They remained inside for the rest of the evening and into the night. Together they read through the stolen library book about The Temple of Ananke. It was apparently erected to honor the Goddess, nobody knew when but it was estimated to date back to three thousand years B.C. In other words, it was very old. That placed it right in the middle of Ancient Greece.
Being so old, the building showed every year of its age. The warrior statues would have been eight strong on both sides with one end holding a great arch entrance and the other a solid stone wall. Nobody could say for sure what the building held on the inside, they could only speculate that perhaps it contained an altar for the Goddess. Whatever it was, it had long been destroyed.
They went to sleep after exhausting themselves from reading. The entire day had been brain numbing, if not physically exerting. Neither slept well, however. There was too much going on both in their minds and in the streets below. Nights were never quiet anymore, not since all the chaos had broken out and the society started to crumble. Jerome knew the sounds well, they were similar to nightly noise back at the village – screams, explosions, and pain. You couldn’t escape it, no matter where you went.
At the break of dawn, Jerome had enough. He stood from the bed and tested his wings. He was in for a long flight, he needed them to be in their peak condition. They weren’t, but at least they were no longer scarred or sore from the demon attack. As far as healing went, it was as good as they were going to get. They would probably never be exactly the same again. At least they were functional.
He waited patiently for Leila to awaken, watching her while he sat on the floor. She looked like an angel herself, her dark eyelashes fluttering ever so slightly against her cheek as she dreamed. Her lips were the prettiest shade of pink he had ever seen and her cupid’s bow was perfectly shaped. He could honestly say he had never met anyone as beautiful as her – both in the angel world and on Earth. A part of him considered leaving her there, just taking off and keeping her away from whatever danger he would be flying into. But he couldn’t. At least if he was there with her, he could try and protect her. Or die trying.
She eventually woke up. Jerome quickly turned away, trying to pretend he was interested in the warrior statue. But it wasn’t quick enough for Leila not to see him watching her. She smiled, finding it sweet. Her next thought was that she probably looked terrible. She couldn’t remember the last time she had a haircut and her clothes had seen better days. She suddenly felt very self-conscious.
“I need a shower,” she declared. “When are we leaving?”
“When you’re ready.”
“Give me ten minutes.”
“I’ll make you breakfast,” Jerome offered as she slipped into the bathroom.
He turned to the kitchen bench. He had never cooked anything in his life, everything looked so foreign to him, but he wanted her to eat something. If he didn’t make it, then she probably wouldn’t have anything. At least something horribly made would be better than nothing.
He opened the cupboard, remembering that’s where Leila would get things from before she heated them over the hotplate. He rummaged around, all there seemed to be were a few packets of some powder and a container of white flakes. The flakes won, surely something so plain couldn’t be difficult to cook. He placed a handful into a pot and placed it over the hotplate, lighting it like he had seen her do.
Leila joined him as he stirred the concoction. “That smells good.”
“Really? What is it?”
“It’s called porridge. It’s a breakfast cereal. You’re doing really well. You’ve really never eaten anything?”
“Nothing,” Jerome doubted whether he would even know how to eat. “What does food taste like?”
“A million different things. Why don’t you try some?” Leila dipped her spoon into the pot and picked up a small amount of porridge. She held it out for him.
“I can’t.”
“Just try it. It’s not bad.”
He looked at the cereal and back to Leila. He trusted her, if she said it wasn’t bad, then it wouldn’t be. He opened his mouth, allowing her to make an airplane with the spoon and waited. He let the flavor wash over his taste buds. It was hot and gluggy, but it wasn’t completely awful. In fact, it tasted sweet.
“It’s good,” he said, delighted. He had tried food, he had done it.
“I told you.”
“You should hurry up and eat the rest before it gets cold.”
Leila accepted the handle and ate the porridge directly from the pot. She ate quickly, sensing the angel was ready to take flight. She wasn’t looking forward to it herself. She had only flown twice before and both times were in a large commercial airplane. She had no idea what it would be like to hitch a ride on an angel.
“Make sure to dress warm,” Jerome said as he washed the pot and returned it to the cupboard. “It’s going to be cold.”
She followed his advice and put on the thickest coat she had. She secured all the buttons and tied her hair back. She was as ready as she was ever going to be.
They made their way up to the roof of the apartment building. There was nobody else in sight, giving them full privacy. Leila stared at Jerome, waiting for some direction. He just stood there, watching her.
“Are you ready?” Leila asked. “Or do you need to do something to your wings?”
“No, I’m ready. Are you?”
“Sure,” she lied.
He held his arms open, signaling her to come closer. When she didn’t move, he went to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer than she had ever been before.
“Are you comfortable? I can turn you around so you can see, but it might be scary.”
“I would rather not see, thanks.”
Jerome smiled, figuring that would be the case. He pulled her tighter, making sure he had a good grip on her. “You’re shaking.”
“I’m terrified, if you must know.”
“It will be okay. Just relax and it will be over soon.”
