“You’re alive,” she said as tears fell down her cheeks.
He lifted his hand to her cheek. His fingers slowly wiped away the tears. “Millie,” he said ever so quietly.
Her hands cupped his cheeks. She bent down and her lips touched his.
“You’re safe,” he said happily.
Millie hugged him.
“I love you,” he said, placing his hand on her hair.
“I love you.”
They both softly laughed for a minute until Mace sat up. He clenched his back with pain.
“I thought you were dead,” Millie said.
“No one could ever kill me,” he said with his sexy half-smile.
He still looked beautiful, even though he was bloody.
“What happened?” Millie asked, wiping away tears.
“I took Drake on,” he said as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I had him for a while, but he overpowered me. Sorry I wasn’t there to protect you.”
“It’s fine. Everyone else took care of me,” she said, looking at Teal.
His eyes were looking beyond them. Millie followed his gaze. Her eyes squinted to see another body lying on the ground. She couldn’t see who it was, as the smoke was thick and the night was still dark. Her eyes wandered back to Mace. His eyes were filled with remorse.
“Millie,” he said, grabbing both of her hands.
“What wrong?” she asked.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?” she said, looking from Mace to Teal.
“I couldn’t save her,” he said, squeezing her hands tighter.
“Save wh--” she was about to ask before she realised who it was. Isabel. In an instant, she ran over to the body of Isabel. She fell to the ground and screamed as she witnessed her broken body. Bruises and cuts covered every inch of her skin. A puddle of blood lay around her. She rolled her over and another scream left Millie’s mouth. Her throat was sliced. Millie covered her mouth. Tears flew down her cheeks. She felt sick. Her stomach clenched like she was going to vomit. She swallowed hard and held it down.
“I’m so sorry, Isabel,” she said as she placed her arm underneath her friend’s shoulder. She moved her body onto her knees and held her close. “This is all my fault,” she said in a croaky voice.
Her head fell on top of Isabel’s and she moaned with sorrow. Tears fell all throughout Isabel’s hair, while Isabel’s blood stained Millie’s clothing. Her arms held her tightly. She didn’t want to let her go. She prayed to God to bring her back, but Isabel’s body did not move.
“Please, God, bring her back,” she said again in a whisper.
Her heart ached with pain. Her thoughts were full of guilt. She thought of how she had taken Isabel away from her family and friends, how she had had her entire life ahead of her and now it was gone. Her heartfelt tears were loud.
Teal helped Mace up. They slowly walked over to where Millie was.
“Why didn’t you save her?” Millie asked, feeling the presence of Mace.
“I tried.”
“You should have tried harder,” Millie said, looking up at Mace. Her eyes were filled with anger and grief.
“I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t apologise to me,” Millie said, gently placing Isabel's body on the ground. She stood up. Her body was covered in Isabel’s blood. She walked over to Mace. “Apologise to her family. Apologise to her friends.”
She hit his chest several times. Mace stood there and took it. He knew he deserved this.
“Today her parents are going to find out that they have lost their little girl. How does it feel to have that on your conscience?” she continued, now hitting his face. His cuts had slowly begun to heal.
“You say your God is so precious, but he takes away an innocent girl.” Her hits became harder.
“You have taken another friend away from me,” she said as Mace caught her hands.
Her eyes filled with fresh tears as she thought about all the friends she had lost. Her legs couldn’t hold herself up anymore. Mace caught her as she fell to the ground. He picked her up, and she buried her face into his chest. His body felt perfectly warm again. Her tears were never ending.
Millie could now feel the wind in her hair. She lifted her head up and saw that they were in the air. Teal was barely flying next to them. One wing lay limp whilst the other did all the work. Her eyes looked down and saw the mass of bodies on the ground. The woods were on fire and the fire was bright--brighter than any normal fire. It hurt her eyes. She remembered seeing that exact bright blaze in this same forest only mere months ago. Smoke rose through the air towards the moon. Teal trailed off and flew down to help with the bodies. Guilt filled her heart. Many Angels died because of her. Her head lay again on Mace’s chest. She was sore and exhausted, and her eyes ached. She closed them and thought about all the damage she had created by simply loving an Angel.
* * * * *
Mace flew to her house. He opened up her bedroom window and laid her gently on her bed. Her eyes flung open.
“Where are we?” she asked, dazed.
“Home,” he said with a gentle smile.
He placed his hands on her body. Millie lay there in silence. After a while, she felt much better. She looked at her body and saw that Mace had healed it. All that was left was dried blood.
“Let’s put you in the shower,” he said, helping her up.
He turned the shower on and Millie hopped in it. He helped take off the bloody clothing and brought it all down to the rubbish bin. With a hint of red, the water went down the drain. Millie sat on the shower floor and cried to herself. She had lost more friends. She didn’t know how much more she could take. Her heart would be shredded into pieces if she lost someone else. She cried silently until Mace came back. He turned off the shower and helped dry her.
They lay on the bed facing each other, their hands tightly entwined. Millie’s eyes were bloodshot. She kept crying as she remembered the battle whilst Mace comforted her.
