celestial marriage 2

         Artie captured a room on the verge of combustion. Ozone and the coppery scent of ventilated blood slammed him backward. Leah's eyes gazed forth from a petrified face, contorted in death. Evidently she had suffered a stroke during one of her Mystery Bleeds.
           "NO-o-o-o!" The howl of a thousand suns breaking.
           The beatific  man grappled with Artie with the strength of many. "Don't touch her! Not yet!"
            "You monster! What have you done?"
            Once more Artie moved toward the bed, and once more the man in the frontier butternut shirt prevailed, throwing Artie to the floor. A heavy boot slammed down.
            Tannhauser clubbed Artie's adversary with a split log. "Verdamnt!"
            Then he helped his young friend and they went outside to the truck.
            "Oh, my God, Otto! She's dead!"
            "Jah." Suddenly Tannhauser seemed winded. He sat down in the grass. Ashen.
            Artie handed him a beer. "Hang tough, old timer. I'm going back in."
             Inside the room, he felt composed. The man with raven hair and eyes of burning obsidian stood akimbo, full of sorrow.
              "Who are you?" Artie's voice steeled his own mind.
              "I am her Celestial Brother."
              "I don't quite understand."
              "You knew she was different. You must have!"
              Leah's body subtly grew illuminated with an inner light, her flesh the delicate hue of the hibiscus rose of sharon.