Chapter 1: April 12

“All of this persists even though it was not the way things were designed to be. It is as if a small stone began a voyage down to the bottom of the mountain with my parents’ first defiance, and now it is becoming a landslide. There will come a time -there must come a time when things will need to be set right. Evil can not and will not go unchecked. The vision my father and I received shows that.

“A time is coming when there will be strong trials for all people. They will have to stand firm or fall. We live in a time where keeping ourselves apart from others protected our hearts for the most part, but this age is ending. Even now sin is knocking at our door.” For a moment it seemed as if Seth’s gaze did not merely pass over the stranger, but lingered on him, meeting his eyes, and reading deep into his soul. The stranger flinched, and the moment passed. Seth’s eyes and speech continued on, “Be sure my brothers, my friends, to keep yourself in line with what is right and do not let sin become master over you.”

Seth leaned back against his pillows and closed his eyes. The crowd began whispering again. Suddenly, his closed eyes opened and traveled quickly around the room. After one sweep, he quietly addressed Enosh, Kenan, and Mahalalel. “There is one last warning I must give you before I leave... We are not the only intelligent creatures created... There are other beings… messengers, which were created, too. They were tasked with watching over mankind. But beware… not all of them do the work that they were gifted to do... Some of them are bent on evil. We all know the one who encouraged our parents in their sin…” Seth’s voice started to weaken, as if he could barely get enough air out to produce the words. Even more slowly and quietly, he said, “Be careful not to be deceived by those… They seek to ruin humanity. They come speaking with silver tongues, but in the end… in the end… they shall only bring destruction.” With this, Seth breathed his last.

The entire first chapter of The Corruption – Book 1 in The Age of the Watchers – will be published on this blog throughout the month of April.