Earth Angel

by E. Van Lowe

  She began wagging her head back and forth as if I was the sorriest person on the face of the earth. “I’ve spoiled you. I see that now. Well, those days are over.” She stared at me another few moments, as if she was trying to accept that the person standing in front of her was actually her daughter. “You can bring me the phone now.” She folded her arms across her chest. The meeting was over.

  As I climbed the stairs I realized my relationship with my mother would never be the same. Even when this was over, she would always look at me with questioning eyes,always weigh every word I said.

  That’s the problem with deceit, I thought. You can only get away with it for so long. Sooner or later you get snared in its web.

  At that moment, I thought of Guy.

  When I walked into my room a flash of red caught my eye. The Ibwa was seated on the edge of my bed. He jumped to his feet as soon as he saw me.

  “Where are you keeping the book?” he demanded with urgency. He began bouncing back and forth from one foot to the other, like a little boy who has to go to the bathroom. “The powerful one is coming. He will torture you until you show him where you are keeping it. You must give it to me to keep safe.”

  The doorbell downstairs rang.

  The Ibwa’s eyes darted around as if he was looking for someplace to hide. “Too late,” he whispered, his voice quaking. “He has arrived.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Seeing the demon in my room raised the fine hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,”I replied. “I told you before, I don’t know anything about a book.” My mind was reeling. I knew the demon couldn’t be trusted. But what if he’s telling the truth? What if the powerful one is about to come up here and torture me? My eyes moved briefly to the old CPU under my desk.

  “Megan!” My mother’s voice rang out from downstairs. “There’s someone here to see you.”

  The Ibwa rushed to me, wrapping his arms around my legs. “Do not go!”

  “Stop that!” I said, pushing him away. He tumbled onto the floor. “Coming!” I called out.

  The Ibwa jumped to his feet. “He will kill her,” he croaked. “Then he will torture you, and when you give him the book—and you will give it to him—he will kill you, too.”

  Chattering voices downstairs drifted up to me. My mother was talking with a girl. “That’s not the powerful one down there talking with my mom,” I said, the fear tumbling out of me. “It’s my friend, Maudrina.”

  I stepped out into the corridor. “Don’t touch anything,” I said shooting the Ibwa a serious look.“I’ll be right back.”

  “I hope that is so,” the Ibwa replied. The words quaked from his lips.

  When I got downstairs, I was surprised to see Ashley Scott chatting amiably with my mother by the door. When she saw me coming toward her, she smiled. There was something off about her smile, something unnatural. Again, the hackles on the back of my neck stood at attention.

  “Megan, your friend here wants to discuss your French assignments with you. It’s sweet of her to stop by.” The anger and vitriol that I had been experiencing since school this morning were all gone. On the surface, she was back to her old, sweet self.

  “Yes. It is.” I said, trying to hang onto my composure. But a member of the Poplarati had just shown up at my house. There was no way I could hide my surprise. “Hi, Ashley.”

  “Megan, how are you?” Her face lit up with phony cheer.

  “I’m good.” I was still reeling.

  “Well, I’ll let you two go over assignments,” my mother said.

  “Thanks, Suze. Nice meeting you.”

  The short time that Ashley had been in our home my mother had already gotten her to dispense with the Ms. Barnett thing. Tiny spires of anger wound their way through my gut as I thought of how she’d treated Guy.

  “Same here. And thanks for coming,” she called back.

  As soon as she moved into the kitchen, Ashley said: “Can we talk outside?” Her voice was low, urgent.

  I was beginning to get an uneasy feeling. The Ibwa had said the powerful one was downstairs. Demons can take human form, or even invade a human’s body. And there was something not right about this Ashley.

  “Sure,” I replied.

  She opened the door and we stepped out into the night. A warm breeze drifted in from the south. Tomorrow would be a hot one. There was a dusty fragrance in the air this time of year. It was the smell of the desert coming back to life.

