"Good morning to ya," Ella gave Bev a sarcastic wave, leaning against the small radiator in the beach of the church.
The screaming had been non stop for the last five minutes, but now it was replaced with a deadly silence. It was so deafening it began to physically hurt Ella's ears. Somehow she preferred the screams of torment to the harsh silence.
She had been acting on nothing but adrenal for the past hour. Half an hour? She couldn't tell, everything was blurring around her. Adrenaline was the only reason she was still standing.
"Ella. Surprised you didn't run," Beverly snapped. She stood up and gulped. She was nervous.
This fact made Ella feel better. It would be easier to break her down now.
"I don't need to," Ella held up her necklace and held it out towards Bev, who immediately jumped back at the burn.
Bev didn't reply she just stared up at Ella, a look of worry plastered on her face.
"I'm not here to burn you. I'm here to talk. You know as well as I, this could be the last time we ever speak," Ella replied, stepping back.
"You continue to refuse this gift? This miracle of God? After you've seen all it's done for these people? After everything John risked for you?"Bev asked. Ella knew exactly what she was doing. Ella had to keep her wits about her, and not let Bev tangle the web. She wasn't going to retaliate. Keeping her anger in check around Bev was her weakness, and Bev knew that to. Anything she was about to say, was all to try and push Ella's buttons.
"Are you scared?" Bev continued.
Ella shook her head. "The opposite actually, Bev. You know, in all the years I've known you, all the things I've seen you do to people and the community, it not once occurred to me that you were the one who was scared," she replied, slowly circling Bev.
Bev raised her head up higher, like what people do when they're fighting bears. Trying to make themselves look bigger. "I have nothing to fear. Not then, and certainly not not anymore. You'll never understand, how God controls me. He works through me Ella! And you constantly try to stop Him. How do you think that goes over with him?"
Enough with the polities. "God is nothing but an excuse for you Bev. You've never truly been apart of the religion, don't you see? You're scared! Scarred because you know you aren't faithful. No matter how much you do for the community, or how involved with the church you are, that doesn't make everything you do, and everyone you hurt, forgiven. I've never once seen you ask for forgiveness from God or anybody. And deep down, you know, and I know you know, that if you were to die, you wouldn't see the pearly gates," Ella retorted, not raising her voice but rather using her voice's calm tone to make a point. Something she'd learnt from Riley.
Beverly was silent. For once she was rendered silent. "I leaned at a young age the power words can posses. I learned how to manipulate sentences to fit my desires, and I'd do anything to get what I want. To get into Heaven. Because I know I am doing what's right. I know I am truly faithful."
Ella shook her head again. "No matter how many times you try to tell yourself that Bev, you can't escape God's justice. And even if you don't see it, I know that's exactly what you're afraid of. And deep down you know it to. We could've used this as an opportunity to mend each other Bev. You still have a chance, you literally got your second chance. You can go around to all you have hurt and apologize, help them out in this difficult time for them, but you won't. You're just as cowardly as ever Beverly Keane."
She stared deeply into Ella's eyes, as if she was trying to read her soul. Trying to find the last shred of truth she could grasp onto, change the scenario to fit her, to help her, but she couldn't. Ella wasn't going to let her.
"You see, you know you're a master manipulator. You know you can warp anyone's words to benefit yourself. But you haven't realized that you've been doing it to yourself to. All these things you've done to people, you've used your own manipulation tactics on yourself, convincing yourself that everything you've done is right. But that only leaves a spotlight on you Bev. You can't hide anymore."
Ella finished her speech, watching the dumbfounded Bev struggle with this information. Her face twisted in many different ways, anger, grief, sadness, maybe even some guilt. But she pulled herself right back up into her mind-made throne.
"I'll see to it that you will be destroyed Ella. You don't know the power I have with John. You get to watch from your little hidey hole while the rest of everyone you care about lives in bliss. And you'll get to see how much they benefit without you in their lives."
Those were the last words Ella and Bev ever exchanged, but Ella knew she'd rattled her. She could only hope Bev would try to do right by herself now. But she didn't have high hopes.
Bev huffed and stormed out of the back room back into the church.
The second she'd gone, Ella let out a long shaky sigh. She crumpled up on the ground, feeling her eyes sting.
She clutched her mother's necklace tightly to her chest, and cried to herself silently.
Just then she heard the doors of the church swing open with the familiar creak.
No. No this wasn't over. It had just started.
Ella pulled herself up and ran out into the church, even though every bone in her body was trying to stop her.
She threw the door open to see Bev and Sturge leading the group of blood hungry beasts out the doors and into the town. The town where her friends were hiding, and where some families were trying to sleep. And if they got to the boats...
