My Immortal

Chapter 7

I looked at Steven wondering what story he had to tell me. I just hoped to God, he would not give me a scare like Caleb did.

"Have you ever heard of about Angels?" Steven asked me, as he sat back where he was sitting and I turned to face him, but let my self lean against Caleb who wrapped his arms around me to keep me warm.

"As in...messengers of God?" I asked "Gabriel and all that lot?" I questioned as I looked at him. Steven just gave me a slight nod before he stood up and I watched him bit confused. He stood with his back to me and all of a sudden I heard a loud crack...it sounded as if his spine and bones were being broken in half. I stared in fear as he bent over and before I knew it...wings...or something that resembled angel wings sprang from his bare back, from the scars that ran along his shoulder blades and back. I was not sure what I was expecting...but this was not on the list. Instead of beautiful and shiny white wings...I saw what looked like bones from the wings...with only a few strands of feathers left. It looked like someone tortured Steven, pulling each feather out one by one, with immense violence. Until all was left was only a 4 feathers left.

Once I gathered my breath back, I asked in a slightly shake voice from the shock "You're an Angel?"

"Fallen one to be more precise." Steven sighed softly as he turned back to face me. His wings folded back into the cracks of his scar.

I looked at him speechless...I knew this should have not been a surprise to me. If Witches, Warlocks and Demons existed and Caleb was descended from them, then Angels and Fallen Angels were on the list of species who existed and walked amongst us mortals. I opened my mouth to speak...but no words came out. My shock seemed to rule over my body as I stared at him with wide eyes still.

"I guess you're wondering how I fell huh?" Steven asked softly. All I could do was nod, since my words would betray me once again. I just looked at him with eager eyes...holding my breath. I was not sure why I was eager...but I felt so intrigued and since I promised I would listen and not run, at whatever they would throw at me. Well this was me listening and not running.

Steven took a deep breath before he carried on speaking about his story and past. "Even though I was an Angel...I did normal things...went to school, had friends. You know how it is. I knew Caleb and Jason for years..they always been my best friends, but as I grew older, I felt my humanity growing inside of me. I yearned for things that human did. I yearned for love, a family. A happy future with someone, I could call mine."

"And I did...I fell for a girl named Layla." he said nodding to the photo. "She was not a human, but a Witch who had control over nature. When the Angel council found out...I thought they were going to rip me to shreds...kill me on the spot and rip my heart out. Of course my punishment was worse than that." he spoke...his voice becoming more pained by the moment. "They made me kneel down in heated iron that burned into my skin..while they pulled my wings out freely from my skin..tearing...yanking...each feather out one by one. Before they pushed me from the highest bridge from heaven and down to earth...I was not sure if I was dead or alive...as I felt like my entire body was on fire." he spoke...his voice trailing off at the word fire.

I stared at him in horror...terrified at what he went through. I could almost feel his pain as I looked into his eyes, almost see it happening in my own head, through his scared eyes. In my head I saw Steven kneeling down helpless, as they spread out his wings in a rough manner, causing him to wince and whine in pain. Before they started to pluck out his luscious, shiny and pure white feathers out from his beautiful wings. Destroying that what was once pure, but now in their eyes tainted by sins caused by his growing humanity. The hot iron burning into his flesh...the sizzling from his skin almost causing the room to spin in chaos.Once there was barely anything left to pluck out, they dragged his helpless frail angel body, to the bridge. His head was bowed in surrendered as they shoved him off the bridge as he screamed, his whole body covered in scorching fire........... Bang! His body hit the floor as the fire seeped out from his body and into the ground.

I swallowed a shaky breath and felt Caleb holding me tightly, to stop me from shaking. Whilst Jason was holding Steven to stop from shaking too. I closed my eyes trying to forget what I just saw in my head...but could not. I could not imagine what pain Steven must have felt...it just felt painful for him to tell me the story...let alone live through it.

There was a silence...almost eerie at what just happened. After I found my voice once again from the shock, I asked rather shakily "What happened to Layla?" I asked carefully, hoping the question would not offend or upset him.

Steven looked down at the floor for a brief moment or two...but it felt like everything was in slow motion and he stared at the ground in hours not mere seconds. Once he finally looked up again, I saw evident pain in his eyes as he spoke. "She found me after days of me being passed out in the middle of nowhere.." he sighed softly "She nursed me back to health...or at least to what I am now." he spoke, his eyes slightly intense as he spoke, but filled with sadness and regret "We tried to live a normal life like any couple would...but deep down I knew she always felt guilty for what happened to me. The consequences of love, did that to both of us. I was punished physically and she emotionally. But one day that all slipped away...when the member from the fifth family...took her life. He made it look like it was an accident...like it could have happened to anybody...but I knew better...well all did." he trailed off with sadness as his head hung low.

I looked at him with a sad look in my eyes. "I am sorry for your loss." I told him, my head reaching out softly touching his gentle. It would explain why Layla was not around, like I thought she might be, but I guess it all happened before I came into their lives. When he mentioned the member from the fifth family killed Layla...that caused my heart to sink even lower. It got me worried, about just how much the fifth member actually posed a threat. Not just to Steven...but to all of us combined. I sighed softly "How big of a threat is he?" I asked, looking at Jason as well, before turning my head to look at Caleb briefly.

"His powers match mine..even if he has more powers...they are still equal to what I have. So us two in a battle against each other...will pretty much be a win win." Caleb frowned

"You're stronger than him, Caleb." Jason told him "You have something...he doesn't. You have that to your advantage." He told him and I looked bit confused, deep inside wondering what it was that made Caleb stand out and be even stronger than the fifth family member.