Angels & Demons

Chapter 19 <3 Beth <3

I didn’t really want to follow the demon. To be honest, I didn’t trust him. Not to mention the half-lings. I had never truly met one. I followed them though, even though I was outnumbered as the only angel. I would do anything for Anne.

We traipsed through disgusting alleyways filled with filth and debris.  Humans were lined up along the walls, wallowing in grime.

One bum suddenly stood up and started cussing us out.  I felt Micheal’s hand on my shoulder. He had been following us the entire time. Part of me was a little creeped out, but I guess he knew Anne too.  I could smell liquor, and there were bottles scattered all around. This dude was way too drunk. 

Max protectively stepped in front of Logan, and Jake took his place in the front of the line. He went to confront the man, but thought better of it. Instead, he froz for a minute, and I felt an immense amount of power surge through the air. He morphed into a huge griffon. I guessed it was his demon form.

The bum scrambled back, cursing and rubbing his eyes. I admit, I was scared also, and I felt Micheal’s grip tighten. Logan and Max didn’t seem surprised though, so I assumed Micheal and I were the only ones who hadn’t seem Jake like this.

Jake took a menacing step towards the ragged old man, and he fell in shock. Jake went back into human form, and we continued on our way.

Finally, we were at the main entrance to Anne apartment. It looked pretty nice and well kept, considering what we had just walked through.

We stepped inside, and two dueling voices carried through the walls. I held back a giggle as I heard the couple fighting about a water bill.

We all walked up to the lady at the front desk. I laughed inside, thinking of what this poor lady probably saw. One very strong looking blond guy, one tired 15 year old, two innocent girls, and one boy just kind of caught in the middle. What a sight we were.

The lady told us Anne was in apartment 5c. I asked her if she could tell me when the last time she left was.

“Monday.” The lady’s voice is nasally. Micheal glanced at me and snickered.

“Today is…”

“Oh, shut up,” I whispered.

“She did have a visitor recently, big tall fella, not much hair,” the lady continued. Hmm… That description didn’t fit anyone here that I knew at least.

I was the first one up the stairs. They were carpeted in and ugly shade of green and I thought I saw something skitter across my foot. Was that a spider?!  

I hated spiders, hated them with a burning passion. I still do to this day, in fact.

There were only six floors in the whole establishment. The sixth was only for storage. We stopped on the stairs to catch our breath, and then started down the long hallway.

5c was right in the middle, on the right side. I softly knocked on the door. No answer. I knocked louder.

“Anne? Anne, it’s me, Beth.” Nothing.

I looked at the others and they shrugged. Nobody assumed anything was wrong at that moment.

“Maybe she’s sleeping?” Max offered. I shook my head.

“We gotta get in there.” An idea formed in my head. This is what I get for watching too many human movies. “Do you think you can break down the door?” I asked Micheal.

He shrugged and nodded, “Probably.”

“Hold on,” Jake stepped up and tried the doorknob. It was locked. “Okay, go ahead.” He saw us staring at him. “What? There’s no harm in trying.”

Micheal threw himself against the door once, twice, three times. On the fourth time, the lock finally gave way.

The door swung open to reveal a picture of chaos. It was complete havoc. Drawers were pulled out, their contents strewn all over the floor. Chairs were overturned, some even broken. A smashed lamp lay broken on the floor.

Immediately I knew something was wrong. Anne had been my roommate for at least four years. Her side of the room was always spotless. Everything had a place, and if there was no space, it had to go.

I almost though for a second that we were in someone else’s apartment, but then I heard a voice from behind me.

“Look… on the floor.” Max shakily pointed to the erratic drops of crimson on the cream colored carpet.

There were two trails leading from the door. One lead to a large maroon puddle in the kitchen. The sheer size of it sickens me. I pray that it isn’t all Anne’s blood. There had obviously been a struggle in there. Plates were broken, pots and pans were on the floor, cupboard doors were hanging on broken hinges. It was unbelievable.

I was afraid to follow the second trail. Our little group and tightened until we were all practically holding hands. Logan looked like she was going to throw up. Poor kid.

We went in to what I assumed was Anne’s bedroom. The drops led to behind her bed. That’s where we found her.

“Anne!” I ran to her side, mumbling things that couldn’t have been understandable to English speaking ears.

She was curled up in the fetal position, knees drawn up and her hands at her stomach. I touched her arm and it felt colder than and angel’s skin should be. There was no familiar glow of energy. She was totally depleted.

Everyone but Logan gathered around, trying to help. I felt suffocated.

“Hold on guys, just… give me some space.” They backed off a few steps, but stayed on the alert.

Her hair was in her face, and I carefully brushed it back and tucked it behind her ear. I immediately wish I hadn’t. Even though she is on her side, I can see most of her face. She had at least one black eye, a bloody nose, and her lip was puffed up.

I took a deep breath. “Can someone help me turn her over on her back?” Micheal and Jake hurried to do as I asked. They each grabbed one of her legs and delicately pulled. I slowly turned her head and shoulders. I threw up a bit as I saw the huge gash in her stomach. It looked like a knife wound.

Max stepped back to go comfort Logan. She was standing back, her hands over her mouth. She kept shaking her head, crying.

I felt under her chin for a pulse, and at first I panicked. There was nothing, but then I felt it. A very faint, ba-bump… ba-bump… ba-bump.

If Anne had any chance, she had to be healed, fast.

I stood up and ran my hand through my hair. “You, half-ling.” Logan looked up, tears streaking her face. “You’re half angel, right?” She nodded.

I quickly explained to her how to heal. She took all the information in amazingly well. If she were a full-fledged, this would’ve taken four years of school to explain. We had four minutes.

I grasped her elbow, and led her around the bed and knelt by Anne. I placed my hands on Anne’s torso, and Logan copied me. She closed her eyes and focused. I kept my eyes open, until I could feel the golden sparks coming down my fingertips.

Logan was doing amazing. It was going fast though, and soon all my energy was gone as well. That was all we could do.

Logan and I stood, exhausted. Max motioned me over to the nightstand on the other side of the bed. 

“I think you should see this.” He pointed to a picture of me. The glass was broken, and there was a bloody pocket knife sticking out of my face.

Written on a nearby sticky note were two words.

You’re Next.