Anu broke the silence, “How strange; he’s never gotten attached to a mission before,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. He turned to face Angel who was already facing his direction.
“Was that convincing enough for you?” he questioned.
Angel remained silent.
“In my research, everything J.C. reported about you is true. The Queen can do it all. You can hurt people just by thinking about it, or take down this house by hitting a wall and concentrating. You can flash forward into someone’s life, hear the thoughts of those you choose, and most importantly, you can FLY.”
Angel quietly stared at the faces of the people around her. Keiko, with a serious demeanor, stood with Sammy by her side. Angel was beside herself. She could feel her body tremble as she nervously chose her next words.
“If all this is true, what about the other angels, you know, the people that turn into angels after death. What about that?” she curiously quizzed.
Anu shook his head in disapproval. “Myths, all fictional stories recounted by humans who need to make themselves feel better about life after death. In reality, it has never been proven that humans become angels. After all, no human has ever returned from the dead to tell about it. I died and look at what I’ve become. Sammy died and look at him.”
Anu smirked, while Sammy smiled devilishly. Angel didn’t want to hear that everything she learned at church was fabricated.
“This is such bull right now. Maybe…J.C. is wrong. I could be a demon disguised as an angel,” she stated, trying her best to wriggle her way out of the situation.
“Oh, no dear. I have some demon employees; and trust me, you are not a demon,” Anu entertained.
“My theory is that the tragic death of your husband is what trapped you. You have been living with so much regret that you punished yourself and blocked out your memories. You locked out your angel existence. You have become the only thing you know. Human.”
Angel looked at Anu blankly but couldn’t help to respond with her witty sarcasm.
“I’m so glad that you figured it all out. Okay, people, that’s a wrap,” she replied, clapping her hands around and taking small steps to walk away. “We can ALL go home now!”
Sammy did not feel the least bit amused and grabbed Angel by her neck forcefully as she tried to leave. She stumbled slightly but remained, annoyed that her humor didn’t help her get away.
Anu raised his right eyebrow. It was something he often did when he was intrigued or fascinated by someone’s response or actions. It helped him to think clearly and gave the impression that he was listening attentively.
The impatience around Angel was growing thick.
She couldn’t help but ask, “If I am this “Queen” Angel, you’re still not telling me what you want from me? Am I here as one of your collections?”
There was an awkward moment of silence before Anu answered. He was trying to decide if he should cut to the chase. He chose otherwise. “Before I get into that, I need you to know that finding you was not easy. The effects of staying in disguise for centuries have affected you tremendously. You’re so human now, I’m afraid what your angel side will do once it’s unleashed.”
“AGAIN! I don’t know what you’re talking about, I AM HUMAN,” Angel interjected, cutting him off.
“I have a beating heart and I’m sure if you kill me, I won’t come back.”
“If I kill you, you will only come back as someone else. You won’t die that easily,” retorted Anu.
A look of concern, along with confusion, clouded Angel’s face. If that were true, she wondered, how many times in her life had she died and come back? How many different people had she been? The thought of her being so many different faces that she could not remember scared her. Everything was unreal; she felt that she had to be dreaming. Like so many dreams she had before, she was going to soon wake up in her comfortable bed. She just didn’t know when.
Angel folded her arms and shivered at the thought of dying ten times over. She stared down to the floor then glanced back at Anu. Her voice quivered with her next words. “What do you need from me?”
“I’m here to help you first,” replied Anu sincerely.
“Then, when that is done, we will discuss our mission,” replied Anu.
“Help me, and then a mission?” repeated Angel. “What is the mission?”
“You are going to assist me in overthrowing the regime of my kind. They call themselves the “Leaders.”
“The Leaders,” repeated Angel.
“They are the ones responsible for the laws of my existence. They are the ones keeping us in line and hidden. They are who we answer to. It is because of them that I have lost so many brothers and sisters. We are an oppressed species, confined to heavy tariffs, debt, and wars that make us turn on each other. They have designed a system so we may never advance; only they advance. My people and I have lost so much because of their primeval rules. I vowed that one day we would lose no more. One day I will overthrow them and rule with a just system. I just didn’t know how, until you came along.”
Angel was silent, desperately trying to process what Master Anu was saying. The information was so dense, it was going above her head. Why would I help him? she thought. He followed me for years just to use me as a tool to overthrow his Leaders. If I’m who he says I am, how am I balancing the good and evil? She sighed deeply, not knowing where the conversation would lead her.
“What happened, Master, the Leaders don’t play nice in the sandbox?” she mocked.
She wasn’t sure where she found the courage to mock Master Anu. He terrified her; her defense mechanism was clearly kicking in the wrong direction. Anu eyed Angel in amusement.
“You have a sense of humor, how strange that is for your kind.”
Angel fidgeted with her sleeves and took a deep breath. Keep it together. Angel. Your big mouth is going to make things worse, she scolded herself.
Listening to Anu was difficult for her. His words were going in one ear and choo choo training out the other. She couldn’t keep up, and she kept wondering if she was ever going to wake up from this “nightmare.”
