by A L Williams
I nodded. “Thank you.”
We made our way back to the car as a single raindrop hit my shoulder. I looked up into the sky and a crack of light spread across the dark clouds swirling above.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Andrew
Brother, why were you gone so long?
We’ve missed you.
Are you staying?
What’s it like to be human?
The iridescent, translucent forms of my brethren loa surrounded me. Old furniture faded in and out around me, giving me glimpses of my body laying on an antique rug. I searched my surroundings, floating in the dark.
No…
I drifted through the shifting shadows, trying to find a way through them as they continued to whisper to me. I moved forward.
Leave me alone.
Please.
Stay, brother.
Stay and play with us.
I darted past them, flying as fast as I could. I dashed deeper into the darkness with no end in sight, the loa moving closer behind me.
It’s not your body.
He died. You killed him.
Something tugged on my core, calling me into the abyss. Lightness settled around me as I fought the urge to give in, feeling the threads that connected me to the human world fray. My mother’s voice drifted through my mind, grounding me in the dark.
My dear child.
Precious boy.
What are you doing?
That boy needs you.
Her gentle tone drowned out the surrounding whispers.
I can’t fight them.
I’m one of them.
You’re my boy.
I’m not.
You are. You were one of them. But you are my son.
Mama, I killed your son.
Silence stretched, and I held the breath I didn’t have.
He was ill.
You—
She laughed. I gave birth to you. Do you think I would not notice something was different?
Then why do you call me—
He was my son. You’re my son. There is no difference. I am so lucky to have been given two boys to love.
My heart grew full, a lump forming in my throat as the connection to my body grew stronger.
Mama…
You don’t belong here. Go back.
They need you.
He needs you.
Her voice faded away as she spoke.
I love you.
The pull grew stronger, and I gave in.
I love you too, Mama.
You are Andrew.
James floated into my mind. His bright smile and white eyes guiding me out of the dark.
I found myself in an old office lit by the orange light of the fireplace. An old cherry wood desk and embroidered chairs stood on top of ornate rugs. A fire flickered, casting shadows along the walls. I moved forward, jerking with a jolt. I winced and glanced down at the salt circle below me.
I scanned the room, filled with dark antique wood furniture that was scattered about, the walls smudged and dingy and covered with paintings chipped from age. Two torn, upholstered chairs stood parallel to each other in front of the lit fireplace. On the ornate rug, I spotted my body.
“You are back.” My eyes snapped up when something moved, and Gabriel stood by the window with an old salt shaker sitting on the seal.. They turned and strolled over, stopping at my body and nudging it with their dress shoe. I tensed as I felt the cold heel of their shoe. I was still connected to my body, if only barely. They grimaced. “Unnatural.” They walked around it, stopping just outside the salt circle. “You do not belong here.”
“I do.”
They grunted. “You can keep telling yourself that, but...” they smirked. ”We both know it is a lie.” I recoiled, desperately wanting to slip into my skin. “What would she have thought?” Their eyes shimmered in the dim room.
The memory of my mother’s death replayed in my mind, over and over. I felt my heart pound in my chest
“Stop,” I said.
“She was so sick and she could not even have her son there. You took that away,” they said, tilting their head. “How sad.”
“You know nothing,” I growled. “At least I was wanted. You were always outshined by Lucifer.” I didn't want to provoke them, but I was done. They had hurt James and those closest to him. “You're pathetic. Nothing more than a petulant child seeking daddy’s approval. And you'll never get it.” The words poured from me.
You are my son.
I looked down at my body. I was Andrew and always would be. They couldn’t tell me otherwise. “That is my body.“
Their eyes burned brighter with rage. “All of you will die. It is the will of God.” Their face twisted into a smile that sent a chill through my ghostly form. “He will pay.” They returned to the window, lightning flashing around their silhouette, the storm stampeding closer.
