Holy and the Fallen

Chapter One

“Eden, hurry Micah’s on the news!” Eden’s mom, Beth McCarthy, exclaimed from the living room.  Her voice carried into the kitchen where Eden had been finishing lunch.  Sandwich forgotten, she bolted from her seat, ran to the adjoining room, and skidded to halt next to her mom. 

Her mom glanced over. “They’re interviewing him about something that happened at that farm you all went to.”

Eden could only nod, her eyes remaining glued to the TV.  It felt like weeks ago Micah had left with his cousin, Trent, and Damon when in reality it had only been three days. This is probably the perfect time to tell mom what really happened at Vern’s farm, Eden thought, but Micah’s blue eyes danced back at her through the screen, captivating her attention.

A news reporter held a microphone out to Micah, her voice took a professional tone as she spoke, “This spot of land has attracted a lot of attention lately. Just days ago, this particular farm here in DeKalb County, Illinois experienced rare seismic activity.  Which as I understand, you actually witnessed?”

“Yeah, my friends and I all saw it happen.  Hard to believe, but pretty cool,” he answered. 

He sounds so confident, I’d be a nervous wreck!  Eden shifted her weight, feeling her mom’s eyes bearing down on her.  No escaping the talk this time.

The reporter glanced at the screen, her bright red lipstick contrasting with her powdered face.  “For those of you who haven’t been following the story, on July 14th an unprecedented earth quake shifted the plates enough to cause the land to suddenly rise, forming this mountain out in the otherwise flat cornfields.  We’ve already told our viewers how they are still trying to determine the magnitude of the quake, since it didn’t leave the usual after shock waves.”

Memories of sprinting through sheets of rain, sliding down a steep hill that had suddenly appeared, flashed through Eden’s mind.  She could still feel Gabriel’s arms pulling her along.  Thinking of him, a pang of sadness hit her.  Since Micah left she hadn’t actually seen Gabriel again, though she felt him near.  She wondered if he had spoken to the angel counsel and somehow fixed her ‘seeing’ problem. At least, he saw it as a problem.

“We’re following up today because there have been reports in about some more strange activity going on here of a different nature.” The reporter’s clipped phrases brought Eden back to the present. “The owner of this property Vern Brown has begun construction on his new mountain and can you get a shot of this?” she asked, sweeping her hand out to the side.

The camera man swung away from the reporter and Micah giving Eden a clear view of what she was gesturing to.

Eden gasped.  The mountain still stood erect where Damon’s words had planted it while desperately trying to save Micah’s life.  Eden shuddered remembering Micah lying in his own pool of blood, his guardian Sage clinging to his lifeless form, pulling the barbed whip from his flesh.  That part of the story, she did not want to relive while telling her parents. If it hadn’t been for Andrew’s ability to heal, Micah would’ve died that day.  

Now the mountain was under excavation.  Eden knew they’d gone back to clear some land but she’d figured even with Damon’s ‘magical’ words it would take longer.  The ground had not only been cleared, the foundation had been laid; a seemingly endless labyrinth of concrete.  Just how big is this city going to be anyway?

 Micah’s voice brought her attention back to the news story.  The news reporter must have asked him a question because he said, “It’s going to be a city.”

“A city?” the reporter repeated, her brows furrowed.

“Yeah, well a city of sorts,” Micah continued.  “It’ll be a gathering place.”

It was as if Micah’s words were in a foreign language she didn’t understand.  “Gathering place?” she repeated.

He grinned and faced the camera, Eden’s heart twisted and her stomach summersaulted.  Still can’t believe he likes me…

Micah’s words were firm.  “Yeah, a golden city on the hill.  Those with ears to hear, let them hear.”

Eden’s mom gasped at the same time the reporter stuttered, “Uh, oh…a city of gold?  How interesting.  Well, we will have to follow up with this once it’s done,” her tone didn’t sound too confident anymore.

Eden knew why too. Micah just sounded like some kind of religious nut job.  She felt her mom’s eyes bear down on her.  Guess I better get explaining things.

  ----------------------

Eden had dreaded this conversation since the moment Micah encouraged them to tell their parents everything.  How did she explain without her parents throwing her into therapy? 

She cleared her throat and dove in, “Mom, Micah’s special now.”  Oh that sounded terrible!  She bit her lip and tried again, her mom’s face looking less and less delighted about Micah being on the news.

“What I mean to say is Micah’s the Seer.  I know it sounds crazy, but it’s true.  He sees things, like what’s going to happen in the future. He saw that city in a vision and that’s why they’re building it.”

Her mom’s brows knit together.  Maybe she still thinks Micah’s just crazy.  “What? Does Lacey know about all this?”

“Yeah, you can call her if you don’t believe me.”

“It’s not that I don’t believe you, Eden.  It’s just this is…” she hesitated.

“Crazy, freaky, weird,” she offered her mom.

“Well, yes.  You talking about Micah predicting the future...it sounds completely insane.”

“I know, but it’s true. Micah’s not lying.”

Her mom frowned.  “How do you know he’s not?  Don’t get me wrong I love Micah and his family, but this is all so,” she shook her head and sighed, “bizarre.”

Eden felt her face heat.  Here goes nothing.  “I know he’s telling the truth, mom, because I’ve seen things too.”

Her eyes widened.  “You have?”

“Yeah, I’ve seen my guardian angel.  He keeps me safe.”

“You’ve seen angels?” there was a flicker of something in her mom’s face, and then she asked, “Wait, safe from what?”

Darn, shouldn’t have said that.  This isn’t going to pleasant.  “Um…demons.”

“Demons?” she practically shouted, “Eden, what’s going on?”

“Mom you don’t need to worry, everything’s fine. Like I said, my guardian watches over me.”  Hearing her mom’s worry made Eden realize something; her mom believed her.   “Maybe we should get dad, I’ve got a lot to tell you both,” she admitted.

Her mom swiped her forehead with her fingers. “I think I need to sit down, I’m feeling a bit lightheaded. 

Eden linked arms with her mom and led her toward the living room saying, “Good idea, let’s go sit.”  But her mom stopped abruptly and her hand flew to her mouth.  Perhaps the reality of everything had finally sunk in because panic was written all over her face.

“Wait a minute, demons, real demons, are trying to hurt you?  What on earth for?  You’re just a girl!  Does this have to do with Micah being that Seer thing?” 

“Well partly, but that’s not the only reason.” Eden met her mom’s hazel eyes.  “Micah’s not the only one different now.  You see, I’m the Awakener.”

 Eden waited for the onslaught of questions, instead her mom turned her head to the side and yelled, “David!  You better come in here for this!”