The two above knew she was far too young and a good girl, a virgin. He stood twenty steps away, but his desire was obvious.

The angel said, “He committed sexual crimes against children twice. Unless his conscience restrains him again, he is about to commit another.”

The elf replied, “The first time, he bought a movie from a much worse offender. On the other occasion, he only downloaded pictures from the internet. Those are bad, but he never directly harmed anyone.”

“Still, that is despicable and beyond!”

“The man is not at fault, at least not fully. Your Master made him, and he was born that way.” Their conversation paused as the man tuned away from the girl. He inserted a card and removed many bills from a cash machine. The elf continued, “He just withdrew nearly all the money from his bank account. He plans to drop it in the charity donation pot as he leaves alone. Unless we do something, tomorrow he will drink most of the day, then shoot himself.”

“That may prevent many future sins.”

“But according to your book, suicide is a MORTAL sin! He usually feels terrible guilt about what he is. How much worse is that wretched monster Alanzo, over there? Rufus will do immoral things with the girls if we allow, but they are defiled already, even the tiny one.”

The angel looked at Alanzo, a swarthy and dark-bearded man half Rufus’ age, leading two blonde teen girls and carrying a redheaded toddler. The oldest girl was only 16, and her makeup mostly concealed the bruise on her cheek. Both teens had many more bruises and scrapes beneath their clothing. The angel was quite disturbed and refolded her wings, then stared at the man with contempt. She contemplated aloud, “That one gave in to the same urges, and other terrible ones as well. Many, many times he struck his wife and her children. Worse yet, he begat an offspring upon her older daughter, then murdered the woman he swore to love when she discovered it! Rufus is unquestionably a monster, but...”