Echo of an Earth Angel (The Earth Angel Trilogy: #1)

by Sarah M. Ross

  Tessa opened her eyes again. All she was getting was pieces of memories from when Morgan would visit her. She couldn’t remember when any of this happened thanks to the stupid holes in her memory, but she didn’t feel the warmth of healing during any of them either. She wondered what drew her to those memories now. Her mind must have been on Morgan.

  She glanced at her watch and realized almost twenty minutes had passed. Mr. Makowski would worry about her if she didn’t hurry back, so she gathered her phone and wallet and headed to the cafeteria to grab the coffees and some Saltines before rushing back to the hospital room.

  ***

  Two days later, Morgan was awake and chatting up a storm. She wanted to know everything that happened after her “brush with death” as she put it and demanded her iPhone so she could catch up on TMZ and her social networks. When her dad went to retrieve them, Morgan hurriedly called Tessa to her side.

  “Explain. Quick, before my dad gets back. Who was that crazy guy? How did you find me? And how did I end up in the hospital? I know it wasn’t some hit and run on the way to dinner like my dad told me.”

  “How are you not freaking out? You almost died!”

  “I’m ‘in deep denial and still in shock’ according to my dad. I just want to know what really happened before I try to process. So tell me everything.”

  “It is such a long story. I didn’t even get to introduce you to David and now he’s gone.”

  “Hold the phone. David? Who, pray tell, is this David you speak of? Have you been holding out on me?” Morgan wiggled her eyebrows and squealed, clapping her hands together.

  Tessa laughed. She was so glad Morgan was back to her normal self and wasn’t suffering any lasting effects. She still was in for a long recovery and would be in casts for a while, but her prognosis was good and the doctors expected a full recovery.

  “It’s not like that—at least not yet. Remember the night when we went to Armonds? Well, when you left, I met David. It turns out he’s the whole reason I’m alive too. He was there the day of the shooting. He’s the mysterious med student. Only he’s not a med student at all.”

  “Slow down, girl. Are you sure? We looked for him for almost a year while you were in a coma. I even got your attorney to post a ten thousand dollar reward and no one claimed it. And he just showed up out of the blue? I don’t know if I buy it. How do you know he’s not a con man trying to get some money off of you?”

  “There’s so much to explain, I don’t even know where to begin. But trust me, he is who he says he is. He helped me find you. He helped me save you too.”

  “So he’s saved both of our lives? Talk about a hero complex. And where is Mr. Wonderful now?” She rolled her eyes to add extra sarcasm.

  Tessa sighed. “He was taken away by the guy who took you. He traded himself for you getting to live. Nico was hunting him—again, long story—and he took you to get to David. When David found out, we tried everything we could think of to get you back. But in the end, he was captured. That’s why I need you to get better ASAP, so we can get him back.”

  “Nico didn’t take me to get to David. That crackpot thought I was his dead wife reincarnated. Kept calling me Maggie. At first I thought he was a confused war vet with PTSD or something, but then he tied me up and I knew he was totally nuts. I tried everything to get away and finally when the room service guy came, I got free.” Morgan lowered her gaze and tugged at a loose thread on the blanket. “Tessa, you’re going to think I’m nuts, but there’s more I need to tell you. It’s going to sound crazy, but I swear it’s true. Please just believe me when I tell you, okay?”

  “That he’s an angel? I already know.”

  Morgan’s eyes widened and she scanned the room to make sure no one was listening. “That freak may have wings, but there was nothing angelic about him. And how do you know this?”

  “David’s an angel too. But—“ Tessa couldn’t finish before Morgan cut her off.

  “He’s what?!” she shrieked, grabbing the attention of two nurses and an orderly walking by. After repeatedly reassuring them she was okay, and they were just gossiping over boy stuff, the nurses left and Morgan continued. “Oh my God, we need to get you away from him. Maybe get out of town, somewhere where they won’t find us. I need to get out of here first. Maybe I can get the doctors to release me today. I’ll convince my dad to give us the cabin in the Poconos for a week. Then we can—“

  “Morgan! Simmer down for a minute. Let me explain.”

