Lilly And The Angel: Volume Two: Good Spirits and the Spirit Block

By Joseph L. Marshall

Lilly And The Angel

'Good Spirits and the Spirit Block'

-Volume2-

"Punishment has never been so WICKED!!"

ANIMOSITY! DISSENSION! FRICTION! RIVALRY!--these are the kindest ways to describe the underlying connection between this sullen, substitute Angel and his atrocious and chilly child-assignment.

The journey continues in this second installment of the epic three-part Novel, as Corinthian and Lilly fight for dominance in securing the upper hand between one another, all the while trying to fight through the barrage of enemies sent to attack them.

It is now Wednesday, two full days since the appearance of Corinthian Angel Creation Of God on earth as Lilly's Aegis, and already he has found himself in deep trouble--with little to no progress of achieving his ultimate goal of becoming an official Guardian Angel.

Corinthian now has to navigate through, and undo a major catastrophe (created by him) against Lilly, as both have raised the stakes within the physical and spiritual realm.

Lilly has never been worse, and as the days go by, her emotions are hinting 'moral conflict' as the defensive walls she has built around her life are starting to weaken against the faint whisper of the possibility of a world 'without the need of them.'

As stated before, "These two individuals are messed up, and in need of a serious intervention! Together, Lilly and Corinthian must let get go of their differences and trust in themselves, each other, and the \'Most High\' if they're ever to have a chance at the liberation, the validation and peace they both so desperately...yet so 'secretly' desire.

A rude Angel with a serious distaste for humans, an unmannerly six-year-old girl with an attitude larger than the city in which she lives; this could either be a recipe for disaster...or the very ingredients for a miracle!"

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 9, 2023
• ISBN: 9781639616657

Book preview

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Lilly And The Angel

Volume Two: Good Spirits and the Spirit Block

Joseph L. Marshall

ISBN 978-1-63961-664-0 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63961-665-7 (digital)

Copyright © 2022 by Joseph L. Marshall

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Preface

Introduction

Back Seat Blues

Weapons of Our Warfare

A Battle with Anger

Hot Heads

Memory Lane

When You Garden, You Grow

The Coals on the Bus Go Round and Round

Good Spirits and the Spirit Block

A LATA Facts Glossary

About the Author

The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers.

—M. Scott Peck

Acknowledgments

To my sister, Judith Marie Joyce Marshall Hill. You were there from the first day this miraculous storyline flooded my mind and have been an invested believer and constant uplifting force for me in the work since then.

For your ceaseless encouragement and selfless support of over twelve years of climbing to reach the finish line of completion—I just want to say, ‘thank you'.

Preface

To those who carry a dream within their heart that seems impossible to bring to life, know this—no road is perfect, even the smoothest of them have dips and indents.

No person is without blemishes. Even the most beautiful, strong, and gifted of them have unsightly areas and random levels of weakness.

Small steps get you to the goal just as sure as large ones. So if you have fallen, be brave and get back up. Time is of the essence, yes, but don't be imprisoned by it! No true level of success comes without its fair share of moments of heartache, silence, and failure. But the great rewards of life are given to those who endure.

So simply…endure.

So whenever you hear the high immortal chimes sound off into the open air…seven the times out of ten, an angel lingered there.

Laden clear in majesty…well-nigh—light, swift, nimble windfall. The keepers of light, so brave, so bright, dare rejoinder duty's call.

Ineffectual and adrift be the mortal eye to mark their mystic celestial way, though nonetheless t'was bitter mortal cries that beckoned Master, and thus knit both creations in single and common fray.

Introduction

Well, it's about time you returned! I was beginning to miss you.

So…you ready to get back to our adventure? Good! Now where were we? Oh yeah! Ahem…

Change, like a tiny mosquito, has a way of choosing its victim. Ever so gently, it drifts onto its prey and, with its stinger of destiny, sinks deep inside of a man, depositing something that agitates the very chemistry of what has become the norm, drawing out the best in him.

Something was changing inside of Lilly and Corinthian, and regardless of what was being said from Lilly's mouth and despite what Corinthian believed to be impossible, there was no denying the fact that a little drop of faith had gotten inside both Lilly and Corinthian.

The time had come, and both were now about to itch!

