Mackenzie returned her eyes to the bridge. “It’s sad, Aaron. You’d often hear relatives or friends say that these people were in a dark place. It’s like they couldn’t be reached. It’s sad and breaks my heart when I think of these things.” She turned to look at Aaron. “You’re going to see a group of people today that have battled through some pretty dark places, and some are still battling.”

“It’s good what you do, Kenz. You know . . . helping these people.”

Mackenzie knew that, but she didn’t do it for people to see. She’d be happy out at the back doing the dishes, helping others. She grabbed Aaron’s arm and gave it a squeeze. “It’s a battle Aaron. You’re off to fight a battle, one that we can all see, but there is an invisible war going on. I know you don’t like me getting religious, but I’m seeing more and more that the prince of this world is not a nice person.”

“You got me there, Mackenzie. Who is the prince of this world?”

“The devil, Aaron. The devil.”

“But what has that to do with suicides?”

“It’s a battle for the souls of the people. I’ll be blunt. That’s what I believe, Aaron, and I say this to you because you’re going to a dangerous place. If you die without knowing the truth, your soul is lost.”

“Phew . . . I asked for that.”

Mackenzie watched Aaron as he turned to look back at the bridge. Trying to lighten what she just dumped on him, she said, “But, more importantly, wouldn’t you like to see me again in the afterlife?”

He gave her a small smile.

“And I know for certain that your Dad has gone to heaven.”

“How do you know that, Mackenzie?”

“I know, Aaron, and I hope that one day you will too.”

The CityCat slowed and then docked. They got off and headed towards the City centre. Mackenzie tucked her arm in Aaron’s. She felt his tension, and rubbed his arm in comfort.

“Sorry for hitting you with all that religious stuff, Aaron.”  Rats! Why do I do that? She didn’t like dumping religious things on Aaron. But what was she meant to do? He might die soon, and then where would he end up?

<°)))><

Aaron used tongs to put the sausages in the bread, adding onions if they wanted them. Mackenzie handed out the slices of bread.

Things got quiet. Mackenzie told Aaron to check out a group of untidy-looking men standing around a man with a red and blue cap. The men all burst out laughing, some patting the side of their legs, some bending over. Something was funny. One of the men broke away from the pack and headed over to Mackenzie.

The man grabbed a slice of bread, said something to Mackenzie and they both laughed.

“Just go over to Aaron there and he’ll give you a sausage.” The man walked over, and Mackenzie followed. “Aaron, this is Chris . . . go on Chris, tell him.”

“You see the bloke with the red and blue cap over there?”

Aaron looked in that direction. “Yep.”

“Well, he reckons he used to be a doctor and he’s telling us about one of his patients. He reckons this patient came into his office and said to him ‘Doctor, doctor, I keep thinking I’m invisible’.”

Aaron wondered where this was going.

“The doctor looked around the room, pretended there was no one there and said, ‘Did someone say something?’”

A chuckle came out of Aaron.

“He’s a good man, but I don’t think he’s a doctor. He’s just trying to relax us because there are some strange things happening in the city at the moment. People are vanishing.”

Chris nodded and started to walk off.

Aaron’s mind started spinning. “Hey, Chris, what do you mean by ‘vanishing’?”

Chris stopped and turned to face Aaron. “It’s like people get transported somewhere and then back again—hasn’t happened to me yet. No one believes them but I do. I reckon someone is testing something.”

“Has it happened to anyone that’s here today?”

Chris had a look around. “Nope, don’t think so, at least those that I’m aware of. Some don’t tell because no one believes them. But then you get some saying they’ve vanished just to get the attention. And they may add an alien green man element to it.” Chris smiled and winked. “No one believes street people; we’re all mad as hatters.”

Mackenzie grabbed Chris on the arm before he left. “Chris, I want you to be extra careful out there, okay?”

“I will, love. You be careful too.” Chris turned towards Aaron, gave him a wink and walked off.

Aaron watched Mackenzie staring at Chris as he walked off. She had a big heart.

Mackenzie turned to Aaron. “I had a premonition. I’ve had a few lately. Maybe I’m tuning into something. I sensed something is going to happen to Chris."

Chapter 10

THE REVEREND WAS OUT on the footpath staring up at the church. It was an old building, one of the oldest churches in the city. A high-rise development dwarfed the church on one side, while open public space greeted it on the other side. Entrance to the park was guarded by two bronzed lion sculptures—some street people claimed to have seen these lions come to life at night-time, prowling around and roaring.

The only prowling roaring lion that the Reverend Peter Thomas knew was his enemy, the devil. But the Reverend was aware of the enemy and he was sober-minded and alert, as his Father had instructed.

The Reverend had reservations about coming to a church in the city considering he was a country boy through and through. Home was the Pilbara district, a massive remote area in the north-west of Western Australia, rich in natural resources. He’d had reservations about coming from such a spacious open place to a cramped city. But he came here to help those attracted by the density of a city, those seeking refuge in the city, seeking to blend in and become invisible, to take on new identities and vanish from their loved ones.

The Reverend reflected on the verse that he studied in his quiet time this morning. It reminded him of his servanthood.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever!

I’m here to serve you Father, he said to himself. 

The Reverend commenced his regular morning circuit of the church grounds. He was vigilant about this, not wanting any used needles and beer cans polluting the church grounds, especially at the weekends when the young ones liked to run around on the lawns.

He noticed some egg on his left shoe from a little incident this morning. He wiped it on the grass and continued his circuit. He had found a few empty beer bottles today. As he was picking up another bottle, a movement caught his eye. He turned to see a man crumbled up against the back wall of the church, partially concealed by a red flowering bottlebrush plant.

He moved closer to the person and pushed a branch away so he could see the man better. He tapped him on the leg. “Are you okay, mate?”

The man was startled and stared back at the Reverend. “Who are you?” He pushed his arm out in front of him. “Are you real?” The man closed his eyes and opened them again. He let out a low groan. “No, it’s still there.”

The Reverend said a quiet prayer. “Who’s still here?”

“An angel . . . but he’s moving away at the moment.”

The Reverend thought for a moment. Some of the street people he had come across had lost touch with reality, and this looked like another example. “Can I help you up?”