  “I heard what happened,” Ashley said, her words dripping with fake concern. Standing in the doorway, bathed in the yellow glow of the porch light, Ashley seemed older. “Sorry.”

  “It’s okay,” I said. “I can handle it.”

  “So…what are you going to do?” she asked, her eyes narrowing.

  “What can I do? I’m going to get expelled.”

  “I understand Principal Lockhart gave you a choice,” she probed.

  I snorted out a derisive laugh. “Some choice!”

  Ashley clapped me on the shoulder. Her hand was ice cold. “Remember, you have lots of friends at G.U. now.”

  “Megan, are you out there?” My mother called from inside the house.

  “Yes. We’re just going over assignments,” I called back.

  It was then I noticed alarm in Ashley’s eyes. In the same instant, I saw someone coming up the walk—Harrison, anger flashing across his beautiful face.

  The alarm bells in my mind came on full blast.

  Through the noise in my head I heard Ashley say something about “the book!” and knew this was not Ashley Scott standing before me. This was the powerful one the Ibwa had warned me of.

  I let the small vial of holy water I had been concealing up my sleeve slide down. Once the vial was in my hand I uncorked it.

  Ashley reached into her purse for some sort of demon weapon. I flung the holy water into her face.

  “Take that demon!” I cried.

  The water splashed into her eyes and cascaded down her cheeks. The Ashley thing looked up at me, alarm and anger spreading across her face. Her mascara began dripping down from the corners of her eyes, revealing the monster beneath the mask.

  “What are you doing?” she squawked.

  I could see Harrison now slowly slinking back into the shadows. All of a sudden I was starting to think that maybe I had made a mistake.

  “Ashley?” I inquired. My voice was small.

  “Are you a crazy person?”she raged at me. Her eyes were livid. Her hand came out of her purse holding her French book.

  “I’m… I’m so sorry. I thought… like maybe you had a… gun.” It was a ridiculous lie, but I couldn’t tell her I thought she was a demon about to assault me with a demon weapon.

  “I was getting out my French book so your mother would think we were going over assignments,” she squawked, water, makeup and mascara dripping from her chin.

  “That’s a good idea.” My voice was even smaller.

  “Listen to me, you idiot, crazy person,” she snarled. “If you put any of our names on that list the Principal asked you to write, you are doomed at G.U. We can be your friends, Megan, or we can be your enemies. Do I make myself clear?”

  I nodded. It was all I could do. Ashley’s face was still melting away. The girl wore a ton of makeup. Who knew? “Can I… get you a tissue?”

  She didn’t reply. Instead she glowered at me a full thirty seconds before turning stiffly and stomping up the walk. She brushed past Harrison who seemed to be enjoying my embarrassment. I should have known she wasn’t a demon. His angel wings weren’t showing.

  “When the priest sprinkles holy water he usually says bless you my child,” said Harrison with a laugh.

  “Very funny.”

  “Not to yer mate,” he said, continuing to chortle.

  “What are you doing here?” I looked past him, hoping to see Guy trailing him up the walk.

  His eyes became guarded. “I tracked
the Ibwa back here again this evening. I believe he’s lurkin’ nearby.”

  I continued looking up the walk. In the past, if Guy had sensed I was in danger, he would come to protect me.

  “The demon is in my room,” I replied, as it dawned on me Guy was not coming to my rescue this time, or ever again.

  Alarm showed on Harrison’s face. “Yer kiddin’, right?”

  “Nope. He’s up there.”

  “Yer some kind of fool, you know that, girl? The Ibwa has tricked you into leaving him all alone up there. I’m sure you even pointed out where you were keeping the book.”

  “I did no such thing. I’m not an idiot.”

  “I’ll be the judge of that,” he snapped.

  “Where’s Guy?” I demanded. I’d had enough of Harrison’s funky attitude.

  “I have no idea. But we’ve got more important things to attend to right now. The demon’s up there tearing yer room apart looking for the book you have been pretending ya don’t know anything about. You had better hope I am not too late.”

