Heritage

by Rebecca Walton

  Stepping back into the heavily decorated room, my eyes adjusted to the mass amount of gold and red that covered the usually beige room. A huge Christmas tree stood inside the frame of the bay window, draped in gold and red tinsel. On each branch hung a red or gold bauble. Beth truly loved the red and gold Christmas theme.

  “Elle, How lovely to see you.” Jimmy the pervert cricket sniffed. On most occasions, I would walk away from his conversation, but as Bruce ushered me to talk to him, there was no escaping.

  “Hello Jimmy,” I smiled sweetly, hoping he wouldn’t get the wrong idea like he usually did. Running his dirty hands through his short dark hair, he smiled back at me and turned to smile at Poppy. I could feel Poppy shiver beside me making me also shudder.

  “How are things?” He asked with a hint of flirtation in his voice. I think I may vomit. Being a forty five year old bachelor, Jimmy thought he was a hit with the ladies. Never in my life have I seen him with an actual partner. However, I did see him attempting to obtain younger girls. He lives in a world of his own if he thinks he could get anyone half his age.

  “Things are good. How are things with you?” I asked. I never was one for idle conversations, it all seems so pointless. Why waste time talking to people you don’t want to if it wasn’t in any way going to benefit you, especially if that conversation was with a creepy middle aged mechanic.

  “Can’t complain,” he smiled licking his lips seductively.

  “Ok Ew,” Poppy exclaimed, taking me by the arm and leading me away from perverted man. Shuddering again, I glanced back at the window much to my dismay Dwayne was still stood outside. Maybe he didn’t see the threat of a human pervert looming, or if it wasn’t a demon, I suppose he thought I could deal with it myself.

  “Elle, it’s good to see you again,” Called Edna Rose as she pulled me into a suffocating embrace.

  “Edna,” I chocked as she released the crushing pressure she had on my lungs.

  “And who is this lovely vision standing next to you,” She asked admiring Poppy as she stood proud next to me.

  “This is my friend Poppy. She goes to Sainsdun college with me,” I introduced Poppy as Edna began to crush her against her bosoms.

  As much as Poppy loved being adored. I’m sure she didn’t enjoy the crushing embrace that was crushing her windpipe.

  “Nice to meet you Edna,” She choked.

  Patting Poppy gently and discreetly on the back, I chuckled silently. Smiling at them we moved along the greetings line towards another elderly couple. Whilst making small talk with Joan and Kevin Doyle. I couldn’t help but feel worried about Dwayne, who had since disappeared from the street across the road.

  “I’m sorry what?” I asked coming back into the conversation that was going on around me.

  “Joan was just asking how college was going,” Poppy spoke whilst giving me a worried look. Smiling reassuringly at her, I turned back to Joan.

  “It’s going well, thank you for asking,” I mumbled, glancing to and fro from bay window to her.

  “That’s good then...” His voice became mumbled as I searched the empty street. Something’s not right, I can feel it my gut. He shouldn’t be off his post for that long.

  “Elle?” Poppy hissed nudging me with her elbow.

  “Oh sorry what?...” I replied, my eyes still fixed on the window wiling Dwayne to come into sight, so I could stop worrying.

  “Are you ok?” Joan asked. Her voice dragged my eyes away from the empty spot, that should have been filled with an angel.

  “Err..Yes...No, actually. I think I’m going to go outside and get some fresh air.”

  “Do you want me to come with you?” Poppy asked, sounding worried and looked like she would kill me if I left her with Joan and Kevin.

  “No, It’s ok,” I replied. Mouthing sorry to her, I left her to make small talk with the leaders of our Salvation Army core. Ignoring her glaring eyes, I escaped through the mass of elderly couples and towards the front door.

  “Elle, where are you going?” Beth asked, just as I reached for the door handle.

  “The truth?” I asked.

  She looked at me weary for a couple of seconds before nodding.

  “You know the guys that were protecting me?” I asked pausing to see if she could handle the truth. She nodded with no change of her expression, I suppose it’s going well so far.

  “Well one of them isn’t on his post...”

