Chapter 6 – August 2025

Previously on Heaven, Hell or High School…

Nuriel is an angel who’s been stripped of his Heavenly powers and sent to Earth for the sin of Pride – his sentence to live out one human life … and go to high school.

Lamia is stalking him at school and haunting him at night.

At least his angelic friend, Anahita, is on his side.

I hurried from the library, breaking into a run. In the back of my mind, I marvelled at my body’s ability to move at this speed, enjoying the rush of air through my lungs, the way my heart beat in a solid rhythm. There was great pleasure in the wonders of the human body and I felt awe for our Creator.

But I was also eager to stop the evil I’d seen brewing in Lamia’s eyes.

The young couple from the coffee shop were sitting close together, the boy’s arm casually slung around the girl’s shoulders, and they were smiling at each other. The girl sighed happily and rested her head on his arm, a sound and gesture of complete contentment.

It didn’t last long, and Lamia had a head start on me.

“Oh, look at you guys! You’re so cute together.” She smiled at the girl, careful to hide her fangs. “It’s really brave of you to give him another chance.”

The girl blinked rapidly, her gaze shifting guiltily. The boy scowled.

“Who the hell are you?”

Lamia gave a conspiratorial smile.

“In my opinion, once a cheater, always a cheater. But it’s great that you’re able to forgive him. Wow!”

The girl’s face paled, her eyes flashing towards her boyfriend, and I saw Lamia’s lethal dart land squarely in the girl’s heart as I raced towards them.

“Max isn’t a cheater,” she said, but her voice lacked certainty.

Lamia tossed her hair, a careless, carefree gesture.

“Seriously, I think it’s great that you’re going to give it another go, but really? You don’t think he’s a cheater? Keep telling yourself that, honey. Of course, everyone here knows the truth. Everyone except you.” Then she smiled slyly at Max. “Behind the bleachers, last football game…” She turned to the girl. “You thought he was an awful long time fetching that hot dog, didn’t you, Bonnie. Well, maybe he was playing hunt the hot dog, if you know what I mean. Just not with you.”

Bonnie turned to her boyfriend, her hand fluttering anxiously at her throat.

“Max? Max, what is she saying?”

I arrived at the scene, panting, too late to stop the damage. Even so, I tried.

“Do not speak, dem— Lamia!”

“No!” cried Bonnie, her lips flattening. “I want to hear what he has to say.”

Max’s gaze swiveled to me.

“And who the fuck are you?”

Bonnie stood up, her expression furious, and Max turned his attention to her.

“This is total bullshit, Bonnie!”

I grabbed the demon’s arm, my flesh recoiling as I touched hers for the first time, icy and repulsive. As I pulled her away, she spied another victim walking unwittingly into the fray.

“Hmm. And I think that you…” pointing at the new girl, “I think you know exactly what I’m talking about … behind the bleachers with him.”

The girl looked shocked – and utterly guilty as she tried to bluster her way out of it.

“What? Max Sanders – um, no way!”

“Hell, no!” Max retorted, his lip curling with disgust.

I tugged harder on Lamia’s arm and she shot me a look of dark enjoyment.

“God, you’re such a loser, Max!” the second girl sneered. “And it so wasn’t worth that five seconds of my life.”

Bonnie’s lips turned white.

“How could you?” she whispered, her voice trembling.

Max looked distraught, and very, very guilty.

“I … it didn’t mean anything. She’s nothing.”

“Hey!” the other girl yelped.

Bonnie slapped Max so hard, dozens of students turned at the sound.

I dragged Lamia away, her body suddenly weak with laughter.

“Oops! One to me. Wait, make that two! Or is it three?”

“Why did you do that?” I asked helplessly.

She rolled her eyes.

“Because I can. Anyway, I thought you angels were all about truth and honesty, or are you saying that those things don’t matter?”

I was silent.

“Thought so,” she muttered, then pulled out a small notebook from her pocket and wrote in the names of Bonnie and Max, placing a checkmark next to them, and a question mark next to the unnamed girl.

Then she winked at me and walked away.

I couldn’t say my day improved after that, and I truly knew that Father was testing me. My despondency grew. I had nothing in common with these humans swirling around me, no point of connection, no understanding of the things that made them happy or sad, no clue as to why I seemed to rouse their irritation and their desire for mockery.

When it was time to end the day, I was as desperate to be freed of the high school’s confines as any of the other students: perhaps we had something in common after all.

I mused on that question all the way home, pushing my bicycle which seemed to have developed a flat tire during the last few hours.

But the walk home went some way to ease my heartsore thoughts. It was a beautiful day and the breeze was warm and gentle. The heat of the day had begun to pass and the air was full of the scent of wild flowers. In the distance, I could hear the sound of waves lapping against the shore at the base of the rugged cliffs.

When I saw Anahita sitting on the porch in a rocking chair, I smiled to myself. She was reading a copy of William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience.

I knew very well that her favorite poem was ‘The Lamb’, whilst mine was ‘The Tyger’.

She looked up, her smile dimming as she saw my weary state.

“Hello. How was school?”

“Hell.”

Her smile wilted still further.

“Surely it couldn’t have been that bad?”

I shook my head in despair.

