The City of Forever

1,965 words



Dr. Sanderson read from her Bible as she sat on a high hill overlooking over city ruins. She closed her Bible and said a brief prayer then descended the hill to meet one of her colleagues, Dr. Smith. Her other colleague Dr. Grahm was studying the base of a tall obelisk.

“Welcome back, Dr. Sanderson. You’re so engrossed in that Bible. You have been up there a long time,” said Dr. Grahm.

“God deserves it. I truly believe He is guiding us.”

“You are religious. How will you prove this was an ancient angelic city? Believing in angels itself is subjective.”

“I trust He will prove it.”

Dr. Grahm rolled his eyes. “So, you have said.”

Dr. Smith approached the two other doctors. “The hieroglyphics are older than any other that has been deciphered: Egyptian, Babylonian, ancient Chinese, or Aztec-none of them!”

“I still think it’s aliens.”

“I know,” said Dr. Anderson. “The prospect of angels is more plausible than aliens.”

“Where did the angels go, then?” asked Dr. Grahm.

“I have theories.”

Suddenly, a red, smooth gem protruding from the ground slightly caught Dr. Sanderson’s eye. “Look at that over there!”

The doctors ran to the object.

Dr. Smith withdrew a brush and swept away the dirt covering the red gemstone to reveal an octagon-shaped sapphire.

“Hmm…what could this be?” said Dr. Smith.

Dr. Grahm touched it and it began to glow. The doctors were startled and backed away.

“It’s alien technology!” said Dr. Grahm.

The gem brightened until a pillar of light manifested.

Dr. Sanderson carefully approached the light and touched it with a finger.

“Be careful, Doctor!” said Dr. Grahm.

“It feels tingly.” Sanderson inserted her whole arm. “I feel coldness on the other side.”

“What are you doing!” said Dr. Smith.

She stuck her face into the light.

Sanderson pulled her face out with a broad grin. “There is something on the other side! You must see this!”

“Are you mad doctor!” said Dr Smith.

Dr. Smith and Dr. Grahm were horrified as she walked all the way into the light and disappeared!

“What do we do?” said Grahm.

Dr. Sanderson emerged from the pillar of light. “Come on! It’s safe! I’ve never seen anything like it!” She reentered the light.

“I am curious. I think we should chance it,” said Smith. He ran to the light and hesitated then stepped through.

“I can’t believe I am doing this!” Grahm threw his hands up and barged through and was amazed.

Before them was a metropolis of towers that literally reached clouds that were like gold dust! There was no sun of any kind but the towers gave light the color of many kinds of precious stones much like the one that brought them to the place they now were. The streets amidst the towers were polished gold that gave a perfect reflection.

“This place is empty,” said Dr. Smith.

“Maybe some kind of catastrophe happened,” said Dr. Grahm. “This is proof of aliens!”

“Let’s start exploring,” said Sanderson. “This is yet to be confirmed.”

The three were in awe. They encountered an oval shaped pool with a peculiar fountain. It seemed to render a living creature with four faces, each one pointing in a direction: north, south, east, and west. One face was an ox’s, the next an eagle, the third a man and the last a lion’s face. Each face poured out a stream of water from its mouth.

“A cherubim! A heavenly being of God! This could be proof that the ruins and this place are angelic in origin!”

Dr. Smith and Dr. Grahm had gaping mouths.

“Let’s keep going. There’s more to discover.” Sanderson walked around the pool and saw her colleagues were still at a loss as they stood there. “Come on!”

The two were jarred and followed Dr. Sanderson, speechless.

Soon they came to a staircase that led to a top where there was a square-shaped surface. And in the center of the space was a golden altar.

“Astounding!” said Dr. Smith.

The three approached the object and a bright light flashed over the altar. Hovering above it was a shining being with stork’s wings. “I am the angel, Trophimus, guardian of the altar of worship.” The being narrowed his eyes.

All three humans fell on their faces, trembling.

“How did you get here, humans?”

None of the doctors replied until Dr. Sanderson lifted her head with wide, glossy eyes of fear. “Please forgive us, great angel.”

“I will not harm you, humans. Stand on your feet.”

The three rose, quivering.

“I sense the latent force of evil about this world.” Trophimus descended and stood on the ground and his bright appearance faded. “I will ask you again, how did you get here?”

“We came through a pillar of light from ruins,” said Sanderson with eyes sparkling with wonder.

“I do not know of this pillar of light. There is a way to get answers to this question.”

The three doctors began to relax after hearing more of the being’s words.

Dr. Smith swallowed, took a deep breath and moved closer. “What…what is this place?”

“This is the City of Forever; a world given to angels to live.”

“Why is this place empty of inhabitance?” asked Sanderson.

“I do not know. But I can find out.”

Sanderson’s face lit up with joy.

“You look giddy with curiosity.” Trophimus laughed. “Very well. I will bring all of you to the place where we will discover this mystery.”

“Oh, thank you!” said Sanderson.

“Where is this place located…great angel?” said Dr. Grahm.