  Morgan huffed and looked apprehensive, but didn’t interrupt.

  “Yes, Nico is an angel. David is too, but they’re different kinds. Nico is a Hunter. He was tracking and hunting David for years, but David isn’t anything like him, honest.”

  “Why was Nico hunting him?”

  “I honestly didn’t get that part of the story. There wasn’t time. By the time he told me he accidentally turned me and then Nico had stolen you, we spent all our time looking for you and then you almost died. I never got the chance to ask.”

  “Hold up and back the truck up. What exactly do you mean he ‘accidentally turned you’. Is this code for something? Please let this be code for something.”

  “Um, well. That’s a long story too. You missed a whole lot. Your dad’s going to be back any second and I don’t think I have time—“

  As if her words willed it, Morgan’s dad reappeared in the room. He brought homemade snacks from Gran Makowski and both girls lunged for them. After two days of nothing but hospital food, the sweet, gooey honey of the baklava and the salty homemade cheddar popcorn was just what they needed. They gorged on several handfuls before proceeding to lick their fingers clean.

  “Morgan, I may shove you in front of moving cars more often to get more of these goodies from your Gran. Seriously, these are so delish!” Tessa winked at Morgan.

  “You spring me out of this joint, and I’ll get her to make you a year’s worth. I am so sick of being in this bed.”

  “You need to heal more, Missy. How do you think I felt? I was in the hospital for over a year! A few more days isn’t going to kill you.”

  “Listen girls,” Mr. Makowski interrupted. “If you want to get out of here, pumpkin, you need your rest. Tessa, why don’t you head home so you can get a full night’s sleep too? The doctor said she can be released in a few days, but rest is a prerequisite.”

  “Alright, Daddy, but Tessa we need to finish our conversation soon. I need details.”

  Tessa agreed, hugged Morgan gently, and headed back home. She spent so much time with Morgan in the hospital that she hadn’t an opportunity to do much to try to get David back. She still wasn’t any closer to finding this Andre, and she was riddled with guilt for not trying harder.

  After parking the car, she went up onto the porch and sat on the swing where she first met David. She rocked back and forth, brainstorming a plan to get him back. There had to be something she could do. Some avenue she hadn’t thought of. The answer was there, she just needed to put her finger on it.

  She sighed and stood up. Maybe she did need a good night’s sleep. Maybe the answer would come to her in a dream. Maybe she would dream of David.

  She didn’t sleep soundly as she’d hoped; instead, her dreams were plagued with images of David being tortured in front of her and Morgan while they read Teen Vogue. She woke up with tears in her eyes and her pillow damp. The guilt of letting him sacrifice himself caused a pile of boulders to settle low in her belly. She tried for a few hours to drift back to sleep, but each time just as she reached the threshold, she heard David call her name. She jostled awake, wondering if her mind was playing tricks on her or if he was sending her a message. She tried over and over to fall back asleep so she could enter the dream world, hoping he’d meet her there, but her own nervous anticipation kept it at bay.

  Finally, around six o’clock she conceded that sleep was impossible, and shuffled down to the kitchen to start coffee. Yawning as she pressed down the Kona roast in her French press, she in
haled the aroma until it filled her nostrils while humming the Folger’s theme song. She brewed it extra strong today knowing there was a lot of work to do. After filling her mom’s favorite Disney mug and adding a large helping of cream and sugar, she headed to the couch to flip on the Today Show. She and her mom used to watch it every morning while getting ready. Even in the summer when Tessa could sleep in, she’d get up to watch for an hour with mom and then go back to sleep. It was their routine. They would play a dorky game others would roll their eyes at (as Morgan often did), but it was their thing. When the camera panned the crowd, they’d scramble to be the first to “find Lenny”, the man who stood in the crowd every morning for years. It was their version of “Where’s Waldo”.

  Sipping on the sweet nectar while lost in her thoughts, she listened to the sounds on the TV. It didn’t sound like Matt or Ann. Instead, she recognized the voice of her local TV personality. That’s odd, she thought absently. No one preempts Matt Louer, except maybe the President or major international news. Turning the volume up, she listened to the local reporter live on the scene of what appeared to be an accident.

