by Tara Benham
“Yeah, she should be here any minute. She said she was going to bring me some breakfast.” He looked down, red creeping up his neck into his cheeks.
“That’s very sweet of her.” I smiled.
“So, no hard feelings then?”
“None.”
He smiled.
“Sadie. Hi!”
“Hi, Bayla.” She looked at me oddly.
“Would you want to go to the store with me? I just need a few groceries and some clothes for camping.”
“Sure.”
She gave Everett the food she brought him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She looked sideways at me to see if I reacted. I had no interest in Everett, so I didn’t mind that they were dating now. He thanked her, gave me a quick wave, and turned to go back into the shop. Sadie turned back towards me, giving me a grin that I could tell was fake. I had a feeling that this day was going to be fruitful. She looked like someone who would want to brag about herself given the opportunity.
“Shall we go shop until we drop?”
“Of course. Where’s Haddy today?”
“He had to go out of town. My parents needed him to do some things for them before they come to visit. So I’m here alone.” Her eyes lit up. I wasn’t sure if it was the prospect of me being alone, but something I had said was of interest to her.
“That’s too bad. I know he was looking forward to the camping trip next Saturday.”
“That’s right.” I snapped my fingers, pretending to have just remembered. “We need to move the camping trip to this Saturday.” Her nose flared a little, but then she regained her composure. “Declan has to go out of town next weekend, and he’ll be gone for a few weekends, too. You know Alissa will want him to be here for the trip.” Honey was oozing from me.
“Yes, I’m sure she will want to change everything.” She seemed to be spitting venom.
“Everything okay between you two?”
“Yes. Sorry. She’s just obsessed with that boy, and I don’t know why.”
“Have you seen him? I can understand.” I giggled.
She rolled her eyes.
“Looks aren’t everything. That’s why I liked Had.” Her mentioning his name caused a physical ache inside of me. “He was kind and smart, not just handsome. Declan seems to be full of hot air.”
“I won’t argue with that.” I managed between laughs.
The store was fairly empty. I got a basket for the essentials that Hannah and I had decided we would need to have hidden, and headed towards the food area. We figured granola bars, bottles of water, and fruits like apples would be best to have. They would keep fairly well and would have better nutritional value than the junk food we would actually bring to the camp site Friday evening. After getting the few essentials from the grocery section, we headed over so I could get some clothing items I would need for the trip. I probably didn’t need most of what I was getting, but I needed a reason to be there with her.
“Are you starting college here in the fall too?”
“No, I’m going to a university in Tennessee. I actually leave in three weeks to get ready for classes to start. I plan on becoming a doctor. What do you want to do? I heard you moved here to go to college?”
“I’m not sure yet, but that was why we came here. My parents felt the programs here were the best for what we would need, if and when we started doing missionary work with them. Are you from here originally?”
“No, I moved here during my senior year. I am from Tennessee. My dad got a job here working for the parks doing seismology research.” She seemed to be paying close attention to my reactions. I made sure not to let my face give anything away.
“So I guess he’s been really busy here lately with all the activity that’s been going on?”
“Yeah. He’s been having me go out with him. It’s really interesting. I think he’s hoping that I will decide to follow his footsteps instead of being a doctor.” She rolled her eyes, but I could tell she enjoyed hanging out with her dad.
“That sounds really interesting. Has he made any conclusions to why we’ve been having so many?” I tried to make it sound like casual conversation. I needed to know if she knew anything that would help me.
“He thinks we are going to have a big one soon.” She got closer, like she was telling some big secret. “Actually he thinks it’s going to be catastrophic. He plans on monitoring it from the valley we are going camping in. He has it happening in a month or so, which is a good thing since my momma and I will be in Tennessee by then. He thinks the whole town will be gone afterwards.” Her eyes were open wide in fear, or maybe in anticipation even. I couldn’t get a good read on her at all.
“That’s very scary! Is he planning on warning people so they will have time to evacuate?” I knew his timing was off, and that it wouldn’t matter, but as a concerned human, I needed to pretend to be frightened.
“Daddy has sent emails to the council, but they haven’t responded.” She shrugged slightly, as if to say it doesn’t affect me so who cares.
“Well, I think I’ll make sure Haddy and I are away then.” I widened my eyes, and she nodded like she agreed that was a good idea. “I think I have everything I need. Are you ready?” I decided I had no need to worry about her. She was new to the area which is why there was no information on her in the file.
“I am. After this, do you want to go by the café and get coffee or something else to drink? I know it’s too early for lunch, but I thought we could hang out some more. Other than Hannah and Alissa I don’t have any friends.”
“Coffee sounds great. Let’s go pay for these items and head to the café. Maybe we’ll see Gray there, and we can tell him about changing the camping trip dates.”
“So, I bet Haddy is not very happy about having to miss the trip.”
“He wasn’t but, we knew before we came here that it wouldn’t be all fun. We had things we needed to do to help out our parents.”
