InoPtah
The Visit
Brian Mihok
An angel descended from a cloudless sky and landed in the middle of the town park where Mark and Stephanie were playing basketball. Did you see that? Stephanie said but Mark was too busy rebounding a brick. The angel came over to them slowly, as if every step was considered, and in a feathery voice asked where was a good place to get something to eat. There’s a diner up the road, Stephanie said, not knowing what angels ate. The angel turned his head to see what she was pointing at, and Mark took the opportunity to lean towards Stephanie and say, this is weird. There’s also a Chinese place but it’s not very good, she added.
Then a police patrol car pulled up in the small lot for the park and an officer got out. The angel, Stephanie, and Mark felt their stomachs tighten. Pardon me, folks, he said, but someone reported seeing something strange in the park a few moments ago. Have you seen anything strange? The officer shifted his gaze from person to person to angel. Everything’s a little strange, isn’t it? the angel said. Sir, did you see anything? the officer asked Mark, glaring as if a look alone could restrain him. Um, Mark said. The officer took this as evasive and asked Mark if he had been drinking. We’ve just been playing ball, Stephanie said. We didn’t see anything, Mark added, which made the officer ask if Mark would step forward and keep his hands in clear sight. The angel had wandered away and was staring up at a cluster of bright green leaves. Stephanie was confused and wanted to leave and then the officer said Mark would have to come to the station for questioning. Stephanie said this was outrageous but Mark said everything was fine and to meet him afterward. He and the officer walked to the patrol car and drove away.
Stephanie gathered the two basketballs they had brought. The angel wandered back and said he would in fact like some pizza. What do you think Jesus would say about all this? Stephanie said. Who? the angel said. She told him where to find the nearest pizza place and off he went calmly as he had come, the sun high in the sky, shortening the shadows of everything under its illuminated domain.
Brian Mihok is a writer and filmmaker. His work has appeared in Fast Company, American Short Fiction, Cagibi, The Disconnect, Vol 1 Brooklyn, and elsewhere. His novel, The Quantum Manual of Style, was released in 2013. He also co-founded and edits matchbook, an online literary magazine of flash prose. Find him, his writing, and his films at brianmihok.com. He’s also on IG, Bsky, and X as @brainhawk.