Suddenly Susan - Part 1
RJ looked like a traditional gargoyle perched on the top the bookshelf.

"Wake me up! Wake me up inside... Wake me up inside...!" Susan screamed as she did her usual dance around the bedroom. Headphones on. Tuned in. Tuned out. Even if she could see the visitors in the shadows, she would not have noticed them. "No one but me and Amy Lee." She thought to herself.

"From Amy Grant to Amy Lee. Pretty good work." Amy Grant, one time sweetheart of the Christian music world whose happy go lucky lyrics were easily exchanged for the illustrious Amy Lee, goth rocker with the operatic voice, model looks and a lyrical depth that often descended into dialogues with darkness. Merth reclined on the computer desk. He was a low-level discourager, new to the division. An angry arrogant impish demon, he had gotten this "promotion" and been assigned to the "legendary" Rambling John. He rolled his eyes as he glanced in RJ's direction. Merth was not impressed.

He still didn't understand how moving from tempter to discourager was a step "up". After all, tempters got that horrid cow of a creation named Eve to take a bite of that fruit. "We got Adam to lie and both of them to hide." Merth thought to himself. "Tempters should rule, not play second fiddle to..."

"I know what you're thinking." The voice snapped Merth to attention. RJ floated from the stained wooden shelf to the floor, carefully avoiding Susan as he passed to the right of her uncoordinated jig. Merth hoped that RJ did not really know what he was thinking.

"You can't read minds," Merth countered. "So I don't think you know my thoughts are."

RJ smiled. Fool. Fool. Fool. They all are when they first come to WAC. Tempters taught that they have some sense of overreaching super high arching position in the scheme of things. Idiots who feel that they should be second to no one, least of all demons from D&D (Discourgement and Despondency). RJ could still remember the teachings from his own short time training on Temptation Island. We authored the fall of Adam and Eve! We caused the commotion that got man kicked out of Eden. Blah, blah, blah. How simple-minded and foolish.

RJ knew that now. Temptation may remove a man from paradise. Temptation may even cause him to forsake the one he loves and lie to his Creator. Temptation may create a prodigal. But only discouragement can stop him from returning home and receiving forgiveness. Discouragers can strike deep into the heart, causing a human to forget that it bears the family name and the privileges that come along with it. Only discouragers can stop those driven from the Edens and pardises of life from ever seeking them out again; keeping them feeling unworthy and unloved. Tempters may lead men away home, but as long as they believe they can return, they battle is not over. A good discourager can and must learn to move men from denial to destruction with only a simple but well-placed word.

But that was not what RJ was going to say.

"What you are thinking," RJ continued, "is that you have won this battle with the young Susan. But your lack of experience and obvious arrogance have blinded you to reality. Not only are you wrong, but in about one minute, you're going to lose her."