  He reached around me to open the front door.

  “You can’t go in,” I screeched, yanking his hand off the door knob.

  “I most certainly can. I’ve got a demon to dispose of.”

  “But my mother—”

  Just then the front door opened and my mother peered out.

  “Megan?” Her eyes bounced between the two of us, trying to make sense of the long haired man in red jeans standing on her doorstep. “Where’s Ashley? Who’s this?” she demanded, her expression darkening.

  “Umm… Uhh…”

  “Good evening, Mrs. I’m from the gas company. There’s been a leak reported in yer area, and we traced it to yer house,” Harrison said. His voice was even, his gaze intense.

  Suze eyed him skeptically. “You’re from the gas company?”

  “Yes, ma’am, and I need to get inside.”

  She opened her mouth to respond, to tell him if he didn’t get away from her door immediately, she was going to call the police, when a vacant expression fell over her like an invisible veil. “Yes,” she crooned her voice a near whisper. Her eyes clouded over as she opened the door and stepped aside. “Be careful.”

  I was dumbfounded. My mother was allowing the strange man she just found on our doorstep into our house. “What did you do to her?” I demanded.

  “No worries. It won’t last. Now, we must hurry.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  When I opened the door to my room, the Ibwa was gone. My bedroom window was wide open, the curtains flapping in the breeze. My old CPU was lying in the middle of the floor. It had been ripped open, its guts of wire and motherboard splayed out across the carpet like the innards of a dead animal.

  “Oh, my!” I gasped.

  “Let me guess. The book was hidden inside yer computer.”

  “Yes.” I replied. While I didn’t totally trust the Ibwa, in my heart I wanted to believe he was good. Bad idea.

  “Look at me, girl!” Harrison demanded. My eyes moved to him. He was staring at me with contempt. “Are yatellin’ me you were indeed in possession of The Book of Calls, and that the Ibwa has stolen it?”

  After a moment’s hesitation I replied. “Yes.”

  His arms gripped his stomach as if I had punched him in the gut.

  “Hello up there,” my mother called from downstairs. “Did you find the leak yet?”

  Harrison’s cautious eyes moved to me, as he slowly regained his composure. “It’s wearin’ off.”

  He strode across the room, yanking open the bedroom door. “I think I found it,” he called out into the corridor. “It should be all clear in just a few minutes,” he added, sounding all business.

  “Thanks,” she called back. He eased the door shut.

  “How long before she starts wondering why you’re looking for a gas leak in her daughter’s bedroom?” I asked.

  “Not long. I’d better get going.” He started to open the bedroom door then stopped. Looking over his shoulder at me, he added:“Perhaps I can get to the demon before he turns the book over to his master. Do not worry. I’m a good tracker.” He offered a weak, conciliatory smile. He was trying to find it in his heart to forgive me.

  “Okay,” I said.

  “My kind could have really used the book.” The timbre of his voice was suddenly sad. The arrogance had fallen away. He seemed vulnerable.

  “I’m sorry I lied to you, Harrison. But angels are powerful without the book. I’m sure you don’t need it to defeat demons.”

  “I am not an angel.” Solemn eyes fixed on me. He searched my face for a reaction.

  My head began to spin. “But you… you can’t be… You’re a demon?” I began backing away. I stumbled on the mess of computer parts strewn across the floor, and bumped into my bed.

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” he said.“Of course I’m not a demon. Do I look like a demon?” He was suddenly annoyed with me.

  “I don’t know. It’s not like I see demons every day.”

  He considered my response. “That’s true.” The annoyance fell from his face.

  “If you’re not an angel, what are you?”

  “I am Nephilim,” he said. He ran a hand through his long blond hair, and threw his chest out with pride.

  “What’s Nephilim?”

  “Nephilim are forbidden love children, born of the union between angels and mortals. Half man, half angel.”

