April 27, 1994 a boy is born in heaven. The day is of no significance to anyone, but to an earthly boy, Kendall, and the boy born in heaven, Samuel. Kendall has no idea, or ever will that he is constantly being watched over by his guardian angel.
On earth the day is like any other. The birds are chirping, the grass is moist, and baby Kendall has just been born. In heaven, there is no rejoicing over the newly “born” Samuel. For the next three years Samuel will train in heaven for his upcoming task. As he knows his existence is at hand. In just sixteen short years the boy who was born on earth today is predestined to die. Before then, it is up to Samuel, the guardian angel, to help influence the right decisions. After sixteen years, if the boy does not have a change of heart, Samuel will die as well.
“Kendall,” says Jess, “If we don’t go now your mom is gonna be pissed!” Jess and Kendall have been best friends since the third grade. Kendall is tall and lankey with brown hair and a history of an uncaring dad whom he hasn’t seen since he was four years old. Jess is an average sized blonde who grew up in a large family with four older brothers, and being the youngest, never really felt noticed and at times loved. They’ve spent their whole childhood together getting into all sorts of trouble, but never regretting a second of it. They live a couple blocks from each other, and carpool with each other to school every day. The two are inseparable, but are two completely different beings at the root of their heart.
“Wait just a minute Jess, just one more role.” As he heaves the last role of toilet paper in the air the two take off to Kendall’s house. With just seconds to spare on curfue, the boys bust through the front door out of breath as they head upstairs with a quick goodnight to Kendall’s mom.
“Kendall, next time you plan on cutting it that close, let me know ahead of time so I can get a good stretch in before I book it four blocks.”
“Oh stop whining, maybe if you weren’t so slow we would have got back with plenty of time.”
“Whatever you say Kendall. We have to get up early tomorrow so I’m going to sleep.” As the two boys sleep, the angel Samuel frowns upon his’ boy. Kendall is now fifteen years old and Samuel has not been able to change his ways. The angel only has eight days left to change a boy whom he hasn’t been able to for twelve years. At one point, when Kendall was thirteen, Samuel thought he had finally reached him and made his heart pure with good intentions, only for him to go back to being a teenage punk. The angel has failed to reach him since, and seems he may die soon. The angel begins to ponder on the thought of vanishing out of existence. Should he give up? Is it too late to change him? Samuel cannot believe the thoughts he’s thinking. “If I shall change this being, I must do so with all spirit and mind. Angels are assigned one human once every century. The heart of the male or female must be totally consumed by hate and evil that it calls for a guardian angel. I am the angel. I must take complete control of his heart or otherwise parish.
The next several days went on and Kendall didn’t seem to change. School dragged by as they went through the same routine day after day. Friday, it was the day before Kendall turned 16. All day the two things he would think about were getting his license, and if he would be getting a car or not. When Jess and he sat down for lunch, Kendall just rambled on about his party or how cool it was going to be to not have to carpool any more. Jess just sat there and listened and figured he could take one day of it. School got out and Jess dropped Kendall off at home. When Jess got home he put two concert tickets in a box and wrapped it for tomorrow. As he was wrapping it, he thought to himself, “Why am I friends with a guy who never cares to hear what I have to say or doesn’t respect my opinions on any matter?” He sat and pondered on it for quite a bit of time. While he was sitting there, he thought back to the days when they were just kids. The times they would pick on the same girl because of a crush, the times they would go camping with Jess’s family, even the times they would fight for no apparent reason. After he finished his deep thinking, he realized Kendall had been through a lot in his life, without a father and all. The stress of always having to be the man of the house at his age was a big responsibility. Jess figured if Kendall needed someone to rely on every once in a while he would be there.
It was Saturday. “Good morning Mr. Sixteen!” said Kendall’s mom.
“Yeah.” The way he replied one might think something terrible had happened.
“Whats wrong Kendall?”
“Nothing,” and he walked out the door.