I welcome you to Volume 2… Good Spirits and the Spirit Block.

Chapter 13

Back Seat Blues

Wednesday

Lilly stood on her usual corner in front of The Big ‘Nacho-Taco' Stand, awaiting her bus's arrival. The entire night, Lilly's mind raced through frightful thoughts of what came out of her mouth the previous night. A myriad of questions now flooded her mind.

How did all of those things come alive yesterday? she thought to herself. What caused the protection to help me breathe underwater and save me from being bitten by the croc? And not to be spooky and all, but what was that scary thing hiding inside the glass door?

The morning walk to the bus stop was slowly becoming Lilly's favorite part of the day, being that since the punishment, this was her only time outside where she could be completely alone. But this Wednesday morning, however, brought little comfort as Lilly spent the time wrapping her mind around the events of yesterday.

The sound of a rolling pile of gravel beneath her black-and-white saddle shoes awakened familiar sounds of the crumbling laundry room walls as she revisited the night in her mind. Lilly couldn't believe that she made it out of that battle alive as Tuesday evening's evil home invasion played repeatedly in her mind.

It had all seemed so much like a bad dream, that before she left the house this morning, Lilly found herself compelled to peek inside of the laundry room before heading off to school. Lilly could still feel the high level of nerves within her as she swung the glass door open and entered the laundry room. Everything remained the way it had always been.

All articles of clothing remained neatly folded and put back into its proper place, along with the formerly vicious vacuum, piping, mats, and overturned boxes. Even the boils that had once been on Lilly's body from the fight had vanished completely.

Not one piece of evidence proving that what she experienced last night remained. Had it not been for the one fact that she still knew how to use the washing machine, Lilly would have just settled it in her mind that the entire event had been simply one big bad dream as she even turned the machine on and off several times before exiting the laundry room.

Standing on the corner, Lilly found herself feeling a remarkable need to squint as a blinding light from the sky above, dropped down over her face. Lilly placed her hands over her brows to shade herself from the glare as she looked up. To her amazement, the light became even brighter. Lilly found that the longer she forced herself to stare, the less she felt the need to squint. Lilly let out an excited gasp as her eyes fully adjusted.

There it was again, the same star from the laundry room that helped her save Lucas and Corinthian. On this morning, however, the star had become much larger and more accentuated in its features.

It was odd seeing it hovering in the air, smiling down on her pleasantly, as if she and the star were old friends. It looked kind, oddly powerful, and although she couldn't explain it, Lilly felt as if it were following her for her own good.

This strange moment with the star gleaming down on her didn't weird Lilly out in the least. In fact, ever since Corinthian's arrival, she had been finding it increasingly easier to accept the weird happenings both in and around her as normal. For example, her ability to keep calm enough to find key scriptures at very necessary moments where the atmosphere became scary and violent, this coming from a girl who wouldn't even raise her hand in class for fear of having a nervous breakdown.

Also, the odd strength that rushed through her body from time to time that allowed her the ability to accomplish things that would be impossible for the normal six-year-old girl to do. These were the things she thought about as the star drew closer.

From out of the top portion of the star opened two perfectly rounded firelit eyes, which danced warmly in their sockets like beautiful coals of gold.

It has real eyes! Lilly gasped.

The star was dressed with rich golden light that vibrated divinely against the sky.

The sight was intoxicating to look at. Lilly wasn't sure what the star wanted and decided to see not only if this thing could talk, but also to find out if it had any answers to all her recent troubles as well. Lilly fixed her mouth to speak when the bright star suddenly winked and disappeared.

This odd moment was now replaced by the sound of chattering children and the heavy footsteps of work-bound adults that came rushing around the corner, all headed to their several destinations as the star left Lilly stuck trying to figure out the meaning of such a strange visitation.

What also made this moment strange was the fact that nothing supernatural had ever happened before without Corinthian being around, but today was a new story.

Lilly looked back into the empty sky a final time.

Weird things! she said to herself quietly.

Lilly's rusty school bus eventually puttered up the street and jammed to a halt beside her. The putrid exhaust left black fumes parading through her hair, while inside the bus, several school kids plowed face-first into the seats in front of them with Oscar, as usual, grumbling something at the children as he clutched the door handle.