“I mean it. I counted all the cardinal sins – several times, and mortal sins. And that was just the teachers. I lost count of the blasphemy. And … Lamia was there.”

“What? Why? What was she doing there?”

“What she always does: sowing seeds of discord; making humans unhappy.”

Anahita looked worried.

“You must stay away from her, Nuriel.”

I slumped onto the floor of the porch at her feet.

“I can’t, Annie. You know I can’t. I can’t let her win.”

She shook her head.

“Father will judge her and punish her. That’s not your job.”

“I can’t stand by and do nothing!”

“Nuriel! That attitude, that pride – these things are what got you into this mess in the first place! Father knows best.”

I bit my lip.

“The other kids think my name is ‘weird’. They think I’m weird, and they said that a lot. They want to call me Rell.”

Anahita gave me an appraising look.

“You should try being more human.”

“How? How do I become more human when I’m already human!”

“Yes,” she said, sounding vexed, “that is a conundrum.”

I sighed.

“And everything hurts.”

“Are you injured?” she asked, sounding worried.

“I don’t know. I don’t think so. But my feet hurt, my head hurts, my back hurts, and there’s something wrong with my stomach. I didn’t know pain hurt so much.”

“Did you eat today?” she asked.

“Eat? You mean, food?” I asked, puzzled.

“Well, of course I mean food!” she smiled in amusement. “That’s probably why your stomach hurts. It’s empty.”

“Oh,” I said, feeling foolish. “Right. Food. I’m never going to remember all this.”

“And … well, don’t take this the wrong way … but have you been to the bathroom?”

“Why would I …?”

Understanding warred with embarrassment, heating my cheeks, turning them scarlet.

Anahita coughed politely.

“Well, apart from that – and Lamia – how was it?”

I shook my head.

“Awful. None of the students seemed to want to work. Well, maybe one. And they disrespected the teachers all the time. It was like Sodom and Gomorrah. But with better clothes. I’m exhausted.”

I closed my eyes and let the sun warm my skin.

“Well, don’t get too comfortable, you have to clean the house yet.”

My eyes snapped open.

“Clean it?” I said, aghast. “Why didn’t you do it? You still have your powers.”

She gave me a knowing look.

“I can’t. You know I can’t. I can only advise you – I’m not allowed to actually do anything. You know the rules.”

I did.

Lurching to my feet, I walked inside the dark and gloomy house for the first time. It was even worse than I’d thought.

Dust rose with every footstep, and I saw thick strands of spiderwebs in every part of the house.

The bathroom was stained and dirty with an unpleasant, musty odor.

For the first time in my human life, I made water, faintly repulsed by the oddity of my person. How ridiculous the male member was.

At least, that’s what I thought then; later, I had reason to rethink my position. But that was still some way off.

I tried to wash my hands, but the faucet coughed and spluttered, choking out rust-colored water.

What would the other students at school say if they saw this? What would Lamia say? If she managed to stop laughing.

I stared into the filthy, cracked mirror.

“This sucks,” I whispered.

The phrase made me smile. It was completely meaningless and yet somehow summed up exactly how I felt.

“This sucks!” I yelled, laughing at how preposterous this day had been

Knowing nothing would improve unless I did it myself, I resolved not to be beaten.

“Cleanliness is the way to godliness and godliness is the way to balance mind, soul and body. Being clean means keeping ourselves physically and mentally clean. Keeping our body clean, tidy and well-dressed makes us smart enough to get confidence and positive thoughts,” I said to myself.

Oh, that’s not something Father said, in case you were wondering. That was said by the English cleric John Wesley quite recently. In 1778, I believe.

“This sucks!” I shouted as loudly as I could.

Anahita’s voice floated up the stairs.

“This is life. It’s a gift.”

Again, I laughed.

I swept the floors and the ceiling and the walls, then I let the water in the faucets run until after some minutes, it was clear and fresh, then I washed and scrubbed everything in sight.

I was tired, exhausted, but I felt a sense of achievement, too.

It was dark by the time I’d finished, and I collapsed face first onto the bed. I was just drifting asleep when I heard Anahita’s silvery voice beside me.

“Sleep well, angel.”

Anahita

I kept watch as my dear friend slept, marveling at the changes in his person and in his demeanor. He had been so unhappy when he’d returned from the school, and yet smiling as he’d exhausted himself cleaning the hovel.

I was still puzzling on that thought when I sensed the icy presence of evil.

Lamia was outside, watching the house.

“What are you doing here?”

“Just keeping an eye on our boy,” she answered breezily.

“That wasn’t the agreement,” I replied stiffly.

“Don’t get your panties in a bunch,” she laughed crudely. “I’m leaving now. Anyway, you know he’s going to fail.”

“He won’t!” I said sharply.

“Don’t be so sure,” she snarled, her fangs showing. “Feelings are tricky for humans. All those pesky emotions: fear, envy … love … hope. Your boy is going down.”

“Leave, demon!” I roared, God’s Spirit moving through me.

I conjured a great vine to drag away the demon from the house. Lamia’s eyes blazed with fury and flames shot from her hands, blasting my vines with fire, and she disappeared wreathed in smoke.

I fell to my knees and prayed.

“Lord, I lift up my eyes to the mountains — where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and Earth. Father, I need you this night…” 

Look out for Chapter 7 in my September newsletter!