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unknowingly into the line of fire in a battle. However, this is no longer a war zone. The angels of Michael and Gabriel have fled. Most of us will be rejoining our legion; only a few will remain. They will remain to assure your safety. I do caution you, however, to make no attempt to visit the City of Zion during the next few days. There are still pockets of resistance there as well as unstable and crumbling buildings. Do this for your own safety. I assure you, all will be rebuilt, all set right.”
    The unexpected visitation had caught all by surprise, to say nothing of the eloquence of this demon commander’s speech. It was, in the end, Jennifer who responded.
    “For thousands of years, your master has been the sworn enemy of all humanity. Now, suddenly he wants to be the ruler of the very race whose job it is to safeguard us. Back where I come from we have a saying about that. We call it ‘the fox guarding the chicken coop.’”
    That brought a few chuckles from members of the congregation, here and there. Mostly it brought a hushed silence.
    For a moment it seemed as if the demon lieutenant did not seem to understand the reference. Then he responded. “We are not foxes, and you are not chickens. During those thousands of years you speak of, it was us and our testing of humanity that separated the goats from the sheep. I hope that you will forgive me, but I overheard your previous comments about our activities in Hell. I wish to respond.
    “You find what we did to the humans sent there to be reprehensible. That is your right. But allow me to ask you this: Would you prefer to have the likes of Genghis Khan or Adolph Hitler here in your midst? What would their presence and that of those like them do to the environment of Heaven? Like it or not, we serve a useful purpose in the history of humanity. If you prefer an analogy, so be it. The Father separates the wheat from the chaff, and we in turn burn that chaff. When this war is won, the only thing that will change is that the angels of Michael and Gabriel will be compelled to share the burden that we have shouldered alone for so long. Those that refuse to do this task are not worthy of the name ‘servant of God.’ Their fate shall be to become chaff.”
    “A very noble speech,” retorted Jennifer, “but I know better. If you were listening to what I said, then you must know that I am aware of exactly what goes on in Hell. I have loved ones there even today, my brother for one. Yes, I remember my loved ones sentenced to that realm, and I have watched what you do to them. To confine them is one thing, but you haven’t stopped there. You hurt them and go on hurting them. What you do is zealous and excessive. You drive them to madness with your torments, and you enjoy it; indeed, your master revels in it, creating ever more elaborate methods of eternal punishment.
    “You started with pits of boiling filth and oceans of flames, but you didn’t stop there. Your methods evolved into cities of altars where helpless humans are eaten alive by birds of prey—eaten to the bones—only to regenerate and have the whole ordeal repeated again and again. You created great steam-driven engines of torment where the shackled victims were randomly impaled on spikes, burned with acid, and broiled in molten metal. According to you, this was all done in the name of justice?”
    “Yes, it was done in the name of justice,” confirmed the demon. “Know this, the Father sent these people to us for a reason. He knew what we would do to them, but He sent them nonetheless. He knew that we would do our job. Out of love for you, His true children, He wiped these people from your memory. He did it for a reason, so that you would not grieve for them. It was all part of His divine plan. I tell you, they are unworthy of your grief. But you chose to ignore His plan; you chose to remember them. Now you reap the harvest of your foolish decision, of your disobedience. To you this has become a