  Now, I was floored. My mouth dropped open, but nothing came out.

  A knowing smile blossomed on Harrison’s lips. “Thought you and Guy were the first, did ya? Far from it. Angels and mortals have been fallin’ in love for centuries.”

  “Hello in there.” Suze was now standing just outside my bedroom door.

  Harrison shot me a wary glance. “I’d better give her another dose before I go. No worries. The last thing she will remember is when you stepped outside with yer friend.”

  He pulled open the bedroom door. “It’s all taken care of, ma’am. I’m leavin’ now. Forget I was ever here.”

  There was a momentary pause as my mother looked into his eyes. “Yes,” she said softly, her voice coming from far away. Harrison pushed past her. I could hear his boots clomping down the stairs. The front door opened and closed. He was gone.

  I looked at my mother standing in the doorway and mustered up a smile. “So, what’s for dinner?”

  She held out her hand. “I’ll take that phone now.”And just that quickly, her mood had returned to where it was before the doorbell rang.

  I sighed, and began crossing to my nightstand. “Whatever.”

  “You smell gas?”

  I froze. She was sniffing the air. “No!” I blurted, wondering if memories of Harrison entering our home would come flooding in. There is no way I would be able to explain to her what he was doing in my room.

  She sniffed the air for several minutes. Satisfied there was no gas leak she asked: “What happened in here?” She was now surveying the mess the Ibwa had left on my bedroom floor.

  Relief flooded my body like a slow does of adrenaline. This I could handle. “I was trying to fix my old computer,” I replied.

  She seemed surprised. “You know how to do that?”

  “Obviously not,” I responded, gesturing toward the mess.

  For the first time all day a smile showed on her face. “It’s good having a daughter who’s smart. We’re having spaghetti for dinner. You can come down and help after you’ve cleaned up.”

  With my phone in hand, she went down to the kitchen. I began picking up the mess on my floor, tossing the parts into my wastebasket.

  By now, the Ibwa’s master knew he’d stolen the wrong book. Pants On Fire makes for a good read, but there weren’t many spells in it.

  When Suze and I were cleaning up the grandfather’s clock we’d gotten at the garage sale, I discovered a secret drawer hidden in the top. One day while she was at work, I removed The Book of Calls from my old CPU and hid it in the clock
. For some reason, I decided to put Pants On Fire in its place.

  The Book of Calls was still safe. For now. Of course that also meant I was still a target. To make matters worse, the half man, half angel who had been tracking the demon thought the demon had stolen the book from me. If a demon returned to harm me, Harrison might not come to my rescue. As far as he was concerned, I was no longer worth rescuing.

  My thoughts turned to Guy. Where are you?

  #

  Tuesday morning, my mother went to work. Normally, we’d dance around each other with sleep in our eyes as we took turns in the bathroom. We’d meet up again downstairs in the kitchen when we were fully awake. She’d be reading the morning paper while I rushed down a bagel and a glass of orange juice before heading off to the bus stop.

  Tuesday when I woke up, I stayed in my room. I couldn’t bear to see the anger or disappointment that had been prevalent onSuze’s face.

  “You up?” she called as she rapped gently on my door. It was after eight o’clock. Of course I was up.

  “Uh-huh,” I replied, deliberately making my voice husky with sleep.

  “Mind of I come in?” She was doing her best to keep her tone neutral.

  “Nope.”

  I had been seated at my desk, on my laptop, doing research on Nephilim when she knocked. Now I quickly hopped back into bed, scooting under the covers as if I’d been there all morning. She entered, looking nice in a stylish charcoal pants suit I don’t remember seeing before.

  From the look of her, there were no tell-tale signs of all the drama she’d been through the day before. This was her game face, the way she wanted to appear to her coworkers, as though her life were a bed of roses.

  “I’m going to stay a little late today since I was out yesterday.” She was looking at me as if I was a science project she was having the darnedest time making heads or tails of.