“Tonight was the first night I have ever prayed,” Millie said as Mace wiped more tears that rolled down her cheeks.
“Really?” he asked.
“My parents never forced me into religion, but I always believed in a higher power, even in an after-life,” she explained, clearing her throat. “But now I believe God is real because I fell in love with one of his Angels.”
Mace smiled at the remark. “What did you pray for?” he asked, curious.
“I prayed that he would bring Isabel back.” Her lip quivered. Mace squeezed her hands. “I just want her to be alive.”
“I know you do,” he said, pulling her closer.
She buried her face into his chest. She hated the tears that continually flowed from her eyes. “How many Angels died because of me?”
“You don’t need to worry. You need to rest,” he said, holding her tight.
Tears continued to flow from her eyes until she went to sleep. Mace kept his arms around her all night long.
* * * * *
Millie’s eyes opened to find Mace’s arms still holding onto her. The sun was shining through her window. It felt pleasant on her face.
“Morning, beautiful,” Mace said and gave her a kiss on the forehead.
“Morning.”
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Horrible.”
“I know it’s hard, but it’s not your fault.”
“Of course, it’s my fault. The battle to end all battles was fought because of me.”
“That wasn’t the battle to end all battles.”
“But I thought it was,” Millie said, sitting up.
“It was going to be.”
“It sure looked like it.”
“I’m afraid that was just the beginning,” he said with a sad face.
Millie sat there in silence.
“I’m going to eat something,” she said suddenly, walking straight out of the room.
Her stomach wasn’t hungry; she just wanted to get away f
or a moment. She couldn’t handle any more.
She walked into the living room and turned the TV on. Channel by channel, she flicked until she gave up. She left it on and lay down.
“In a special news report . . .” the TV presenter spoke. She had short, blonde hair and was wearing a cream business shirt.
“Last night the Coconino National Forest up by Flagstaff caught fire.”
Millie sat up from the couch.
“Firemen have put out most of the blaze and are working hard to put out the rest. There has been no word if the fire was purposely lit or if it was due to the extreme drought. So far, there have been no bodies recovered from the scene.”
Millie’s heart jumped.
“Earlier this year, just before spring break, the exact same woods were on fire, a blaze that claimed five lives.”
Millie felt tears come to her eyes again. She jumped as she saw Mace leaning against the wall in the kitchen. She wondered how long he had been standing there. He hastily walked over and turned off the TV. Millie laid her head against his chest as he sat down. She noticed that his chest was stiffer than it had been. His arms didn’t hold her tight. She sat up, looking at him. His jaw was tense, and his eyes were full of misery and anger.
“What’s wrong?” Millie asked.
He took a deep breath. “It’s time for me to leave,” he said, looking into her eyes.
“What?” she said, confused.
“When you went downstairs, Malachi told me it was time to leave.”
Millie looked at Mace with glossy eyes.
“He’s in charge of all the Protectors,” Mace continued.
Millie remembered, but she was too shocked to say anything. She didn’t want him to leave her. Mace was all she had left.
“You knew this was coming. I have my orders to leave you. I don’t want to go, but if I don’t go, I might be cast out of Heaven,” he said reluctantly. “I will find a way to come back to you, Millie. I promise.” He grabbed her hands.
“But don’t I still need protection?” Millie asked, fighting back tears.
“When I leave, the grace will slowly leave your body. You will be safe. The longer I stay around you, the more grace you receive and the more valuable you become.”
“I don’t want you to go. Please stay,” Millie said as her breathing became deeper.
“I’m sorry,” he said as he stood up and let her hands slip from his.
He kept walking to the front door. Millie ran after him and pulled his arm back. Her mouth opened, but nothing came out. His lips touched hers for one final time. She kissed back until she heard the door open. She opened her eyes and he was gone. She ran after him out of the house. She tried to catch up to him, but it was no use. His wings sprung from his back and he flew into the distance.
“Mace!” she screamed. “Come back!”
She fell to her knees. Tears streamed from her eyes. Her loud cry echoed down the street, and her cheeks flushed with anger. She lay huddled in the dirt until the sun was about to go down.
She finally got up and staggered into the house. Her body collapsed on the couch. Without thinking, she turned on the TV.
“Breaking news: a body has been found.”
Millie’s mouth fell open.
“The police say it’s a female aged between fifteen and twenty-five. If anyone has any information, please call the information line.” A number popped up on the screen.
Millie turned off the TV. She lay in the darkness. Tears fell down her cheeks onto the couch. She curled up, hugging a cushion. She lay there all night, thinking of how to go on.
Twenty-One
Alone
Millie hopped out of the taxi wearing a plain, short, black dress. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and she wore flat, black shoes and square-shaped, black sunglasses. She clutched a tissue in her hand. She paid the taxi driver and took slow steps towards the cemetery.
Millie sat in the last row in a small church located at the back of the cemetery. She saw Isabel’s parents crying in the front. Her heart filled with guilt. Millie wished that she could tell them everything, but she couldn’t. No one would have believed her anyway. Everyone would have thought she was crazy. Millie just wanted to tell them that Isabel was brave. Millie’s heart had felt even more depressed when she first found out that Isabel’s body had been burnt due to the fire, but in the end, she was grateful that her family didn’t have to see what Millie saw.
