by Mary Ting
The fog instantly sensed my movement, took the form of a snake, and lunged toward me like a bullet. Michael shot up and grabbed the beast just in the nick of time. He flung the beast away, but in that instant, it flew toward me and struck near my heart. Even Michael’s reflexes weren’t fast enough. I lost my balance and fell hard onto the floor, crying out in agony.
Michael and I made eye contact, and I could see terror in his eyes. I tried to get back up, but I started to feel dizzy, and the room began to spin. My body began to thrash as unbelievable pain jolted me over and over again. I wasn’t sure what I was seeing or hearing because by that time, everything was out of focus, causing me to collapse. The last thing I saw was a blurry vision of what appeared to be a sword between Michael and the beast, and I thought I heard loud screeching sounds that faded out.
“Michael,” I cried inside, unable to speak. I prayed it was the beast’s cry that I heard as darkness surrounded me. I felt like I was floating, as light as a feather. Death must have come; now the peace I had prayed for, that I hoped I had earned, would be my reward.
Chapter 7
As I slowly came out of the darkness, I couldn’t open my eyes. Hearing jumbled whispers was a sure sign that there were people around me. But then again, was I even sure they were human? Panic struck me, and I desperately wanted to know where I was.
All my efforts to open my eyes did not work, so I decided to lay still and listen. I lay motionless, afraid to make any movement to show that I had awakened. Fearing that I may be paralyzed, I wiggled my fingers and toes slightly underneath the blanket just to make sure. As a sense of relief came over me, I began to wonder if I could even protect myself. So I listened intently, trying to figure out who was in this room and what they were saying.
Even with the bits of conversation I could hear, I couldn’t distinguish their voices because they were whispering the entire time. For some unknown reason, these obscure conversations triggered my memories of why I was here. Thinking about what had happened, my guard was up again, and I didn’t know for sure if I was completely out of danger.
“Is she all right?” I heard her ask loudly and clearly.
Instantly my spirits lifted and I relaxed, knowing with all of my being that I was safe. I was no longer in Hell’s fury. I knew that voice. It was Vivian, and I knew I must be back in Halo City. She was standing at close range…I felt like I could reach out and touch her, but I dared not. I was afraid of how she may react to my display of human affection toward her. Excitedly, I attempted to open my eyes.
When my eyes opened, my vision was still blurry. I saw several figures standing next to where I lay. Slowly I began to focus, and I could finally see Vivian, Margaret, and Agnes. They were smiling at me. I smiled back and quickly looked for Michael. Although I was happy to see them, I needed to see him. Where was he? Had something happened to him? I became concerned and scared.
As I stirred to get up and look for him, I was quickly halted by the grasps of the three angels that were standing in front of the bed. I felt a tremendous sharp pain near my heart, unlike anything I’d ever felt before. I remembered at that moment that I had been attacked and bitten by Julia. Hazy memories of the black fog, the snake, and Michael flashed in and out, but were blurry. Panic struck me as I thought about Michael. My heart was pounding rapidly. I needed to see him, needed to know if he was alive.
“Be careful. You shouldn’t move. You need time to heal,” Agnes said as she placed her hands gently on my shoulders and lay me back down.
I didn’t care what kind of pain I was in. I needed answers. “Is Michael all right?” I asked eagerly, hoping desperately to get the only answer I wanted to hear.
“Yes,” Margaret said.
I let out a heavy sigh of relief. Now I knew for sure that it was the beast who had been wounded or killed, and not Michael.
“How do you feel?” Vivian asked as she placed her hand on my forehead. “Good, no fever.”
“Except for the pain, I think I feel fine,” I said, staring at her facial features, thinking how pretty she was. Her long brown silky hair dangled from side to side as she fussed over me.
“We got all the poison out, so you should be feeling better soon. Thank goodness Michael brought you back in time. We were all worried you wouldn’t make it,” Margaret said.
“Thank you.” It was all I could say, feeling embarrassed that I’d caused so much trouble.
“Michael will be relieved to see you have awakened. He carries tremendous guilt for what happened to you. He is ashamed that he was unable to protect you better,” Agnes said.
“But he saved my life,” I spoke quickly.
“I think you should speak to Michael and tell him yourself. Your forgiveness will free him from guilt. I’ll go get him,” Margaret said.
They all left and I was alone, waiting for what seemed like an eternity for Michael to come. I felt my heart quicken, sending excitement and apprehension throughout my body. I looked around at my surroundings. Whose bed was I lying on, and whose room was I in? The furnishings were simple, but nice. My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps. My heart raced again with anticipation.
“Hi,” said a small, sweet voice. A beautiful young girl peered through a sheer curtain that hung where the door would have been. It was Alexa Rose. She was dressed in a cute little white dress accented with a pink bow on the front.
“Hello, come in,” I said with a smile.
“Are you hurt?” she sounded concerned.
“I don’t remember quite all that happened, but I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
With some hesitation, she asked, “Are you an angel or a human?”
“Would that make a difference?” I responded. I wasn’t sure what I wanted her answer to be.
“I don’t know. I’ve never touched a human before or even been around any…and…and if you are a human, it’s too dangerous for you to be here. You should go home to your mommy.”
