Ascension

10

10

RAJA HAD CALLED INTO WORK SICK AGAIN. HE DIDN'T think that he was ready to see any patients right now. He sat at the entrance to Vox Park which was around the corner from the morgue. He remembered this place. It was where he had first met Julius. Raja had been for a run that day and as he went to the water fountain, Julius had tripped over his shoestring and fell on top of him. He started to try at the thought of Julius again. It was hard for Raja not to think of him, but was it hard for Julius not to think of Raja? After all, he did cheat. An elderly man came by Raja and sat by him as he looked at the pond in the middle of the park.

"Beautiful isn't it?" asked the man.
"I'd prefer the view from up there," said Raja, pointing up to the sky. "Huh. I never thought about the skies as much as I do now actually." "I always have. I feel like that's the only place where people can't

hurt me."
"You mean your boyfriend?" asked the man.
"How did you know that?"
"I'm a telepath." said the man.
"Well, at least someone is here to reassure my emotions." laughed

Raja.

"You know I was in love once, a very long time ago. And then the time came for me to let go of that love."

"Why was that?"

"Sometimes we have to go away, even when we really don't want to." said the man, now staring into my eyes. "It was nice talking to you." The man left Raja alone. What was he going to do? Should he stay with Julius? That man did say that sometimes we have to leave, even when we don't really want to. Maybe that was the advice that Raja needed, so he and Julius could move on. Maybe Raja needed to leave. Raja left the park and headed back to Kate's apartment. When he got there, Gabriel greeted him at the door, letting him pass.

"Did you bring me some food?" asked Gabriel.

"I'm sorry. I've just been thinking about other things.... Julius things."

"Who's Julius?"
"My ex, well my soon-to-be ex. It's complicated."
"Seems like it," said Gabriel.
Suddenly, a ball of fire came through Kate's living room window,

sending Gabriel and Raja into a panic. Out of the ball of fire stood a humungous bearded black man, holding an ax.

"Gabriel?" asked the man, squinting his eyes.
"You know this guy?" asked Raja.
"I don't think so," said Gabriel.
"You will be silent." said the man, throwing the ax at Raja. Raja

jumped to the ground, watching as the ax flew over his head and into the wall.

"Veni ad me," said Gabriel. The ax came out of the wall and flew into his hands.

"Why are you fighting by his side Gabriel, you are one of us." said the man.

"Look, I dunno who you are. Is there any way we can just talk about this and come to an agreement?"

"The time for talking is over, take him down." said the man, pointing at Raja, who was barely off of the floor. The ax in Gabriel's hand quickly turned into a cannon and shot some type of blue ball of plasma at Raja. Raja didn't have enough time to get out of the way. The ball hit him. Then, something remarkable happened. The ball didn't seem to affect Raja. The ax man looked at Raja, saying, "that's impossible, you're not supposed to be immune to those." Raja's eyes began to glow pink, and then the blue ball came out of his hand, sending the man out of the broken window. Raja's eyes went back to normal.

"Woah. How did you do that?" asked Gabriel.

"I-I don't know. The same thing happened to Kate. What is going on? How did that man know you?"

"I'm not sure. I told you guys everything before the Purge is like a big blur."

"He said you needed to be fighting with 'them'," said Raja.

"Who are they?" Gabriel looked at the broken windows and raised his hand and said, "And why are they trying to kill me?" Gabriel pointed to a gold ooze that was on the floor. What was that? The ooze started moving towards Raja.

"Um Gabriel, you mind getting that thing out of here," he said.

"Evanescet," he said. The ooze disappeared just as there was a knock at the door. Raja motioned for Gabriel to hide as he opened the door, revealing a teary-eyed Julius. Raja was heartbroken seeing him this way.

"I messed up Raj, I know that I messed up. I shouldn't be asking for another chance but I am. It's been how long? Four days? I need you. Baby, please." he said.

"How'd you know that I'd be here?"
"Where else would you go?"
Raja wiped the tears from Julius's eyes, and then he kissed him.

Julius quickly wrapped his arms around Raja's waist, pressing him closer to his chest. Julius whispered, "damn, I missed those lips." Raja laughed as they broke the kiss, it was good that they were on good terms again. Raja could not find it inside himself to not forgive Raja, it was going to be too hard.

"I guess I will see you later then," said Julius, smiling.

"I guess you will." Raja closed the door as Julius walked off. As soon as Raja closed the door, Gabriel held onto his hand like he was in excruciating pain. He began to scream. Raja's hands turned pink again, and he grabbed Gabriel, making him calm down a little bit.

"I think I just had a vision."
"What was it?" asked Raja.
"I saw you and Kate. You were running from a lot of wolves. There

was fire everywhere, it looked like the world had ended."