“See?” Kira asked. “It’s totally hypocritical ‘cause I’m sure your parents must have ditched when they were in school.”
Clover plugged in the glue gun and frowned. “She’s right. Remember when dad told us about his senior ditch day? How he and his buddies went to the beach instead of school?”
“Everybody ditches on senior ditch day!” Vero said. “Teachers expect it.”
Kira raised her eyebrows and lifted her chin. “Sorry, Vero. It’s still ditching.”
“We have to finish our project,” Clover said. “Leave.”
Vero stared hard at Clover. He was trying to read her mind the same way he had done in the Ether with Pax. But nothing. He couldn’t hear any of Clover’s thoughts. “Gladly,” Vero said. He put his pizza on a plate and stomped out of the room.
Vero was sick of Clover. She was unbearable around Kira. As he walked past Clover’s bedroom, his eye caught her journal lying on top of her pillow. He wasn’t able to read her mind, but maybe her journal held some answers. Vero walked into the room and picked up the journal. It was Clover’s dream diary. She had kept one ever since she was a little girl. If she had a particularly interesting dream the night before, Clover would record it in her journal. The last time Vero had snuck a peek at it, Clover had drawn an image of the Cherubim, the angels who guard God’s throne. Strangely, that very same night, Vero had had the exact same dream in which he, too, had seen the Cherubim.
Vero’s heart skipped a beat when he flipped it open and saw the pages — drawn with near perfect likeness were several hyenas facing off against seven angels: Ariel, Greer, Ada, X, Kane, Pax, and himself! Vero’s breathing quickened as his mind put it all together. Clover saw this scene in her dream! She had been there. So she must have been the soul in desperate need of the fort-i-fire! Vero needed to talk to Uriel, and right now!
Suddenly, Vero’s breathing became labored. He felt like his heart was going to burst. The pain was unbearable. He grabbed his chest and collapsed to the floor.
The first thing Vero heard was the distant sound of a crowd. He opened his eyes. Pax and Greer were standing over him. Greer nudged him with her foot.
“So nice of you to join us,” Greer said. “Speeding bus?”
“No. Heart attack, I think,” Vero answered.
“Clogged arteries at 13? You better lay off the junk food.” Greer smiled at him.
As Vero stood up, his eyes took in C.A.N.D.L.E.’s great outer walls. He realized he was lying on the steps.
“I need to talk to Uriel,” Vero said with urgency in his voice, thinking of Clover.
“He told us to go ahead without you,” Pax said.
“What are you talking about?”
“The third trial,” Pax said. “It’s already begun.”
Vero felt hurt. “Why wasn’t I included?”
“He wouldn’t give us an answer,” Pax said. “But I got the feeling they don’t want you to participate.”
Vero’s hurt gave way to anger. Why would they not want him in the games? Why were they excluding him? He’d been chosen for the guardian team, fair and square.
Vero stormed up the stairs, determined to give Uriel a piece of his mind. As he walked through the massive doors, X, Ada, Kane, and Eitan were walking out with Uriel and Raphael. When Vero caught his eye, Uriel stopped, looking shocked. Raphael seemed equally startled, his jolly expression erased.
“Yeah, I’m here,” Vero said defiantly. “Don’t worry, I don’t want to be in your stupid Angel Trials. I have more important things.” Vero glared at Eitan, “And obviously, I’ve been replaced.”
“Vero, how did you get here?” Uriel asked.
“I don’t know, my chest hurt . . . like an elephant was sitting on it . . .”
“Self-induced heart attack,” Uriel said, with wonder in his voice. “At this point in your training, no fledgling has ever been capable of self-transitioning to the Ether.”
“Congratulations,” Raphael smiled to Vero. “You willed yourself here.”
Vero frowned. “Excuse me for not wanting to celebrate,” he said, his eyes fixed on Eitan. “I’m glad you’re replacing me because I need to help my sister. It was my sister, wasn’t it? The soul we failed to hit with the fort-i-fire?”
Uriel and Raphael looked at each other with nervous glances. Greer gasped.
Uriel met Vero’s glare. “You will go with your flight and participate in the Trials,” he said firmly.