She watched from the shadows as they all ran out screaming into the street, spreading out and breaking down houses for anyone to fill their hunger needs.
She needed to warn Erin.
Ella turned to run after them out the back room but felt something catch her ankle.
Next thing she knew her face hit the ground, as something gripped onto her ankle.
She gasped for air feeling the wind get knocked out of her, and began kicking wildly at the obstruction by her foot.
After a moment she'd got the oxygen flowing again, and her head began to stop pounding.
She sat up and turned to face what had stopped her to see John, laying on the ground, his head covered in blood, staring back at her.
It felt like she was making eye contact with a corpse, looking into those blood moon eyes, with too much emotion behind them.
She could see the tear marks down his face, he'd been crying, but hadn't been able to say anything.
"I've..." he croaked, trying to get the words out,
Ella crawled to his side and held his head in her lap, pushing away his messy black hair from his eyes.
"I've been laying here...helplessly listening to the screams of terror and agony. And how Bev talked to you just now...Ella," he cried again, closing his eyes and sipping in deep breaths of air.
"I...I need to warn Erin," Ella replied, pushing him off her and getting up to run again. She didn't know how to feel. This man, one she loved, had hurt, literally killed so many people tonight, and he wouldn't listen to her about Bev. But in the other hand, Bev was the one who'd been pulling the wool over his eyes. She had been the puppet master the entire time, he truly believed he was doing the right thing. And for her...for them.
"Ella!"
She turned around again just as she reached the door, to find Mildred, completely young, she looked like she was in her mid twenties, looking back at her.
She'd been carried away by the Angel during all the chaos, seems like she'd just recovered.
"Oh Ella!" She exclaimed running up to hug her.
"No!" Ella shouted, holding her hand out and backing up.
"I-I won't hurt you!" Mildred promised, taken aback by Ella's response.
"I know, I just don't want to hurt you!" She replied, holding up the necklace.
Mildred nodded and gave her a weary smile.
"Is...Sarah..." she asked, gulping down the tears.
"She's okay. They're hiding at your house, I need you to go and tell them that Bev is trying to get to the boats," Ella recapped. "I was trying but...with all those things out there I'd just lead them right to the house. And please...tell them I love them?"
Mildred sighed sadly. "Oh, dear. I'll get your message to them. But have hope! This isn't goodbye."
Ella felt a tear slip down her cheek. "I...I hope not. But even so...thank you for everything Mildred. I really love you."
Mildred smiled at her, tears falling down her cheeks as well. "I love you to dear. I'll never be able to thank you for all you've done for my daughter and for me. I'll see you soon, alright? Maybe if we say it enough we can believe it.."
Ella laughed shyly. "I hope so Milly."
She quickly removed the necklace and put her arms around her. No matter how many times Ella told it to herself, this was the last time she'd ever seen her, and she knew that.
After the hug, Mildred wiped a tear form Ella's cheek and gave her a small wave before leaving out the door and running away.
Ella watched out the open doors at the red night. She prayed Mildred would make it in time. It wasn't about the island anymore. Now...it was about the fate of the world.
She returned to the steps where Paul sat weeping, recovered from his wound.
She sat stone faced next to him, and looked back at the entrance.
They sat in silence for a long while, the only sounds where his sniffles and the occasional cry that slipped through.
Ella waited patiently next to him, letting him sit in his guilt. But inside it was breaking her heart. God it hurt seeing him like this. But she knew he needed time to realize his mistakes.
Finally, after an eternity, he spoke.
"I love you more than anything on this earth, anything in the heavens, Ella. And I...I've gone through such lengths to make it so...so I could truly love you. I never wanted this to...I-I should've realized sooner...but Beverly..." he stopped to wipe his face dry, sending him back into a wave of tears.
Ella placed her hands on his cheek, delicately caressing the tears away. She felt them falling down her face as well at this point.
"We are like the sea and the sky, John. Our currents are never meant to clash," She told him, the tears falling harder now. They were never supposed to love.
He began to sob harder, leaning his head onto her shoulder, and openly cried.
"Beverly has us all in her slimy little hands," Ella snarled, gently holding him and running her fingers through his soft hair. "I..." she took a deep breath, "I love you John, I truly do. But..this isn't the way. You realize we were never supposed to feel this way about each other right?"
"I can't believe that Ella. I don't want to..." he didn't say any more, he just held her tighter.
Ella tried to keep her own crying under control but she began to lose it as well. The tears were falling faster than she could stop them, and she eventually gave in. John supported her, held her up against his body this time, but they were both a wreck. This love had been poison.