  “We’re coming to you live from just outside of Fox Chapel where, according to eyewitness reports, an Amtrak train collided with a car that failed to stop at a crossing, causing the train to derail and resulting in several fatalities. Police have not confirmed how many have died, and several are trapped inside. Ambulances and fire trucks have flooded the scene, and we can hear the roar of helicopters landing nearby to bring those injured to local hospitals.” The woman told the camera to do a slow pan of the scene, and it was enough to make Tessa queasy. They didn’t get a lot of rush hour traffic in her area, especially so early, but a train now tilting ominously, almost completely on its side with its wheels slowly spinning in the air crunched several cars. The camera focused back on the reporter, who had her hand pressed to her earpiece and was looking off camera before realizing she was back live. “We’re joined now by Deputy Police Chief Paul Fields. Chief Fields, can you tell us what happened?”

  “It’s unclear at this time. We can’t release much information pertaining to an ongoing investigation. What I can tell you is the derailed train was headed to New York and held about seventy-five people. When the train derailed, several cars rolled onto the street below the tracks and toppled three other cars waiting for the light. The Jaws of Life as well as equipment from the local National Guard have been brought in to get all these people out as fast as possible.”

  “Has the driver of the car been identified? Or any other victims? Do you suspect drugs or alcohol played a role?”

  “The driver and all passengers of that car are deceased, and we are waiting to notify next of kin before releasing any names. I have no further comments at this time.” The Chief hoisted up his belt and hustled away.

  Tessa flipped the TV switch to off and stared at the blank screen for several minutes. Everything in her screamed for her to run and help—everything but the logical side of her brain. No, it was not her place. She should leave it to the police and other trained professionals. But if she possessed these powers, why not help as many people as possible? People who might not have to go through months of hospitalization or physical therapy if she helped?

  She regarded her empty kitchen with bitter sadness. This was always the type of problem she would have taken to her dad. He would’ve known exactly what she should do. She wished she had his wisdom or his confidence. So many of her memories of their time together were lost, but she knew enough to know what he’d say. He’d draw her up onto his lap and wrap his arms around her, kissing her forehead. “Pumpkin, where do your priorities lie? How do you want to be remembered at the end of the day?” That made up her mind. She’d been completely lost and useless for the last several days, but no longer. This was something she could do. She could make a difference and at the end of the day, that’s what mattered.

  She ran up the stairs and dressed in an old ratty pair of jeans and a Pitt tee shirt stained with paint from her last room redecorating project. Shoving her feet into sneakers, she grabbed her keys and headed for the car. She was close to the accident site when roads became blocked. Parking in the grocery store lot, she abandoned her car and hoofed it. Now her problem was getting around the police barricades. She walked three blocks down before she found an abandoned post. Ducking underneath, she skirted along the edges of the surrounding buildings so she wasn’t spotted and shooed away. It wasn’t like she could just walk up and say, “Hey, I have supernatural powers and am here to help. Point me in the direction of the injured.”

  After turning the next corner, the accident was in front of her. Before she could blink, she was hit with a migraine and stomachache so severe she almost went right back home. She leaned against a parked car and gathered herself. But the sight of death and pain and suffering that surrounded and enveloped her was so overwhelming that she couldn’t stand straight. Realizing this would not work without a little extra help, she stumbled back to her car and searched around in her trunk for her purse. She downed three extra-strength Tylenol and a giant swig of the emergency bottle of Pepto she kept handy. Sending up a silent prayer that it would be enough to last her, she headed back to the accident scene. She kept the bottle of Pepto with her just in case.

  Police, firemen, and paramedics ran in every direction. Lights flashed against the chrome train cars, giving it the illusion of lights on a dance floor. Smoke billowed out of the train and frightened, battered passengers stumbled around looking for direction. The rotten smell of burnt flesh permeated the air and made Tessa gag. She could still see the obstinate flames of fire that sweaty firefighters fought to extinguish. She stopped walking and took the scene in for a moment.

