The House of Ebony

By Pamela Funk

This is an original novel based on true life experiences; it portrays the realms of angels and demons alongside the natural.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Apr 7, 2011
• ISBN: 9781257456758

Book preview

eISBN: 978-1-25745-675-8

Biblical theme scriptures:

Thus says Yahweh, who made you, who formed you from the womb, who is your help. Isaiah 44: 1,2

"I, Yahweh, have called you to serve the cause of right, I have taken you by the hand and formed you; I have appointed you as a covenant of the people and light of the nations

to open the eyes of the blind, to free captives from prison, and those who live in darkness from the dungeon." Isaiah 42: 6, 7

Thus says Yahweh, your redeemer, who formed you in the womb; I, myself, Yahweh, made all things. Isaiah 44:24

Jerusalem Bible Translation*

Chapter 1

The snow was falling like soft rain outside Melody’s living room widows. Living in the country had it’s pluses and it’s challenges. Even though the family was snowed in, the scene looked like a living Christmas card in March and was still beautiful. All the evergreens and the distant hills were covered in a heavy blanket of purest white.

"At least I can’t see all the dog poop on the yard she thought happily. Owning a pack of wolf dogs was a big responsibility, not the least of which was having to confine them to the three acre fenced yard. All her life, Melody had been accused of being somewhat different.

Hey Mom!, Nathan shouted from his bedroom downstairs. Aren’t you going to work today? Nope, Melody answered, We’re snowed in, Son. I’ll have to make a million calls from home on the Center cell she thought; Oh well, that’s life.

---

From the giant willow tree on the south side of the yard, Joseph moved slightly. In this realm he looked like a giant, standing as tall as the twenty foot willow tree, now covered in glistening white snow. The bluish sheen on his feathers matched the glistening facets of the minion of snowflakes. His eyes glowed with pride as he observed his favorite subject. He was Melody’s protector, assigned with her well being as his main concern. As he gazed through her living room windows his eyes met hers. But she was completely unaware of their gaze. She picked up her work cell phone and answered the call.

Looking up Joseph saw the beautiful light streak across the clouds and he knew that Solomon was approaching. The clouds parted and the light fell on the snow bank and began assuming the posture of gold so familiar in this setting.

How are things going? Solomon smiled as he strode up to the willow tree.

She knows something is up, Joseph’s face softened, But she has no idea of the big bang that is approaching. It’s going to take all of her courage in the Father for her to keep her head above water, my friend",

The enemy army is advancing and the Father is going to allow it. But, He’s not going to let a hair of her head be destroyed in the end. Solomon laid a big strong hand on Joseph’s shoulder comfortingly.

Both of the angels looked around taking in the peaceful, earthly setting. It was hard to know that very soon a black cloud of enemy forces would be allowed to invade here. Yet, from eons of experience, they also knew it was the age old battle between good and evil; good would get it’s final victory.

---

It was Tarol at the other end of the line. She was the brand new President of the Board of Director’s of the Teen Pregnancy Center. Melody tensed up, wondering what she would want.

Amber and I want to meet with you on Monday morning, Melody, we have a few things we want to discuss, Tarol instructed coolly.

Hopefully the roads will be cleared after the weekend, Melody commented. What time would you like to meet?

Be there at 9:00 am, please., Tarol answered.

I will. Melody promised the clicked off the connection. It wasn’t a regular board meeting. I wonder what they want to talk about. Must be that tax receipt Natalie had requested. Melody had been going through so much with this board and to top it off, after Natalie had resigned as general board member of two years, she asked for a very large tax receipt for gift in kind which Melody could not agree to. Melody had researched it with the Center’s accountants and found it was not within their regulations. In emailing the board these details, however respectfully, she felt she might have once again tipped her hand of favor with the two member board of Tarol and Amber. Oh well, I’ll just put on some coffee and do my best to please them, her line of thoughts strung along.

The cell phone rang again, Hello, Oh, Hi Annette. You need help with your presentation preps? Sure, read it to me and I’ll do my best to critique you over the phone. "Melody went into her kitchen and began to unload the dishwasher as Annette, the Education Director for the Center began to read her a lengthy report. This would be a long day of work details. Sometimes Melody felt that the cell phone was a part of her physical anatomy, yet she really loved her work.

---

Hadrah flexed his fingers while he withdrew his long, sharp fingernails from the mind of Tarol. The anger which she had held in check so calmly as she placed her call to Melody began to seep out in black slimy streams from his pierce marks. Tarol was totally oblivious to Hadrah’s insidious work. She was mesmerized by her own hidden agenda. Hadrah’s main mandate was to promote hatred between those children of light that so disgusted him. Tarol was an easy prey since a lot of underlying work had already been done by others in preparation for this big battle the Dark One had designed. As tall as the ceiling, Hadrah had the appearance of a big, bulky boxer covered with scales like a rhino. His red, bulging eyes sparkled viciously as he anticipated the coming demise of one Melody Wolf. She had been so much trouble for so long now, and finally everything was in place to assure her final destruction!