After along while they'd both calmed. Ella leant against his shoulder, he held her hand and they watched the candles slowly drip wax together.
"You can still...still join me Ella. We can really spend a second chance together," John said, his voice dripping with desperation.
Ella shook her head. "This was never how it was supposed to be, John. Don't you see that now? People are supposed to grow old, people are supposed to die. It makes saying goodbye that much sweeter. It makes life that much more meaningful. Because we spend it loving and caring for people, those closest to us. If we had an eternity, like this, we would grow tired of each other. We would grow bored. Which is why we are supposed to spend our eternity with God, in Heaven. That's what the bible says, on every page, in every psalm, in every hymn. In the end, we go to God. Ask yourself John, would he really be asking you to do this...if it was never what was meant in the first place?"
He looked back into her eyes, the orange flickering with the candle light.
He looked away, pondering all she had said.
"Besides is this really how you'd want to spend eternity? Hiding from the sun, constantly feeding on other humans like some wild animal? This isn't Heaven, this isn't the life we are promised," Ella sighed, squeezing his hand tighter.
John let out a long breath, coming to terms with the truth of the matter. "I've gotten it all wrong, haven't I? I...I'm a monster."
Ella took his face him her hands and turned it to face her. She placed her head lovingly against his.
"No. No you're not John. I can't say as I blame you too much, I wouldn't know what to believe if it first saw that thing. I would probably turn to religion to. And you, you are much stronger and braver than those who are truly monsters. For those who are really bad, don't care about being good. And I know you deeply care about doing what's right! I see it everyday in you. You're just deeply flawed, but so is everyone," Ella whispered, placing a soft kiss on his cheek.
He gave her a small laugh, "this is a fairly big flaw don't you think?"
"Perhaps," Ella replied with her own smile. "But you are not a monster John. Beverly is. She's done so much wrong, just as you have, but she believes what she is doing is what's best for her. You believe what you're doing was what's best for us all. Do you see the difference? Beverly could've spent this time repenting for her sins, making final amends, but she chose not to. Our choices are what reflects who we are John. And sure, you chose to bring that monster here, and to infect every person in the church, but you also chose to try and make it right with me."
He smiled through his silent tears. "How...how could I ever have lived without you in my life Ella?"
She laughed, "it would be pretty dull wouldn't it?"
He sighed and nodded, a charming grin on his face.
"I've been thinking," John said looking back into Ella's eyes.
"Oh have you?" She teased him playfully.
He smiled again. "What do you think our life would be like, if we could've lived a normal life in peace?"
"Hmm..." Ella thought aloud. "Well...maybe we would live in a cottage by the shore. And we would wake up and go for a walk in the morning sun, every day. And we'd walk along through the town, and we'd say hi to everyone we passed, and we would walk together towards the beach by the docks. And then we would lay in the sun, and I would insist on swimming, and you would stop me, telling me it was much too cold. But I would go anyways and you would watch me from the shoreline, but I would always say that one day I'd get you in the water with me. Then we'd go home and have a nice lunch on the patio, and we would host dinner parties for all of our friends on the island, and then we'd have a game night, and I would always beat you and you would always ask for us to be on a team together, but I am much too competitive and I take a lot of satisfaction in winning against you. Then when all our friends and family left, we would curl up under the stars, and we would fall asleep together."
John was grinning from ear to ear picturing the beautiful life Ella was describing.
"You forgot to mention..." he started.
Ella raised an eyebrow at him, he was grinning cheekily.
"All the things I'd do to you in our bed on those cold night," he said in a low deep voice.
Ella snorted with laughter, completely taken aback by his sudden passion. "Okay, no more blood for you."
He laughed his own joyous laugh, one that made Ella's stomach flutter.
In the moment she'd remembered how to not worry. God she loved how he did this to her.
He took her chin in his palm and kissed her deeply. Ella kissed him back, fighting with his burning passion. Something he only showed when he was content.
Just then they heard the doors open behind them.
John stood and put himself in front of Ella, making sure whoever it was, it couldn't hurt her.
Ella's heart pounded, but when she saw who it was, her mind filled with relief.
"Leeza," Ella gasped, running up and grabbing the trembling girl in her arms. Warren came in just behind her. Both of them were terrified. Warren held a gasoline tank, and Leeza held a shotgun.
"You're okay! Oh thank god," she sighed, letting Leeza sink into her arms.
"We didn't know if you were alive," Warren said, his voice breaking.
"I'm okay, I'm okay. How are the others?" She asked.
"We...we got your message, about the boats, Erin and Hassan are on their way to burn them, and Sarah and her mom are on their way to burn down the rec centre," Leeza explained.
"My mom...she helped us get away," Warren added, quickly wiping away the tear falling from his eyes.
