Split Second

By Leah Leonard

The end of his life marked the beginning...

Desperate and jobless a month before Christmas, Joe Crawford attempts to toss himself from the Brooklyn Bridge when he is intercepted by Archangel Raphael and told he must first fulfill a mission before he can ascend to the pearly gates.

His family struggles with the knowledge of his suicide attempt and Joe continues to exist in half- misery when he receives a calling to assist one of the most challenging people in his life.

Will he move on in peace and fulfill his destiny?

• Language: English
• Publisher: eXtasy Books Inc
• Release date: Feb 28, 2012
• ISBN: 9781771110402

Book preview

The end of his life marked the beginning…

Desperate and jobless a month before Christmas, Joe Crawford attempts to toss himself from the Brooklyn Bridge when he is intercepted by Archangel Raphael and told he must first fulfill a mission before he can ascend to the pearly gates.

His family struggles with the knowledge of his suicide attempt and Joe continues to exist in half- misery when he receives a calling to assist one of the most challenging people in his life.

Will he move on in peace and fulfill his destiny?

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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Split Second

Copyright © 2011 Leah Leonard

ISBN: 978-1-77111-040-2

Cover art by Martine Jardin

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

Published by Devine Destinies

An imprint of eXtasy Books

Look for us online at:

www.devinedestinies.com

Smashwords Edition

Split Second

Legions Series

Book One: Raphael

By

Leah Leonard

To Joe in memory…

Prologue

It’s time.

What if they aren’t ready? asked one.

They are.

What if they won’t listen? asked another.

They will.

What if they don’t believe? asked the third.

God smiled. They already do.

Chapter One

New York City, 2011

Joseph Crawford stood in the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge. He stared down at the water, across the snow-dusted tops of buildings at the childhood home he loved more than any other place on earth. The sounds of honking horns faded into the farthest reaches of his mind while dozens of events from his past flooded his memory.

This felt right.

He knew what he was doing.

He closed his eyes, spread his arms wide and leaned forward.

The wind whipped through his hair. He recalled riding in his father’s convertible to the Catskills when he was five years old.

His two daughters came to mind. Images of their younger years, giggling and laughing in the back yard by their swing set and the time they went sailing off the shores of the Hamptons in his boss’ boat.

Good times—each and every one.

As the breeze picked up, his arms and legs began to numb from the sting of ice hitting his cheeks. He saw Marge in her white dress, her blonde curly hair was longer then than it was now. God was she beautiful! They had a wonderful wedding. She wouldn’t like this, but he hoped she could forgive him. She would—eventually.

He opened his eyes to the blue water below, the world sped up and slowed to a halt all at once. No regrets.

Eyelids pressed tight, he felt a sudden jerk and all motion stopped. He never even felt the water or the cracking sensation as every bone in his body shattered, only a complete cessation of movement. In a split second, his life was over.

Chapter Two

When he opened his eyes, Joe expected to find himself floating through a tunnel of light or standing by the Pearly Gates, but instead, he stared up into the face of the largest man he’d ever seen.

His head was the size of Plymouth Rock. Carmel brown hair streaked with incandescent gold fell in curls down his back. His wide bronze eyes held unearthly compassion, the lines of his lips formed a slight smile. Above and around him were fluffy white clouds and the bluest sky.

This must be heaven. Sure, it wasn’t what he’d imagined, but how would he know what the afterlife looked like?

The giant rumbled with laughter. No.

Hands the size of his daughter’s twin bed pressed into the middle of his spine, supporting him. Above and around the kind stranger, Joe noticed thick, white feathers tinged with shimmering silver and gold. Of course this is heaven, and you’re an angel.

I am an angel, yes, but this is not heaven. His voice was smooth, like a radio announcer on a classical station. He lifted Joe up, held him over the water.

The metal bridge loomed above them. Strange. By now he should be floating down the East River. Maybe this was his soul. Maybe he was being punished for doing himself in. Is this purgatory?

No. You’re very much alive.

But I couldn’t be. I jumped.

I caught you.

Something wasn’t right. Did this man—this angel—save