  Her face dropped a little before she composed herself and began to nod. She was starting to look like a nodding dog.

  “So I was going to check what’s wrong.” Watching her expression, my voice slowed down the words. Out of fear she would self combust in a pile on the floor.

  “Is that ok?” I asked, watching for any signs of combustion.

  “Yes that’s fine... Just be careful,” She smiled wearily and gave me a small hug. She wasn’t happy about this situation, I could tell. Her hands shook as she released me from the embrace.

  “I promise I won’t let anyone get hurt,” I promised.

  Her face regained its usual smile which faltered slightly at the edges. Taking her hands from my shoulder, she headed back into the living room. Leaving me to open the door and step out into the cold brisk wind.

  The street was empty and filled with the dim light from the lampposts and light escaping through the drawn curtains of the Bales house. The rest of the street was dark and dreary. A broken light from a lamppost created a dark shadow across Edna’s house, across the street.

  “This isn’t creepy at all,” I whispered, folding my arms to conserve the heat around my body. I really should have brought a coat out with me, it's freezing. Turning back towards the warm house, a silent whimper stopped me in my tracks.

  “Adabelle,” He whimpered, as I spotted him in a ball on the frosted grass. Running over the road down the small alley way that led to the back fields, I kneeled down beside Dwayne, as he lay bleeding on the ground.

  “What happened?” I asked, holding his head on my knees and whipping away his black hair from his face.

  “Adabelle get out of here they are coming for you,” He whispered, as his eyes began to slowly close.

  “No Dwayne Stay with me. Who else is on Patrol?” I asked tapping his face to keep him conscious.

  “Leo is around the...”

  “Come on Dwayne!” I cried, as his eyes began to roll back into his head. His breathing slowed as his head dropped lifelessly onto my lap.

  “No! Come on!” I exclaimed, slapping his face. He didn’t open his eyes. I knew he was dead, but I didn’t want to believe it. Wiping the tears from my eyes, I closed my eyes and placed both hands on Dwayne’s head. With a flash of white light, his body disappeared. Leaving a blood splattered stain on the gravelled floor.

  My knees buckled as I struggled to stand. Someone had just died protecting me. The feeling of guilt washed over me as I walked back towards the house. The sound of footsteps behind me made me tense up and freeze. Turning around abruptly I saw a gang of demons heading my way.

  “That’s a lot of demons.” My voice sounded mute as I slowly stepped away from the ten demons that were walking my way. They hissed and laughed as they sped walk closer towards me. Spinning around, I stopped in my tracks as over ten more demons were stalking up behind me.

  “Ok this isn’t good,” I sighed. Throwing a fire ball at one demon in front of me, he burned to the ground. Alarmed at my sudden outburst, the rest of them began to run at me.

  “SHIT!” I yelled. Jumping up in the air and kneeling on ones shoulder, I broke her neck and threw her body towards the rest.

  Where an earth are the other three guards, that are meant to be protecting me from this kind of thing. I need some help.

  “LEO!” I screamed, throwing a bolt of light at two demons, who were attempting to grab me from my front.

  So that’s three down and seventeen to go. That’s just grand. How can I fight all of these demons on my own.

  Three demons
grabbed hold of my shoulders, as I threw a fireball in the direction of another. The tight grips on my shoulders made me crumble to the ground. As the pressure made my knees buckle.

  “Elle? Elle? Where are you?” Poppy called. I saw her face freeze as she saw me on the ground.

  “Poppy,” I whispered. Seeing a demon run towards her, my heart raced. No one was going to hurt my best friend. Using all my energy, I kicked the face of one demons knocking him to the ground. Breaking the neck of another between my feet, I jumped up from the ground. Throwing a light beam at the other two demons that were surrounding me, I orbed behind Poppy. She stood frozen as a dark haired demon held out his arms to grab her. Touching her shoulders, I orbed her into the back garden where Leo was standing.

  “Did you not hear me shouting!” I yelled at him as Poppy stood frozen beside me, unable to move let alone talk.