"Warren it's okay, you're going to be okay," Ella promised.
"Have you seen what their doing out there Els?" Leeza asked, her eyes glistening in the candle light.
Ella furrowed her brow. "No?"
"They're...they're burning everything. Bev I mean...burning every building on the island," Warren explained.
"What? Why would they do that?" John asked, joining Ella.
"I-I don't know...but you were right, Els. They're planning on using the boats," Leeza said. "We came here to find you. We don't know what to do!"
"Also," Warren zipped down his sweater, revealing a small grey kitten.
"Pebbles!" Ella exclaimed taking the soft cat in her hands.
"I...I got him when they set fire to Sarah's house. We barley made it here from Joe's trailer. There's no where else to hide," Warren told her. "They're everywhere...we don't know how to get to the uppards."
Ella felt the wave of realization hit her like a wave. It washed over her, and she suddenly knew what had to be done. She held Pebbles up to her face, nuzzling into his soft fur, before handing him back to Warren.
Then she took off her necklace and placed it in Leeza's hand.
"Here's what you do. Take this necklace, tuck it somewhere they won't be able to see it's light, take off your shoes, and run straight through the wood till you get to the uppards. Don't stop for anybody and don't let go of each other's hand. Once you get to the canoe, paddle as far as you can away, and wait till morning. The coast guard will surly see all this fire and send someone out here. And please...take care of Pebbles?" Ella sighed, putting on her best smile.
"What about you? You...you can come with us!" Leeza replied, putting her hands on Ella's shoulders.
Ella shook her head. "You'll need a distraction. I can draw the others away, and once I have their attention, you run."
"No, Ella, we can't do that!" Warren told her.
"I agree, you aren't doing that Ella. I'll cause the distraction, and all three of you run," John replied.
"No, they won't care about you once they smell the blood. They need something to really get their attention. I'll use the sound equipment, in the storage room. Really cause a distraction. Anything if you kids are safe," Ella smiled, back at them.
"No Els please come with us! You don't need to do that!" Leeza pleaded through tears.
"I need to know you kids are safe, and I'm going to give you the best chance possible, alright? I know it's extremely selfish of me, asking this of you two. Knowing you'll have to live the rest of your lives with this night in the back of your head, and you might never recover, but at least I'll know your alive. If that's the last thing you do for me, let that be it," Ella told them, hugging Leeza again.
"Stay with each other, okay? When this is all over, stay with each other. You'll need it. Promise me?" Ella asked.
Warren gulped and nodded. "I-I promise. I'll never leave your side Leeza."
"Hand me that bottle," John said, holding his hand out towards Warren.
He glanced down at the gasoline bottle in his hand and hesitated.
"This is the last thing I can do for you to, in order to show you how sorry I am. Hand me the bottle son," John asked.
Warren nodded and gave the canister over.
Ella watched gravely as John began to pour the liquid all over the church, spreading it as far as he could.
"Goodbye old friend," he whispered, tossing the empty canister aside.
"When you leave, tip a candle onto the flames, let this place burn," John asked, his voice shaking.
Warren nodded, grabbing Leeza's hand and putting Pebbles back into his sweatshirt.
"Y-you don't have to do this Ella," Leeza cried, watching Ella return from the storage closet with the stereo and microphone.
Ella just gave her a smile, before plugging the extension cord into one of the outlets.
"Prepare to run, when you hear the music start," Ella told Warren.
He nodded again, grabbing Leeza's hand tighter. "T-thank you Ella."
Ella nodded and carried the box outside.
The night was even redder now, the moon hanging ominously in the sky, as well as the flames roaring along the bank of the island.
Ella took a deep breath and set the stereo down. She felt a hand on her back, and looked behind her to see John, looking back at her comfortingly.
"I'll be right by you the entire time. And when you wake, I'll be right there," he promised, placing his forehead against hers again.
She tried to smile but all that came out was a cry. "I'm scared."
"I'll be here. I'll always be right here," he repeated, grabbing her hand tightly.
Ella nodded then took in a deep breath of air.
There were a lot of stragglers coming down the road towards them now, their orange eyes standing out in the dark woods.
Ella closed her eyes, and pressed play.
The music began to blast, the loudest she could possibly make it blast. The heavy guitar sounding out through the night.
Ella picked up the microphone, and began to sing, as loud as possible, letting her voice echo out of the speakers.
"Be careful making wishes in the, dark dark! Can't be sure when they've hit their, mark mark! And besides in the mean meantime I'm just dreaming of tearing you apart!"
She watched as Beverly came out of the Rec centre just to her left, clasping her hands contently in front of her self, ready to watch the show.