Chapter Twenty-Four
James
The sky roared and flashed. The fresh scent of rain wafted from the clouds. Everything grew tense, air thick and muggy as if the world was waiting for the coming battle. Inside my apartment, the wind whipped through the window, sending a chill up my spine. I threw water on my face. My father walked into the kitchen and stopped beside me without a word.
“They killed everyone.” I gripped the counter, my hands digging into the sharp edge. He remained silent.
I stood up straight and turned to my father. “Teach me more. We have to end this.”
He nodded. “Come.” He moved out of the kitchen, coming to a halt in the middle of the room. I shifted closer and he held out his hand. I swallowed, Placing my hand in his. I tensed as he grasped it. Something tugged on my heart and my fingers started to tingle “You feel that?”
“Yes, what…?” I started.
He stared at me. “That is your cue.” I took a breath and focused, sensing the fire boiling inside of me. The flame rushed forth as I called it, wavering around my hand. “Good. Now focus, and reach for it. Control it.” He moved across the room.
I rolled my eyes. “What do you think I am doing?” The flare dissipated in a puff of smoke. He glared and I rubbed the back of my head.
He crossed his arms over his chest. “I said concentrate. Don’t let it control you. You must believe you can and you will.” His face softened. “It is a part of you.”
Looking at my hand. Andrew drifted through my mind and my heart sank. I had to make this work or...
Warmth dance up my fingers, tiny flames igniting in my palm. A burst of fire surged as I balled my fist. I glanced up with a smirk.
His lips curled. “Good.” My stomach fluttered, my chest tightening with pride.
“Now focus all your anger and pain on me,” he said. Glancing at my fist, I threw the circling heat. He blocked it. I straightened, feeling taller than I ever had. He crossed his arms in front of himself. “Don’t get cocky. You should have done that in the park, and the girl would not have gotten hurt.” My heart sank and the fire flared.
No.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
I didn’t have control.
It was not my fault.
It was Gabriel's fault.
They tried to kill Hayley, not me.
I relaxed, and the flame cooled. I looked up at him with a smile. This was part of me and, like it or not, I had to deal with it. I had to for all of our sake. My body trembled as I held the fire, holding it at bay. The fire shrank, disappearing in a haze of smoke. I relaxed and glanced up at him. A smile spread across his face.
I narrowed my eyes. “You did that on purpose, didn't you?”
He moved over to me. “Good job, son.” I froze, gawking at him. “What?”
We stood there in silence, the wind banging against the walls. Two-hundred years and I never knew how much I wanted to hear that. My eyes burned as I searched his face and I surged forward, pulling him into a hug. He stiffened before relaxing into me, wrapping his arms around me. Re
leasing him, I backed away, my skin on fire. I looked at the floor.
“Thank you.” He nodded, his eyes soft and shimmering with affection.
That’s what she saw.
I jumped and looked towards the door when it opened. Hayley walked in, dressed in a pastel pink blouse with sleeves that stopped at her elbow and tight, worn jeans. "Sorry, that took me so long. I called Corbin."
I tensed. “How is he?”
She smiled. “He’s getting out soon.” The tension receded and I smiled. In the distance, dark clouds gathered, flashing light dancing along the plumes.
She moved closer. “Any idea what we will do?”
I bit my lip. “Uh… I don’t know.” What was I supposed to do?
My father walked over. “We may have to kill them.” My stomach twisted. He studied me. “If it must be done.”
“You’ll be okay with that?” she said.
He thinned his lips. “They made their choice.” I watched him for a moment. He wouldn’t say it, but he cared.
Hayley’s eyes hardened. “Serves them right. Evil doesn’t deserve mercy. They hurt Corbin.” I clenched my jaw. I didn’t know if I had the power to defeat them, let alone kill them, but we were running out of time. “So where are we going?” she asked.
“To where I was born. Bernice, Louisiana.” My chest tightened and I swallowed. “The Miller plantation.”
“They will be waiting and prepared,” my father said. “Are you?"
