Some time/where between getting back from Bossman, and going for that shitty drive, I went to see a play. It was supposed to be one of those audience interactive productions where the fourth wall is banished and the play literally changes from the audience’s reactions and responses. So exclusive, you could not buy a ticket. No amount of power, currency, or threats could bring you a ticket. Instead, the people putting on the play distributed tickets to those they felt would be a good audience member.
I got a ticket.
Damn right, I’m going.
But as I walk up to the theatre, I realize my ticket is gone! Excuse me while I panic and put on a drama of my own. The envelope had been sliced open and glued after the theft. Excuse me while I get fucking pissed off as fuck.
The power to the block shuts down. The nearly complete night embraces all. I stop throwing a temper tantrum. There are shouts from the direction of the theatre. I see people being escorted away from the building, their path lit by candles? Candles?
I hear the flapping of wings. A dark feathered figure in a crumply trenchcoat descends. I look at the appearance in disbelief. “Apostate. Good. You are safe.”
“That’s an odd greeting to hear from an angel.”
“You do recognize this form then. This is good. I do not take on human appearances often. I was told you would accept this as neutral, given your history with us.” The angel looks like Castiel from Supernatural. Misha Collins would be jealous.
“Neutral you come to me, neutral I accept. Does the staff require assistance? What has happened?”
“A person stole your ticket and claimed to be you. The box office identified the deceit and forced the thief away. One of the other attendees noted that such events do not happen to you randomly. That you were being kept away from the theatre for a beneficial reason. Your assigned seat was checked, and explosives were found.”
“Under my seat?” The angel nodded. ‘But… why… me… wait… The production would involve audience participation. Everyone knows my affinity with fire… I was supposed to be the trigger?”
“A sweep of the seats were made, other detonation devices were found, each attuned to the affinity of the person assigned to that seat. It was decided the risk of collected etheric energies that already assembled audience members were giving off were too great. All power sources were shut down, the theatre is being evacuated, and I was requested to find you and prevent you from approaching the theatre lest you find other devices before the authorities do.”
I think about my temper tantrum, and cringe. I almost flamed up in gratuitous display. “Okay. I’m leaving the area then. Thank you, Angelus.”
I left the City entirely, wandering through worlds for a moment. I wound up at a very familiar place. They recognized me and greeted me like an old friend. The Singer of the people called me ‘Father’. I was tired. I asked for a swallow of water and the shade of a tree. The Singer led me to his hut, fed me, and told me to rest inside. It wasn’t until I was almost fully asleep that I recognized where I was and with who. Outside the hut, I heard the Singer tell of the Woman That Became A Man, he told them of me.