by G. K. DeRosa
I nodded and took a step in front of him. His fingers wrapped around my arm, and he pulled me back. “Ouch!” I squealed.
“Sorry.” He loosened his grip but didn’t let go. “When we’re out there, you stay by my side at all times, you got it?”
“I got it.” I motioned for him to go first and shot him my most sarcastic smile.
He slid the steel bar over and heaved the door open. The flapping of wings intensified the moment I poked my head out. I glanced up to get a better look at them. The angels. They were supposed to be good. They were supposed to protect humankind. No one really understood what had gone wrong.
Lowering my gaze, my eyes landed on the sorry remnants of my home. Charred wooden beams were all that remained after seventeen years of happy memories.
“No time for gawking.” Asher yanked my arm and dragged me past the dry pond, toward the apple orchards.
Or what used to be the apple orchards. Miles of burnt trees stretched before us. They didn’t provide great cover, but it was better than nothing.
“We’ll follow the path to Sanson’s farm and see if there’s anything left of it. It’s been a few months since I’ve been down that way.”
“Okay.” I hurried to match Asher’s pace, his long legs eating up the scorched earth beneath us. Duke strolled beside me, his tongue hanging out of his mouth. I could’ve sworn he was smiling.
The steady flap of gigantic wings buzzed in my eardrums as we marched on. The constant noise steam-rolled over everything else. I’d walked through these orchards hundreds of times as a kid, and they were always full of life—birds singing, insects chirping, and the hum of tractors at work. Now it seemed dead. Except for that damn flapping.
I sighed and tried to pretend things were like they used to be. If I squinted my eyes just right, I could envision bright red apples dotting vibrant green trees instead of the bare sickly brown ones.
“What’s wrong?” Ash turned his gaze on me.
I huffed. “Everything.”
A shadow of a smile pulled at his lips, and for a second I was reminded of the cute boy I used to know. The guy that stood before me now may have looked like him, but he was harder, darker.
“Do you remember when I taught you to climb a tree?”
I grinned. “You mean when you broke my arm?”
He chuckled. “Don’t exaggerate. It was only a sprain.” He pointed down the row. “It was that one right over there.”
“Really?” I jogged over to the tree he had indicated, Duke nipping at my heels. I tilted my head up. “It seemed much taller in my mind.”
“Maybe you were that much shorter.” He smirked and leaned up against the rough, brittle bark and exhaled a long breath.
I nudged him in the shoulder and sidled next to him. “Even though you almost killed me, I was the best climber of all the girls in my class.”
“Oh, I remember. And it wasn’t only trees you’d climb. I recall a certain escape attempt from your second floor bedroom.”
I laughed. I’d forgotten all about that. My dad grounded me for a week for that one. “That was your fault too! I just wanted to go hunting with you and Crowder. Dad didn’t think it was proper for a young lady.”
“He was probably right.”
My chest tightened. I’d give anything to be grounded again as long as it meant my parents were still here.
“Come on, we have to keep going.” Asher’s fingers wrapped around my hand, and he led me back onto the worn path.
After what felt like days, we finally reached Sanson’s farm. Or what was left of it. The roof had been completely torn off, and the remainder looked more like a dollhouse than a farmhouse. We had a bird’s eye view of every single room. The porch and front side of the house had been ripped clean off.
Asher’s shoulders sagged as he stared at the ruined structure. “I was hoping maybe Mr. Sanson and the girls were still here.”
I squeezed his hand. “Maybe they got out.”
“Doubtful,” he muttered.
Duke barked and took off toward the broken old house. I yelled after him, but whatever he’d caught scent of was more enticing. We ran after him as he circled around behind the house.
A small red silo still stood intact. Duke pawed at the door, his tail wagging.
“Maybe there’s something inside?”
A steel padlock remained firmly in place. Asher jiggled the lock, but it was locked tight. He got up on his tiptoes and ran his hand over the doorframe.