The doors flew open as Lilly looked up into the bus. Lilly felt hesitant to enter. Oscar rolled his eyes wearily.

Girlie, tell me we not doin' dis again. Please not-tuh-day. Oscar looked as if he were moments away from walking right off the bus and leaving the job completely.

Look, I haven't eaten, I'm kinda moody, I just cleaned up Norman Sackman's breakfast puke from off the floor, and now, we're half an hour late! Don't make dis any harder than it has to be, said Oscar, as if almost begging for Lilly to comply.

Lilly remained motionless.

Hey! he barked. Oscar De'Grucci waits for no kid, he protested, jamming three yam-shaped fingers into his bloated chest. Dis bus is leavin' in two seconds whether you're on it or not, hun, and trust me, I don't mind leaving you stand'n' here like a stick in da mud!

Lilly turned from Oscar and fixed her gaze at the rear windows of the bus. Just as she expected, there was Sorena and her cackling crew glaring out of the window at her from above. For a second, Lilly began strongly weighing the option of ditching school, as the thought of it seemed to be safer than the risk of enduring what was threatening to be the second most horrific day of her school life.

Mr. De'Grucci countered Lilly's silence with a raspy loudness.

Look, ya got till the count of two! he said in a threatening gesture. His rubbery chin and neck wobbled like an oversized turkey.

Oscar readjusted in his seat to face Lilly and narrowed his eyes.

"One…" The first count came with a generous pause in between.

Lilly's imagination kicked into overdrive as the street morphed into a scene right out of an old Western movie as her and Mr. De'Grucci's appearances turned into cowboys facing off against one another. Tickling their holsters defiantly, the two locked eyes.

Oscar now clenched slowly on the door handle. In retaliation to this gesture, Lilly squatted slowly to the ground and clutched the strap of her backpack, all the while keeping her thoughts fixed on the movements of his pudgy hand.

The locked gazes continued as they waited to see who would be first to give in and relinquish power in what was becoming an epic school bus showdown. Lilly's imagination now built up the anticipation as a dried-out bush the size of a house rolled past them in the wind, and then out of sight.

Let's see what this new power inside of me can really do, she said to herself.

Two— shouted Oscar abruptly, and with a fraction of a pause, took his stocky arm and yanked the handle with all his might.

The door swung shut.

Lilly's reaction proved to be even faster than Mr. De'Grucci's as she slung her backpack perfectly between the closing doorframes.

A few students cheered Lilly's excellent move silently, for fear of being overheard by Sorena.

Yeah, yeah… I taut ya might reconsidah! Oscar grunted with a prideful look of defeat. He couldn't help but be impressed however by Lilly's great toss. You got some kinda arm der little lady… I'll give you dat!

Lilly had even surprised herself with the accuracy; it was now certain that she had become stronger from the day before.

Now let's go. I'm trying to get you all to da school before next week! grumbled Oscar.

"Sheesh… Apple Valley, he muttered to himself. What was I thinkin'? Oscar sprayed a rather large and unpleasant bottle of deodorizer into the air to cover the lingering smells from Norman Sackman's accident before rolling down his window. Nevah choose Apple Valley over da Big Apple!" Oscar continued to fuss as Lilly eased up the stairs.

Reaching the top stair, Lilly's entire body now tensed as if waiting to be mauled by some sort of wild animal.

Sometimes I really hate dis job! said Oscar as he flung the door shut and slammed on the gas.

The weather-beaten bus shot forward, causing Lilly to trip over herself as she lunged forward awkwardly from the momentum. No one laughed this time. Instead, each seat remained strangely quiet. Lilly walked gingerly to her seat and strapped herself in as the lock echoed with a soft click.

It's finally over, she said to herself.

Letting her guards down, Lilly adjusted in her seat before building the courage to glance at the kids seated around her. Still, no words. Lilly turned her head toward the window and smiled in relief.

Things really can get better, she thought cheerfully.

The bus now sputtered down the road peacefully and rounded the final street toward the school lot. It was not long, thereafter, that Lilly noticed something odd had been tickling her back ankles as it brushed against her from below.

Lilly bent down and picked up the fluffy bag. Attached to it was a note written in permanent ink.

An apology gift for Lilly, the note said.

