Marked (20 page)

David starred at the floor. “They’re thrown out—banished forever…never to return. They’re left to serve their demon masters.”

Kara clasped her trembling hands behind her back.

“Level six! Council of Ministers,” called the monkey at the control panel.

The elevator jolted to a stop. Kara stared straight ahead as the doors slid open. Blinding white light came flooding in, and she had to shut her eyes. Gradually she adjusted to the light and could see. She stepped to the door and peeked out.

“Oh, my God! We’re floating in the sky!” cried Kara.

She looked down. Tiny puffs of clouds spread out sporadically above a vast plane of greens and beige, divided into rectangles. Dark blue curves wiggled through the landscape and out of sight. Miniscule cities were surrounded by monopoly-game houses that disappeared over the horizon.

The bottom of the elevator rested on a soft white cloud, the size of a small car. Kara started to feel unsteady and grabbed the sides to support herself. She felt
really
dizzy. In the distance, mountains hovered in the air, kept up by some sort of magic.

“You okay. You look like you’re about to be sick.” David said, as he rested a hand on her shoulder. She winced, totally not prepared for him to be touching her so suddenly. She tingled at his touch.

Kara nodded, keeping her eyes straight ahead on the bright blue sky.

“Don’t worry, we’re not going to
fall
. We’re just waiting for the sky-car.”

Kara frowned and turned to look at David, not sure she heard him correctly. “The what?”

“The sky-car.” David pointed out towards the sky.

Kara followed his gaze. Something white and small floated their way. It maneuvered easily in the open air at great speed. Kara could hear the soft
tat tat ta
sound of a motor get louder and louder—until finally, the sky-car lingered at their door. It was an oval-shaped cloud, the size of a normal car, with four upholstered blue seats in two rows in the middle. A metal T steering gear stood at the front. Puffs of white clouds shot out from the back, like balls from an automatic tennis ball launcher.

“So, how does this thing—what the—?” Kara noticed the driver.

“Sky-car 2555, at
your
service!” the driver said.

A large white and black bird perched on the steering gear. On the top of its head rested a red cap with the numbers 2555 stitched across it in gold letters.

The bird puffed out its chest and opened its beak. “Step right up, step right up! Sirs and madams!” He spoke perfect English. He pulled out his left wing and bent it at the elbow, flapping it, gesturing them to come aboard.

David jumped down easily with a loud
thump
. He turned and gave Kara his hand. “You won’t fall. Just don’t look down if you’re scared.”

“I’m not scared!” Kara forced herself to look only at the sky-car. “I’m just not used to getting into flying cars—that’s all.” She grasped the door’s frame. “I don’t remember seeing it in the job description.”

“Let’s go miss,” said the bird, “I have other appointments—”

“Okay, okay!” said Kara. “So what if I fall…I’ll just reappear in an elevator, right,” she whispered to herself. She took David’s hand and jumped into the sky-car.

She was relieved to land on a solid footing. “Thank God!—”

“The name’s Sam, actually,” said the bird. He jumped up and twirled around in the air, landing with his back facing them. With his feet clasped tightly around the steering bar, he swung upside down and extended his right wing in greeting.

“Pleasure to meet ya,” he, blinked several times.

David shook his wing. “I’m David, and this is Kara,” he said to the upside down bird.

“Okay then! Now that we’re all acquainted—” Sam flapped his wings, swung his body back upright on the steering gear, straightened himself and said formally, “Please take a seat! Take a seat!”

Kara and David sat down together. “There are actually seat belts on this thing? Why?”

David put his belt on. “Trust me—buckle up.” He raised his eyebrows. Kara clipped her seat belt together and pulled it tight.

“Now should I be scared?”

Sam flapped his wings excitedly. He adjusted his hat.

“Ready?”

David nodded. “We’re good to go.”

Sam used all his weight to push the accelerator.

“Hang on to your
butts
!” The motor kicked into life, and the sky-car rocketed towards the floating mountains.

“HOLY CRRRAAAAPP!

Kara’s head was pinned to the headrest, like she was in a circus ride. The wind whistled in her ears, and she squinted her eyes into slits. The sky-car flew across the sky. Soon the mountains came more in focus and Kara realized that she had been mistaken. What she had believed to be huge mountains were in fact parts of a massive city; floating on individual clouds.