“Aha!” He held up the small silver key triumphantly. “I guess my dad wasn’t the only one with such a predictable hiding spot.”
“Thank goodness for small miracles.”
He wiggled the key into the padlock, and it clicked open. Duke stuck his nose in and led the way. I flicked on my flashlight and lit up the small circular space. A black blur scurried across the ground, and I screamed. Duke took off after it as it ran behind bales of hay.
“Damn it.” Ash’s eyes scanned the silo.
Nothing but hay and a lone rat. “Well I guess that’s what had Duke excited.”
“I’m not ready to eat a rat yet, you?”
Bleh. “Definitely not.” I pointed my flashlight at Duke, and big brown eyes glowed in the dark. A skinny rat hung out of his mouth. So gross. At least I could keep what was left of the dog food for tomorrow.
“Come on.” Ash held the door open, and I trudged out.
Two rifles pointed at my head, a man at the end of each. I gasped and Asher yanked my arm, pulling me behind him. Duke barked like mad, his hackles raised.
“Shut that dog up or I will,” said a scruffy-bearded man.
I grabbed Duke’s collar and forced him down to the ground.
“We don’t want no trouble,” said the taller one. “Give us your supplies, and we’ll be on our way.”
“Not happening,” Asher growled as he slid one strap off his shoulder.
He was going for the gun. I knew he was, and he was going to get killed for it. Two rifles against one gun wasn’t a fair fight.
I held my hands up, my heart lodged in my throat. “I’ll give you everything I have, just please let us keep one pack.” I shot the two grimy men my best puppy dog eyes, praying they’d buy it. “Please.”
The taller man nodded at scruffy beard, and they both lowered their weapons. I quickly unzipped my bag and dumped out all of its contents. Scruffy beard bent down to pick up the cans and bottles, and from my periphery I noticed Ash’s hand twitch. I shot him a narrowed glare, slowly shaking my head.
It wasn’t worth it.
The man straightened, shoving all of our supplies into a duffel bag. “Nice doin’ business with you two.” They took off at a sprint toward the woods, half of our supplies in tow.
“Dammit, Liv.” Asher kicked the ground, sending a cloud of dirt up into the air. “You should’ve let me try to stop them.”
“Absolutely not. You could’ve gotten yourself killed.” I zipped up my empty backpack and slid it back on my shoulders. “At least you had most of the food.”
He ground his teeth together. “It’s not enough.”
“We’ll find more. At least we’re all still alive.” I patted his arm, his muscles tense. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
He took the map out and scanned it. “Ten more miles and we’ll hit the outskirts of the suburbs. You’re sure that’s where you want to go? Running into more people might not necessarily be a good thing.”
I nodded. “We have to try.”
Chapter 3
Every single muscle in my body screamed for me to stop. To put an end to the torture. I ignored them and marched on. In another hour it would be full dark, and we’d have to stop. If we didn’t reach Fallsbrooke, that meant a night in the woods.
“Just a little farther.” Ash wrapped his arm around my waist and tugged me along.
I was practically sleepwalking as it was. In the distance, the spotty lights of the valley called out to me tauntingly. Lights mea
nt electricity, which meant hot water. We’d lost all of that months ago. I’d kill for a hot shower right about now.
Asher pulled me to the edge of the hill. “It’s all downhill from here. Another hour, and we’ll be back in civilization.”
I peered down at the suburban communities sprawled before us. There could be humans down there. Hope blossomed in my chest. I swallowed hard and buried it down, not wanting to be disappointed. I couldn’t bear it if we were wrong.
“Okay. Let’s do this.” I gritted my teeth and ignored the knives piercing my feet with every step. Even Duke looked tired. His big tongue hung out of his mouth, his breaths coming short. I took a sip from our dwindling water supply then stopped to offer him a cup. He lapped it up greedily then cocked his head when he finished. “Sorry, buddy. That’s all for now.” I picked up the mug, and we continued onward.