Vero snorted. “The Trials? You called everyone here except me. You were going to do it behind my back, and now you want me to compete?”
Uriel turned to Eitan, “You are to return to earth.”
Eitan nodded, looking disappointed.
“No, let him stay,” Vero told Uriel. He locked eyes with Uriel. “Clover’s the soul under great attack? She was the soul in the cave with Lilith, wasn’t she?”
Uriel looked to Raphael then slowly nodded.
Though Vero had been sure of it even before arriving in the Ether, hearing this confirmation caused him to panic. “I need to get a fort-i-fire to her!”
Uriel shook his head. “No, Vero, that time has passed.”
“But she’s in trouble! She’s my sister — !”
“I know you love her, but Clover is not your ward.”
“I don’t care! I have to help her! What good is being an angel if I can’t guard my own sister?!”
“You will do as you are told,” Uriel said, the tone of his voice clearly meant that Vero was not to argue the point any further. “And, Eitan, you will return to earth.”
Eitan nodded. “Yes, Uriel.”
“But it isn’t right!” Vero shouted.
Uriel turned to the other fledglings. “Good luck to you all.” With that, he wrapped his wings around himself and disappeared.
Vero looked to Raphael, his eyes pleading. “Raphael, please . . .”
“Don’t lose hope, Vero,” Raphael said gently. “Not everything is as it seems. And you can always pray for Clover.” Then he flew away.
“We’re wasting time, Vero,” Kane said, bouncing on the balls of his feet. “We’re in a race here.”
Ada gave Kane a look, then touched Vero’s elbow. “I’m sorry about your sister,” she said. “How did you figure it out? Could you tell she’s under attack?”
Vero sighed. “Sort of. She’s suddenly become so self-absorbed and defiant to my parents, wearing inappropriate outfits and ditching school . . .”
“Sounds like normal teenage stuff,” Greer said.
“When you say it out loud, it doesn’t sound that terrible,” Vero agreed. “But you don’t know Clover and how she really is. It’s pretty out of character for her.” Vero shot Kane a dirty look. “And if you hadn’t thrown the fort-i-fire at Melchor’s, Clover wouldn’t be in the trouble she is.”
“Not my fault! I didn’t know she was your sister,” Kane defended.
Vero could feel the rage building within him. “Even if you did, I bet you still would have done the same thing,” he said. “Winning means more to you than anything else.”
“Yeah, and this is why I never wanted you on my team!” Kane shouted back. “Trouble always follows you!”
Vero’s face grew hot. He grabbed Kane by his shirt and shook him. Kane shoved him back. X swiftly inserted himself between the two and, with his impressive biceps, pushed them apart.
“Knock it off!” X yelled. “This isn’t going to help anything!”
Vero and Kane stared at one another as they caught their breath.
“Look, I’m sorry about your sister,” Kane said, wiping his face with his sleeve. “I really am. But chances are Clover will be right where you left her before you transitioned.”
X nodded. “You need to trust that your sister’s guardian will watch over her.”
Vero stayed silent for a moment as all eyes awaited his response. Then he nodded slightly.
“Good,” X said as he lowered his hands from both boys’ chests. “Now we need t
o find Jacob’s Ladder . . . together.” X looked pointedly at Vero.
Pax turned to Vero. “The third challenge is to reach the top of Jacob’s Ladder first. And no one is allowed to fly.”
“What did the archangels say about it?” Vero asked.
“Raphael told us the story,” X said. “Jacob was Isaac’s son and Abraham’s grandson. One night he fell asleep and dreamed about a ladder that stretched all the way from earth to heaven. He saw angels going up and down it.”
Vero remembered the story from Sunday school. “That’s right. And he was the one who wrestled with an angel all night, wasn’t he?”
“Yes,” X chuckled. “Raphael admitted he was the angel Jacob wrestled with. It was during his own Angel Trials. He said Jacob whipped him good.”
“So where is the ladder?” Vero asked the others.
“On earth,” Ada said. “We were instructed to go back. Uriel said we should have an advantage over the other angels because they’ve never lived on earth.”
“That, plus Ariel definitely won’t blend,” Kane said, smiling at the thought.
“Didn’t think of that,” Ada said.
