The Angels of Everland

By Mark Touchette

The Angels of Everland by Mark Touchette is a science fiction story full of illustrations and lyrics by the author. The story starts in modern times and is about the angels recruiting children and adults to help in the battle against evil. The main character is Daniel Quick, a bright ten year old boy at the beginning of the story. He is brought to the planet of Everland after an abusive childhood and given a special gift to help the angels and all of the universe. He makes new friends along the way with the new arrivals, and forms the most powerful team in the universe. Each child or adult is given a unique techno-magical ability and the equipment to help the angels in the war against the chaotic evil forces. The story stretches across the universe and many habited planets. The teams deal with an assortment of issues from the abuse and neglect of children, or healing the sick, to stopping global catastrophes. The Universe has existed and gone many times before. The story takes place in the middle of the ninth universe and stretches until its end when the last star is left. This is a story of hope, faith, and the future of the universe as the civilizations and planets learn to live together. Great sacrifices are needed to insure that life will endure until the end of the universe and the next big bang.

The illustrations of characters and cover art are also by Mark Touchette

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Feb 5, 2016
• ISBN: 9781483562704

Book preview

Time

Chapter 1: Waiting for the Phone

The day seemed long for Daniel Quick, and it was only 10 am. He slipped on the ice on the way to school and chipped his two top front teeth. He wondered if anyone would notice. He was a bright ten year old boy, and full of energy. He loved to go fishing, he could fish all day, even on the cold ice of Lake St Clair where the howling cold winds from Canada race southward on the cold fronts. He hurried into school and was a little late fixing his lip.

The entire fifth grade class was in the auditorium for the spring play auditions and school announcements. There were also a group of about 10 parents seated at the back of the room.

He was incredibly nervous at the moment and wondered if anyone could tell about his teeth. Hopefully it would not make him talk funny, he was probably going to get bullied for auditioning to sing, for the Cinderella’s prince part. He ran his hand over the top of his short blond hair and strained his blue eyes to see the stage. He peered down the line of tables and benches. A few of the parents had come to see their kids, and offer encouragement. They were sitting off to the side on a row of folding chairs. Daniel swallowed hard, and took a deep breath. It was a large room and there were a lot of people there.

The teacher stepped out from behind his old upright piano, and cleared his throat, "Last week I gave each of you a CD with the music and lyrics for our Spring Play, Cinderella 2016. During Assembly today, we will have your auditions for the parts. Before we embark on the many requests to audition for Cinderella, let us first audition the sole requestor for the part of the Prince.

Daniel flushed red, his heart raced. He had been practicing the song all week at home, whenever he was alone. He had the song down well, he knew all the words and easily hit the notes.

Please don’t call me first, Daniel said quietly to himself.

It seems that most of you boys would rather be mice than princes. We have only one submission for the part of the Prince. Daniel Quick, would you come up on the stage please? Come on Daniel, he pleaded.

The girls in his class made swooning noises, a few of the boys pretended to vomit. Daniel slowly rose despite the swarm of butterflies in his stomach and walked up onto the stage in the deepest shade of red he had ever been. The girls all liked Daniel; he was a good looking boy and friendly to the girls. He was always polite with the girls in his classes, unlike most of the boys his age who were still a bit rough around the edges. Two of the girls whistled and giggled at him. He blushed a bit more as he climbed the steps at the side of the stage.

The teacher let the racket go on for a moment until Daniel climbed the stage. Then remembering the parents in the back of the room, he spoke loudly into the microphone, Quiet please everyone! As we discussed in class, your behavior in class is part of your grade in music class. Anyone acting up during or after the performances will be required to audition for the part themselves, or fail the final test for this semester.

The room got silent. A few of the parents, who were helping out in the back whispered to each other. The teacher looked at them and cleared his throat. The room fell silent again.

As you know, the music you will be auditioning with is prerecorded with the lyrics taken out. This is the same music as on the CDs you were given last week for homework. Let me give you the setting, as we haven’t given you the entire story yet. Cinderella has gone to the ball, but instead of losing her glass slipper, she has dropped her little cell phone. The prince has found the phone and is waiting for her to call her phone to find out where it is, and when she does, the prince will find out her true identity. Now Daniel, are you ready?

Daniel picked the microphone off the stand and held it in his hand like the remote control he had been using to practice with.

If you are ready, I will start the music.

Yes, he said very softly in a nervous voice.

Daniel saw that man again, standing in the back of the room, just out of clear view. It was a stocky blond man, clean cut probably in his early thirties. He reminded Daniel of someone, but he did not know who. Maybe it was someone’s dad. His father was not one of the three volunteers for that day, and rarely showed up for this type of thing.

Daniel?

