Perkins couldn't believe what had happened.
That angel threatened him with a sword? He wondered if he should call the police, but would they really care? It was an angel after all... But no. It couldn't really be. Why would she recite such bile and hatred unto God? Not only to Him, but also himself. To be treated so condescendingly, with no respect as a devoted follower. To be spoken to with disdain and contempt... sheer mockery and cheek. Why? For what purpose? Why would she provoke them like this? Why would she mock the form that God decided he was to be in? He objected a bit to being a turtle, but to be made fun of it by an angel?
The turtle transformed man was quite angry about it all. He used his mobile phone to call his brother, feeling quite shaken. "Hey.. yes well, the protest isn't going so well. They brought weapons..."
There was a pause on the line.
"No- We didn't... they did. The devils. They have an angel with a sword... nearly killed me!" Admittedly an exaggeration... but... it certainly felt like she was about to.
There was another pause on the line as the two talked. "Yeah... I think you're right. I'm out of here," Perkins said quickly. He just wanted to protest but if this was going to become a real fight, he didn't want any part of it.
... he should warn some other friends to stay away. He quickly sent text messages to a few others, about what happened. He said he was fine... but what he did not anticipate was the message to go viral.
That was how it started. The word got out. And as soon as it had, the situation became inevitable.
Friends spoke to friends, most urging caution to go anywhere near the street the church was on. Others heard with intrigue, as the story changed at each reiteration. A devil priestess was corrupting the youth, an Angel was enslaved by the devil changed... still more incredibly audacious stories flooded the internet, within an hour as the story of a sword became a gun and an argument became an assault. People became whipped into a frenzy of fear and wounded pride. The religious spoke of the need to defend their faith against insult by any means necessary, while opportunists considered their own involvement in this...
The sword had been raised, and what started as a peaceful barbecue...
... was about to become a riot.
The police were prepared, and came in force. Shields were drawn and a perimeter formed around the church in seconds. Even more police vans, arrived on the scene. The devil-changed had been ushered away to safety for their own protection, most making it back to Hell's kitchen. That their door was now easily accessible here, was a testament to how bad things had become in the last few hours.
The lack of the presence of devil creatures did not abate the mob. The groups raised their voices in anger and hate, calling for blood.
The police stood firm, doing their duty. Then rocks were thrown, and it was as if lightning struck the crowd. They pushed and yelled, smacked, attacked... beat all who stood in front of them, as the police re-organised themselves to deal with the crisis.
The church's windows windows had been smashed in, and there was glass everywhere. The smell of burning oil from makeshift petrol bombs hung in the air. Another group taunted the police, and hurled whatever they had at them. One even tore off his shirt throwing that. People were wounded, property destroyed... it was chaos.
It took an hour before the police had retained control... many of them were simply anarchists. They saw a moment to fight, and this was their moment. The church had been looted, and everything of value taken. Including the silver mirror. There was no sign of it.
"That makes 30 arrests so far," Said an officer. "One of them.. with a gun," he said grimly. This was turning into one of those dark nights every police officer feared. When everything went to hell. Still that they were here made sure they snuffed out the riot before it got really out of hand. There were no reports of death, fortunately. It had been contained to maybe no more then 200 individuals. Far worse nights had happened...
"Any sign of that priest?" The police asked.
"No..." said the dog-like creature.
The look of grave concern on the sergeants eyes as he glanced to the church was unmistakable. Everyone knew what he was thinking. "And no answer at his- I mean her home address?"
Another shake of the head. "We have people stationed at her house. Seems it also had it's windows smashed... but it doesn't look like she was in at the time."
"I want everyone passing this way to be checked for weapons. They are to be arrested and charged."
Robert had watched the early moments... it was all going so peacefully.
The devil kind had their little place, selling meat, the angels-changed were bringing their lot and mingling... where the group came from, she had no idea. But they didn't just come down the street, they poured in. A mob, like a plague of locusts, descending on her church. They were also armed, with everything they could find. Bats, clubs, knives, even a sword... looking at their eyes, she feared some may even have guns. They were looking for a fight...
... and they found one. An angel, brandishing her sword, held the line at first... and the mob descended on her. Robert prayed to God that nobody was hurt, but even up here, she could sense blood.
The police were already on the scene before anything further had happened. Hundreds of them. As soon as what amounted to an armed guard appearing, some fled, others surrendered... but a few picked on the police. There was so much anger. What had happened to spark it? The devil changed were taken away, and the angels went with them. They were unable to access their own door...
Robert glanced to her left, knowing the door was there too... waiting to take her to safety. The window's of her church were smashed at that point...
"I'm sorry Lord... it's my fault..." She said softly as she stared at the brick, and the pounding doors as someone tried to force entry.
... and the priestess knew she had lost. After this day, nobody will come to her church again. She despised the person she used to be. Perhaps she was like these people once, but she wasn't any more. Maybe it wouldn't have happened if she didn't change, but she did change. She opened up the bible looking at a verse.
For all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword
There was something worse then to be a devil kin. She was the instrument of violence. They fought for her and against her. Being a priest, wasn't worth this violence... she shouldn't be defended. She wasn't worth being defended!
She decided to slip away, during the fight...
... it was time to leave.