The woods were quiet. We hadn’t encountered a single soul, alive or otherwise along our journey so far. I wasn’t sure if I should be happy or worried about that.
“How are you holding up?” asked Asher.
“Oh you know, just great.” I plastered a fake smile on my face. “How about you?”
“I could definitely use a bed right about now.”
“Yeah, no kidding.” I glanced up at my best friend and wondered what I looked like. Dark circles rimmed his eyes, and a mix of sweat and dirt covered his face. The crazy part was that he still looked good. Underneath the layer of grime, sun-kissed skin and bright green eyes shone through. Years of working on his family farm had produced perfectly tanned skin and long lean muscles.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Like what?” Heat rose to my cheeks as he regarded me with those darting emerald eyes. I’d never seen an emerald in person, but it was my birthstone and I’d always dreamed of owning one. He was the closest I’d ever get.
“Like I’m a tasty slice of pizza.”
I laughed. “Maybe because I’m starving.” I reached for his face and wiped a smudge of dirt from his cheek. “And because you had a little something on your face.” My hand lingered on his cheek for a minute longer than it should have.
“Thanks,” he muttered and covered my hand with his, pressing it into his cheek.
His heated skin warmed my palm, his stubble tickling my hand. His eyes locked onto mine, and my breath hitched.
Duke let out a loud bark.
Asher’s eyes widened, and he yanked me down to the ground. We scurried to the nearest tree and pressed our bodies flat up against it. The crunch of leaves and twigs snapping drew my attention a few yards to our left. Two figures raced through the woods, darting between trees.
Just over the treetops, three angels flew by. Their large wings flapped, rustling the branches overhead. Duke tilted his nose upward and growled.
“Shh!”
He whined and lowered his head to the ground.
I held my breath, my eyes fixed overhead as the three angels circled the sky. It was too dark to see much, but their wings emitted a soft glow. It was just enough to be able to follow their path.
“Are those nephilim?” I whispered.
“I think so. Their wings seem a little smaller.”
“Do you think they saw those people?”
He nodded, pressing his lips together.
I gulped. Nephilim were the angel’s warriors on earth. They were half-human, half-divine and totally deadly. I still didn’t understand why the vampires allowed angels in their territory. They should’ve all been gone by now. Then again, I wasn’t sure which I preferred—death by angel or vampire. On the bright side, the angels would probably just kidnap me and make me their slave. The vampires on the other hand would suck me dry.
“I think they’re gone.” Asher’s quiet voice pulled me from my dismal thoughts.
I released a breath and sat up. “Do you really think the angels are still capturing humans to serve them?
He shrugged.
“How many freakin’ servants do they need?”
“I don’t know, but I heard they built a massive tower in D.C. as their headquarters. Rumors are that it stretches all the way to heaven.”
I frowned. “These angels don’t belong in heaven.”
“I don’t think there are any left in heaven anymore. They’re all here on earth, ruining the world for the rest of us.” He plucked a dry blade of grass and stuck it in his mouth. It looked like a cigarette, hanging from his bottom lip. “What kind of God would let this happen?”
“God had nothing to do with this.”
Fury flashed across his irises. “How’s that possible? Angels are God’s messengers aren’t they?”
I clenched my jaw. I so wasn’t having this argument with him again. We’d both been brought up Catholic, and the angels we’d heard about our whole lives were nothing like these terrible creatures that flew around ravaging everything in their path. There was no way God intended any of this.
“Well?”
“I’m not talking to you about this for the umpteenth time. Something must have gone wrong. Maybe they’re fallen angels…”
“All of them?”
I shook my head and got back to my feet. My legs screamed in protest. “Come on. It’s almost full dark, and I don’t want to be out here with them flying around.”
We trudged on for the next half hour without speaking or even looking at each other. Ash could be so stubborn sometimes; he drove me crazy. The silence too was driving me crazy. If it weren’t for the constant hum of angel wings, I would’ve started humming the latest Shawn Mendes song. It had been months since the radio stations stopped playing, but I couldn’t get that last one out of my head.