She saw Scotty walking in with a pink tulip. Millie noticed that it matched Isabel's corsage from Prom. He went over to the coffin and placed it next to a large, beautiful photo of Isabel. His eyes were glazed. Millie felt even worse. They must have become closer whilst I was gone, Millie thought. He sat next to her family.
“Millie?” a voice asked.
She looked to her side and saw Jonathan wearing long, black pants with a grey collared shirt.
“Hey, Jonathan,” she said, trying to smile.
He sat down next to her. “How are you holding up?” he asked.
“I feel terrible.”
“Well, it is a sad thing. I can’t believe she was burnt. No one knows what happened.”
Lies, Millie thought.
“Where’s Benjamin?” he asked.
Millie had to think for a bit. She had forgotten that Mace was known as Benjamin.
“He moved away with his parents. They move a lot,” Millie said, trying not to cry.
“What do his parents do?” he asked.
“They’re doctors. They work all around the world.”
“Cool.”
Millie thought it was nice how Jonathan was talking to her, but it was unfortunate that the topic of the conversation was Benjamin.
“Are you two still together?” he asked nervously.
“No,” Millie said bluntly.
They sat there in silence for a while.
“Where have you been?”
“I went away for a bit,” Millie said, thinking of all the places Mace had taken her.
They sat there in silence until a priest started talking. Millie didn’t want to be in church. It reminded her of all the Angels she had met. She thought about Lexi. She thought about how she didn’t get to say good-bye to Teal, Lilly, and Hudson. She thought about how Mace didn’t even say good-bye.
Isabel’s mother started to talk. Her father had to go up halfway during the speech, as her mother couldn’t continue because she was too distraught. Michelle and Sasha went up last. They talked about how Isabel was the nicest person they had ever met. They talked about how she was beautiful and intelligent. Millie’s eyes welled with tears that then ran down her cheeks. Before she knew it, her tissue was soaked. Michelle talked about how her friends and family would miss her so much and how God took her away too early. Sasha wrapped it up with a sweet memory she had of Isabel.
Jonathan placed his hand on Millie’s knee. She flinched. For a minute, she thought it was Mace, but she realised he was never going to touch her again. Jonathan saw how upset Millie was. He thought she needed someone to lean on since Benjamin was gone. She smiled kindly at him. He handed her a handkerchief. She nodded and continued to wipe away tears.
Everyone walked outside and continued over to the place where Isabel’s body was going to be laid to rest. After several minutes, the casket was safely brought to her resting place. It was lowered slowly down into the deep, dark hole. Many people threw in flowers whilst others still moaned for the loss of Isabel. The casket was finally set down, and Isabel’s uncle and the priest said their final words to wrap up the funeral.
Millie threw in a flower when everyone else was slowly walking away. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I wish I could have done more.”
“Millie?” she heard a voice saying behind her.
Millie froze and hoped that they had not heard her. She turned around to find Sasha clinging to Will.
“Hey, Sasha,” Millie said.
Sasha walked to Millie and gave her a tight hug.
> “Are you okay?” Millie asked.
“I feel...broken,” Sasha replied.
Millie felt the same way.
“Thank you for coming,” Sasha said with a small smile.
“Isabel was a great friend to me. I wanted to pay my respects.”
“We’re having the reception at my house. You’re welcome to come. I want to catch up with you. We all thought that you and Benjamin had run away together,” she said, looking around for him.
“Sure. I’d love to come.”
“I’ll take her,” Jonathan said as he walked over to Millie.
“Great. See you two there,” Sasha said.
Millie buckled her seat belt whilst Jonathan started the car.
“Thanks for driving me,” Millie said, taking off her sunglasses and rubbing her eyes. She quickly put them back on before Jonathan could notice how bloodshot they were.
“No problem,” he said. He drove off, following a large group of cars to Sasha’s place.
“I hope it wasn’t awkward back at the church when I put my hand on your leg. I thought you needed some comfort because you came alone,” he said, sneaking a look at Millie.
“It was fine,” Millie said, smiling. She was scared that Jonathan saw an opportunity with her because she was single. She hoped he wouldn’t make another move.
They found a place to park the car and then walked into Sasha’s house. They went quickly through the house and found a seat in the backyard. Jonathan then went back inside to get glasses of punch and a plate of cookies. Millie sat there in silence. Her body didn’t feel anything anymore. Anyone could have punched her and it wouldn’t have hurt. She didn’t want to love again. Mace had broken her heart. All of her friends dying made it even worse.
“Hi, Millie,” Michelle said, sitting down next to her. She was wearing a long, black, strapless dress.
“Hey. How are you?” Millie asked.
“All I can think about is Isabel. I just don’t get why she was out there. It doesn’t make any sense.”
“It does look suspicious,” Millie said, thinking of Isabel’s bloody body.
“The police think she was taken against her will and murdered."
White Wings Page 27