Earth Wars

“Corned beef on rye, please, with a large root beer.” He was glad that at least he was familiar with Earth food and could order in a conventional way. And of course it was easy to read and speak the local language. There were some advantages to being even a low-ranking angel, he reminded himself. Holcomb ordered his own meal and paid for them both with a credit card he just happened to have handy. They made their way, each with his tray of food in hand, to a sidewalk table and sat down. Dinzwat could not believe he was blending in with everyday earthlings, with none of them the wiser. He felt a little like an intruder. If they only knew who we were, sitting here watching them, Dinzwat mused. He was taking in so much, but particular impressions would have to wait for his tablet. Men and women of different ages, some in families, were here and there at some of the other tables having a late lunch. Various others, some with briefcases, strollers, children, and parcels, were walking along the sidewalk, all seemingly focused on where they were going. Holcomb was quiet as they ate, glancing over at him from time to time to gauge his reactions to what he was seeing and hearing. Holcomb did not seem in much of a hurry. The two leisurely waited until the sun began to lose its brightness, becoming a deep, glowing orange as it neared the horizon. As Dinzwat watched, this setting sun cast a bursting blush of pink, pale yellow, orange, and purple onto the surrounding clouds and sky, gently blanketing the earth and slowly transforming the heavenly array with a color-mixing display. Brilliant at first, it gradually faded with every Earth minute and sank lower and lower until it was finally out of sight. This view of the firmament from Earth was almost more than he could take in—more than he had even imagined from his readings of the Earth tales. There was so much beauty to see, while at the same time he sensed something that was strange to him and that he could not identify. There was—yes—a lurking, unsettling presence in the atmosphere that he did not recognize. He would make a note of that.