She took a few deep breaths and nestled her head into his shirt. She put her arms around his sturdy chest. He would keep her safe, he was an angel after all, right? She tried to tell herself over and over again that he wouldn’t let harm come to her. He just wouldn’t. He would protect her, they would fly and then they’d be able to solve the riddle. Everything would be okay.
Jerome didn’t warn her when he took off, he thought it would be better that way. Taking one leap, he jumped off the building and flapped his wings. They beat through the sky, taking on the extra weight like it was nothing. The city rushed by underneath, just a blur they were going so fast. It only took them seconds to leave the buildings behind for open green spaces.
Leila didn’t dare look once. She kept her eyes closed or stared at a fixed spot on Jerome’s arm. The feeling of flying so swiftly made her stomach do flips. She was glad she had eaten something plain for breakfast, otherwise she would have seen it all again in reverse. Jerome might find it delightful to dart through clouds, but she didn’t. When he had said the feeling of flying was like no other, he was right. But it would take some getting used to.
He didn’t slow his pace until they reached Greece. He had stayed as low as possible in the sky so Leila would be able to breathe, it had slowed him down somewhat. He wasn’t going to break any records with his flight time.
Jerome had to rely on his memory to find the village of Ronana. He didn’t think to get a map before he left the city. At least the Temple of Ananke stood out on the shoreline like a beacon. Had it not been for that, he may have missed the village all together. He slowed down and prepared to land, letting his wings glide him in.
With his feet safely on the ground, Jerome finally released his grip on Leila. “We’re here.”
She didn’t dare open her eyes for fear he was wrong. But she could not feel any movement, perhaps he was right after all. She opened just one eye and then the other when she saw everything still around them.
&nb
sp; “Thank God,” she sighed. “I think I’m going to have to live in Greece. I don’t want to fly again.”
He didn’t reply, instead just hoped the memory would fade before they had to leave. They spent some time walking around the temple. It was even more decrepit than in the photos, the past fifty years weren’t kind to it. No doubt the local heritage society would have done what they could to preserve it but there was only so much they would do. The elements of the wind, earth, and sea had battered at the ruins.
“The riddle said the mouth of Ananke is hidden at the feet,” Leila said as she stood at the bottom of one of the statues. It was at least twice as tall as her. “There are a dozen feet here.”
“We should have brought a shovel.”
“You can’t do some angel magic and find whatever truth they are talking about?”
“Afraid not.”
It seemed like a hopeless search. They were getting nowhere just walking around the ruins. When Jerome tripped and almost fell over the edge of the cliff, they decided to call it a day. He needed to rest after such a long flight and Leila was hungry. The temple would still be there tomorrow, their search was going to have to wait another day.
They walked into the town, a downhill descent that was going to be far easier than when they returned the next day. There were barely any people about on the roads. No cars passed them and, when they reached the village, barely anyone could be seen. The town of Ronana was practically a ghost town.
“We need a place to stay,” Leila pointed out, looking at the piles of brick and concrete that were once homes and buildings. It looked like a cyclone had rampaged the town. The reality was that humans were the culprit. When they saw the state of the place, they didn’t need to wonder anymore where all the people had gone. Those that hadn’t been killed were probably chased away and forced into hiding. Leila was thankful it hadn’t grown so bad back at home yet. It would only be a matter of time though.
“What about that building? It’s still standing.” Jerome pointed to a double storey office building. The signs for the shops on the ground floor still stood but the windows were boarded up. It was probably a last ditch attempt to salvage what the storeowners coveted.
“We can give it a try.”
“Stay here while I have a look.”
Leila didn’t argue. The thought of walking into the dark building and not knowing what was behind every door gave her the creeps. She let the angel do what he did best – protect. She waited as he left her.
A cold wind whistled around, sounding foreign as it wove through the debris. She shivered, suddenly cold right through to her bones. She wished Jerome would hurry. He could walk fast when he wanted to, she hoped he was using those abilities to clear the building.
She heard footsteps behind her, relieved he was back. “You took your time,” she teased.
She turned around, however it wasn’t Jerome standing in front of her, three men were there instead. Leila’s first instinct was to run, get as far away from them as possible. The men were tall, much bigger than her. She was no match for whatever they wanted to do.
The moment Leila moved, so did they. The man closest gripped her by the arm, digging his fingers in so deep she was sure he would break the skin.
“Get away from me,” she yelled, hoping to make as much noise as possible. “Jerome!”
With one swift movement, the second man grabbed Leila by the hair and pulled her close to him. He smelt like dirt, an unwashed and filthy scent. He used one rancid hand to cover her mouth and the other to grip her waist. She struggled with each second that ticked by, trying to get away from the men. But they were too strong, she was far outnumbered. They started to drag her away from the street, somewhere prying eyes couldn’t see them. Somewhere Jerome couldn’t find her.
She kicked at anything she could, hitting a leg now and then. Her arms were locked to her sides and the grip around her head was too tight for her mouth to get free. Otherwise she would have bitten him, sunk her teeth down until he felt the kind of pain he was inflicting on her.