  “No, what’s happened!” He exclaimed looking from Poppy to me. Not having time to answer him, the remaining demons came crashing over the fence in the back garden. At this point, I am so glad Beth had closed the curtains when I left. Whistling with his fingers, Leo called for two more soldiers. Orbing in beside us, they looked tougher and stronger than any of these demons.

  “Adabelle Take your friend inside,” Leo commanded.

  “And miss this? No way,” I exclaimed. He glanced at me disapprovingly, and I knew what he was thinking, was right. Taking a look at Poppy, she stood petrified as demons began crowd around us.

  “Your right, but I can’t take her back in there,” I whispered.

  “Take her home. She will be save there,” He replied in a hushed tone, so that no one else would hear him. Nodding at him I grabbed Poppy and orbed as the others began to fight.

  Letting go of Poppy, we landed in the middle of Emeralds kitchen. She stumbled and knocked some plates off the side. The noise confused her more, as she stood like a deer in headlights.

  “Poppy,” I whispered, stepping towards her. She stepped back, away from me, bashing into more pots.

  “Is she ok?” Emerald asked as she stood still behind me.

  “I don’t know. How do humans usually react to being in a demon fight scene?” I asked, watching Poppy’s face as she took in her surroundings.

  “Now dear take a seat,” Emerald pleaded. I’m not sure if she was more worried about Poppy, or the number of plates she was breaking.

  “Stay away from me!” She yelled as she ran out of room to back into.

  “Poppy. I’m sorry, you weren’t supposed to walk out and see that. Please calm down. I’m still Elle your best friend since you were thirteen. Please sit down, I’ll explain everything. I promise,” I smiled at her reassuringly.

  She seemed to calm down and ponder on what I had said, before taking the seat at the table in front of her.

  “Can someone please explain where I am and what is going on?” She exclaimed breathing unevenly.

  “I will. I promise. I just need to sort something out first. Just sit here with Emerald for just a few minutes and I’ll be back,” I smiled, she nodded at me unsure what she was supposed to say. Emerald began bustling around the small room, putting on the kettle.

  Smiling reassuringly at Poppy again, I turned and ran out of the kitchen and down the corridor, past my grandfathers head statue and up the stairs to my father’s office. Storming into his office, he looked at me as I raced to his desk.

  “Dwayne has been killed. There were twenty demons. I killed a few but Leo, and I think Marco and Mitchell are still there.” I exclaimed crashing into his desk. Coming out behind it, he gave me a gentle squeeze on the shoulder, making me wince. Pulling the corner of my dress over my shoulder, I saw the dark blue finger prints left by one demon. I winced further as my father inspected it with his hand. Reaching for the phone on his desk, he yelled down the line for someone to go back to the Bales house, to see what was going on.

  He listened for a while before hanging up and turning back to me.

  “Leo is fine, and they received Dwayne’s body,” He frowned before carrying on.

  “Marco and Mitchell are staying near the Bales. To keep an eye on them,” He finished and checked my other shoulder. It too was imprinted with fingerprints.

  “Its fine dad,” I muttered pulling up the dress back over my shoulders. Looking worried, he circled me. Inspecting if he could see any damage to my face, he didn’t.

  “I said I’m fine, but we have a problem...”

  “What kind of problem?”

  “Poppy walked out and saw it all. She’s downstairs with Emerald,” I muttered. The realisation hit me as I said it out loud. My best friend, my human best friend, was sat downstairs in Emeralds small kitchen. Waiting for me to get back and tell her what the hell was going on.

  “Ah,” He sighed.

  “Yes Ah. So what do I do? This has never happened to me before...”

  “I suppose you could erase it from her memory? But is that what you want?” He asked analysing me with his eyes.

  “I don’t...Well.” What kind of question was that. Sure it would be ten times easier for her to know about me but then again. What if she didn’t want to know me anymore. It was a lot for a human to take in and especially as we are really close. What if she feels betrayed. Well that’s a lot of negativity for one thought train to go through.

  “Well, go down stairs and explain it to her and then see how you feel, ok.”

  “Fine” I sighed. Kissing me on the forehead, he led me towards the door.