“Uriel said we’re to listen to our Vox Dei, pray to see the bottom rung, and we’ll be taken back to earth,” Kane said. “Just like how we normally do when it’s time to leave the Ether.”
“We’re losing time, so let’s do it,” Greer said.
Vero closed his eyes. He blocked out everything as he searched deep within himself for his Vox Dei. Gradually, he heard only the beating of his own heart. A peace overtook him. It was quickly shattered by the constant ding, ding, ding of what sounded like slot machines. Vero opened his eyes. He stood in the midst of an arcade. Bells and lights went off in every direction. He saw pinball machines, Skee-Ball bowling alleys, air hockey tables, photo booths, basketball machines, video games, a motorcycle racing simulator, a shooting gallery, even some kiddie rides. In short, it was a kid’s paradise. Kids of all ages bounced from machine to machine. Vero was sure he had messed up his Vox Dei because he doubted the bottom rung to Jacob’s Ladder could be in this place. But then he saw Greer, Kane, and Pax walking toward him. If they also landed in the same arcade, then maybe it could be the place, after all, he thought.
“Start looking,” Greer told Vero.
“This is just crazy,” Vero said. “I have a hard time imagining it’s in here.”
“This is where we all landed, so it’s got to be the right place,” Pax said.
“Not all of us,” Kane said. “Has anyone seen X or Ada?”
Suddenly, Ada’s shrill voice cut through the din of the arcade. Vero looked up and saw Ada sitting next to X on a kiddie Ferris wheel. She was clutching X’s arm as the Ferris wheel spun around. The blood had drained from Ada’s face, and she looked as white as a sheet.
“What the heck is she screaming for?” Greer asked. “It’s a kiddie ride.”
The attendant stopped the ride when Ada and X’s carriage reached the platform. He unlocked the carriage door, and Ada dashed off the ride. Everyone looked at her as if she were crazy. Ada noticed the stares. She stopped screaming, and hugged her chest. “I hate Ferris wheels,” she said.
“You can battle behemoths, imps, and hyenas, but you’re terrified of a kiddie Ferris wheel?” Vero asked.
Ada hesitated then slowly nodded. “I almost fell off one when I was little.”
“Oh my gosh, my heart breaks for you. Such a horrific childhood,” Greer said mockingly. “Try and pull yourself together and find the bottom of that ladder please.”
Ada flashed her a look.
“Maybe there’s some secret door?” Pax said.
X looked to Pax, incredulous.
“It wasn’t that brilliant of an idea,” Greer said of X’s expression.
“No.” X smiled. “But we could understand him. Pax just spoke some of his first words ever on earth.”
“Feels pretty good too,” X said, stretching his legs. “Anybody want to race me? Vero?”
Vero wasn’t paying attention to X. “Vero?” X tried again.
“Guy’s I know where we are,” Vero said, staring straight ahead.
“Where?” Ada asked
Vero’s eyes shot wide with panic. “Maryland.”
22
JACOB’S LADDER
A pit formed in Vero’s stomach when he saw Tack wearing a backpack and beelining toward him. How could this happen? Didn’t time on earth stop when in the Ether? Or was it like before when he had battled the maltures, when he had jumped in front of a fire truck and time had continued?
“Where were you? We sat outside your house, and then my mom couldn’t wait any longer,” Tack said to Vero.
“Oh . . . sorry,” Vero said.
Tack pulled out his cell phone from his jacket pocket. “I’ll text my mom that you’re here.”
“Thanks,” Vero said. “Did you knock on the door at my house?”
“Yeah, nobody answered.”
“You didn’t see Kira or Clover?” Vero asked with concern.
“Nope.”
“Oh . . . yeah sorry, I guess there was a miscommunication somewhere.”
“And what the heck? You told Mallory about Henry?”
“She was going to tell Principal Meyers!” Vero said.
“Thanks, because now I’ve got to do all her chores for the next two weeks.”
“Sorry.”
Tack squinted at Ada. “You’re Ada, Vero’s friend from the bat mitzvah.”
“Nice to see you. I just happen to be in town with my friends . . .” Ada covered, gesturing behind her.
Tack looked at Greer, X, Pax, and Kane.
