"Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord." — Romans 12:19
PART I – JUSTICE IN THE DARKNESS
It was 3:07 in the morning.
The city slept beneath a cold, relentless rain, as if the sky were trying to wash away the sins of the previous day. The streets, usually bustling, lay deserted, covered in a blanket of darkness. Raindrops struck the pavement in a steady rhythm, forming puddles that reflected the faint glow of flickering streetlights.
On a forgotten corner of the industrial district, between concrete and steel buildings, a figure moved forward with steady steps.
Dressed entirely in black, he looked like just another shadow of the night.
In his right hand, he carried a weapon wrapped in white cloth, as if it were something sacred. In his left, a small Bible lay open to Romans, marked with a red ribbon. The pages were damp, but the words remained intact.
In front of him, in a narrow alley, lay a wounded man.
His white shirt was stained red. Blood pooled beneath his body. He struggled to breathe, each exhale accompanied by a wet, choking sound.
—Get up —the figure said calmly—. You don't have much time left.
The man lifted his head with effort.
And then he recognized him.
Those eyes… that face…
Pastor Samuel Book.
The same man he saw on television. The respected leader of the Church of the Redemption of Christ.
But this… was not the man of Sundays.
His eyes, usually full of compassion, now burned with a cold determination.
—Why…? —the wounded man asked, coughing blood—. Why are you doing this?
Samuel knelt beside him, with the calm of a priest… or an executioner.
—Because you killed my father.
No emotion. No doubt.
The man tried to crawl away, but a shot to his shoulder stopped him instantly.
—Help! —he cried desperately—. Someone!
No one would come.
Samuel stood up slowly, aiming at his forehead.
—Confess —he ordered—. Confess Jesus as your Savior… before it's too late.
The man looked at him in terror.
—You're insane! You're a pastor!
Samuel closed his eyes for a moment.
—I am not the one standing before death —he replied softly—. I am only the messenger.
Silence.
Only rain.
Only fear.
—I confess! —the man screamed—. Jesus is my Lord and Savior!
A tear rolled down Samuel's face.
—Then… go in peace.
He fired.
The echo of the shot faded into the night.
PART II – THE PASTOR WHO BRINGS LIGHT
Hours later, the sun began to rise.
The city awakened.
And inside the Church of the Redemption of Christ… everything was light.
Pastor Samuel Book prepared for his sermon.
He wore an immaculate cassock. Reading glasses. A warm smile. A scent of lavender.
No trace of the man from the early morning.
No trace of the blood.
A group of children ran toward him.
—Good morning, Pastor Book!
—Good morning, little David —he replied gently—. May God bless you.
The boy smiled.
The church began to fill. Well-dressed men. Women in elegant attire. Bibles in hand. Faces full of faith.
Samuel stepped up to the pulpit.
He took a deep breath.
And when he opened his eyes… the transformation was complete.
—Brothers and sisters —he began—, today we will talk about how even in the darkness… God can bring justice.
They all listened with devotion.
With absolute faith.
Without knowing.
Without imagining.
That the same man… just hours earlier…
Had been the angel of death.