Gray was at the coffee shop and gave us a wave as we sat at a table near the window. We could watch for Everett from where we sat, which is why Sadie chose the location. She was barely paying attention to me as I prattled on about random things to make it seem Had would just be gone for a few weeks. I wished that the Blues would send someone to at least let me know if he had survived. It was getting harder to pretend everything was ok as the day progressed. The longer I sat at this table making up random nonsense to entertain Sadie, the more anxious I became.
Gray had brought over two coffees for us without asking. “So Hannah said we were moving the camping trip to this weekend. Do you know if that works for the others yet?” he asked as we each doctored our cups appropriately.
“I’m good, and I know Everett is off work this weekend, so he should be good to go, too.” Sadie chimed in.
“I haven’t had a chance to ask Alissa or Declan yet.”
Gray glanced up outside, and my gaze followed. “Looks like we’re about to get the chance. Before they get here, can I talk to you Bayla? Alone?”
I was hesitant but had no good reason not to talk to him. “Sure.” I responded as I got up to follow him over to the counter.
“Hannah told me.”
My heart started pounding. “Told you what?”
“About Had having to leave, and why you need to move the dates up. She said you seemed pretty upset.”
I exhaled, without realizing I had been holding my breath. “Yeah, thank you.”
“If you need anything you make sure you let me or Hannah know, okay?”
“I will.”
He pulled me into a big hug. When I turned around, Declan was glaring, and Alissa and Sadie seemed shocked. Gray didn’t seem to have noticed or was unfazed by the looks if he did. “Listen, before you head back over, I need to let you know that I saw Declan with Alissa all day Sunday. I know you don’t like her and that there may be something going on with you two.”
“There’s nothing going on between us, but thank you.”
“The
death glares he is sending us right now beg to differ.” Gray chuckled, and he made his way back to the group.
“So, camping this weekend, guys?”
“Yeah that’s fine with me.” There was little inflection in Declan’s voice.
Alissa glanced at us, then at Declan and just shrugged. I’m pretty sure she didn’t have anything else better to do anyway. Plus wherever Declan was going to be, she was going to make sure to be there too. The silence between Declan and myself almost seemed palpable. I should probably apologize, but I was finding it easier not having to talk to him. Seeing him reminded me of Hadraniel and what I had lost. I needed to do something, anything to get away from him and my thoughts. I needed to get back to the valley and see if there was something I missed when Had got shot. Maybe I would find some clue as to who or why. I decided I needed to excuse myself so I could sneak away, so I feigned a yawn.
“I’m getting really tired guys. I have all this stuff I bought earlier that I need to get back to the cottage, so I think I’m going to head out.”
“Let me drive you.”
“No thank you, Declan. I think I’ll walk.”
“Oh, I insist.” There was a staring contest occurring with neither of us wanting to give in to the other.
“You should let him, Bay.” Gray, ever the voice of reason, spoke. “That’s a lot of stuff to carry, and if you’re already yawning, you’ll be exhausted by the time you get home.”
Declan gloated. He had won by default only, as I really couldn’t argue with Gray. I had just told them I was tired, so anything I could come up with would negate my previous statement. Gray put his keys out towards Declan, but Declan just declined. He said he had his own keys. I’m sure they were for Alissa’s car, but if they were, she didn’t seem to mind him using them. I said goodbye to the group without acknowledging Declan. I stood outside the café waiting for him to finish saying bye to Alissa.
“Lover’s tiff?”
He rolled his eyes. “No. She’s not anyone to me. She was just making sure I knew she needed her car back before she went home later.”
“Hmmm.”
“You weren’t going home were you?” It was more of a statement than a question.
“Why does it matter?”
“You were going to go the valley. It’s obviously not safe for you. What is wrong with you? Do you have a death wish?” His voice increased in volume with each word.
“What do you care? If I go and something happens to me, then you have your first mission success - and not just that, but you will have defeated the undefeated Bayla.”
“Are you serious? Do you think I care about some dumb mission? Whether Gray lives or dies? I couldn’t care less. You are incredibly dense, Angel.” He was seething.
“Can we not do this out in the open?” I stomped off towards Alissa’s car. I refused to out myself to the town because this demon couldn’t control his temper. I sat down in the passenger seat and waited for him. I watched as he seemed to argue with himself.
“Let’s go to the valley.” Declan climbed in on the driver’s side, but wouldn’t look at me.
I could feel my face heating up. I didn’t want to feel any emotions because of Declan, and I definitely did not want to show them in front of him. “Why are you helping me, Declan? I don’t understand. I lost Haddy and Father Paul. You should be elated.” I swallowed, feeling the tightness in my throat.
“Bayla...” There was so much unspoken yearning and pleading in just my name. “Please, trust me. I know I am not on your side but that doesn’t mean I want you to be erased, or harmed. I didn’t hurt Hadraniel. He’s the first guy that I could talk to honestly without fear that what I said would get back to Mephistopheles. Seriously, where is this weakness coming from? You are the Soul Collector for all of Heaven. Your name is revered as someone to be afraid of in Hell. What’s so different this mission?”
