Shannon Deconinck
The Idiot Messiah
Carlos Delgado suspects he is dead, or is it that he is going insane? Since recovering from a near-fatal accident in Los Angeles, his life is no longer governed by the norms of reality. Trying to resume his life as a small-time crook, he is visited by long dead relatives and plagued by supernatural phenomena, pushing him to the edge of a breakdown. Desperate to escape the spectre of his own regrettable past and regain his sanity, he is coerced into a disastrous drug run which takes him from his native California to the UK.
Unbeknown to Carlos, he is the subject of a wager between two Seraphim, and is in fact the chosen one, on whose shoulders rests the fate of the human race. Carlos, who is neither religious nor conscientious, but who has a dogmatic ability for denial, finds himself on the run from both the law and his criminal past in an ever more volatile world. After being shot at point-blank range and run over by a truck, both of which he survives unscathed, he is sectioned in a mental institution where he is subjected to a horrific trial at the hands of the seraph Lucifractophones.
He escapes from the institution, and crosses England on foot, eventually finding sanctuary in Brixton with the benevolent seraph Meselophones, who is masquerading as a Rastafarian. These experiences cause a psychological and moral shift in Carlos, who under the guidance of the Rastafarian, begins to question the nature of life and reality. During his stay in Brixton he is tracked down by his former associates; a pair of vicious LA gangsters, whose attempt to kill him backfires, but encourages him to leave for India.
In Delhi he befriends some street children, who rescue him when he is held captive by African drug dealers. Guided by his intuition and the covert influence of the seraphim, he finds himself on a pilgrimage through the foothills of the Himalayas. Staying at ashrams and temples, travelling with holy men and mystics, this outer journey reflects an inner process of self-discovery.
When taken to see an old blind woman, who is a powerful oracle, he gains some insight into the powers controlling his destiny. He is deeply humbled by her wisdom and for the first time is able to step beyond the limits of his own arrogance and pride, preparing him for the ultimate test.
At Gangotri, the source of the river Ganga, Carlos is caught in the showdown between light and dark forces, represented by the two seraphim. He is forced to face his guilt over his teenage affair with his half sibling and her resulting death, and unearths the truth about his relationship with his parents. Will he be courageous enough to face his inner demons, overcome the spectre of his past, and in doing so find redemption, not only for himself, but for all of humanity?