Aziraphale’s corporation experiences some surprising changes. After rushing to Crowley’s, he discovers that Crowley is experiencing some other changes. They go back to the bookshop, and do find some familiar descriptions of angels and demons in an old sci-fi novel. They suspect that the most powerful being on Earth (and avid reader) has something to do with it.
Adam was sitting on the sunny side trunk of an apple tree in a field, the sun approaching the horizon. He turned the page of the newest issue of the Aquarian, which while new to him, had been sitting under a stack of Anathema’s other reading materials for the last three years. He had taken a break to do some additional oculist, er, occultist reading. Dog was eagerly snapping at passing insects, but felt like it shouldn’t go after flies for some particular reason that it couldn’t place.
It became dark very quickly. Dog growled.
“Adam…Adam, we must ssspeak,” said the shadow.
Adam looked up to face the largest snake to have ever existed. Only its head emerged from the forest which was actually quite far away.
The name “Crawly” with all its connotations did at least did imply locomotion of some kind. Moving was becoming less of an option, and Crowley found it was becoming difficult to hold his head up and to breathe. Trees were poking into his belly for several miles, and some car accidents, houses, power lines and other debris were poking at his sides.
It became light very quickly.
Very light and very cold. A void of white moved from behind the snake. If anyone had looked at it, they would have only seen the same white void again for the rest of their lives, waking or sleeping. Adam looked it in the eyes. One of Aziraphale’s appendages waved in a friendly, wriggly manner.
“I, oh, haven’t done this in a long while. Do not be afraid?” Its voice said in Adam’s head. Aziraphale knew the classic opening lines, but they didn’t fit this situation. Adam was scanning the pair.
“Ah, yes, you know,” and Aziraphale tried to look dignified by straightening up, but probably just expanded a bit. It was difficult to control the spinning of his discs and crown. The white flames were particularly uncooperative.
“We don’t look like this. Not really.” Aziraphale tried to wave the book they had brought along, but most of it had disintegrated somewhere along their way a while ago. Below the bright void, the grass was curling and burning. Crowley’s labored breath could be heard in the background under the sharp singing tone of light.
Adam did not put down his magazine, but did smile with comprehension and started to stand. He was taller than the last time that they had seen him.
“You’re right. Got carried away, been reading some.” His voice was deeper too.
And they were back. It didn’t even hurt. Crowley inhaled deeply and his hand fluttered up to check his glasses. Aziraphale adjusted his bow tie and enjoyed the feeling of a smile again. The burning and crushed paths they had left behind themselves had also disappeared, looking as they had before.
“Thank you. Adam.” Aziraphale beamed, as best as he could, feeling a little tired.
He felt odd thanking someone he had once tried to shoot. He felt like Adam was still simultaneously staring through all of the phantom eyes on his body that had existed a few moments ago. Aziraphale told himself he had two eyes again, and resisted the self-conscious urge to double check. Crowley looked at him knowingly and patted his shoulder. He shook his head.
“Your car is over there,” Adam nodded his head to the lane at the far end of the field. It was. Crowley thought he might shout; he had crushed the Bentley earlier when he couldn’t untangle himself quite fast enough. Twice destroyed within a few years was too much.
With two supernatural beings bidding an awkward farewell, Adam sat back down and dog joined him. He had a few more pages until dinner.
(In my mind, Adam’s going through puberty and it results in some subconscious over-extension of continuously developing powers. He reads a lot and has a healthy imagination.)