ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
\nWASHINGTON, D.C.
\n
\nThe two angels stood on the highest point within the sacred cemetery and looked east, taking in the destruction of the once-mighty city. Behind them, on the west side, below the crest of the hill and thus protected from the nuclear blast, were rows and rows of untouched marble markers surrounded by grass and trees. Farther on, beyond the borders of the cemetery, the capital struggled still to live, but before them, on the blast side of the hill, the center of the city was nothing more than ash, the cinders so light and feathery they were caught up in the slightest breeze. The center of destruction was utterly bare, smooth as black glass\u2014no trees, no grass, no living thing, certainly no people. Farther from the center of the destruction, the shattered buildings became somewhat recognizable. Here and there, a few marble pillars protruded from the landscape, and the roads were still identifiable by the lines of tumbled cars. Two of the main bridges across the Potomac River lay in a ruin of twisted steel and black cement, but the north bridge was still open although the downtown portion of the city had been abandoned and might never be reclaimed.
\n
\n
\n
\nBehind them, crowds of people filled the cemetery, for the grassy knolls and open grass had become a makeshift sanctuary. Farther west, the city looked fairly normal, though it was not nearly as busy as it used to be. One in ten people who once lived here had remained. Others were leaving now, but some were returning, too, having discovered there was little reason to go elsewhere. There were no safe havens in other places. Wherever they went, things were pretty much the same.
\n
\n
\n
\nOverwhelmed with emotion, the two men didn\u2019t speak as they took in the devastating scene. Overhead the sky was dark and lonesome, a flat-gray plate of clouds that capped the sky. Finally, after nearly half an hour of earthly silence, the father turned to Teancum. \u201cToo many cities have been destroyed now.\u201d His voice was strained.
\n
\n
\n
\nTeancum nodded sadly. \u201cParts of Israel. Most of Gaza. Cities in Iran. Other places throughout the Middle East.\u201d
\n
\n
\n
\nThe father closed his eyes as he remembered. He and Teancum had walked those parts of the earth together. He knew what things were like there, having seen the devastation for himself. Entire regions of the mortal world smoldered in radioactive ash. Millions were surrounded by hunger and death and despair. Sin and depravity were so overwhelming there was hardly hope at all. \u201cHow could they do it?\u201d he asked. \u201cI simply don\u2019t understand.\u201d
\n
\n
\n
\nTeancum thought before he answered. \u201cLet\u2019s not blame them all,\u201d he said. \u201cThere are many good still left among them. And that is true everywhere. Whatever country or region you chose to take me to, I could find you good and righteous people living there.\u201d
\n
\n
\n
\nThe father brought his hands up to his face, then slowly shook his head. It was just too painful to see the suffering and too frustrating to know it could have been avoided if the people had only seen, if they had only cared.
\n
\n
\nTeancum watched him thoughtfully for a moment, then touched him on the shoulder. \u201cYou\u2019ve forgotten, my good friend, what it was like to live here. You\u2019ve forgotten how powerful the voice of Lucifer can be. You\u2019ve forgotten the pull of temptations, the anger, the lust and greed and weakness of the natural man. Your memory has been washed\u2014although just a bit, perhaps\u2014of the intensity of the experience, which is fine. Mortal life can be so acute, so severe and powerful, sometimes it\u2019s hard for us to remember how difficult it really was. And the Dark One is even more dangerous now than he was before.\u201d
\n
\n
\n
\nThe father shook his head. \u201cNo, Teancum, I haven\u2019t forgotten. Not a moment. Not an hour. Every day, every emotion, every joy and every fear, every lesson learned is branded upon me. You know we don\u2019t forget.\u201d
\n
\n
\n
\nTeancum didn\u2019t answer for a moment. \u201cI don\u2019t suppose we do,\u201d he said at last.
\nThe father shook his head again. \u201cNo, we don\u2019t forget.\u201d Then he nodded to the mortals huddled in the tents below. \u201cThey think that we forget them, though.\u201d
\n
\n
\n
\nTeancum smiled, his eyes shining. \u201cA bit of irony, I suppose. I mean, how could we forget them? How could we forget our own children? We love them now more than we ever did, for our love is more perfect, which makes it more powerful.\u201d
\n
\n
\n
\n\u201cIf only they knew. If only they believed. If they would just try to listen for us, then they might hear our tender words.\u201d
\n
\n
\n
\nTeancum folded his arms, his face relaxed. It was as if he knew a secret that he wasn\u2019t telling. \u201cThey are so busy,\u201d he answered carefully. \u201cThere are so many battles for their time. It\u2019s hard for them, just like it was hard for you and me.\u201d
\n
\n
\n
\nThe father thought a long moment as he studied the grassy cemetery that fell below him to the west. \u201cSo you think that I can help him.\u201d
\n
\n
\n
\n\u201cYes, I know you can.\u201d
\n
\n
\n
\nThe father hesitated. He was a younger spirit than Teancum and not as sure.
\nTeancum watched the uncertainty in his eyes. \u201cHe\u2019s your kin,\u201d he reminded him. \u201cThe earthly bonds between you are deep, the heavenly bonds even more powerful.\u201d He moved his head to the side and pointed to the west, almost laughing. \u201cAnd remember this, my friend: his mother is out there praying. You\u2019ve heard her many prayers. They are so strong and faithful, they almost drive me to my knees. Could you deny such faith?\u201d He shook his head. \u201cI don\u2019t think either of us can.\u201d\n\t
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
WASHINGTON, D.C.
The two angels stood on the highest point within the sacred cemetery and looked east,...
![\"Horz_line\"](\"http://cdn2.deseretbook.com/assets/horz_line-0ab467abbb4056887a86d9853d23abcb.gif\")
FOUR MILES WEST OF CHATFIELD
TWENTY-ONE MILES SOUTHWEST OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
The army officer stood on the back porch of the...