The setting starts in a train, Controllers checking tickets

“Farhrschein, bitte”

The voice of the ticket controller jolted the teenage girl back into attention. With dreamy eyes, she looked at the Controller as if asking “why are you disturbing my thoughts?”

“Farhrschein, bitte”, repeated the Controller.

Suddenly, the girl comes into full attention. Her heart started pounding wildly, simultaneously, sweat broke out on her face and under her armpits. She was instantly uncomfortable and jittery. The Controller noticed her discomfort and knew exactly what it meant. She had no ticket to board the train. The penalty was 40euro.

With cold patience of a vulture waiting for its victim to die before it will scavenge its flesh, the Controller stood watching her rummage through her rucksack searching for a ticket both of them knew was not there. By now, the other members of the controlling team, having finished checking the other passenger, stood by watching the two of them.

Finally, the Controller broke the awkward silence in a monotone “Ausweise, bitte”.

The teenager was more confused than frightened. Today of all days. She had promised her mother she would stay at home but, her friends had called that they were meeting to meditate and get power. It was going to be exciting. All the stuff about Halloween and the ability to fly and do magic, just as she has seen in the movies. She was looking forward to an exciting afternoon then a quick dash back home before her mother returned from work. She was quite sure she could make it there without getting caught, since she hadn’t seen the controller in weeks. Returning would have been no problem since she could collect money from her friends.

All these thoughts raced through her mind. Meanwhile, the Controller had brought out his pen and forms waiting for her identity card.

“Naomi”

Her head jerked suddenly in the direction of the voice calling her name. Right before her stood a very tall and strongly built black man. He had a puzzled look on his face as he asked: “Naomi, why did you not tell them your ticket is with me?”

All she could do was gape at him. “Who is this? How did he know my name?”

Turning to the Controller, the stranger said, “This is her ticket”.

“Are you together?”

“Yes replied the stranger. We had to sit separately because the train was crowded when we entered”.

“Where is your own ticket?” The Controller queried the man.

As if waiting for him to ask, the man produced another ticket.

All the Controllers pooled around immediately scrutinizing the tickets with forensic detail. Both are valid.

But the Controller was not satisfied. “What is your name?” He asked the teenager?  “Naomi”,  came the replied.

“May I see your identity card, please?”

She brought it out with confidence. Satisfied that her name was Naomi, the Controller returned it and stepped back.

“Come” said the stranger; there are vacant seats in the front.”

Without waiting for her to reply, he took her by the hand and gently pulled her after him. She was only too happy to be led away from the group of Controllers who by now were regarding her with a sad look of a vulture whose prey suddenly came back to life, before it started tearing its flesh.

The stranger chose a seat far away from the controllers, while the other passengers were watching the scenario had puzzled looks on their faces.

They had scarcely sat when the question came rattling out of the girls mouth. “Who are you?”

“How did you know my name?”

“Where did you get the ticket from?”

The stranger simply said, I am your angel”.

“Angel?” gasped the teenager immediately, all the eyes in the vicinity looked in their direction, more puzzled than shocked.

“You are an angel?”

“Why don’t you look like one?”

“But, but” stammered the girl, “angels are white not black”.

“I am your guardian angel”. The stranger continued. “The outside complexion does not matter to God. It is what is on the inside. Remember, Judas Iscariot was white, while Rufus who helped Jesus carry the cross was black.”

“So you are a real angel?” Wow! Do you actually fly? Where are your wings if you are a real angel?”

 The angel ignored all her questions and said simply:

“Go back home”.

“Why?” You don’t know where I am going”?

“You will get into trouble where you are going. Your friends are going into Satan worship and want you to join them.

Use the ticket in your hand and go back home.”

“I don’t understand” protested the girl. “It is just a game and fun, everyone does it. I mean all the children in the school are talking about it.”

“There is nothing pleasant or funny about the devil and witches. They are evil. Go back home, Naomi.

I will see you later.”

By now the train had reached Hauptbahnhof and they were standing on the platform. Some of the passengers stood by watching the two of them cautiously.

“Why did you come to me?” I do not pray and we do not go to church at home?”

“Your grandmother in Africa prays for you every day. It is her prayer that God answered.”

“Go back home, Naomi. I will see you again

“When will you come back?”

“Whenever you have a situation you cannot handle”, he replied.

As he stepped back to enter into the train again, which for strange reason refused to leave the platform, she asked “What is your name?”

“Karis”