“Why?” I asked, trying to hold back a laugh. I was extremely amused by her adorableness and her concern.
“Humans can’t come here. This place is for alkins only. It is the law.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be on my way soon. Are you the only child here?”
“No,” she said, gently swaying back and forth. “I have many friends.”
“How many friends?”
“Lots and lots of them. We go to school together. We learn how to be good angels, and we learn about all the rules we need to follow,” she said, giving me a huge grin.
Her smile faded and she stopped talking, her face uncertain as she turned her head toward the sheer curtain and said, “Michael is coming.”
With a snicker, Michael bent down to her level and said, “Hello, princess. I see that you’ve met our friend.”
His appearance was a total surprise; I hadn’t heard any footsteps. Had it not been for Alexa Rose’s warning, I wouldn’t have known he was nearby. I became breathless when his eyes flickered up and held mine for a second, and my spirits were lifted to know that he called me a friend.
She looked back at him with those puppy like eyes. “I like her. I know she can’t stay here, but…but could she stay anyway?” Alexa Rose begged.
Michael looked at me and quickly turned to Alexa Rose. Very compassionately he said, “I’m afraid not. Humans just cannot be allowed to stay here. You remember the rules you learned at school, don’t you?”
“Yeah, but how do you know if she is not an angel? Humans never come to visit, so she must be an angel,” she challenged.
“That is true, but sometimes things just happen, and we can’t always explain it.”
“Okay, Michael,” she said, sounding convinced.
Michael gave her a hug and stood tall. “Alexa Rose, I need to speak to Claudia alone. I will see you after school. I want you to find Davin for me, okay?”
She nodded, gave me a quick glance, and ran out the door. Then we were alone. There was an uncomfortable silence. As I strugg
led to find the right words, my whole body tensed, and I wondered if he would be nice, or if he would be back to his old cold self again.
“Hello,” he said with a smile, still standing at a distance.
I was glad he broke the silence first. The smile confirmed what I wanted to know, and I immediately relaxed. “Hi,” I smiled back, wondering if I looked presentable.
He brushed his hair back. He seemed to do that when he was nervous or uncomfortable. “I’m glad to see you awake. I didn’t know how long it would take you to heal or let alone wake up.”
“I actually feel fine. I mean, it’s my first time being bitten by a humongous snake or whatever that fog-like thing was…something that doesn’t exist in my everyday life, but other than that, I think I’m fine,” I said, trying to sound humorous.
It worked. He chuckled softly. It was nice to see him lighten up a bit.
“Yeah, not normal for you humans, but I’m glad to hear that you’re feeling better,” he responded as he approached where I lay. “I know I told you not to come here, but I brought you here because the only person who could save you from my mistake was Agnes. She has the power to heal…sometimes…unsuccessfully. I was afraid that I didn’t get you to her in time.” He no longer looked me in the eyes; he looked down as if he was ashamed. “You may feel some pain from time to time, but the pain will go away soon, I promise. Some guardian angel I am.” He paused, glancing sideways, and let out a soft sigh. “I failed you, and I would understand if you couldn’t forgive me.”
I couldn’t believe what he was saying. I could see the guilt through his body language. He clenched his jaw, and his hands became agitated. There was anguish in his eyes. I wanted to touch his cheek, to erase the pain he was concealing.
“I’m sorry you feel that way.” As I spoke, his eyes immediately found mine with a look of surprise. “You saved my life, and there is nothing to forgive. You did everything you could. So what if I got hurt? I’m still alive, aren’t I?” I rethought my last sentence, realizing I didn’t know the answer. Remembering the brief conversation with Alexa Rose, she had asked me if I were a human or an angel. Could it be possible that I was dead and they didn’t have the heart to tell me? Was I, now, an angel too?
“I’m still alive, aren’t I?” I questioned with an unsettling look.
He approached me, closing the gap between us as he leaned forward, and looked straight into my eyes and answered. “Yes. You are still alive.” Amused by my question, he laughed and lifted his right hand, raising it toward my cheek. I could feel my blood fuse with excitement and desire. How badly I wanted him to touch me just once, if that was all it would ever be. Please don’t stop, I thought to myself.
As he realized what he was doing, he immediately dropped his hand and backed away in surprise. A feeling of disappointment raced through me. I wanted to feel his touch, his warmth. I closed my eyes, knowing this fantasy I was having needed to stop. I simply breathed him in, enjoying every sense of his presence. I suddenly remembered that I hadn’t called my mom and Patty, as I promised I would, when I got home. How would I ever explain?
As I started to say that I needed to call my mom and Patty, and that I needed to go home, he spoke simultaneously, “You need to go home.”
“You took the words right out of my mouth,” I said.
We both smiled, and he shyly turned away. I was seeing a whole new side of him. His sweetness made him that much more attractive, and his smile melted my heart. I thought at any given moment I would lose control—that is, until I tried to get up. Without realizing the depth of my pain, I turned to get up. I felt a blazing pain that ran through my body. It felt worse than the first time I had tried to get up. It was like being stabbed in my chest while my whole body burned. When he realized I was in pain, Michael immediately swept me off my feet and cradled me in his arms.