Full of frantic anticipation, Lilly scooped the bag onto her lap and ripped it open. Examining its contents, Lilly felt as if her heart would drop as she sat staring at the remaining pieces of a shredded and soiled Snuggle Bug. Leonard (being forced into participating in this hateful moment) began signaling to the girls that Lilly had finally opened the bag.

We hope you like it, said Sorena in a mocking tone.

For sure, for sure, said Aggie Fencer.

Like powerless drones, the bus erupted in provoked laughter as Leonard led the first heckle to which Samantha Mudwater shot him a jealous scowl.

Lilly burned inside. She knew that in just a few hours, Leonard would be with her in Ms. Lambert's classroom, begging to borrow a pencil or sheet of paper from her.

Wiesel! she said in a low whisper that only he could hear.

Leonard ended his laughing abruptly and snapped his beak-shaped mouth back over his protruding teeth.

Lilly looked back down at the bag and stared blankly at the desecrated particles of her shredded companion. It was an absolute mess. Lilly closed her eyes tight and escaped into her imagination. It was all that she could do in order to keep from crying right there in front of everyone as the sounds of laughing children and a fussing bus driver became all too much to bear. In an instant, the racket from the bus transitioned into heavy-squeaking sounds of rotating metal wheels and the loud hissing sound of an engine exhaust stack, as the sound of something large came to a screeching halt.

All aboard! yelled a placid-looking conductor from the front of an enormous black coach train that pulled up in front of Lilly.

Lilly was now standing outside of a train station on a smooth concrete platform, surrounded by a bright pale-blue sky and bordered with soft-swaying trees nestled around army-fatigue patterned mountains.

Where are you going, Snug? asked Lilly, who was now staring at Snuggle Bug nervously.

Snuggle Bug leaned her long and slender torso out of the train doors to greet Lilly. Her bandaged hands clutched a damaged suitcase.

All aboard! the conductor howled out again, only this time staring directly at Lilly with an annoyed expression as she continued in conversation.

Snuggle Bug pulled her sunglasses away from her beautiful green eyes ever so slowly.

I must go away, Lilly. Warm glittering tears came sliding down her bruised face.

Lilly felt heart broke. Will you ever come back to me? she asked.

"I don't know, Lilly. I really don't want to leave you, but I'm being forced to," said Snuggle Bug, maintaining her elegant and enchanting accent through the horrible pain throbbing inside of her body.

Why? Lilly asked sorrowfully.

"Someone…some…thing is after me. Snuggle Bug searched her surroundings nervously as if expecting something frightening to happen. Lilly… I promise, I'll find a way back to you!" said Snuggle Bug with compassion.

The train jerked into action and then pulled off slowly from the station. Black smoke billowed from the train's charred, howling spout.

Snuggle Bug reached inside the deep pocket of her long black trench coat and pulled out a folded piece of parchment with the words Top Secret written on front. Snuggle Bug tossed Lilly the paper.

"Look for me at the concert!" she shouted.

Lilly felt numb inside. With a labored smile, Snuggle Bug blew Lilly a final fly kiss and lifted her darkened shades back over her bruised eyes. Stepping onto the train completely, the doors closed in front of her at last.

Lilly unfolded the multiple folds from the paper, exposing a stick-figured sketch of her and Snuggle Bug. The two stood side by side in the drawing as the sketches came alive and began laughing and dancing in circles as they juggled the numbers one, four, three in the air toward one another. Lilly didn't understand the meaning of the numbers. Although for some reason, they seemed strangely familiar.

Lilly now watched as the sounding train stormed down the rickety tracks.

All right cut out all dat racket bak-der and get off my bus! said the train conductor in a fuss as his face slowly morphed into the stubbly features of Mr. De'Grucci.

Lilly's eyes now opened back to her lonely seat with a handful of cotton and cloth. Lilly sat still while the kids filtered off the bus, each child taking a moment to pause and stare at her as if examining some sort of strange zoo creature.

Jeez, where are your manners, Billy? prodded Sorena. The proper words after being given a gift are thank you.

Yeah, for sure, Aggie cackled.

Satisfied by Lilly's expression, the three girls pranced past her seat, snickering happily. Lilly waited in silence for the kids to exit before wrapping the dismembered doll and placing