“. . . And I called Vero at the last minute.”
“Oh. That’s cool,” Tack said. “My mom’s next door getting her hair dyed. We can all play some games together.”
“Um . . . sure,” Vero said despite Kane’s panicked look. “I need some tokens. Can you get me some?” Vero fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a twenty. He handed it to Tack.
“Okay. I’ll be right back.” Tack took Vero’s bill and walked over to the token machine.
Kane turned to Vero. “What are you doing? Get rid of him!”
“I can’t!” Vero said. “What do you want me to do?”
“Ditch him!”
“Are we in your town?” Pax asked Vero.
“Yes.”
“I wonder why?” Pax said.
Vero thought for a moment. “I don’t know. But it’s really complicating things. How about Ada and I go around with Tack, and you guys search for the rung? Then somehow I’ll give him the slip.”
Kane considered. “Do it fast.”
Tack returned with a plastic cup full of shiny tokens. “Where are they going?” Tack asked as Kane, X, Greer, and Pax walked away.
“They just want to look around,” Vero answered, nervously glancing at Ada.
“Hey, let’s go to the shooting gallery,” Tack said.
Vero, Ada, and Tack made their way through a throng of kids over to the shooting gallery. Vero’s eyes were constantly scanning the arcade looking for anything that could be related to the bottom rung of Jacob’s Ladder, but all he saw was a typical suburban arcade. The shooting gallery was Western themed. A mannequin wearing a cowboy hat sat at a piano. Frying pans and a dinner bell hung on the porch of a shack. Tin cans were arranged in a straight line on top of a bale of hay. A deer stood in between two trees next to a chipmunk sitting on a tree stump. A rattlesnake coiled up in a bush, and a bright red stick of dynamite lay on a wooden crate labeled “TNT.” All the objects had red bull’s-eyes in front of them. Tack put in enough tokens for three people, and Ada and Vero picked up their guns.
“We don’t have time for this,” she muttered to Vero.
Vero shrugged nervously then held the butt of the rifle to his shoulder and aimed at the bull’s-eye in front of the piano player. He pulled the trigger. The piano player jerked forward, and his fingers moved across the keyboa
rd playing a song.
“You got him!” Tack yelled.
Tack shot at the dinner bell. It began to clang.
Ada aimed at the tin cans, but nothing happened. Her aim was off. Other kids began to pick up rifles and shoot. Soon it seemed like every bull’s-eye was going off. Vero shut one eye as he looked down the barrel of his rifle. A cat leapt across the gallery. The poor creature was completely frazzled. It jumped from object to object looking for a way out.
“What’s a cat doing there?” Tack asked, putting down his gun. “Is it part of the gallery?”
The cinnamon-colored cat had long legs and a wiry body. Vero looked over and saw an employee pushing through the crowd. The chubby, balding man shouted, “Hold your fire” at the top of his lungs as he jumped over the counter after the cat. Trapped, the cat stood still. Its large almond-shaped eyes were frozen on Vero.
“Help me!” rang through Vero’s head. It was a voice he recognized. The cat was Ariel.
“Ada,” Vero whispered. “It’s Ariel!”
The man slowly approached Ariel, backing her into a corner. She hissed at him. “Help!” she communicated to Vero.
As the man reached out to grab her, Vero shot the bull’seye beneath Ariel. The rattlesnake jumped forward, startling the man. He stumbled back, giving Ariel the chance to escape. Ada ran after Ariel. Vero turned to Tack. “Quick, give me your backpack!”
“Why?”
“Just do it!”
“My lunch is in there,” Tack said as he held out his backpack. “And my clothes. I’m spending the night at my aunt’s house.”
Vero grabbed Tack’s backpack, zipped it open and dug out Tack’s lunch. He handed it to Tack. “Here, eat it now! And I’ll give it back to you later!”
Vero turned and chased after Ariel. But he wasn’t the only one chasing her — the arcade employee was also in close pursuit. He pushed his way through crowds of kids, keeping an eye at all times on Ariel. Vero turned a corner around a photo booth and stopped in his tracks; she was gone. The man also stopped running. He looked around, scratching his head. Ariel was nowhere in sight. After a few moments, the employee walked away.
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