They reached an alleyway, building rubble on both sides. They had erected a makeshift roof out of a garage door and it hung precariously over their heads. The whole structure had a temporary feel to it, much like Leila’s life if she didn’t get away soon.
“We’re going to have some fun with this one.”
“She’s a fighter, she’s strong. It will make it all the better.”
Leila tried to block them out and focus on escaping. They could talk all they wanted, but she wasn’t going to let them get to her. She had to get away, it was the only option she considered. She didn’t come all that way, lose her entire family, just to die in an alleyway in Greece.
“Quit moving, or I’ll make you quit,” one of the men warned her. He was the one with his arm around her waist, the one that had taken most of her kicks.
She forced herself to stay still. Not to appease him, but to convince them she would follow directions. If they let their guard down for even a moment, she would seize the opportunity. She would run and not stop until she was in another country. She wasn’t prepared to lose yet, especially not to the three of them.
But when she saw one of the men holding a brick in their hand, poised and ready to hit her with it, she definitely wasn’t prepared for it. The last thing she remembered was seeing the brick come towards her head, just waiting for the impact.
CHAPTER 6
In the next moment, everything happened so fast that Leila didn’t even realize what was happening. She waited for the brick to make contact with her skull but it didn’t. Instead, the makeshift roof was torn from above their heads, flung into the distance. She watched what was happening as if it was on television.
Jerome stood at the entrance to the alleyway at his full height. He towered above the men, a look on his face so menacing that Leila could barely recognize him. The kindness and gentleness was long gone, replaced by a sneer so full of hatred that he could have scared the demons. He growled at the men, his voice so low it would make anyone shiver in their boots.
“Get away from her.”
The three men stood facing him, their resolve to stay and fight for their prize diminishing by the second.
“Get away from her, I’m not going to say it again,” he warned. He spread his wings at his side, making his appearance even more imposing. He filled the space, giving the men no option except to run in the opposite direction.
They moved quickly, probably faster than they had ever gone before. The harsh grip on Leila disappeared, she leant against the wall for support when they abandoned her. She gulped in air, feeling relief flood through her body.
The moment the men were out of sight, Jerome moved. He retracted his wings and hurried to Leila. He examined her, seeing if there was anything broken or injured that needed attention. At least she looked intact, if only in body.
“Are you okay?” He asked, desperately needing to hear the words.
“I think I’m good,” Leila managed to mumble out. “I thought they had me. How did you find me?”
“I listened for you. When I got back to the street and you were gone, I almost had a heart attack. I’m sorry I left you alone, it won’t happen again.”
Leila let herself fall into his embrace, it felt so safe there. His strong arms would protect her like nothing else. “It’s okay, you were trying to look out for me. I’m so glad you found me.”
“I will always find you.”
She allowed him to pick her up, lift her from the rubble so she didn’t have to walk. She doubted whether her legs would move anyway. “The building is safe, there’s no-one else staying there.”
“What about if they come back? They might find us.”
“Then I’ll be waiting.”
She didn’t need to argue any further, the resolve in his voice spoke louder than anything else. She believed he would look after her, keep her safe from the men if they dared to return. Hopefully they wouldn’t. Hopefully the
y would tell people about their encounter with the winged man and get as far away as possible.
Jerome crossed the street and headed inside the building, following the same path he had used before. Parts of the building weren’t exactly stable, but there was enough space where they could bed down for the night. It wouldn’t be comfortable, but it would be adequate. He had slept in far worse places before.
They chose the driest of the rooms, the windows boarded up. Leila pushed aside a stray chair lying on its side and righted it back to four legs. It wasn’t exactly homely, but it would do. Just moving the chair upped its appeal by a hundred percent.
“It’s so cold in here,” Leila commented, rubbing her arms to try and keep the blood circulating. “Aren’t you cold?”
“I don’t get cold. Or hot. I don’t really feel any temperature.”
“An angel thing, right?”
“I guess so. Here,” Jerome held her hand to his chest. “Warm as sand on a sunny day.”
Leila couldn’t speak. He was warm, toasty warm. But it wasn’t his temperature that was making her smile. It was the way his heart beat underneath her palm. The steady rhythm mirrored hers. It was the one thing that connected them, human and angel alike.
She quickly withdrew her hand, blushing. She shouldn’t be thinking like that. “I’m going to try to sleep.”
She lay on the floor, at least there was carpet. It was an industrial thread and far removed from comfortable, but it beat concrete. She lay on her side, closing her eyes and trying to block out her surroundings. She put the three men out of her mind, refusing to let them hurt her anymore. The cold, however, couldn’t be forgotten. She shivered, no matter how she tried to get warm.
Jerome stood by the door, making sure nobody had followed them in. He couldn’t hear anything but Leila breathing. He closed the door and examined it to see if it locked – it didn’t. He placed the chair underneath the doorknob, it would slow someone down long enough for him to spring into action.
World Without Angels Page 6