Despite her having trouble comprehending, Anu continued explaining. “During my research, I learned that the Leaders had managed to cause a fraction of the other supernaturals to become extinct. Their goal is to eliminate other supernatural beings, making us the dominant species. After they accomplish that, who do you think is next?”
He waited for Angel to answer, but all she could do was shrug her shoulders.
“The human race!” stated Anu, as if solving an answer on “Jeopardy.”
“The race you were created to protect. So, if you haven’t figured it out yet, Angel, my Leaders have killed off many of your kind; and having you out of their way is a blessing to them. They will eventually find you; and when they do, they will make sure you never come back. God himself will have to come and save you. You are the only thing standing in the way between them and the humans, and I am the only one standing in their way from finding you.”
Angel stood there, astonished. He was trying his best to convince her that the fate of the human race lay in her hands.
He paused then spoke with a slight sadness in his voice. “The Leaders killed a man that was like a brother to me. I have vowed to one day seek my revenge. My people do not want a dominant planet of our kind. We prefer to co-exist with humans and other paranormal, not enslave or eliminate them. Eradicating everyone would give the Leaders more power over us; they would rule everything. It would cause complete chaos. We need to work together. Together, we protect my people, other supernaturals, and the human lives you were created to safeguard.”
“Why can’t another supernatural do it?” she asked, trying to understand.
“None of them are as strong and willing as you. You were born for this moment. This is your fight,” he answered sternly.
Angel processed every sentence said to her. She stood in disbelief as the gears finally kicked in
her head. Even when things were explained to her in detail, she still could not grasp the idea that she was some sort of “chosen one.” She fell deep into thought and pondered how any of Anu’s information could be true. Everything sounded and appeared ridiculous. She wondered how she was going to save the world if she couldn’t even save her own ass from being kidnapped.
Angel, the “hero” of the world, abducted by two half-witted supernaturals. She laughed at the thought of her playing the protagonist. She laughed harder when she pictured herself as some sort of Joan of Arc, slaying people on the battleground. The amusement was causing tears to form in her once somber eyes. Anu, Sammy, and Keiko all kept their attention on her. None of them knew what to say next.
Anu realized that Angel was not yet convinced. After everything that was said and shown to her, she was not accepting her fate. Just as stubborn as any human, he thought. He was going to do whatever it took to get her in his corner, to believe who she was, no matter the consequences.
Angel’s laughter lasted for what felt like five minutes; but mere seconds went by until she gained her composure to finally speak.
“I’m no Queen,” she said in between childish chuckles. “This is all ridiculous,” her laughter continued. “Angels and Vampires and Leaders, oh my,” her defense mechanism was frantically at it again.
Keiko grew angry and whispered into Master Anu’s ear, “Is now a good time to kill her?”
“No, let her get it all out. This is expected,” he answered.
“Angel you’re the key, save us all,” she mocked, dramatically holding the back of her hand to her forehead like an actress in distress. “How am I saving any angels if, according to you, ‘Master Anu,’ they’re all dead. I did a fine job in protecting them,” she laughed so hard her belly began to hurt. “It’s all fucking ridiculous. Also, nice touch on J.C.. I know he was never here because none of this is real. You’re not real, she’s not real, he’s not real,” she stated pointing her fingers at Anu, Keiko, and Sammy.
“It’s all fake, fake, fake, fake, fake. OKAY, NOW I’M READY TO WAKE UP. WAKE THE FUCK UP, ANGEL,” she screamed anxiously to herself in the third person.
Angel looked up at the white concrete ceiling for answers, waving her arms up as if trying to get the attention from anything around her. She received nothing but the sound of her own echo.
Anu raised his right eyebrow and crossed his arms again as Sammy whispered into his other ear. “It seems your Angel has gone mad.”
“I believe so,” he replied calmly.
Angel walked closely to Anu and stared directly into his eyes. “I’m ready to wake up now, Master,” she stated authoritatively, mimicking Anu’s stance and crossing her delicate arms as well.
“That you will,” he responded smoothly.
9
You Deal with the Hand You’re Given
Anu smiled a devilishly. “Oh, Angel, you’re right about one thing. It is time for you to wake up.”
He backed away from her and clapped his hands loudly. The sound it made was deafening; it ricocheted throughout the throne room. The rear door flew open and two guards marched in dragging a young naked blonde woman by the arms. Her knees scraped against the chestnut floors leaving streaks of blood and the sound of despair. The guards walked directly to Angel and dropped the young woman face down at her bare feet and shuffled away without even a glance.
Angel looked down at the young woman and was stunned. She felt sick at the sight before her. The young woman’s naked body was covered with dirt, open wounds, and debris, as if she had been horrifically dragged through the stages of her own death. She reeked of filth and waste. The stench was so strong, it caused Angel’s eyes to water. The woman’s long blonde hair was shedding at Angel’s feet, knotted and filthy. What overwhelmed Angel the most were the wings drawn out from the center of the woman’s shoulder blades. She had genuine angel wings that reached down to her calves. Her wings were beautiful yet lifeless―grey, dusty, soiled, and damp.