I furrowed my brow. “I’ll have to be.” He nodded.
I grabbed my phone, calling Ben and telling him where we would be. When the call ended, I stuffed my phone in my jean pocket.
“I’m ready,” Hayley chimed.
I looked at her and then to my father. “Let’s go.” He walked over, releasing his wings and curling them around us. A loud crack reverberated through the studio as it phased away.
Chapter Twenty-Five
James
When my father unwrapped his wings, the familiar thick air settled over my skin, and the earthy scent of flowers and tall cotton filled my nose. Bernice. I glanced over at Hayley as she studied the surroundings. My father walked up to me.
“I can feel them,” he said.
The air was thick, holding its breath for the coming fight. the sky flashed and rumbled, and a cloudburst of rain fell around us. We walked through the barren field, my clothes growing heavier from the downpour. The grand house stood, surrounded by thick pillars and balconies. A wide deck wrapped around the estate steps, leading to the massive front doors. It rose high over the bare land, once blanketed with white, replaced with piles of pale ash covering the ground. “It’s still…” I said.
My father nodded. “Heavenly fire is unforgiving.” I gazed at the mansion that once seemed so big. It was alone, beaten and battered from the passage of time, a whisper of its former glory.
I peered up at the second floor, a single drop of rain hitting my face. “It was bigger,” I muttered.
Hayley moved up beside me. “Everything always seems larger when we’re kids.”
“This place has haunted me. A never-ending nightmare.”
She grabbed my hand and squeezed it. “It can’t hurt you anymore.”
Lightning struck, illuminating the landscape. The building groaned as we walked up the steps, the downpour drenching the earth. Inky streams formed in dips and holes on the ground, mixing with the ash and soot. I wrapped my fingers around the door handle, taking a deep breath, and pushed. It swung open with a loud groan and I covered my face, blocking gush of dust and dry rot.
The sky flashed and brightened the entry foyer as I crept in. I stepped on the faded, diamond patterned rug, moving further into the house. Hayley and my father move up behind me. We padded past dusty tables and furniture with sheets tossed over them. I gazed up at the staircase, swirling up into the darkness above.
The wind whistled, slamming the front door shut. My heart hammered hard against my chest as the air thickened with dust and the odor mildew. Hayley pressed into my side, gripping my arm. “This place is creepy.”
I reach up and gripped her hand. “We’ll be okay.” I hoped I sounded more confident than I felt. I glanced back at my father. When he nodded, I turned back and moved onto the first step. Below our feet, the wood exploded into a chorus of groans and moans. The chandelier sparkled and caught the glint of the lightning.
We came to the second floor and were met with a long hallway that ended at an old window. The sheer, shredded, and dingy drapes swayed, rain dripping onto the floors just below. A soft, warm, red and orange light flickered from the door adjacent to the window.
I advanced, the floor vibrating from the explosion of thunder outside. I inched inside the office, my father entering behind me with Hayley trailing after him. Glancing to the side, I spotted a form on the rug. “Andrew!” I ran over, dropping to my knees. I shook him, but he didn’t move, his body limp and chest still. My heart sank. He can't be dead. I squeezed my eyes shut as desperation flooded my senses.
“James.” I snapped my head towards the voice. A ghostly figure hovered in the corner, surrounded by a circle of white. Andrew.
Hayley rushed over, gripping my shoulder. She gawked at him. "What the hell is— "
I sighed and rose to my feet. “That’s Andrew.”
“You need to go…” he said.
“How sweet.” Turning to the window, I spotted a dark figure, framed by the sheer drapes. Gabriel. They turned and faced us.
My father moved closer to them. “Stop this.”
They scoffed, their eyes sharp and cold. “It doesn’t belong here.” They glanced at Andrew’s spirit.
Hayley grimaced. “Neither do you.” They glanced at her. The fire waved, shifting the light in the room as the wind shot through the window.