Yes, sorry. Ready! he said loudly.

The class laughed, the teacher frowned, and it became quiet again.

The music started, suddenly Daniel, felt different, no longer afraid.

He sang:

Waiting for the Phone

It’s getting late

It’s later than time will allow

And how long should I wait

I keep waiting for the time to come

This can’t be my fate

She should have been calling by now

I hope she won’t hesitate

Cause I’m waiting for that horn to sing

She’s going to call me anytime

I keep waiting for that phone to ring

Waiting for the phone to ring

Waiting for the phone to ring

Waiting for the phone to ring

Waiting for that phone to ring

Where did I go wrong?

It’s hard for me to say

If our love is so strong

Why’d you run away?

Now you leave me out in the dark

Desperately trying to find you

I need to know if you’re coming back

Cause I just can’t seem to get you off my mind

And I thought she was the One

The only one my heart would allow

We would have had it all

If she would have taken the time

She should have been calling by now

I wonder if she’s ok

I wonder ‘bout her all the time

Waiting for the phone to ring

Waiting for the phone to ring

Waiting for the phone to ring

Waiting for that phone to ring

After the vocal portion of the song ended, the teacher faded the volume down on his little blue mixing board, and let the long instrumental finish to the song continue softly, while he spoke.

Daniel was terrific, but did not seem to know this. The class and parents applauded loudly, especially Sheri Marta and her girlfriends. Sheri had a major crush on Daniel, even though he went to great lengths to avoid her.

Great job Daniel! Do we have any challengers? OK, then Daniel you have the part. Here is your script, please study this, and take your seat. Now let’s see some Cinderellas!

Daniel noticed that the man that was in the back of the room was now gone. He sat down next to his friends Kevin and Lenny, they congratulated him.

Danny, you sang great, that was good man! Kevin said as he high fived Daniel.

Yea, I didn’t know you could sing like that!

Neither did I, I guess that things sound better with the big PA system, and all this gear.

The teacher continued with the selection for the play.

David Quick got into his car and lit a cigarette then pulled a can of beer out of the greasy plastic cooler. Most of the ice was melted by now, but it was still quite cold. He took a giant drink, and then drove off with the beer in between his legs. He pulled out onto the highway and turned on the radio. An old rock song played, it was an old song he sang with a garage band back in high school. He still knew the words and sang along loudly. He had a good voice, and range. He had heard his son singing when he came home earlier this week. He had meant to tell him that he actually sounded very good. He would try to remember today. He sang along loudly to the song on the radio.

Month of Mondays

I’m dreaming away

As I’m heading down this old highway

I want to be free

And leave all my troubles behind me

It’s easier said than done

At least that’s what they’ll tell you

And I won’t be sad

If things just ain’t going my way

Cause life is just like a month of Mondays

Life is just like a month of one day

Where have I gone?

Where will I go?

Where am I now?

When will I know?

Why does it hurt?

When does it show?

Why should I stay?

When I want to go

Life is just like a month of Mondays

Life is just like a month of one day

Life is just like a month of Mondays

Life is just like a month of one day Yea

Sometimes that’s just it

As the song wound down and ended, David finished the first beer, opened another, and lit up a Marlboro light. He headed home, and drank another on the way. He didn’t bother putting the beer back into the paper bag so his neighbors wouldn’t see it, like he usually did.

Daniel took the remote control to the basement. The batteries were dead. He had just returned some bottles for the money to get new ones, for his toy remote car. Coming up with returnable bottles in this house was no problem; there was always a good supply. His father drank at least 12 beers a day, at home, plus the cans in the back seat. Daniel kept the car clean of cans because he worried that if his father got caught drinking and driving and sent to jail, that there would be nobody to take care of him. He had been forced to learn to take care of himself more recently, to make his own food, after his mom left.

He hated this basement. It was dark, damp, and had a musty odor that clung to the air. He fumbled for the light switch over the worktable. As he reached over the table, his face traveled through some bug covered spider web. His hands reached up instinctively to clear his face of the web.

Gross, he said as he dropped the remote to the workbench.

Oops, he said in disbelief, as the remote bounced and then dropped to the cement floor. The little black plastic battery door flew off then the AAA batteries and clip fell out.

Dad is going to kill me, he said as he pictured his father, barreling down the road in his beat up old black truck that always smelled like beer, cigarette hanging from his lips.

He set the remote back down on the workbench. He tried but couldn’t get the bent metal piece back in place; it did not connect to the batteries properly.

He tested it out upstairs, but found that is still did not work.