It was working, people began to gather around Ella, watching her intently. Ella felt the fear rise, but she didn't stop.
Suddenly she saw Hassan, out the corner of her eye take the distraction and slip into the rec centre, a lot match in hand.
She smiled to herself and continued.
"Im in the de-details with the, devil. Somehow the world can never get me on my, level. I just gotta get you it out the cage, I'm a young lovers rage, gonna need a spark to ignite!
My songs know what you did in the dark!
So light em up up up
Light em up up up
Light em up up up, I'm on fire!"
She kept her wits about her as she noticed blood hungry people begin to dive at her, ready for their next meal.
Ella dodged them as much as she could, fought back, kicked and punched at them, and was able to keep her footing.
But then that horrible screech filled the air. The Angel.
Everyone glanced up and watched it soar above them all, before diving to the ground. And that's when Ella saw what it was diving for.
*****
I watch as the Angel takes a plummets straight towards Erin Greene, who had helped Hassan light the rec centre on fire.
Ella screams as it grabs Erin, but Erin's screams are louder.
I quickly turn back to Ella, but see her already running, pushing straight through the crowd.
Oh God please no Ella.
I chase after her, begging my legs to go faster, but she reaches her goal.
I can hear the ripping of the Angels wings as it feasts on Erin, she cutting them with a knife. It won't be able to fly.
She jumps at the Angel, pushing it off Erin's body. Unfortunately that's all it was now. Erin was just another body.
But Ella wasn't.
The Angel screamed, louder than Satan himself could, and grabbed Ella.
"No! Put her down, please!" I beg, running up after them.
It pays me no attention. If flies away, with Ella tucked under its arms.
Not good enough.
I chase it, running at record breaking speeds, following it as best I can, straight through the woods and out towards the south beach by the docks.
I'm still right behind it, it can't get rid of me. I feel my legs want to give out and break, but I don't stop. I promised, I'd be right by Ella's side the entire time.
That's when I notice the man running along beside me. Hassan.
He's running just as much, his hand gun clenched tightly in his hands.
"Hit it!" I yell at him, halting as I watch him aim the gun.
He points it at the Angel but doesn't shoot.
"What are you waiting for?" I ask.
"I-I don't want to hit Ella!" He replies. There is a crack, a sound of a gun shot, but it wasn't from him.
I watch I'm crumple to the ground and turn around, to find Beverly holding out the shotgun, smoke billowing from the barrel.
"I'm glad you'll be in hell soon enough," I hiss at her.
This catches her off guard, she looks like she's going to retaliate, but I don't care. The Angel is already flying, trying to flee from the sun with its meal.
I pick up the gun and I aim, as best as I can at the Angel just above me in the sky. It's flying horribly, the damage done by Erin was stopping it from getting away fast enough.
The crack fills my ears once again, and I flinch at the loud noise, but when I look up I see the Angel falling, plummeting from the sky, Ella along with it.
No...
I run towards where they are falling, I see the Angel land somewhere in the trees, but Ella...she falls right past the cliffs, and towards the beach below.
*****
Man that hurt. How do people do that? I don't think I can move my back. I can already feel it, the hunger inside me. Luckily I've been fighting hunger cravings a lot longer than anyone could guess. Still I dont think I could get up if I tried.
Ella lifted her head, her back screaming out in pain she she did so. But she immediately saw where she was. The beach by the docks, and somehow, she perfectly landed on her favourite rock.
She closed her eyes and listened to the waves crashing against the shore, as well and the fire from the boats crackling. She imagined she was just curled up by a camp fire on the beach, she'd wake tomorrow and all would be well. But she could find an excuse for why her back would hurt, so the scene didn't really work.
Oh well. She opened her eyes and looked up at the sky, it was turning a pale blue. Morning was nearly here.
After a while she became aware of the footsteps in the sand. She couldn't turn her head anymore, it hurt too much, but she knew who it was.
"John," she smiled to herself.
He knelt down beside her. "I failed you Ella, I'm so sorry. It's all burned up there. There's no where for any of them to go."
"Oh. It's for the best," Ella replied.
"You were right, Ella. Our currents were never meant to clash."
She could hear his voice cracking and it broke her heart. She gathered all the strength she could to tune and face him.
She shakily raised her hand and placed it on his.
"I was wrong. We are not the sea nor the sky, but the horizon that holds them together."
He smiled and let the tears fall from his eyes, then placed a soft kiss on Ella's lips.
Together they turned towards the sky.
The sun began to peek over the horizon, casting the island in its golden light once more.
Ella closed her eyes, and waited to feel the warm morning glow on her face for a final time.
The End