In the book repossessed, a demon named Kiriel pondering his reason for having to be the therapist for those who have wronged the world with their presence takes a well deserved but forbidden vacation. when he leaves hell for a change of scenery he takes over the body of a boy who was seconds away from an encounter with death. he goes to earth for a vacation but ends up learning a lesson. Stealing a body is easy, but stealing a life is hard. As he progresses his trip becomes less about him and more about improving the lives of people before the cant fix it. He wants to leave his little engraving on the tree of life, something to show that his presence meant something rather than toiling away mindlessly at the beat of someone else's drum.
When he was selecting a body he tried to pick a person whos life did not need a lot of matinence. What he did not understand was that every life, no matter how obscene needs matinece, that only the person who has been living it can do. When he finally became a solid being rather than a omnicent force that could be anywhere, and every where at once he plan already had a flaw he did not know how to be shaun (the owner of the body he stole). His manurisims were different his pattern of speech was different. Not enough to be noticed but enough for it to be uncomfortable. The only earthly being to know of his switch was Shawn's cat peanut. That flaw was not a problem until just about the time god noticed. First is was a I.M. that sent a chill down the demons new spine, then a face to face meeting with a demon with a warning. Knowing he had been caught all his plans had to be set into motion faster than he anticipated. He had to carve his little k into the world with new resolve.
Kiriel may have been a demon but in some ways he was more human than anyone he ever ha to oversee in the thousands of years he worked in hell. He did not understand emotions but appreciated them like shawn never did. Every part of the human experience that are considered basic functions amazed and confused kiriel, a being that watched the world develop from the beginning, every creature with a sentient thought. In my opinion this portrays how young children see the world. a new experience something to gain, a never ending lesson that progressively gets better.
The way kiriel left the world represents the way we all eventually have to let go. Just like he accepted it, and after he finished what he felt like was neccesary for his entire trip to be worth it once you've done all you can do, all thats left is to rest on the wings of fate.