His father had a bad temper and Daniel didn’t know how to tell him about the remote, without getting hit. So he decided put it on the table and leave it for his father to find. He took it back up to the living room and set it on the end table making room between the ashtray filled with cigarette butts and the dozen or so empty beer cans. He started cleaning off the table, and spilled the ashtray on the carpet. The house had become cluttered and dirty after his mother had left. He wondered if she couldn’t take all the fighting with his father or the verbal abuse either. He wished that she had loved him enough to take him with her. Now she was gone and Daniel somehow knew that he would probably never see her again. Why didn’t she call? He hadn’t heard from her in a month. He checked the phone to make sure it was still working.

Daniel stared out the window. He wondered what his life would be like as an adult, he hoped his relationships would be better than that of his parents. His mother left a few weeks ago without a word, he knew it was because of the way his father treated her, but couldn’t help thinking that if he could have done more, maybe she would still be here. He never wanted to get married, not if it was like this.

Just then he saw his father’s beat up black truck pull into the driveway. He had forgotten to clean the house up. He grabbed as many of the cans as he could and ran quickly into the kitchen.

Daniel! his father called out in a drunken voice. I thought I told you to have this house clean by the time I got home.

Sorry Dad, I didn’t think that you would be home this early.

You’re always sorry. You’re the saddest excuse for a man that I ever saw, his father slurred. More like a fairy.

I’m not a man, I’m only ten years old, he said as he picked up some more beer cans.

Daniel’s father replied with a swift kick to his behind, sending him flying and the beer cans sailing into the wall. Don’t talk back to me! Clean this mess up and don’t give me any lip. He walked into the kitchen and grabbed himself another beer.

The boy gathered up the scattered cans and walked toward the kitchen.

Wipe that wall down you little klutz, the father sneered as he threw a smelly dishrag in the boy’s face.

He sat down on the couch and put his feet up on the table, as Daniel rushed about cleaning up beer cans and cigarette butts. He slammed another beer.

David sat himself down on the couch, cracked another beer, and reached for the remote control.

Oh no, Daniel said to himself.

Dad, guess what I got a good part in the school play. I’m going to be the prince.

Um, that’s good.

David, somewhat oblivious, pressed the power button on the TV remote. Nothing happened, so he removed the battery cover on the old remote.

The batteries and metal clip fell to the floor.

Daniel, come here now! His father commanded menacingly.

Scared as he was, he walked over to his father and could tell by his eyes, that he was no longer there.

I was going to ask you to help me fix that. I dropped it a few minutes ago.

Take a look at this, his father said.

As Daniel brought his face near the remote, he saw it coming at him full speed, he didn’t have time to move. He knew if he dodged the punch, he would get a worse beating. His father punched him squarely on the temple. The blow sent him tumbling; he hit his head on the wall as he fell. The room spun and everything turned black. He had the sensation that he was flying. He wished that he were someplace else, anyplace else, and the child of anyone else. He swirled through the darkness for a long time. Faces came and went. That man again, is he crying? He thought he heard voices talking around and about him, but couldn’t make out what they were saying. He fell into a deep sleep. It felt like days and weeks were whirling by, yet he didn’t or couldn’t wake up.

Suddenly there was light. Daniel awoke in a sunny field full of colorful flowers. He rubbed his eyes, his hands felt different, and it took a moment for him to get his self together. He opened his eyes again; it took a moment to get used to all the light.

Where am I? His head spun as he got up.

Oddly, his head didn’t hurt as he would have expected. He touched his face where his father had hit him. It was not sore, just a little numb.

Everland, something whispered.

What was that?

He wondered if he was dreaming.

What kind of a giant are you? the androgynous voice asked.

I’m not a giant, I’m just a little boy, Daniel replied.

You’re hardly what I’d call little, the voice said. Are you a good giant boy or an evil giant boy?

I think that if I was a giant, at least I would be a good one, he replied almost laughing and still looking for the voice. Where are you?

I’ll tell you where I am if you promise not to hurt me, the voice said sounding now far away.

I won’t hurt you, I’d never hurt anyone.

Ok then. I am sitting right behind you, on the red daisies, the voice said, now sounding very close.

Daniel looked down on the red flowers behind him. Sitting on the highest flower was what looked like a large green bug. I’ve never seen a talking bug before.

That’s because I’m not a bug. I’m a fairy, a flower fairy.

The fairy had a green body and a green face that looked human, despite the pointed ears and antennae. The wings were nearly transparent, yet multicolored at the same time, reflecting bold patches of color back when the light hit them right.

I didn’t think that fairies really existed.

There are more types of beings or forms of life in this universe than you could ever imagine or count, said the fairy as it sat down on the red daisy. The fairy waived its arm and wiggled its fingers and the flower turned from red to purple.

What color do you like better? it asked.

How did you do that?