“Breathe…deep breaths…relax,” he whispered into my ear. I weakened at the sound of his voice, and my body went limp. After the pain subsided, I turned to look at him to let him know I was feeling better, and our eyes locked. Everything went silent. In that moment, nothing else mattered. I felt like I was floating, as if we were dancing across the sky. It seemed never-ending as he stared into my eyes.
“Let’s go,” Davin interrupted, waving his hand while Alexa Rose stood right behind him. We quickly turned away, hoping not to get caught. With me still in his arms, we left the room. Phillip, Agnes, Margaret, Vivian, and Caleb walked in and smiled at me.
“I would like to take her back home, if it would be all right with Claudia?” Michael asked Phillip as he lowered me down gently.
Phillip was just about to say something when he was interrupted by Alexa Rose.
“Nooo!” Alexa Rose shouted. Everyone turned to look at her.
“I’ll be right back,” Michael said calmly.
“But, it’s too dangerous.” There was fear in her voice.
Michael picked her up and hugged her warmly. “You worry too much for a child. I’ll be right back.” He reassured her.
“Promise?” she asked as she placed her head on his shoulder.
“Promise,” he repeated after her and gently placed her down. “I always keep my word.”
Phillip turned to look at Michael, “Don’t stay too long. Caleb, Vivian, and Davin have my permission to go down and help you if you need any assistance.”
“Did I hear you correctly? Did you say my name?” Davin asked Phillip, unsure of what he heard.
“Yes, Michael may need your assistance, and if he does, Paul will take over as gatekeeper.”
Then Phillip looked at me, “I’m sorry you had to experience such an ordeal. We hadn’t expected that you would get noticed that soon. Michael and I already spoke about what happened, but do you remember anything the beast said to you?”
My memory was hazy, but I was a little surprised at the few details I could remember. “I don’t recall much, but I do have some recollection of it saying something like it had been looking for me,” I responded.
Phillip, Margaret, and Agnes looked perplexed by my words. They didn’t say anything, no words of guidance or comfort, as if they were confused themselves.
Unexpectedly, Phillip placed his hand on my shoulder and kindly said, “Don’t worry. We’ll figure this all out.”
Phillips words confirmed what I was thinking. We’ll figure this all out meant they didn’t know the reason why I was in danger. My gut feeling told me that this wasn’t over, and I was still in the path of danger. Or perhaps I was overreacting.
“They need to get going,” Davin interrupted.
“Very well, be safe.” Those were the last words I heard from Phillip as Michael and I were transported back to Fashion Wear.
Chapter 8
“We’re here,” he whispered.
His muscular arms wrapped me tightly and I felt safe tucked in his embrace. I had expected he would release me when we got here, but he didn’t. With my eyes still closed, all I could do was enjoy the moment. I could feel his firm chest rise and fall as his breathing synchronized with mine. The beating of our hearts was all I felt as neither of us moved. I couldn’t look up; an overwhelming shyness struck me.
“You’re safe,” he finally whispered, breaking the silence. “You can open your eyes.”
After I nodded, he let go. Michael and I stood outside Fashion Wear. It was the strangest feeling to be in one place one minute and somewhere else the next. All was peaceful in contrast to what had happened inside the store. The bright, almost full moon lit up the empty parking lot, overpowering the streetlamps. It was dark and I had lost all sense of time. “What time is it?” I asked in panic.
“It’s 9:30,” he said.
“How could that be? I was gone for a long time. What day is it?” I asked frantically.
“Don’t worry, Claudia. In previous times, you entered Crossroads by yourself through your dreams. This time I took you. When an alkin or an angel brings you to our world, you return at the same time you en
tered.”
Although I knew he wouldn’t lie to me, I stood there in disbelief. “Oh…wow…okay. I need to lock up.”
“Already done while you were resting. And don’t worry about the storage room. Caleb put it back to normal, as if nothing ever happened.”
“Oh, thank you,” I said, impressed and dumbfounded, and perplexed by the idea that the storage room was back to normal. “I almost forgot. I need to call my mom and Patty.”
“Yes, of course but,” he was hesitant. “Vivian texted your mom and Patty for you. I hope you don’t mind,” he said as he handed me my cell phone.
“Thank you. I should thank Vivian,” I said. Then I thought, How did Vivian know to text my mom and Patty? Then I remembered telling Michael earlier. I looked at my text messages and read out loud, “It’s my mom. She texted, glad you got home safe. Patty texted, thanks for locking up, and I owe you one.” I relaxed knowing they were not worried about me. If they knew what I had been through, would they believe me? I couldn’t even comprehend it myself, let alone believe what was in front of my very own eyes. I looked up at him, waiting to see what he would say or do next.
He smiled. “I should get you home,” he said, starting to unchain the lock on my bike.
I couldn’t recall if I had told him the combination to my lock; regardless, I was more occupied by feelings of embarrassment knowing that he knew I rode a bike to and from work. It seemed childish, and I didn’t want him to perceive me as one.
“How did you know the combination to my lock?” I asked, my eyes widened in surprise.