The Fall

Chapter 17

Life has a funny way of essentially slapping you in the face with misery and pain.

The sky turns blood red. The gentle blowing wind stills. All sound disappears as I lay witness to the scene before me.

Laying in a mangled mess of feathers and blood is Bartok, my precious bat. Looming over the corpse is a hell gem owl, it's blood ruby eyes darkening at my encroaching on its meal. It hisses at me a warning to back off.

I lift my hand, fire erupting in my palm. "If you have any sense at all, you will disappear now."

The owl glares at me, angry at the loss of its meal before taking flight.

I hurry over to my bat, carefully scooping up the mass. I can feel something in me shatter as I gaze down at the small corpse.

Inhaling slowly, I look up at the sky as rain descends, large red droplets that hiss as they touch the ground around me. I exhale slowly, standing and walking back to the castle, my heart in turmoil.

It has been 5 years since I first met Bartok. He has been my companion and constant support through all of that time.

But now he is gone. Just another soul lost to this cruel reality.

I pass by the guards protecting the castle, who look alarmed.

"M-Miss Lana! Are you alright? What has happened?" They ramble off questions, with no time for me to respond.

I simply shake my head, not wishing to speak of what has happened. I proceed down the path towards my tower.

If everything is a part of God's Big Plan, then why must this be part of that? Why must I still suffer under Her thumb when I no longer am an angel? Is this just some cruel joke She is playing?

I gaze up at the sky outside my tower stair window, the murky red clouds swirling around slowly. The rain has begun to subside, the soft hissing as the drops hit the ground fading.

I will never let another creature get so close to my heart like Bartok did. I cannot become like my father did.

I turn my eyes to the heavy wooden door leading to my room. The grainy texture prickles my hand as I push it open. The heavy thudding as the door slams back into place reverberates through the room, echoing the same hollow feeling in my chest.

I gently lay the corpse on a small cloth on my bed, careful to adjust his body to at least look comfortable one last time. I kneel beside the bed, folding my hands together to offer a small blessing and safe passage to his soul.

**********

"Get back, you demon! Go back from whence you came!" A man yells, holding a cross before him at me. He is agitated, his face red and sweat dripping down his skin.

"Sir, you must belie-" I begin.

"I do not wish to hear what foul treachery you will speak to me!" He yells over me. "Go back from whence you came!" He thrusts his cross at me, clearly trying to pierce me with it.

I stumble backwards, startled.

"Leave! Begone!" He continues to scream at me.

I turn on my heel, spreading my wings to take off. I am stopped by a feeling of my skin tearing off my body, the flesh feeling as if it is being burned off. I let out an agonizing scream, trying to turn and figure out what is happening. I am swept off my feet, hitting the ground full force with something pinning me down between my shoulder blades. I squirm, trying to escape.

"I shall send you back to Hell where you belong!" The man screams.

I turn my head just enough to see him holding a sword above his head. I struggle harder, trying to grab at anything to protect myself. I know I could easily save myself with my powers, but I was once in charge of protecting these foul creatures. I cannot bring myself to harm him, even though he is attempting to kill me.

As the blade arcs downwards towards my neck, I become still. My body freezes as if it knows my head will disconnect from my body. I close my eyes as the coolness of the blade touches my neck.

I startle awake, my heart hammering away in my chest. I gasp for air while cold sweating prickles my skin. I glance around before grabbing my throat.

What the hell was that? It felt so real, but I have never experienced something like that before. Is it my memory or is it something that could happen in the future?

I shake my head, lowering my hand to my lap. I clench my hands together, closing my eyes. I take in a shaky breath before standing up and steeling myself for the day.

I walk over to my window and step up onto the sill. I close my eyes and feel my skin prickle as my body transforms to my demon form. I open my eyes and launch into the sky, spreading my wings to catch the wind.

As I fly across the sky, I catch glimpses of every day life for the demons born here.

Many younglings run around, laughing and screaming with glee. The adults mingle together, chattering about daily things.

I lift my eyes to the sky, feeling a bit hollow at my first flight alone in a while.