The thick maze of trees began to grow sparser, and the woods gave way to a paved road.
“I-95,” said Asher as he stared at the highway in front of us. A cement barrier separated it from the encroaching woods. On the opposite side was a walled-in housing development. The first one we’d seen in miles.
“We made it!” Tears blurred my vision. I never thought I’d be so happy to see some generic beige houses.
Ash peered to the left then the right. He was being overly cautious. There wasn’t a car in sight. He hopped over the barrier and held out his hand to help me. I climbed over, and Duke followed behind. We ran across the highway, completely out in the open. When we reached the other side we crouched down next to the wall.
I glanced up at the imposing ten-foot partition. It might as well have been a hundred. “How’re we getting over that?”
“We’re not. We’re going under.” He looked at Duke and smiled.
Duke was a master digger. There wasn’t a fence that could hold him in. If he couldn’t jump over it, he’d just dig under it. For once, it was going to come in handy. I turned to my dog and patted the ground. “Get it, buddy. Get it!”
With Duke’s strong claws and a bit of our help, we had a nice German shepherd sized hole in about fifteen minutes.
“I’ll go first. I’m bigger than both of you, so if I can make it, you two should be fine.”
I nodded and Asher went head first into the tunnel. The wall wasn’t wide, a few feet at most, but I still held my breath until I heard his voice on the other side.
“Okay your turn.”
“I can’t. I have to make sure Duke gets through first.”
“Fine,” he hissed.
I pushed Duke’s nose down the hole and after a little objecting, he squirmed his way through.
Loud wings flapping overhead snapped my attention to the sky. Crap! It must have been the three nephilim we saw earlier.
“Go, Liv, now!” shouted Asher.
Chapter 4
I dove into the hole and crawled through the narrow tunnel. Rocks and pointy debris scratched my knees and palms as I squirmed through the darkness. I refused to think about all the spiders that I must have been squishing. Long arms appeared at the end of the tunnel, and I grabbed onto warm hands.
I didn’t even hav
e time to dust myself off before Asher yanked me to a full out run. The flutter of wings above us sent my heart rate skyrocketing. We raced around the corner of a large beige house. Apparently, we’d dug right into someone’s backyard.
“We have to get inside,” whisper-shouted Asher over his shoulder.
“There!” I pointed at the house next door. The sliding glass door was smashed in, providing a muddied view into their living room.
We hurried across the yard to the other house, Duke running beside me. Asher went straight for the door, ignoring the shards of glass protruding from the doorframe. I jumped through the gaping hole and crunched through cracked glass on the floor. I nearly ran right into Asher’s back. He’d frozen as soon as he’d leapt inside.
He turned to me with his index finger to his lips. He took a step, and glass crackled underneath his shoe. He put his hand up and motioned for me to stay put. I grabbed Duke by the collar and didn’t move. I hoped he hadn’t cut up his paws with all the glass. If he weren’t so big I’d try to carry him, but considering he weighed as much as I did, it was impossible.
I chewed on my fingernails as Asher tiptoed around the house. I held my breath as he disappeared around the corner. A thick blanket of black surrounded me. I couldn’t even hear Ash’s footsteps anymore. My heartbeat roared across my eardrums, drowning out Duke’s panting. Why was he taking so long?
Asher’s blonde head poked around the corner, and the tightness in my chest abated. He pulled the flashlights out of his backpack, handing me the extra one and pointed it toward the floor. “The place is empty.”
“Good,” I breathed.
“There’s a bedroom down that hall. Grab a sheet off the bed and I’m going to see if I can find some tape to cover the sliding door.”
I nodded and clicked my flashlight on. I crept down the hallway to the first door on the right. Vibrant framed landscapes hung on clean white walls. I had to restrain myself from jumping on the king sized bed. All I wanted to do was curl up into the soft comforter and not wake up until the sun came out. I hated to strip the mattress of the silky sheets, but I had to.