“Our top story tonight concerns an explosion that occurred in Oklahoma today. We’re not sure what happened and no one has been able to get to the exact spot to give a report. It appears to have occurred between Miami and Bartlesville, but the news media and police alike are having trouble getting a fix on exactly where the explosion occurred.” A fuzzy picture of a rural area came on screen behind the anchorman’s head.
“Look! It’s the time warp!” Stilts walked to the set thinking he could see better up close. “See the shimmer? That’s what we’re looking for all right! Come on!” He started for the door.
“Wait a minute, Mr. Stilts, let’s see what they’re saying.” Zach’s dad held up his hand for silence as the commentator continued.
“The explosion registered a 5.7 on the Richter scale, but there’s no evidence of a quake and nothing seems to have been damaged. The most unusual effects of it seem to be in the area of time. No one can agree on the day or time within 300 miles.”
“That’s enough for me, too!” Sparrow looked at Zach. “How do we get to this Oklahoma?
“Well, we’re in Indiana right now. How about I show you a map? That will be easier than trying to explain.” Mr. Thomas reached over to the table where a road atlas lay. Zach opened it to a map of the US and showed Sparrow where they were and where they had to go. They were between four hundred and four hundred and fifty miles from Miami, Oklahoma.
“Do our miles correspond to yours, Sparrow?” Zach asked.
“I think they’re about the same. But we could get there quicker if we let Angari fly us there, I guess.”
“Who’s Angari?” Mrs. Thomas asked.
“Oh, boy. How do I explain Angari, Stilts?” Zach saw Angari leaning over the map on the far side of Sparrow.
“Let me try,” the old man said. “You see, in our land the angels are visible. Here, they aren’t. It must have something to do with your world being wounded. In any case, Angari would be known here as an angel. In our land they are called Alari because of their wings.”
“He has wings?” Sarah Thomas looked with awe at the spot Zach had
indicated. “He’s an angel? Did you say they are here as well? All the time only we can’t see them?”
“That’s right, Ma’am,” Sparrow spoke up. “Angari, do you think you could let the Thomases see you just this once?”
There was a long silence and then Angari changed before Zach’s eyes.
He began to glow; his garments became bright white and his skin golden bronze. Zach heard a gasp from his parents as Angari came into full view. Even Stilts and Sparrow stepped back a pace.
“Why don’t you look like that in Windfallow?” whispered Stilts, for once subdued.
“Because you couldn’t endure the sight of so many of us in this form.” Angari spread his glistening wings. “Can you imagine what it would be like to order us around if we looked like this?”
“Order you around?” Sparrow grew pale. “We do, don’t we? And we
never think a thing of it. Why do you let us?”
“Because we’re your servants. That’s part of our service to the Maker, to give glory to Him and to serve His people. Our service gives Him glory.”
GRANNY TALES 