Strangers (Fighting the Darkness series)

Gates of human evolution

I WOKE UP EARLY TO THE SOUND OF DRIZZLING RAIN ON MY window and my phone buzzing on my bedside table. I picked up on the fourth ring.

“Hey,” came Louise’s voice, sounding way too hyper so early in the morning, especially on a Sunday.

“So, who are we seeing first? The witch first or the angel guy first? I vote for the angel guy because we don’t have the witches address. Are you ready yet, or what?” I cracked open my right eye and looked at the clock. I saw the big red numbers 7:45A.M., staring back at me, flashing its smugness, indicating the seconds going by.

“Give me an hour to sleep on it, would ya?” I said, trying to pry my other eye open.

“No way, Reed, you ain’t bailing on me today. I want to meet the fallen angel what’s-his-name. Man, you really aren’t a morning person. Look, I’ll be there in thirty minutes, so get ready. I’m giving you way too much time, you know.” Then she hung up and I was left with cramp in my shoulder. My arm had fully healed throughout the week, with the help of Red casting a Healing spell now and then through each day. The doctors were amazed by the quick recovery but there was still some inflammation in the joint so they kept me on medication. At least it stopped hurting long enough for me to think straight.

“Hey, you’d better get up or you’ll be late.” said Red, who sounded like she’d been up early and ready to take on the day.

“Hey, shut up. At least you don’t have to waste energy getting ready and making an effort for things. Don’t you even sleep?” I said wiping my eyes with the back of my hands.

I got out of bed and threw my pyjamas into the laundry hamper outside my door. I found a clean pair of jeans on the floor and pulled on a black and white stripped cardigan from my dresser. Then I headed downstairs. I went into the kitchen as my dad was buttering some toast and his cane fell to the floor, sending everyone sailing into the air. I grabbed a slice and jammed it into my mouth as I tried to find my hair brush. My mum held it up into the air as I turned around. I grabbed it and let out a muffled ‘thanks’ as I started to rapidly brush the nights’ knots from my hair.

After, I removed the toast leaving a huge space where my mouth had taken a bite from it. I stuffed the rest of the toast into my mouth and grabbed a scrunchie off the coffee table in the main room. I tied my hair up into a rough ponytail. That’ll have to do for now.

“So, going anywhere today or is that a stupid question?” she asked, a look of disappointment on her face. I returned a look of sympathy and said,

“Sorry, me and Lou have something planned today and I have no idea when I’ll be home. But, don’t worry. I’ll hang here with you tomorrow when school’s done. Just you, me and the old man gracing our presence?” I nudged my head towards the kitchen to indicate that I was talking about dad. Mum roared with laughter as he shouted back with a rude comment as I ran back up to my room to retrieve my phone and waterproof coat. It was very unfashionable and two sizes too big but it kept me dry. Just incase it was going to be sunny later on, I put my beige dress jacket on then my waterproof coat on top. Then I grabbed my black converse trainers and went back down stairs.

I sat on the couch and watched the weather with my dad who had taken the time that I was gone to make it to the couch and claim the best seat.

“Looks like rain all day. Take your umbrella, or you aren’t going.” he said, smirking. I gave him my best ‘are you serious’ look, which wasn’t very convincing in a very large waterproof coat.

There was a knock at the door and I moved as fast as I could to answer it before he told me to wear a shower cap so I didn’t get my hair wet. Louise stood there with an umbrella, looking a little sodden.

“About time. Hey, guess what?” A car horn sounded and she shouted back at it. “Sorry. I got Gemma to give us a lift, but she ain’t too happy about the timing. And the place we’re going.” I said my goodbyes and we headed towards a black Nissan parked near the gate. “She said that she has a friend that lives close by to the address of our guy. It was a good thing I managed to persuade her or we’d have had to take the bus. So, what was the address again?”

Through the week, I phoned both the numbers that Richard had given to us. The first number I called was the witch, Catherine James. After calling five times without success I decided to leave her a message on her answering machine, asking her to call me back.

Then I called the fallen angel, Simon Morris. He picked up straight away and after telling him that I wanted his assistance on behalf of his Cheshvan vessel, David Gerpson, he was glad to be of service. In fact, he sounded a bit too enthusiastic for my liking. So he said it would be fine to visit at the weekend and gave me his address. Somewhere in Doncaster; an unusual place for a fallen angel to be situated, I think. I didn’t know how Louise got her sister to drive me and her all the way to Doncaster, but I have to admit, she did a good job.

We arrived at the address in just under an hour. Gemma said she’d pick us up in a couple of hours or until we called her while she stayed at her friends’ house. I wonder why she didn’t even ask us who the person we were visiting was on the journey. After the car turned the corner at the end of the street, I confronted Louise. 

“Why isn’t she suspicious of us going into some strange guys’ house in the middle of nowhere?”

“Well, I kind of said that this was your brother’s house and he invited us out for the day.” Then she smiled wickedly and turned to face the house.

“But, my brother doesn’t even live in Doncaster. What should I say if my mum calls me?” Louise stopped and turned to me, that wicked smile appearing wider on her face.

“Well, she doesn’t have to know anything. And if he tries anything, we have Red.”

“I have Red. I don’t know how she’s going to protect you when I’m in the middle of transforming. Also, don’t you know what fallen angels can do? They can plant words, images and events into your head. If he tries something, we won’t know the difference if it’s real or not. You seriously have no sense of danger, do you?” She ignored me and walked up the path and onto the porch protruding from the quintessential house.

“I really underestimated her stubbornness.” said Red. “Well then, into the fire we go.”

The building looked like an old two story Victorian home, the white peeling paint popping through the uncovered patches of ivy and the black outer beams supported by a few steel screws. They’re most likely only a cosmetic feature to keep prying eyes away because I couldn’t see any rotting wood. My guess is probably right. As we approached, I heard talking inside. Louise knocked on the door and the talking stopped. After about a minute, the door opened. A huge, ginger haired man stood in the doorway, about mid thirties, dressed in black combats and a black short sleeved t-shirt. He smiled and greeted us.

“So, you must be the wee lassies that phoned on behalf of David. Please, come in.” He had a very strong Scottish accent accompanied by a short ginger beard, giving little hints that he didn’t seem like a shy man, no matter how stereotyped that sounded. He shut the door behind us and ushered us into the hallway. “I have some other company at the minute. If you don’t mind lassies, I’ll go get rid of him first.” Then he walked into the conjoining room leaving a small gap in the door, making it hard for us not to eavesdrop on the conversation. “Sorry, I have some guests that need seeing to. If you cannae email me the other documents later on, just give me a call or come back later. It shouldnae take long. But, with your help, I defiantly should make the candidacy in June.” Then a familiar voice floated in through the crack and the hairs on my neck rose. I turned to Louise to ask her if it was the same voice we were hearing, but it was too late.