The Angel (Part 2)

It felt as if I had been heavily asleep for days or even more.

I awoke to the sound of the most haunting music I had ever heard in my young life. The sound, the melody, the emotions they evoked.. my young mind could not begin to comprehend. I felt as if the instruments playing this music had a life of their own. I opened my eyes and realised I was still in that pit but strangely I was alone. It was not snowing as before neither was it as bitterly cold. It was daylight but unlike any daylight I had ever known. Radiant white light spread everywhere, shimmering, glowing like a thousand suns. I stood up and looked all around, confused, dazzled and afraid.

Perhaps I was dead. Then I felt sadness for my parents who were praying for me everyday back home far, far away. How I had missed them this past year. My sadness seemed to wash away with the music. Music emanating from walls around me, the trees and sky above me and the ground beneath me. I felt light, almost rejuvenated, I felt happy which made me feel even more confused.

And then I saw something, which changed my whole life.

In front of me stood a radiant being, about 15 feet tall, cloaked in glowing whitish gold light. I could notice a highly muscular frame taking shape in that light and then two enormous wings. It was an Angel. His gaze was looking upwards towards the sky, His wings were a mix of white and rose coloured feathers. I felt a strong surge of love running all around me and within me, I wept with poignant happiness, poignant sorrow, I wept at this spectacular sight, I wept with bliss, glowing with this light shining through my every pore, enthralled in this intoxicating music playing through the deepest recesses of my soul.

He looked at me with compassion in His eyes and smiled slightly. He did not speak a word but I knew what he was saying. He spoke neither in words nor in signs. I just knew what He wanted to say. I got a feeling, a sensation of immense strength from him as he moved His arms slightly and spread His wings wide for me to see him in all his glory. The more His wings expanded the more intoxicating was the music and the deeper the light appeared to glow through me. The questions uppermost in my mind whenever I would pray all those lonely nights was why did God allow such horrors, why evil people did what they did, why did the innocent have to suffer so.

As if to answer my question I found myself standing closer to Him, somewhere far away. It looked like another part of Italy, it was a sunny day and we were atop a large cathedral overlooking miles ahead almost as if the world was spread out flat on a table. As I gazed into the distance, I saw thousands of other winged beings, giant Angels everywhere, across all lands among people of different races and continents. Some people were peaceful, others were at war but wherever I looked I could Angels and these angels would walk amongst these people, help them as they went about their daily lives regardless of who they were or their circumstances.

Then I saw the Angels were standing with my family in India, my comrades who fought beside me and to my shock I found them with my enemy – the Nazi soldiers. I would have felt anger if that were possible, but the bliss evoked by the music, the light and the feelings of love coursing through my veins made it impossible for me to even entertain the thought of anger. The same light, the same music, the same love that was coursing through me was being sent into the hearts of the Nazi soldiers as well. There was an aura of darkness around them however; the darkness was their own fear, their own ignorance and their own pride. This was keeping the light from reaching into them.

I began experiencing feelings of forgiveness towards this evil regime. I began crying for them not out of spite or even pity but as if they were my own brethren who had lost their way. I began to wish dearly that the light which was blazing though me, would go through them as well, I could hear my own voice inside praying for them, praying deeper than I had ever prayed before. I only felt love and this love was more powerful than any weapon I had come across. For only a greater love could ever change intense hate into forgiveness and love. I could feel a sensation of love so strong that I knew if it touched the most hateful, vengeful person on Earth or even in hell, it would change that person forevermore.

I then noticed the ground I was standing upon, it was the muddy pit I had fallen into. I saw the Angel in front of me again. He was silent but He spoke to my heart, more than anybody I have ever known. I understood now that it was He who made the ground shake and open up, it was He who sent me to help these people and it was He who saved my life. The light subsided as did the music which seemed to be a heavenly piano, a hauntingly beautiful melody, no Earthly piano could ever reproduce.

His wings spread wide and His arms moved to the side, His presence signified strength in all its magnificence. I felt that I need never feel afraid ever again. Then He smiled at me and looked upwards and gently lifted off the ground. I vaguely remember the music and the light fainting into the hushed silence. The last sight before me was the rose and white feathers on His wings.

I heard a faint cry and turned around and found myself lying in the wet muddy pit I had fallen into. I saw the children screaming before me. I stood up almost in singular fluid motion realising where I was. It appeared as if no time had passed since I had fallen from the rock nearby. I could not hear any shots being fired. I signalled for the others to calm down and that I was not the enemy. I noticed that during the earthly tremors a small tree had fallen halfway into the pit. I climbed half way up the trunk of the tree to get a better look. I could not see anyone outside. No more gunshots and no more soldiers. Could the soldiers have retreated back to the nearby village, I asked myself.

I did not know Italian but motioned again for the group to quieten down once again. I climbed out of the pit and made a quick sweep of the area. Seeing no signs of anybody else, I assisted the people to climb out. They were in shock and wouldn’t be able to last in the biting cold for long. I was certainly not going to wait for the German soldiers to return. I cut the bonds that tied their hands and made them follow me back on the path I had come from. The young children were nearing exhaustion and I held five of them, two in each arm and one on my back.

It was with tremendous relief that we reached our base beside the hill and into safety. My Polish Commanding Officer, Bogdan Dverofwisk was absolutely dumbstruck. Instead of firing me for a serious breach of discipline, he came over and hugged me with all his might. It was then that I felt a jab of pain in my shoulder and arm. I may have passed out after that for later on I was told they removed 3 bullets from my right arm and shoulder and much blood was lost. It was inconceivable for anybody to have survived for as long as I did, let alone rescue a group of Prisoners who were to be executed. I knew this was possible only because of the Angel. The next day the Allies marched on ahead and took over the Village ahead of us. We fought many more difficult battles over the next couple of months.