I’m a flower fairy; it’s my natural magical talent. Do you like the red or the purple better? it asked again impatiently.

Why don’t you try red and purple on the same flower?

The fairy now waived both arms and wiggled the fingers on both hands and the flowers transformed to stripes.

That is very nice!

Thank you for your idea. You seem very intelligent, for a giant. What is your magic talent?

I don’t have one, and I’m not a giant! said Daniel.

Sure you do, everyone in Everland has some type of magic ability. You just don’t know what yours is yet. Some beings, like me, even get more than one talent, since I had the flower thing before I came here.

Well, I wasn’t born here. I kind of just woke up here a few minutes ago, said Daniel.

Nobody is born here; we all just kind of show up here at some point. I woke up in this very same field two and a half years ago. It was just after an evil giant squashed me with his boot. That’s why, I am cautious of giants. By the way, my name is Zip Fir. What’s yours?

My name is Daniel Quick. Daniel did not know if Zip was a boy or a girl, he was embarrassed to ask.

Hey Daniel, why don’t you try concentrating on something and wiggling your fingers?

Daniel looked down at a little rock, directed his arms at it and wiggled his fingers. Much to his surprise, the rock jiggled and started levitating in the air. Cool, I never knew I could do that before.

You probably couldn’t do that before, everyone becomes magically gifted when they arrive here. I think that it might be a good idea for you to walk to town and catch the next orientation meeting. You are bound to develop a lot more questions. I’ll come with you.

As they walked, Daniel moved other things around simply by pointing at them and thinking where he wanted them to move. He did this with increasingly larger objects. There seemed to be no limit to the size of an object that he could move.

I’ve got to be dreaming.

You aren’t dreaming, said Zip. Why don’t you pinch yourself and get it over with.

Daniel grabbed a piece of soft flesh on his arm and pinched tightly. Ouch! he exclaimed.

Told you so, said Zip. If you like, I’ll show you the way to Evertown. That’s where most creatures your size live.

That would be wonderful, Daniel said. Is it far from here?

Not too far, we can get there by dark. Would you mind if I rode on your shoulder? It’s been a long day in this field, and my little wings are tired, said Zip.

No problem, I always liked having my Cousin Jim’s bird on my shoulder, it was a white cockatiel named Anthony.

Hello Daniel, I’m not a bird, notice – no feathers! The fairy flapped its wings in an overly dramatic way.

They laughed. Together they traveled the path over hills green and full of outrageously colored flowers and trees. Here and there, Zip made him stop, and smell the flowers that had the best fragrances. Often Zip wiggled his finger or pointed at a weed, bush, or tree and caused beautiful blooms to appear. The sky darkened into an orange and red sunset. There were two moons around this planet. One was enormous and full; the other was only a small crescent. Colorful birds flew across the sky, trying to savor the last few minutes of daylight.

As light was about to end, they climbed the last hill and saw the city. The city seemed to glitter as if it was made of gold. Daniel thought for a few moments that it was just the sunset reflecting on the buildings, but realized that the city really was made of gold as they drew nearer. Somehow he just seemed to know and sense things differently here. Windows were lighting up and searchlights filled the sky.

Don’t worry, we have a place where we can sleep tonight, said Zip. I have made a lot of friends in this place. Some of them are even larger than you.

Zip, I was wondering if I could ask you a stupid question?

As long as you don’t expect an intelligent answer, replied Zip.

I don’t want to be rude in any way but I was wondering if you were male or female? Zip seems like a masculine name, but I don’t know anything about this place, he apologized.

If there is one question that you should never ask a fairy; you have found it. Because you are somewhat naive, I will answer you. I am neither; I haven’t decided yet. Fairies of my race are androgynous until we find a mate. At that time one of us becomes male and the other female sort of like your clownfish on Earth. Otherwise, it would be much more difficult for my people to multiply. We can only select our sex one time and that is why we wait for our mate, Zip explained.

I’m sorry, I didn’t want to insult you, apologized Daniel.

It is not for you to be sorry. You could not have known. It is not so strange you know, many salt water coral reef fish on your planet don’t become sexed, or at least not female until adulthood, or once they have chosen a mate. It helps to ensure survival of a species.

They walked silently into the city through ornate golden arches inlaid with red and purple jewels and then into the city and Daniel had to touch one of the carved bricks, this one had strange geometric shapes carved into it as did many of this building’s bricks.

These buildings are made of real gold!

Yes, gold is very plentiful here; we have an almost endless supply, as you will see. It is easy to work with and it doesn’t take much to keep it up, said Zip. Here we are, Zip said as they rounded a corner. "This is the house of my friend Alexus. She is very kind, and beautiful, we call her the golden girl, although she is mostly red, with no gold at