A Single Golden Thread (short story)

Inspired by Revelations 9:3-5

She browsed around the clothing store, trying to find a suit for her father's birthday. She wasn't sure what color he would want. As a consistent church goer, he was almost always buying suits. Though, she never liked it for herself - she knew it would please him.

"I think this one would do, do you have it in XL?" A man, not far from her, asked the pretty girl clerk.

With blushed cheeks, she nodded." I'll check now, sir."

"Thank you."

Her interested peeked, Sacha tried to take a peek at the man's face, but her eyes caught on something else. A single golden thread on his cuff. She moved closer.

"Excuse me, you have a thread-." The man turned. She reached out and plucked the thread. She smiled and held it up.

The man blinked and then smiled." Thank you so much."

"You're welcome, would hate for you walk around and no one tell you." She walked away to the other side of the store.

Here where the three piece suits, maybe her father would like these more? She sighed. Suit shopping was harder than she thought.

"Excuse me." The man walked over to her.

She tensed." Yes?"

"Didn't mean to startle you, can I... ask you a few questions?"

She looked around, there was no one else in the store. She nodded." Sure."

"Do you volunteer?"

"No, but I donate a lot." She admitted.

"You seem like the kind of person who helps others."

"I do my best. I'll feed anyone I see who is hungry." She said. "No one should ever go hungry."

"You must be a Christian." He decided.

"Christian or not, people caring for each other should be natural instinct."

A smile grew on his face." Right, caring for others should be."

"Sir, I found the XL. Would you like to try it on?" The clerk rushed up, holding the suit.

"Thank you for your time." He smiled at the woman before turning to the clerk." Yes, I would, thank you."

The clerk handed over the suit and the man went to the changing room. Sacha grabbed a brown 3 piece suit, finally deciding. She checks out with the clerk and leaves the store and man behind.

She felt the need to go donate after talking with the stranger.

The next three months for Sacha however, were a series of bad luck. Her skin broke out with a bump appearing on her head. She lose her job due to downsizing and others began to treat her strangely. Luckily she owned her apartment and had some money saved up, but the stress and constant rejections began to weight heavily upon her.

One night as she was walking home from the grocery store, she walking home across the bridge. She peered over the edge. The void called to her as she watched the clashing waves below.

"Don't do it." a voice called out.

She turned around. It was the man she'd met in the clothing store months ago. She gave a nervous chuckle." Oh no, I wasn't - I was just enjoying the sights."

"Oh," The man stepped closer to her. "I'm sorry."

"Huh?"

"You've had some hard months, right?"

"How did you-."

"You can see it on your face."

The woman gave a deep sigh." It's just a string of bad luck. It'll be okay. It'll turn around soon enough."

"It had to be so with the coming days."

She blinked." What do you mean?"

"Have you not noticed? I thought you were a Christian?"

She folded her arms." I am, but I don't read my bible like that."

"Either way, you shouldn't jump. Things will turn around for you." He slowly nodded.

"I wasn't going to-."

"Follow me, everything will be alright." He turned and began to walk away.

"Wait." She called after him." I don't... want to..."

She sighed and followed behind the stranger. They walked for a while before reaching a luxurious home on the North side of town. He takes out keys and unlocks the door. He opened the door wide and ushered her in. Though she was reluctant, she walked in. She looked around the home for a moment, then the door closed. She turned around.

"Why did- OH. OH MY GOD!"

The man that she'd known didn't stand there. A being with four wings standing in blaring golden light floated there. He still had human features for the moment.

"I am-."

She panicked, dropping her groceries, she sprinted around the being toward the door. She flung the door open and ran away. She ran and ran until she made it to her own home.

When she slammed the door to her own home, she took several deep breaths. "What just happened? Was that an angel? Or a demon? What was that? He transformed. No, no. Clearly I was hallucinating."

"Right." She nodded." It was a figment of my imagination. I've been under so much stress. It just snowballed. I'll just... stay home and rest for a couple of days."

A couple of days later, after having lunch, she sat on her couch watching t.v. She hears her door open and then close. She turned her head.

"Mom?" There was no response.

She got up and went into the kitchen. There stood the man, putting the groceries she had left on the counter

"We need to talk."

She screamed, running back to the living room. He followed behind her.

"I thought you would have calmed down-." plop! a pillow flew and hit him.

"Get out! How'd you get in? Is it some angel or demon magic?" She threw another pillow." What are you?! I don't care, I don't want any part in it, get out!"

"I'm an angel." He avoided the second pillow, throwing it back to her." You don't have a choice, you've already been marked."

He pointed at her forehead. She put her hand on her forehead. She was wearing makeup each time she met him, how did he know she had a bump?

"Even with makeup, there's no hiding it. Others will always see." He threw the other pillow back." It's just a physical representation of the soul mark."

"Why would God put me through this?" She cried, throwing one of the pillows.

He looked on her with sad eyes." I know this is tough, but he has his reasons."

She refused to listen," Get out."

"You know where I live, once you have calmed down and reasoned it out. Come seek me. I will give you a job." He told her calmly.

She finally relaxed once he had left. She wasn't sure what to make of this. Next thing she would know, a demon could show up. She tensed at that thought, quickly bringing out sage and a bible.

She dropped the bible by mistake and it opened to Revelations. She gingerly picked up the book and noticed that paragraph mentioning seal of God. She shook her head, impossible. She closed the book and - as her parents taught her - put it at the highest point of the living room. She sat quietly, watching t.

v. while sage burned, thinking.