Gone with an Angel

Chapter Twenty:

"Miss Cailor, we may be a little late today...Would it be so much trouble to watch Ty for as long as we need you to?"

James was talking to Ty's teacher. I was sitting in our car idly waiting with the windows rolled down. A nice summer breeze was blowing through, slightly ruffling my hair, but cooling the sweat falling from my hair line. I took a deep breath, inhaling the aroma of summer.

I looked over to the porch step James was standing on, looking directly into Miss Cailor’s eyes as she stood a step above him with her hands on her hips. I was close enough to hear their conversation and see their expressions.

 I noticed Miss Cailor's eyes darken as James asked this, but I didn't blame her. I bet many parents have asked her this same question and never returned to pick up their kids. I watched as James tried to gently explain and promise he'd be back.

"Worst case, we'll be back by tomorrow evening to pick him up at his usual time. It'd be just like a sleep over, and Ty is really enjoying himself here. He can't stop talking about school," James said quietly.

"Well all right...Just don't forget. I don't want to see that poor boy get abandoned like so many others..." she said with a hint of bitterness in her voice.

"Thank you so much, Miss Cailor!” James said excitedly, reaching his hand out to shake hers, before running off back to the car.

He raised his beautiful brown eyebrows at me, giving me that questionable expression. I smiled and nodded. Today was going to be another big day.

First, we drove home, parked the car, and ran inside. James instructed me to hold his hand, and I gladly did so. He told me that for the purposes of this, I shouldn’t blackout. He told me I may feel a little nervousness, and maybe a bit of fright, but to keep holding on to his hand no matter what. He then told me that it could be as quick as a second or as long as five minutes, but we'd get where we needed to be. I nodded, becoming a little more scared as he spoke, but I just held his hand.

"On the count of three...One..."

My hand started to shake and they became sweaty and clammy.

"Two..."

Nervousness furiously roared in my stomach almost making me unable to stand.

"Three!"

I shut my eyes and squeezed James’ hand tighter and tighter.

It felt so strange, like being sucked up by a vacuum cleaner attached to your belly button... It felt like when you have a bad stomach bug and you're just waiting to throw up again. It felt like getting on stage in front of the entire world. It also felt hot, like being shoved into an oven like Hansel and Gretel. It felt rough, like running through miles of forest, being poked and prodded by branches in the nude.

But it ended in probably a minute, and I collapsed on the ground, convulsing like I was having a seizure. The plush green grass clung to me invitingly and it felt cool and fresh against my skin. I waited for whatever was happening to pass, and then I just lay there with my eyes shut.

"Oh my God, Kris, are you okay?" James was by my side, nudging me, trying to feel around for a pulse.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," I tried and offered him a smile, but I feel so sick.

"I didn't think this would happen...I'm so sorry. You look so pale, do you need anything? I could get you some water, or..."

"I'm fine, James, I'm feeling better by the minute," I told him, and oddly enough it was true. I started feeling calmer and more alive.

"Good," James replied and pulled me to my feet, grabbing hold of my hand again.

I was facing an enormous and ominous building lined with windows every inch and made of marble. The windows were large rectangles, and they took up the majority of the walls. The white marble was fresh and shining in every space where there wasn't a window. Two large spinning doors were located right in the middle, slightly swaying as the strong wind pushed it. The sky was a deep gray, covered in clouds, and the wind kept picking up more. It was blowing my blond hair into my face and making me feel freezing cold. I tried and look up at James, but his expression was stony and wouldn't meet my eyes.

"James!" I shouted over the roar of the wind and I squeezed his hand tighter.

Before I even had time to think he was pulling me by my hand and running head strong into the spinning doors, pushing me inside with him, and swinging it fast, making me dizzy. But then we ended up safely inside. The floor was tiled of smooth marble, too, and it made that delightful clicking noise whenever someone walked, even if you're not wearing heels. A circular desk was in the very middle, with a black top and red siding. There was an elevator to the left, right, and front. Two stair cases banked off from my right and left, and within the circular reception desk was a spiral stair case, leading below the floor and above. There was one long hall way in the back. A quiet beat of instrumental orchestra music captivated the room, and there was not a person in sight. The place was beautiful. I had never seen anything like it.

I looked to James, who had his mouth hanging open, and tried to decipher what we're doing here and where we're going next.

"This is the place," he murmured quietly, “I can just feel it."

Trusting his judgment I scooted a little closer to him, our hands no longer clasped together. "So lead the way," I told him, anxious to see what was about to happen.

He walked to the circular desk and stealthily jumped over it, looking for me to do the same. I tried, but I was too clumsy to do it right, and I ended up rolling over and collapsing on the floor giggling. This was enough to make his stony expression break and I saw one of his classic smiles spread across his face.

He helped me up to my feet briefly, barely, just enough that I wouldn’t black out. We moved on to the stair case that had no railings. He looked down into the darkness and started walking, beckoning me to follow.

About one hundred steps later, James took a step off to the right and I followed. It was a blank white room, with one rusted light bulb hanging by a string in the center.

"Are you sure? There's nothing here," I said, confusion in my voice.

"What are you talking about?" James asked, turning to face me with his eyebrows creased. "There's a door right there!" He pointed to the right wall, but all I saw was marble.

"I don't see anything...Are you feeling okay?" For a second I was starting to question James’sanity.

But then a thought hit me, and I reached into my back pocket for the note about the Vårdnadshavare änglar Införlivas, and I scanned the paper until I found what I was looking for. “The center of the organization is made invisible to anyone who does not have angel blood."

I read that part aloud, and another smile stretched across his face. "We found it, and it wasn't even too hard!" He rushed off to the invisible door and I stood there feeling my heart sink in my chest. Anything could happen, and now I had to wait while James did this solo.

I guessed he realized this too, and he stopped to turn around and face me, the smile gone from his face.

"Promise me, you'll be okay? And I'll see you soon?" I asked him, feeling sad and alone already.

"I promise, and I won't be long," he said before turning around to open that door.

He didn't turn back, he just opened the door, appeared to step into the wall, and left.

I hated how everyone in my life just left. I could only hope this one would return. I backed up against a different wall and sunk down so I was sitting with my knees to my chest, just waiting.