Bad Book Review 08 (The Guardian, Chapter 09)

Previously on Ink Hoof's Book Review: we were introduced to Christina Urbain and her (maybe) six (?) year old son Joseph. Cameron tells Kirkland that their killer is Gabriel, a rogue guardian angel who is convincing people to kill themselves as an act of mercy, Cameron is an angel to stop him, and Kirkland thinks the whole thing is preposterous.

Chapter Nine starts off with Gabriel in a graveyard, standing at the headstone of Christina's husband and Joseph's father, Calvin. His fingers leave burn marks on the headstone where he touches it, and the grass dies where he steps.

We have a scene change.

As it starts raining, Christina Urbain goes into a church for refuge. While there, she decides to light a candle, and pray for her late husband. While doing so, we get another mention of praying specifically to a guardian angel.

Gabriel shows up and talks about how he is sick of hearing prayers. How they're always the same thing. How, "...you're a goddamn pain in the ass!" When Christina asks who he is, he insults her, telling her he's an angel, and how he hates his job.

Naturally, Christina doesn't believe him. Gabriel continues to insult her and complain about how much he hates being an angel, while Christina wants him to basically go away and let her pray in peace. He then freaks her out by saying exactly what she was praying for, then makes her made by claiming that, "...your dearly departed husband is up there right now enjoying some angel ass--"

Christina continues trying to get him to leave her alone and pray. Gabriel blows out a candle she lights, then claims that all the human rituals -- such as lighting incense or taking communion -- are a waste that do nothing. "...the whole deal's a rip-off. It won't save you."

Christina finally has enough and asks why he hasn't been doing his job. Gabriel claims that he has, first mentioning how he made it so one of her neighbors was hit by a truck, then saying that he killed her husband. Christina tells him to leave her alone, but Gabriel just mocks her. He talks about how Calvin is happier without her because of how awful she is, then tells her how he made one of Calvin's blood vessels rupture while looking at an adult magazine. When Christina gets upset, Gabriel talks about other ways he could have killed her husband ( specifically, gunshot to the head, and a car accident).

Christina wants him to leave, and when he doesn't tries to leave herself, but he keeps her from doing so. Gabriel then claims "God doesn't care." Christina tries calling for help.

Gabriel started walking towards her. "And you wanna know what else? Your son's next! I'm gonna have some pedophile have his fun with him---"

Putting the pedophile threat aside for the moment, Gabriel is now walking toward her? Let me go back a little. When I say Gabriel stops Christina from leaving, it specifically says that when she tries to leave, he appears to block her path, and is standing in the doorway. The story then has her banging on the door and calling for help. That means that Gabriel is likely right beside her. So, did he teleport away just so he could walk toward her? Couldn't he have simply leaned in close, and talked in a low, calm voice? That makes more sense in context and seems a little more menacing.

Not really anything to say about the threat. True or not, it is the best way to get a reaction out of a single mother, and that is what he wants in this scene.

In this case, the reaction was:

She grabbed a candleholder and hurled it at him.

After dodging, Gabriel claims, "You know you deserve this." Christina backs away while throwing things at him. She then happens to throw holy water at him, which causes him to cry out in pain, and steams off him.

I guess that because he's been doing evil things, he's slowly going from angel to demon, and holy items are starting to hurt him? This is just speculation though.

Before Gabriel can actually grab a hold of Christina, he is hit in the back with a chair by Father Stephen (from chapter five, who knew the priest that died of shock, and the nun that set herself on fire). This doesn't stop Gabriel, but causes him to turn and go after the priest. When Father Stephen is pinned against the wall, Christina grabs a piece of the chair (which I guess broke from the impact), and throws it at Gabriel, making him release the priest and turn to her.

When he hears the police coming, Gabriel breaks a window and dives through it.

Father Stephen ran over to Christina, who fell on her knees in his arms and started sobbing.

After a scene break, we pick up with the police there. Cameron looks around and takes in the damage then goes over to Father Stephen and Christina Urbain -- Kirkland following -- to introduce himself to Christina. Which he does.

"Ms. Urbain, my name is Detective Cameron. Can you describe who attacked you?"

A little redundant to say he was introducing himself, then having him do so, but not the worst thing we've seen so far.

Christina gives a bit of a description, and mentions that the man claimed to be her guardian angel. After looking at Kirkland like this proved him right, Cameron asks to speak to the priest. Cameron asks about getting a look at the man, but instead of giving more of a physical description, Father Stephen says he was a very disturbed young man. Cameron says he'll catch the man, and the priest says he'll pray for the detective's safety.

We have another scene shift, to Kirkland and Cameron leaving the church. Kirkland asks if the priest had anything to share, and Cameron says "Nothin' you'd believe in!" After Kirkland asks what that's supposed to mean, Cameron says the following:

"Our suspect is no longer limiting himself to clergy. He's targeting the people in church."

This time, I'll leave it up to you, the readers, to point out what the biggest and most obvious problem is with this statement.

Kirkland makes a sarcastic remark about telling people to stay away from churches, and Cameron comments how Gabriel is, "nastier inside the church, while out here he is trying to be a mercy killer." Kirkland comments on how Cameron isn't making sense.

Father Stephen comes out and asks the detectives if one of them could give Ms. Urbain a ride home.

And that is where our chapter ends.

Credit where due, this is one of the better chapters we've had so far. Aside from some inconsistencies, it actually is on the more entertaining, and actually has a decent amount of story and character development. Plus, it is a point where we are having things which happened in the story so far begin tying together.

Kind of wish it hadn't taken this long to get that.

Until next time.

Ink Hoof.

Comments

[Pyrotechnic]

The action picks up and things start heating up. I don't know what else to say... as I was reading this, I felt I could say somethings, but they seem to have fled as they are wont to do.