When he got to school he talked to no one. Jess couldn’t even get a glance. All day his face fell in his hands, and his shoulders slumped to the floor. When it seemed like he was listening he was really just staring off into space. Not deep in thought, but like his body was empty. His movements were just motions of the arms and legs. When it was time for lunch he was nowhere to be found. Jess and Kendall sat together at lunch every day. When he didn’t come Jess left his lunch and ran out of the school. As he ran to the parking lot to find Kendall he saw him pulling out onto the highway. He quickly ran and got in his car to follow Kendall. He followed Kendall out of town for about fourteen miles. Suddenly Kendall pulled over at a gas station that had gone out of business. Jess stayed in his car as he watched Kendall slam his way through the door. Jess had waited long enough. He got out, and made his way into the gas station. Inside it was pitch black with just the light from the door as a source of light. “Kendall?” he called out. No answer. Jess was extremely tense and worried now. He reached and pulled out his phone from his pocket. Just as he did he felt a cold hand on his. “Kendall?” As Jess turned around to see he could see no one there, but still felling the lifeless hand clutched to his. “????,” said a voice. The voice was deep and powerful. Not knowing the language or origin of the voice, Jess knew it was time to leave. This was between Kendall and something of tremendous presence. He walked to the door, not in a hurried sense, but in a calm and collect manner. He was not terrified or uncomfortable in any way, only a bit confused. When he got outside, he pulled out his phone to call for help, an explanation, anything. When he opened it the screen went black. There was no battery. Without warning a thunderous sound came from inside. A few seconds later a hand reached around the moldy edges of the dilapidated up gas station wall. Out came Kendall. Completely unharmed, and most shocking of all, a smile on his face. “Kendall? Whats going on?”
Ignoring the question Kendall replied, “Hey buddy, what are you doing out here? We should be in school! Don’t want to get in trouble before I have my sweet sixteen party.” He hopped in his truck and headed back into town. Jess stood there a minute looking at the trail Kendall had taken back to his car. Words could not describe the feelings or thoughts going through him. Slowly he got back in his car, put it back in drive, and headed back as well.
When school got out that day, Kendall came up to Jess for the first time after seeing each other at the gas station and jokingly asked him what his present was going to be. With no question or comment on the earlier events, he replied “It’s a surprise.” They both then went home and got ready for the party that night.
It was 7:00. Jess honked in front of Kendall’s house to let him know it was time. Again he walked out with a smirk on his face. “Hey Jess, it is my birthday and all so you mind if I drive?” Without words Jess got out of the car and into the passenger seat.
The drive was pretty quiet with small talk here and there. “Hey Jess we’re about five minutes away.” As Jess turned to reply he looked at Kendall, he saw tears flowing from his eyes, but never blinking or moving to wipe them away. “Jess” he said. “I hope you know that I love you. You’ve been my best friend for eight years. You’ve been there when no one would. You comforted me when I was desperate for a friend. There’s no one else in the world like you. ???? ????.” There was the voice again. But this time from Kendall. Again he could not understand the meaning, but something in his eyes told him, goodbye. Suddenly the brakes slammed and the car swirved off the side of the road, nearly missing a car who had come from the other side of the road into their lane. The bright lights from the car blinded Jess long enough for the car to run into an advertising pole and knock him out.
It was 10:00 am. Jess woke up in the hospitable dazed and weary. His room filled with flowers and cards and a nurse at his bedside. “How do you feel?” asked the nurse. Disregarding the question Jess asked, “Where is Kendall?” The nurse then turned around and walked out of the door without a reply. A minute later Jess and his family walked in with a sigh of relief. “Honey,” said Jess’s mom, “we were worried to death about you.”
Again disregarding the previous sentence Jess asked, “Where is Kendall?”
His mom bent down by his bed and told Jess about the crash and how Kendall swerved off of the road to avoid an oncoming vehicle. His mom then explained that Kendall died at the impact of the collision. In disbelief, frustration, and love for his lost friend Jess broke down in tears just as Kendall had the night before.
Watching from above, Samuel smiled. Kendall in another place, never remembering all that had happened to him that week, or the guardian angel who protected him his whole life. As for Jess he grew up to become a minister, telling the story time after time for those who wanted to listen. He never did find an answer to what had happened that day. Some days he would just find a nice spot to lie down and look back on all the times they had spent together. Not to find an answer, but solely to remember the happy times and the love they shared together.