Tears sat unshed on my lashes. I couldn’t answer, and all I could do was look at him. I couldn’t respond. He stared for a minute before pressing his lips together. His eyes lit up with understanding. He was what was different. I had been fighting that truth since the first time I saw him. His gray eyes, moody face, dark hair, his smirk, his laugh, even his stupid man bun. He made everything different. I had some weird connection to him. He made me feel both off and whole, at the same time.
“After this trip to the valley, I’m leaving. I’ll come on the camping trip so it doesn’t look suspicious, but I cannot be the reason you fail. If I win, I want to win because I was better than you at a hundred percent. He paused, and seemed to collect himself before he continued. “Do you know what you’re even looking for up here?”
I just shook my head, still afraid that if I spoke, I would lose control of my emotions. The drive to the parking area before climbing up the hill into the valley wasn’t that far, and I was out the car and heading up before he had completely stopped. I couldn’t be in the car with him another second. I felt like I was suffocating. I didn’t need to be reprimanded by a demon. I was angry with myself and with him. I was angry at the Elders for changing the timeline. I was angry at Hadraniel. A Blue Angel, even one in training, should be aware of his surroundings. There was no reason he should have been taken by surprise. I got up to the top in record time, barely out of breath. I stopped and waited for Declan who was huffing and puffing by the time he joined me.
“We need to get into the valley and check out the areas Hadraniel marked to stow food and drinks. Those markings will help identify the path he took. I know where he was when the Blues came, and I know where we started, but we need to find the in between places.”
“Lead the way.” His breath was slowly returning to normal. At a different time or place, I might have found it comical, seeing him struggle this way.
Once in the meadow, I turned in the direction I had seen Hadraniel heading as I was walking towards the sinkhole. We had walked about three hundred feet when Declan pointed out the first “X” on a tree. It had a hole at the bottom that could be used to hold water. I soon realized I should have brought the stash of supplies I bought today. It would have made for one less trip out here. . It was another hundred feet when we found another “x”, this one more hastily drawn than the first.
“He seemed to draw this one with less precision.” My face contorted some in confusion. Did he think he was being followed?
“Didn’t you say he thought you were hollering for him? Time wise, could this have been when he first heard “you”?”
“It’s possible, but I had walked a far distance away and was heading to the same spot he was when he was hit. Let’s continue on this path a bit to see if we can find another X.”
I headed towards the edge of the tree line and was just about to step out when I was slammed against a tree with a hand covering my mouth. I opened my eyes to see Declan pressing his body against mine, his finger to his lips. I nodded. I didn’t know what was happening, but I was enjoying his body against me. I listened, trying to hear something, anything that may have triggered this sudden hiding we were doing. He peeked around the tree and was quickly scooting us to my right, keeping us as close to the tree as possible. He pointed to his eyes, then to something behind us. I made a move to turn to see what he was looking at, but he shook his head quickly. Another few seconds passed, and we scooted to the right some more. Whatever we were hiding from must have been moving more into the trees. We stayed motionless for another minute or so before he pushed away from me. He indicated to continue to be quiet. He reached for my hand and led me out of the tree line. Once out of site of the tree, he took off running. He was easy to keep up with, but he wasn’t slowing down. We ran into the creek, and then behind the waterfall. Inside the falls was a cavern. It was large and well hidden. I had to lean against the wall for support while I gasped for air. I was drenched.
“What in the Grace was that? Did you see someone?”
“Meph was out there. I don’t know how he didn’t detect me. He was searching
the ground for something.” He genuinely didn’t look happy.
“Mephistopheles is here? Already? If he hurt Hadraniel, I will erase him. I have the swords to do it.”
“Bayla. Don’t tell me where the swords are! Do you understand me?”
“Why would I ever tell you that?”
He chuckled. “Good girl. I’m not saying Meph had anything to do with Hadraniel being shot, but it would make sense. Had was strong. He knew he could be a big help to you. I swear to you that I don’t know Meph’s plan, but it’s not that hard to guess he would want the two of us against you. I’m going to go check and see if he’s gone. Stay here. If I’m not back in twenty minutes or so, head out towards the car.”
“Following the commands of a demon,” I mumbled under my breath. I noticed him looking at me, slightly amused with his eyebrow arched awaiting my answer. “Yes, fine. Go.”
If Meph had done this to Had, then I would need to make sure I had a small sword on me at all times from now on and have the two others hidden around the valley. Also, knowing this cavern was back here might come in handy if I needed to hide the others safely. I was beginning to feel a spark of hope. My mission would be completed if I could keep Gray alive until after the quake and keep him away from Meph. With the help of Hannah, I had no doubt I could do this. Declan didn’t seem like he would fight me if it came to it. I could use that knowledge to my benefit. I sat down on the floor while waiting for Declan. I used the time to draw a map of the valley in the dirt. If we could get to the meadow I had found, it would provide us protection from the hill if it were to collapse, but we would be further away from this cavern. Plus, we would be closer to where I was hoping to push Meph into the sinkhole if need be. From the papers I had found in Had’s room, I knew this cliff and waterfall to be safe from the quake’s aftermath.
I was just finishing plotting the two X’s on the map, when the water parted. Declan was standing there drenched. I wiped the map clean and stood up. “Ready to go?”