Novel Teaser

            Colin stared at his ceiling, wide awake. How could he sleep after a day like today? He had gone to school for some of his late afternoon classes, though it wasn’t easy to focus. He would have to work on that.

            A sudden wind in Colin’s ear made him jerk upright. He could still feel the tickle. And the words that came with it—Get up! He caught his breath and looked to his right, surprised to see a pair of bright green eyes shining in the dark room. It took a moment for him to recognize the boy, but soon he saw that it was none other than—

            Adrian.

            Adrian pulled at Colin’s wrist so that he could feel his fast pulse beat against the boy’s warm fingers.

            “Colin, you have to get up. Now! I have to show you something.”

            “You scared me half to death! How did you get in here?”

            “Never mind that. Just get up!”

            Colin swung himself out of bed and watched the little boy back away and stare up at him. He shook his head and muttered to himself, “Is this ever gonna end?”

            “No, Colin, it won’t.”

            Colin was caught off guard—he had meant to say it to himself, but of course the boy was there, and of course he would hear and have a clever response like that.

            “Alright.” He grabbed his t-shirt off the floor and pulled it on. “Where are we going?”

            The boy smiled and took his hand. Adrian’s hand was swallowed in his—it was so delicate, so innocent. He swallowed.

            “Just follow me, Colin. I’m gonna show you something amazing.” The boy’s eyes danced with wonder, and Colin couldn’t help but smile. He didn’t hesitate this time.

            “Alright, I think I can handle that.” Adrian laughed out loud, and Colin wondered if his family could hear him.

            “Maybe you should be quiet, my family is asleep,” Colin whispered as they walked down the hallway. But this time he just giggled louder, and Colin found his own voice joining in.

            Adrian pulled him all the way out the door, until they stood in Colin’s front lawn. That’s where he stopped and looked up at the sky. Colin followed his gaze, looking for something—unusual. All he could see were the stars, but Adrian seemed overcome by them when he glanced down at his lifted face. The biggest grin quickly turned into a reverent awe, then back to the grin. Colin looked up again, aching to experience whatever had captured this little boy.

            “Look, Colin. Aren’t they amazing?”

            “Yes—yes they are.” But he wished he could see more. Adrian saw something he didn’t. He didn’t take their beauty for granted.

            Suddenly Adrian moved his head to look at Colin. The enchantment in his face faded, and they stared at each other, confident little boy and lost grown man. Why couldn’t he be like this child? Then the boy uttered something he didn’t anticipate.

            “Colin, feel my pulse.” He took Colin’s fingers and placed them on his own wrist. The steady sensation of a beating heart flowed through his fingers and seemed to reach the rest of his body. This was life.

            “Now, feel your own.” Without waiting for the boy to do it for him, he placed his own thumb over his left wrist and felt the pulse. His pulse.

            “Do you feel something?”

            “Of course I do.”

            The boy smiled.

            “That means you’re alive!” Colin was in disbelief at the simplicity of Adrian’s words.

            “Yeah?”

            “Yes, and that means you can do things.”

            Colin swallowed hard.

            “Yeah? And what kinds of things am I supposed to do?”

            Adrian’s eyes twinkled with mischief. He replied, “Great things.” The boy looked back up at the stars and breathed in loudly.

            “Can you hear them? Can you sense them?” he asked.

            “What?” Colin responded.

            “The angels. They like to dance with the stars at night. But they’re here, too.” He spread his arms out and spun around once. “All around us. I love it, ‘cus they carry Daddy’s presence.”

            “Daddy?”

            “Yes—God!” Colin felt like he shouldn’t breathe, like the air surrounding this child was too sacred to breathe. So he remained quiet for the moment and tried to think of what to say to this.

            “Yeah…that’s amazing” was what came out of Colin’s mouth. Adrian looked at him again and seemed to be contemplating something very important.

            “Colin, I need you to do something for me.”