  Oh, this is so much worse than the news described, she thought morosely. She bowed her head and said a quick prayer for the dead and living, and then made her move. An empty police car had a FCPD jacket in the backseat, and Tessa put it on. She wanted to help those she could, and based on her conversations with David, she didn’t think she was in any danger of getting hurt herself.

  Tessa knew she needed a good point of entry. Somewhere she could easily get to victims, but not be in any rescue workers way. Surveying the area, she eyed a spot a few yards north that didn’t have people immediately in the area. She approached it, looking for a crevasse in the steel. She was smaller than most of the rescue workers, so she hoped she’d be able to find a hole or opening to squeeze through. She walked onto the wreckage, tucking her hair in a bun to not call attention to herself. A few paramedics rushed by, but because of the jacket, they didn’t pay any attention to her. She continued deeper into the wreckage, carefully stepping on precarious pieces of steel and metal. Oh, please don’t let me accidentally step on anyone, she thought to herself as she took another swig of the Pepto. She examined each step before she took it, using the same techniques she learned from when she did indoor rock climbing. Finally, she spied a small section of bent metal at the top of the tilted car that was just big enough to slide her hips through. She wiggled in feet first, and dropped about four feet. After her feet touched down, she grabbed the flashlight in the pocket of the jacket and shined the light over the area. All she could see was destruction. A dripping noise caught her attention. She scanned the light around. There were several broken bottles of water and pop scattered about.

  “Hello? Can anyone hear me? I’m here to help. Just shout if you can hear me!” Tessa called, but received no reply. She swept the beam of light around, but didn’t spot any bodies. From the looks of it, this part of the train was the snack car, and she guessed travelling just before dawn most people would’ve been asleep instead of munching. She called out again after heading down a few more feet.

  “If you can hear me, bang on something or call out. I’m here to help!” She was silent for a minute, hoping she’d get some sort of signal from someone. She closed her eyes, but no sound came. As she was about to head into the next car, a burst of emotions ripped through
her; fear and distress were so strong she clutched her stomach from the pain. “Hello?” she called again, her voice shaky. “I can feel you. I want to help. Please, give me some sign to know where to look.”

  Again, she heard nothing. She did a slow sweep with her flashlight, but no movement caught her eye. Maybe it was coming from another car. Or from someone the rescuers already rescued. She inhaled a deep breath and took another step toward the door leading to the next car over. Before she could take the final step, a solitary finger grasped onto her pant leg and tugged.

  “Oh my God,” Tessa screamed, gazing down at the feeble hand. The bloodied, brown hand was barely visible in the darkness that engulfed the room. Dust from the debris floated in the air, creating a smoky haze that she fought to clear from her eyes. Tessa dropped to her knees and brushed debris away, trying to free the trapped hand. It stopped moving, and Tessa’s heartbeat quickened when she noticed.

  “Hang on. I’m going to get you out. Don’t give up,” she pled to the owner of the hand. She clasped it, taking a pulse. It was weak and thready. The victim was fading fast. She focused in on his emotions the way David taught her, but they were so weak. There wasn’t much time left to save them. She tossed aside pieces of broken dishes, cases of chips and pretzels, sleeves of foam cups, and other items. After carefully lifting an overturned table, she could see the trapped victim. She stared down at the wide, frightened eyes and a face covered in soot. It was a teenage boy, no more than fifteen. She squeezed his fingers reassuringly and allowed her hands to glow. If she could ease his suffering a little until he could be freed, she’d be happy.

  “Hi. I’m Tessa. I’m here to help you. What’s your name?” she asked as she let the healing work. She kept a finger on his pulse and knew it was working a little, but he had a long way to go until he was stable. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Aiming the flashlight further down his body, there was a deep gash in his throat with a piece of metal sticking out. It must have severed his vocal cords. No wonder he couldn’t call for help. He probably wouldn’t have been found until it was too late if she hadn’t sensed his emotions. “It’s okay. Just stay strong. I’m gonna get you out of there.”