EeeeeeYAHHHH! A piercing screech sounded from the corner of the curtained room. While sulfurous clouds erupted from behind the heavy drapes and the stench of yet another demon added to the atmosphere.

What the ******!, Hadrah’s mouth opened to scream vulgarities in return, not wanting to admit how startled he had been just now when Regeelah blew in.

A big grin sliced across Regeelah’s gums when he realized he’d caused some shock to his demonic side kick. Drooling with pleasure, he announced, Lord Dark commands us to make sure all the loose ends are tied up; the time is very near and he doesn’t want any slip-ups. Specifically, we’ve got to keep things hidden from those damnable angels so they don’t know our real agenda.

He doesn’t have to worry, Hadrah cajoled, Tarol is so full of our seeds it will be like blowing on a ripe dandelion. She’s not going to give us any trouble."

Well, I hope not, Regeelah remembered all the long hours he had labored to destroy the first church that Tarol and her family had attended. Being one of the Spirits of Religiosity, it had been his main job to work from behind the scenes at that stupid little God of Love" church. Since she represented a long line of generational curses, he had had an open door through her blood lines, but it was still a lot of work confusing the leadership into agreeing with those false abuse charges. Fortunately, gossip and rumor worked their usual destructive, helpful magic. They were so good at mixing just a speck of truth with a lot of lies until finally, the apple rotted from the core out; then, wallah!, the church fell apart. Success! The poor, broken pastor had a nervous breakdown which resulted in mental health counseling. Then his wife left him in humiliation, and the little flock just fell apart. Lord Dark had now seeded in false children of light with the real ones. What was left of the church began to try to pick up the pieces again. This time, the tares were very deeply sown.

---

Monday morning came too soon for Melody. She was not looking forward to the special meeting with Tarol and Amber. She managed to get her home chores done, then drove down the bumpy country road for five miles which then met up with highway 28. Thankfully, that was paved for the last ten miles to the small city of Woven where the headquarters for the Teen Pregnancy Center were planted. Melody’s big, old boat of a car felt like driving while sitting on a living room couch. She liked to refer to the 1986 Oldsmobile as The Silver Cloud making her family laugh. It was more like a gray tank in her son Nathans opinion. He thought his mom a bit eccentric, and he loved her that way.

As she was coming in from the south end of the city, Melody happened to see Tarol’s shiny black Mercedes going down the street just a block ahead of her. I sure hope I have time to get in and make the coffee before they arrive, she thought anxiously to herself. No, worries, Tarol was going to have a short premeeting with Amber to make absolutely sure they were on the same page. Melody had no foreknowledge of this. She parked her car and raced to unlock the doors, fumbling with her bundle of office keys She flicked the switch on the wall to turn on the lights. Then she hurried to the staff kitchen to get the brew going. There, that’s done. Now, she quickly set the soft atmospheric music and turned on the water fountain. Ok, fixing her hair in the mirror, Melody sent up a short little prayer for help. Please Lord, be with me in this meeting and help things to go well, she pleaded.

It wasn’t that God the Father wasn’t listening to Melody’s prayer. He knew exactly what was going on. Being the Alpha and the Omega, he also knew what the future outcome would be of the events that were now taking place.

Yes, I understand Father, Joseph disappeared into the wall just as Tarol and Amber came in and climbed the steep steps to the offices. Joseph needed to be invisible even to the unseen realm. There was a dark cloud of demons right behind the two women; they were completely unaware of them.

Melody had heard the door open and their steps on the stairs. Come on in ladies, she said invitingly. The coffee is just finished perking. Can I get you each a cup? They both nodded and Melody went to fix it the way she knew each woman liked it. She served the fragrant, steaming mugs to the desk top in front of Tarol and Amber. They had each taken a seat in her Administration office across from her desk.

Amber, with her short blond hair falling over her eyes, drew a short hot sip. Tarol did not. She proceeded to open her briefcase and take out a white page of paper. Melody, she began, the Board has decided to implement the letter of resignation" that we have kept on file for you. Her eyes looked steadily at Melody without any emotion as she continued, We realize that this comes as a shock to you this morning, however the board has decided we would like to have a fresh face and a fresh focus for this ministry; we think it is time that you leave. She looked away as she said, We want to express our thanks for all you have done I the past many years….

Tarol kept on talking, Melanie was not able to take in the false words of appreciation. All she could hear was, WE THINK THAT IT IS TIME YOU LEAVE. Leave. Leave. They were going to force her out of her position as the Executive Director of her beloved Teen Pregnancy Center after decades of service. Finally, she got a hold of her thoughts, managing to ask. Tarol, what is the new focus you want to have here?

"That’s none of your