It was a day like any other when the earth shook violently and the skies suddenly turned bright. All around the globe same sight could be seen. People saw what seemed to be giant, glowing beings descending from the heavens, Angels. Angels were unlike anything anyone had ever imagined, with wings blindingly beautiful and an otherworldly radiance that seemed to emanate from their very beings. As they drew closer to the earth, people began to feel an unfamiliar discomfort.

Christians, true believers, were taken that day. Taken to eternal peace, while the rest of humanity was left to ponder their decisions. Angels circled the globe several times leaving an unfamiliar mark on people's foreheads as they left.

Everyone born after that day got the same mark. No one knew what it meant, the leading theory was that it branded them sinners, someone who would never be able to reach and experience what those people did on that holy day.

Since that day, Earth changed forever. Most people stopped looking for material success and turned towards Christianity. Years later first marks finally started disappearing and humanity found hope once again.

Five years later Angels returned once again, taking those whose markings had disappeared. That was a clear sign for humanity of what their goal should be.

Angels repeated the same process five years later and one of them spoke that they would continue to do so. Sins can be forgiven and people can be accepted and brought to heaven with them if they work hard enough, and devoted their lives to it. Almost fifteen years had passed after that holy day and humanity eagerly expected the return of the Angels once more.

All of this did not sit right with Marcus, a history teacher, who combed through every book he could find trying to decipher the strange marking. He found himself in Egypt, at ancient ruins, looking for the final clues, he was so close.

His children and wife waited for him at home, their markings gone almost a year now. His wife Vivian had begged him to leave this pursuit of his and join them, she could help him lose the mark, and become a believer. She could be his guide into eternal peace and ascension.

But Marcus could not let it go, he had to follow his gut. He brought his team of eight people with him to Egypt, and all of them shared the same feeling of uncertainty and eeriness that surrounded the Angels.

They combed through the ancient site looking for final clues, something was missing. Every translation they did reading the parts of the strange symbol made no sense.

“Boss,” Lorein yelled. “I think I have found it, come look at this.”

Carved into one of the stones was a part of the symbol that decorated most of the remaining humanity’s foreheads.

“That’s it,” Marcus said. “We have everything we need. Bring that whole block, we will have the symbol translated tonight!”

They spent the whole night translating the symbol and just before dusk they succeeded.

The message read: "Do not harvest, not fit for consumption."

It was a chilling revelation, one that sent chills through the team. The implication was clear: those who bore the marking were safe and the others were in grave danger.

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Minutes later as the team was still proof-checking the earth shook once again and the sky became bright. The Angels have returned once more.

The feeling of dread and horror swept over Marcus, his wife, and children had lost their mark and he was on the other half of the planet away from them. He was right all along but he was too late, he had lost his wife and children.

One of the team members was unbothered by the revelation and angels returned and continued translating part of the stone they have found at the ruins. He finished the sentence that was written at the bottom of the stone:

“If they ever return, find me!”

**** Pt 2 ****

Marcus left his crew in Egypt and flew straight home in a private jet that their financier Mr. White provided. His heart raced the whole flight as he was trying to convince himself he was wrong, but deep down he knew, those Angels, they were not who they presented themselves to be. They were monsters beyond horrific beyond human imagination.

Mr. White called him halfway through his flight.

"Marcus, what happened?" Mr. White asked, his voice calm and collected as always. "I have dozens of missed calls. Did you finally crack the symbol?"

"Yes," Marcus said, his voice trembling. "The mark means do not harvest, not fit for consumption."

"Oh my God," Mr. White said and went silent for a moment. "Why are you flying home?"

"My family has lost their mark sir, all of them," Marcus said, his voice crackling.

"And they have just returned," Mr. White continued. "I am so sorry Marcus, I hope they are ok. Rush to them and then call me."

"We have discovered something else on the stone that held the key for translation," Marcus added. “It translated to if they ever return find me!”

“Interesting,” Mr. White said. “Take care Marcus and call me.”

As Marcus landed at the airport, he could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He knew that he had to get home as soon as possible, to see if his family was still there if the Angels have not gotten to them yet.

As he exited the airport, he saw his brother, Jensen, waiting for him in the parking lot.

"Marcus, what's going on?" Jensen asked, his eyes filled with concern. Marcus did not explain to him what happened, only to be there as soon as he land.

"I have a lot to tell you…" Marcus said, his voice trembling. "But drive home as fast as you can, I’ll tell you along the way." Jensen nodded and left the parking lot with the screeching of tires.

They rushed to Marcus's house, racing through the streets recklessly as Marcus told Jensen about their discovery in Egypt. As they pulled up to the house, Marcus’ anxiety was at an all-time high. He hoped he would find his wife and his beautiful children there running towards him for an embrace, but something deep inside him told him he was already too late.

When they entered the house, they found it empty, devoid of any sign of life. Marcus rushed to his children's rooms, searching for any clue as to what had happened. But there was nothing, no sign of struggle, no indication of where they might have gone.

As they searched the rest of the house and the backyard, Marcus felt a sense of dread creeping over him. He now knew what it meant when the angels took someone, and with every second passing, it was more evident that his family had been taken from him. He felt a deep sense of loss, a feeling of emptiness that seemed to consume him instantly.

As he sat in his empty house, Marcus realized that everything was about to change, but he did not know where to start. The angels were not the benevolent beings that history and the stories presented them to be, but rather monsters beyond human comprehension. And now, he had lost everything he had ever held dear.

He felt a sense of despair wash over him, a feeling of hopelessness that seemed to envelop him. He knew that he would never be able to go back to his old life, that everything he had ever known had been taken from him. But he also knew that he had to keep searching, he had to get to the bottom of this mystery, so he dialed his boss.

“Sir, they are gone,” Marcus said, his voice a flat line, still in shock.

“I am so sorry Marcus!” Mr. White said. “I am on my way to Egypt, meet me there, the plane is waiting for you at the airport. We have a lot to discuss!”

“I am coming with you,” Jensen said and they rushed back in silence toward the airport.