Convoke

Chapter 54

Ezra pressed the ice pack to his skull, numbing the ache, but intensifying the sting. He scrunched his eyes shut, waiting for the pain to be more bearable.

"What happened to you?" Melonisa asked again. "Who did this to you?"

Ezra opened his eyes, falling into her familiar ones. "When I was first turned into a demon, I was taken in by others who I shouldn't have trusted. I returned last night to talk about what the angels are up to. They weren't happy to see me."

"Your past is yours, but Ezrakhell, you look crushed by the weight of your punishment. I see it in your eyes that you are innocent, but being a demon has been too tough on your angelic soul. You will break if you have to endure another century of this."

Ezra stared at her demon mark, one that she had always shown with pride. "Othrowan will be lifting my punishments next week."

Melonisa raised her brows, deepening the wrinkles on her forehead. "Why?"

Ezra struggled to find where to begin. Instead, he pointed to a black and white photograph behind her head. "I've missed the park."

Melonisa nodded slowly, knowingly. "I have missed you." Nimbly, she got to her feet and shuffled over to join him on the sofa. She held his hand and stared deeply into his eyes. "Everything is done for a reason. If Othrowan is lifting your punishment, be wary of his sudden kindness. You have been wronged by someone you would have trusted with your life. Don't be a fool now and think he has grown sympathy."

Ezra looked away, nodding weakly. "Like you said, I can't go on living this way much longer. He has given me the opportunity to be my true self. I'm not wasting it."

She reached up and rested a hand to his hair. "Please be careful. I have spent far too many years worrying about you."

"I'm sorry," Ezra whispered. His chest ached, wondering why he was so adamant to punish himself further by pushing those away who could help.

"Just promise me that you'll visit frequently again. It hurts to see you this way, but it's so good to see you."

Ezra nodded and leaned down to kiss her soft cheek. "I promise." He left her home with a mixture of heavy emotions circling his head and his heart. She was old, and he had wasted too many years convincing himself that he deserved to be hated.

He breathed in the fresh air and thought about wandering down the path towards the park. He would rather get home to Tom than venturing down memory lane. Though he still had one more stop, and this was the furthest one yet.

Ezra travelled to the east coast. Getting there hurt, so he paused on his favourite beach where only those on boats or climbers of the cliffs could venture. On a stormy day like this one, he was the only living soul around for miles. He scanned the cliffs to double check, and he only saw outlines of climbing routes, and seagull nests snuggly in manmade dips.

The icy wind whipped at his cheeks and made his eyes water. The waves crashed by the shore, roaring again and again, engulfing the wet pebbles beneath. The greying clouds swirled the area, on the verge of soaking the land below.

Ezra tucked himself into a small alcove against the white cliff face. He rested until his body was numbed by the harsh earthly elements. He waited until his head stopped thumping, and his fingers were cold and stiff, and he could breathe a little easier.

He knew where to go to find his old demon community. He wasn't sure what their reaction would be to his return. Ezra hadn't been liked. He certainly wasn't accepted among the angels, he wasn't accepted among the humans, and he was a disgusting parasite among the demons. He didn't belong anywhere, until he had met Thomas O'Connell.