“It is at the top of the highest tower.”

“The how will we get there, if I may ask?” said Dr. Smith.

Trophimus approached the three and wrapped his wings around them. A bright light enveloped them and in a moment of time they were at the tower top with the golden clouds beneath them.

In the center of the tower platform was a glowing blue sphere.

“This is the Orb of Time,” said Trophimus. “It has recorded the history of this city since its founding millennia ago.” He approached it and spoke to it. “What happened to the angels?”

The orb became transparent and showed myriads of angels in blue robes bowing down and worshipping three other angels. The scene changed and showed angels in white besieging the angels in blue. The scene seemed to switched to the future as it showed all angels in blue were bound with chains. Another angel that shone like the sun of Earth came from above with a large key made of onyx. He inserted it into the ground and a vortex opened where smoke came from it like an enormous furnace. The chained angels were cast alive into the vortex that closed after the last one was thrown in.

“That’s what happened. God vanquished all the angels that worshipped angels rather than Him. What will I do if there are none to offers worship to God here?”

“Can’t you just ask?” said Dr. Sanderson.

“I was created to offer the angel’s worship to God. I have no other purpose.”

“How exactly do you give the worship?” said Dr. Smith.

“Their worship becomes incense that rises into the sky. I collect the incense into a lamp and I ascend to the highest point in the sky and another angel from heaven receives the lamp and he gives it to God.”

“Why don’t you just ask God?”

“I am not permitted to enter heaven.”

“Can’t you just ask the angels that receives the worship incense to ask God on your behalf?” said Sanderson.

“I would never petition the Almighty for anything!” He paused. “However, humans have special favor with God. He would not deride you. Perhaps you could help me by asking Him on my behalf.”

“Then, I will lead a prayer we all agree with.” Dr. Sanderson prayed a short but heartfelt prayer asking God to take Trophimus into consideration.

She stopped praying and she took a deep breath.

“Nothing is happening,” said Smith.

Suddenly a brightness like the sun appeared in the sky. It descended rapidly and a human figure in white robes and eagle’s wings came into view.

“I am the angel, Thaddeus. God has heard his child’s prayer. Trophimus, your time of service here is done. It is time to take your place in heaven. You will serve the Highest in his holy temple.”

“Thank you great one. But what of these three humans?”

“They will be returned to Earth and will be endowed with a supernatural essence and will be great witnesses on Earth.”

“So, the whole purpose of us coming here was to receive some kind of…blessing?” asked Grahm.

“Yes. And when you return, you will be transformed with holy power and wisdom. “Know this-the time is coming when the force of all evil will come and take incarnation.”

“Only my colleague is of faith. How can I and my other associate possibly do this task?”

“As I said, you will be given new hearts.” Thaddeus waved his hand and another pillar of light appeared. “God will keep you! God bless your souls!”

“It has been good to meet you three. Because of you, I have a place in heaven now.”

“Thaddeus, what will become of this city?” asked Sanderson.

“It will pass away.”

Then the two angels ascended into the sky and vanished from view.

“Look, the city is beginning to disintegrate,” said Smith.

Smith pointed to towers that were decreasing in illumination and started to dissolve like ash in the wind.

“Time to go home,” said Smith.

The humans walked through the light and the moment they did, a strong wind-like force permeated their bodies. They fell to their knees.

“I…understand now,” said Smith.

“As do I,” said Grahm.

Suddenly, the ground shook violently and began to crack. Pebbles hopped and the standing structures toppled as the doctors scampered to their Jeep. They fled the cite and careened left and right, trying to avoid the crumbling structures and the ground that was caving in around them.

Suddenly, their left front tire blew out and Dr. Smith gripped the steering wheel with white knuckles. “I can’t keep it straight!”

Huge boulders and large sage brush were everywhere.

Smith stopped the vehicle and they ran on foot.

The caving and cracking that accompanied the quake was literally at their heels.

Sanderson glanced behind her and saw the Jeep fall into the widening chasm.

They breathed heavily and they began to slow down with fatigue.

They headed for a cliff that was about six yards away.

“That’s the cliff with the river below it! We must jump!” said Smith.

Just as they were about to be swallowed up in the collapsing ground, they reached the cliff and jumped.

Their bodies hit the water had but they were unharmed. They swam to the surface and went for the shore.

Before they could speak, a helicopter hovered high above them.

A man used an electric megaphone. “Are you ok down there? Hold on.”

The helicopter descended and landed on the ground. Three men got out of the helicopter.

“Are any of you hurt?” said one of them.

“We’re fine,” said Smith.

“We saw the entire cite caving in on itself and we feared the worst. Come on. Let’s get you out of here.”

As all of them were lifted into the air, the three doctors spoke of how they would fulfil their task given by the angel Thaddeus.

“It will be hard, convincing people to be changed as we were,” said Sanderson.

“Nevertheless, we will face it together,” said Smith.

Then they were on their way to the US as the sun dipped behind a mountain range, painting a beautiful scarlet-orange hue in the clouds.