Near Death

Prompt: Make up a near death experience (Unless you have a real one).  This story comes from my belief that I've likely had many near death experiences, and didn't even realize it. Whether you believe it's mere chance or believe, as I do, that we are preserved by the inscrutable will of God, we all live much closer to the edge than we are aware.  

"When did he have a near-death experience?"  Naes, looks at his fellow Guardians, and as if on cue they all burst into loud laughter.

"When did he not!"

And the guards all laugh uproariously.

The Interviewer says he's not sure he understands.

"Look, I'm just saying that a dozen times a day he comes with in inches of death.  Death is the default, man. It's what supposed to happen.  'In the day you eat of it you shall surely die.' Ever since Mada took the first shift, it's been daily delay.'"

Arze pipes up, younger than the rest, new to the job

"This is about the only time we rest--a little.  When they're sleeping. They can't get into to too much trouble then--"

"Unless they're driving," Arabrab interrupts, and they all laugh again.

"Yeah, well I don't have to worry about that yet," Arze says sheepishly.

"It's okay, little one." Naes says encouragingly,  "You've got enough to deal with right now.  The job is constantly evolving. You'll see."

So you're busy?

"Very," says Arabrab.  "Especially with the driving.  We are forbidden from outright controlling them so a lot of what we do is dealing with whatever decisions they make.  Especially with the new tool they have, the 'smart phone' a lot of it is coordinating with other Guardians so that when she changes lanes without checking her blind spot, I can either delay the turn of her wheel or the Guardian with the oncoming driver whose momentarily distracted by his phone can slow or speed up the car as needed to avoid a collision."

"They come within inches far more than they realize,'" Naes adds. "There's the close calls they're aware of but that's just the tip of the iceberg. Most of the time they're blithely unaware that they are one Guardian and one command from the Lord away from eternity."

One command from the Lord?

"Yeah, the one we all dread, " Hajile  says, "Even though we've been through it all it more times than we can count."  Though his charge is young, Hajile is the senior Guardian of the group.

"I'm dreading that day," says Arze. This is his very first tour as Guardian.

"It's the worst," says Naes, "Even though you know that it's only temporary."

"Not for all  of them," Arabrab says glumly.

"We aren't permitted to know their final status," Hajile reminds them.

"Yeah, but sometimes it's hard not to feel like you know," Arabrab says.

"Better to just focus on our job," Haijle says.

Can you explain what you are talking about the Interviewer asks, puzzled by the change in tone.

"Well, one day you get the order to stand down," Naes says.

Stand down?

 "Yes.  We'll be given an order that at a particular time on that day, we are to stand down, to not intervene," Naes says.

"Of course many times that's not the way it happens. We are Guardians.  Healing is not part of our duties or skill sets.  But when you get the dreaded command, it's a very difficult day indeed.  To spend their lives focused on one goal only to voluntarily give it up at the end. . ..It's tough." Arabrab says.

Are you given a reason?

"No.  In that way, we are like them.  We don't know why this one is spared and that one is not.  But we know Him, far better than they do.  We know His love and trust His decisions implicitly. It still hurts but there's not the doubt that they struggle with so much." Hajile says.

"Yeah, we covered that ground eons ago and those of us that stuck it out with Him are more convinced than ever that He s not just right, but also good," Naes adds.

"And like we said before, we understand that we are simply agents of delay.  They think of us --when they do think of us, and not many do--as Protectors.  But in truth we are more like life support.  Keeping them going when the Enemy, the vagaries of the Dangerous Planet, the evil in the hearts of their fellows would snuff them out much sooner."

"Life, for them, is a Near-Death Experience."

"And they have no idea."