Angel shivered and tears automatically streamed down her cheeks. She could feel her heart beating rapidly and her voice was lost in her throat. She couldn’t find words to speak but was involuntarily drawn to this unidentified woman. Her soul absorbed the woman’s sentiments; she could feel her pain, fear, and willingness to give up. The woman was begging, internally, to die. She felt compelled to help out of pure instinct and quickly dropped down to comfort the woman. She had an over-extending urge to protect her, to wipe away her despair; but Keiko grabbed Angel’s arm and jerked her away before she could get close.
“Don’t move,” said Keiko between clenched teeth.
“Please, let me go,” urged Angel, trying to yank her arm free.
“I have to help her…please,” she pleaded in a shaky voice.
Anu grew intolerant; he walked around the dying angel and stepped inches in front of Angel’s face.
“WHY? WHY ARE YOU ALL OF A SUDDEN SO OBLIGED TO HELP THIS WOMAN?” he shouted at her while pointing to the woman. Anu rolled the woman over on her back using his foot. Angel tried desperately to pull away from Keiko and reach out to her, but Keiko’s strength overpowered her.
“Please, don’t…don’t hurt her,” she pleaded between sobs.
The woman moaned in pain but didn’t shield herself from the abuse. She had abandoned every hope of survival and embraced death. Angel could feel her emotions drifting into silence. The woman began coughing; she coughed so violently she leaned to her side, spit up a thick amount of crimson-colored blood, then rolled onto her back again. Blood trickled down the side of her mouth.
Sammy’s eyes widened, followed by a popping sound. Angel darted her eyes at Sammy; his fangs were out. He was nearly salivating at the sight of fresh, oozing blood.
“Sammy, control your urges,” Anu warned.
“Master the scent, it's so sweet, so…inviting...,” he responded in a resisting tone.
“Sammy, look at me,” directed Anu.
“Stay focused on Keiko and don’t give into the temptation. You’re stronger than that.”
“Sammy, stay with me brother. I got you,” said Keiko, positioning herself and Angel in front of him, shielding him from the sight. Sammy resisted with all his supernatural might. Angel looked away from him and fixed her attention back on the woman.
The blonde slowly began to open her eyes. The brightness of the room caused her vision to blur, making it impossible to see clearly. She closed her eyes tightly and reached her wounded arm towards her bruised forehead. She rubbed her hands over her face, attempting to feel any sensation of life; the blood spilling from her mouth now smeared purple over her chin. She once again struggled to open her eyes but only squinted in pain. She flickered and blinked several times until her vision finally cleared.
Angel patiently observed the woman and noticed that she had small punctures on her forearms, neck, and hands. Her fear and concern swiftly changed to rage.
“She’s been bitten?” Angel angrily questioned.
Anu smirked, “It seems this woman may know you, Angel,” he responded, ignoring her statement.
Upon seeing Angel, the woman feverishly rolled back to her stomach. She struggled forward to grab Angel’s ankles using all of the strength she had left in her weak, frail arms. Her wings were shedding feathers, leaving dirt stains on the floor. The woman clutched Angel’s legs, bowing her head humbly at her feet and planted light kisses on Angel’s toes. Each warm kiss of worship brought Angel closer to the woman. She felt her body slowly overheating with intense anxiety. Keiko made sure to tighten her grip on Angel as they both watched the woman slowly resurrect herself.
The woman began to speak, but her voice was soft and hoarse; it was difficult for her to formulate words. Sammy knelt down to the woman, resisting his urge to feed, and brushed her hair back. He then turned to Anu.
“She’s saying, my Queen…Guard.”
Sammy leaned in closer to hear better, “No, wait. She’s saying ‘My Queen Guardian.’ Quee
n Guardian? What does that mean?”
He stepped back behind Keiko as Angel regarded the woman’s angelic face. Her bright blue eyes portrayed sadness, and her thin lips were smeared red with her own blood, sweat, and tears. She had many cuts and bruises, showing signs of blows to the cheek, temple, and mouth. She was still beautiful but badly beaten. The young blonde continued to stare at Angel and strained her hoarse voice to speak louder.
“Queen…my Guardian…I knew one day you would come...” Angel quickly attempted to once again shield the woman. This time, Keiko did not protest. She sat down with the woman and the two embraced as if they were missing sisters finally reunited.
Angel grabbed the woman’s delicate face, sobbing, “I don’t know how to help you…I don’t know what to do...tell me what to do.”
The woman closed her eyes in desolation; she muttered her next words in a painful, dry, whisper. “You have to come back…” The woman’s hands were shaking uncontrollably as she clasped Angel’s hands to her face and stared at her through her crystal blue eyes.
“I’m dying…we’re all dying.”
Angel’s heart exploded in misery at the woman’s words. She could taste the salt from her own tears as they cascaded into her quivering mouth. Angel leaned herself against the woman until their foreheads touched, she pleaded, “But...I... I don’t know what to do.”
Angel turned to Anu and demanded, “TELL ME WHAT TO DO!”
Trapped Inside Humanity Page 10