Divine Home Security System

Sophie woke out of a sound sleep. Quickly, she glanced at the clock and saw it was after 2:00. Not wishing to wake her husband, she stumbled out of bed. As she reached the top of the stairs, she was surprised to see the downstairs hall light on. She distinctly recalled turning it off before going to bed.

As she headed down the stairs, any vestiges of sleepiness left her. She was more shocked about the door than she was that a stranger was standing on the threshold. She demanded, "What is our door doing open?"

The stranger, named Daniel, said, "I don't know. It was open when I got here."

Sophie muttered, "I've got to get that lock fixed."

Trying to explain his presence, Daniel felt inspired to ask, "Does Jason Samson live here?"

Sophie said, "No, I've never heard of that guy."

Daniel said, "Oh, okay. Sorry!" Then he turned and headed back toward his car.

Sophie quickly closed the door, making certain that this time, it was latched.

Daniel felt totally sober now. He walked to his car, got in and sat there in shock. He said out loud, "What just happened? Why did I do that?"

Daniel strained to remember. As if in a dream, he recalled staggering out of a bar and saying to no one in particular, "I'm wasted." With a goofy smile, he headed toward his car.

Daniel had no idea someone was watching and waiting.

An older couple, dressed in old-fashioned garb, looked at each other and nodded their heads. The woman said, "He'll do. Hurry! We don't have much time."

The older man said, "But I don't know how to drive."

The older woman said, "No matter. He does. Enter just enough to get him to do what we need him to do." She glanced at the sky, as if listening. Looking panicky, she said, "Hurry, Sol. They're going to be there soon."

Sol nodded in determination. "Okay, Cate. Don't worry. I'll take care of it."

Then he walked toward Daniel, sat down almost on top of him, and disappeared from Cate's view.

Daniel heard a voice in his head say, "Start driving."

Almost against his will, Daniel put the key in the ignition, started the engine, and pulled onto the road. He felt guided to take this turn and that turn so that he could go to a place he had never been.

Finally, he found himself pulling into a condo parking space. Daniel seemed to hear a voice direct him to the open doorway. The voice said, "Find the hall light. Turn it on. Good! Now knock on the door. Keep knocking until someone comes down the stairs."

After Daniel's brief exchange with the woman, he thought, "How am I going to explain what I'm doing here when I don't know myself?" He seemed to hear an idea surfacing in his head that inspired him to ask, "Does Jason Samson live here?"

When the woman said she had never heard of Jason Samson, Daniel wondered, "Who in the heck is Jason Samson? What am I doing here?"

To the woman, Daniel said, "Oh, okay. Sorry!" Then he turned and walked back toward his car, trying to shake the confusion out of his head. As he got in, he suddenly felt emptied of . . . what? What had he been full of before to feel empty now? The thought that he could have been invaded by some spirit was too insane to even consider.

Daniel said out loud, "What just happened? Why did I do that?"

Just then, he heard two cars drive up. Glancing out his rear-view mirror, he saw two rough-looking men get out of each car. Nevertheless, Daniel thought, "One of them lives here. The others are just visiting. They were probably partying at a bar like me."

Daniel didn't think much about it when they walked up to a door. He was about to turn his key, when he noticed all four of them heading back down the walkway. Surprised, he saw them head toward another door. Watching carefully now, he saw them try the knob, shake their heads, and then head toward another door.

Suddenly, he understood. With shaking hands, Daniel pulled out his cell phone and dialed 9-1-1.

As for Cate and Sol, they stood guard in front of Sophie's door, looking both relieved and triumphant. Sophie and her husband were safe. All was well.

As Daniel waited for the police to arrive, he glanced back toward that woman's house, pleased that those four men couldn't rob her now. He, of course, did not see Cate and Sol, for they were visible only to each other.