  “Wait, where did you get this?” He asked picking up my mother pendant. That hung below the heart pendant he gave me, on my neck.

  “I found it,” I lied taking it from his hands. “I’ll speak to you soon,” I smiled. Escaping from the office and shutting the door abruptly behind me. That was defiantly a close one, I really shouldn’t wear this around my father. If he found out I had been in my mother’s room. I’m pretty sure he would freak. I didn’t need to give him more reason to be disappointed in me.

  “Hey Poppy. Feeling any better?” I asked, walking back into the kitchen to see Poppy looking like her normal self again.

  “I suppose but you have some explaining to do because I’m so very confused,” She sighed, taking a sip from the mug she was warming her hands on.

  “Yeah I guess I do owe you an explanation,” I sighed, taking a seat on the table to face her properly. Bowing towards me, Emerald walked out of the kitchen. To leave me to explain my life in a nutshell to a human.

  “Elle what you doing back?” Alex asked entering the kitchen. She stopped in shock, as she saw Poppy sitting in front of me.

  “Am I missing something?” She asked.

  “Crazy demon attack one man died. Poppy walked out, now she’s here,” I babbled, pointing to a seat for her to take. Having Alex for support may make what I’m about to do, a little bit easier.

  “O.K!” She mumbled, sitting down next to me. So how am I going to start this. Should I tiptoe around the facts or just dive right it.

  Glancing at Poppy I took in a deep breath and exhaled loudly. I have no idea what I’m going to say, this is hard.

  “So yeah, Ok...Well...Man this is hard.”

  “What Elle is trying to say is. That she’s a witch and an angel and well sort of a demon... Ok yeah this is hard,” Alex interrupted me, which she regretted when she couldn’t finish her sentence. Sighing I turned back to a confused looking Poppy.

  “You’re a what now?” She asked, raising one of her eyebrows.

  “I’m an angel and witch. You don’t need to know the confusing demon part. My father. My real father is a king. King of all good magic actually, making me a princess...”

  “Right and I’m a fricking mermaid. Either you’re joking or you’re completely insane, and I’m sincerely hoping it’s the first one,” she exclaimed, standing up from her seat and flailing her arms around.

  “I’m serious. Look watch,” I sighed. Holding out my palm, I created a ball of light in my hand and threw it i
nto the air. It floated slowly towards Poppy as she stared in awe. Springing into life, it turned into a dancing ballerina and danced lightly in the air.

  “Ok that’s amazing,” She whispered, as the dancing ballerina floated down and danced along the table in front of her.

  “That’s child’s play compared to what Elle can do,” Alex boasted.

  Closing my hand, the ballerina turned back into a ball of light and slowly disappeared.

  “Hannah Montana eat your heart out ...So let me get this right you’re a what now?”

  “Angel and witch,” I replied.

  “Who were those guys with the black clothing fetish?” She asked.

  “They were demons and the buff guys I was talking to, they are angels, solider angels.”

  “Right,” She replied. Pursing her lips together, she crinkled her forehead. She was making the face that she pulled when she was thinking really hard. I knew that look well. Glancing at Alex, she shrugged at me as I looked to her for answers. Tapping my fingers impatiently, I stared intently at her for answers.

  “Ok please say something!” I exclaimed, as the silence was becoming unbearable.

  “Well I suppose I always thought there was something not right with you. Well not, not right but you know what I mean.” She babbled sitting back down slowly.

  “So is Chris an angel? Or witch or whatever,” She asked.

  “Chris? Oh Logan, no he’s a demon and by the way not my cousin,” I mumbled biting my lip. The thought of Logan just made my stomach flip. I had ignored him for over three weeks and tried my hardest not to think about him. Just saying his name, made me want to reply to the texts he had been sending me.

  “Oh he’s a demon? I’m confused, why do you see him so often,” She asked. She was seriously asking all the right questions. Fresh eyes on this whole situation saw the stupidity of it all.

  “Yeah it’s kind of a Romeo and Juliet type of thing. You will get used to the confusing situation.” Alex chuckled, taking a muffin from the middle of the table and tearing out the blueberries.