My father frowned. “You were hurt, but this has nothing to do with them.”
They scowled. "I feel nothing.”
He inched closer to them. “Gabriel…”
A flash of ivory flame flared, throwing him against the wall. Hayley ran to him. Gabriel turned back to me, fire swirling in their palm. “You will watch him die, brother.” Their hand cut through the air, surrounding my father and Hayley with a wall of fire. He pushed himself up by his hands as she kneeled at his side. “I will take everything you have, like it was taken from me.”
They tossed a ball of blazing heat. I dodged the attack. They lunged forward, their wings bursting from their back. My fingers began to tingle and I dodged again, red and orange heat burst from me. I thrust myself at them, and they jerked backward. They tossed flame again, missing and hitting the wall. The wallpaper warped and bubbled as it blackened. The fire spread on the ceiling, crackling above. I balled my fists, pulsing with a torch of heat. We had to get out of here before the house collapsed.
“This is tedious.” Gabriel snapped their fingers. Andrew’s body vanished. My chest tightened and I glared at Gabriel, pushing down my panic. I charged at them and they smirked, leaping out the window. I ran to the window, watching them disappear into the chaotic storm. Plumes of smoke flooded the room as I turned back. My father stumbled to his feet. He met my gaze. “Get them out of here,” I said. He walked to Andrew’s spirit and Hayley followed.
“Be careful,” Andrew said.
Hayley ran up to me. “Don’t die, or I’ll be pissed.”
I smirked. “I’ll do my best. Go, now!”
The ceiling bent and my father released his wings, curling them around the Hayley and Andrew.
Bounding out the window, I landed and glanced back at the collapsing house. I scanned my surroundings, spotting the others as they appeared in the distance. I exhaled and turned, finding Andrews's body sprawled in the mud next to Gabriel.
I jogged towards them, halting feet away. “End this.”
They grinned, the expression empty. “But we’re having so much fun.” A chill ran up my spine. Clenching my fists, I lunged at them. A wall of white flames rose high and wr
apped around them. They eyed the body. “It’s a corpse. It should be dust beneath the earth.” Their hand rose, embraced by fire, pointing it at Andrew.
“No!” I sped forward and they sprang in the air with unnatural speed. Their wings burst from their back and they dived, feathers thrashing around. Flames hit me, throwing me back. I crashed into a tree that split from the force.
They swerved and ascended back into the air. They stared down, hovering above me. “Curious. You continue to fight. Why?”
I pushed off the tree. “You wouldn’t understand. At least not anymore.”
Their eyes flashed and they flicked their wrist. Fire spread, circling Andrew. I tensed and my heart sank. I balled my fists, dashing to him. Gabriel dived again, meeting me before I reached Andrew. I flew back, sliding to the ground. Ground and looked up, tasting the earthy slug below. Andrews sleeve ignited, trailing up his arm. The sky boomed.
No!
A green haze of light surrounded Andrew, shielding him from the heat. A followed by a familiar voice.
“Hey.” I whipped around, finding Ben strolling up. His eyes blazed a radiant emerald green. I glanced at Andrew, releasing a relieved breath.
He smirked. “I’m sure you have them covered. I’ll look after him.” I nodded.
A gust of wind caught my attention, and I looked up as Gabriel dived, their face twisted in rage. They threw a torrent of flame at us and viridescent light blocking us.
“Have fun,” Ben said and jogged to Andrew, hauling him up into his arms. I threw up a wall of fire, blocking Gabriel’s advance, allowing Ben to escape with the body. They bounded back and scowled, gliding to the ground and snapping their fingers and extinguishing my fire. I glanced behind me at Ben carrying Andrew as Hayley, my father, and Andrew’s spirit ran up.
A wall of ivory flame shot up, blocking them from my view. I turned around to Gabriel straightening their clothes and strolling towards me. “I grow tired of this.”
I glared at them. “I won’t let you hurt them.” They paused, their wings folded against their back.