When they reached the floating city, Kara felt a cool spring breeze. Sky-cars flew in and out of buildings and disappeared between the clouds, picking up and dropping off guardian angels and oracles. The huge city sparkled in the sun like massive pieces of jewelry. The sky-car swayed and hovered over a large concrete landing zone, then dropped and settled onto a platform.

“You okay? You look green.” David grinned and combed his hair with his fingers.

“Peachy,” grunted Kara, as she swayed on the spot.

Sam, the bird, swung around and around on the steering gear. “Don’t forget to tip your driver!”

He beat his black wings and hopped to an upright position. He held out a tin can in front of him.

“We have to leave a tip? Are you serious?”

“Oh, yeah—I almost forgot.” David ripped a button from his shirt. He dropped it in the can.

“Buttons are tips?”

David flattened the front of his shirt. “Tips can be anything—just as long as you give them something.”

Sam shook the can, delighted. “Smell ya later!”

The sky-car lifted up, hovered for a moment, and raced off.

“And I thought the monkeys were the ones on crack!” Kara stared after the flying car until it was just a grey speck in the vast blue sky.

There was a sudden
click
, and a door at the far end of the platform opened. An oracle appeared and maneuvered his giant crystal towards them

“Ah! Here you are at last.” He crumpled the front of his robe in his excitement.

“Quickly now—the two of you should know that you are going to be questioned about the demon’s mark situation—the council is waiting—this way please.” The oracle steered his crystal around and made his way towards the door at the end of the platform.

David sighed and followed the oracle.

Kara jogged over to his side.

“So...what do you think’s going to happen me?” asked Kara as she studied David’s face.David looked into Kara’s eyes as he walked. “I’m—I’m not sure exactly. But I know it has to do with the demon’s mark. A spy in the legion…is some serious stuff.”

She felt the anger rising inside her. “But I’m
not
a spy!” she hissed between her teeth. “I haven’t done anything wrong.”

David turned away from Kara slowly. “That’s for
them
to decide. You’ll have to convince them, not me. I’m not on the council.”

“Right. I forgot. You
hate
me.”

David grabbed Kara by the elbow and pulled her around to face him. “You
betrayed
me!” he growled, trying to stay calm.

“
I
betrayed
you
?” Kara narrowed her eyes. “You won’t even believe me when I’m telling you the truth! You pretend I don’t exist!”

“The truth is that you’re
marked
!” said David.

Kara made fists with her hands. “It’s not my fault! I didn’t know I was marked! How many times do I have to tell you!”

“You
played
with my emotions,” said David, recovering his composure, “you used me.” His voice was almost a whisper.

“What—?” Bewildered, Kara just stared at David, not believing she had just heard what came out of his mouth.

“Ahem—am I
interrupting
something? Are you in
control
of your feelings?” The oracle tapped his foot on the glass sphere.

David straightened up. “Yes, oracle.”

The oracle glared at the two of them for half a second. Then his face broke into a smile. “Was that convincing enough? I used to think—if I were born mortal—I’d be a swell actor.”

“It was great.”

“Yeah, you were really convincing.” Kara put on a fake smile.

“Well, I’ve watched myself perform this very act hundreds of times—oh dear.” The oracle screwed up his face. “I can’t remember what I’m supposed to say next? My mind is blank. Are we on our way to an exhibition?”

“No, you’re taking us to the High Council,” said David.

The oracle’s eyes widened. “Right, that hasn’t happened yet. So mixed up, so mixed up. Well then, let’s get going. The council won’t wait for you.” He tossed his beard over his shoulder, spun around and rolled away, mumbling to himself.

David was silent as Kara followed him and the oracle through the grey metal door at the end of the platform. Her mind was numb and her body fluttered with the words he just said. They moved through a great hall with colorful carpets and portraits of oracles, GAs and important looking archangels, hanging high on the walls. Haunted eyes stared back at them. They passed many doors with golden signs nailed above them, stenciled in black letters. Kara stopped to read; Council Officer # 78-ORC. She peeked through the open door and spotted an oracle sitting on his crystal ball before a long wooden desk, going through some papers. They darted along to the end of the hall, where they met two massive brass doors.

“Well then, here we are,” said the oracle as he pushed open the doors. “The Minister will see you now.” He disappeared behind them, leaving Kara and David standing alone.

Kara gasped.

Fourteen pairs of eyes stared back at her. She blinked. A group of seven determined-looking archangels sat up on a dais at the opposite end of a large round chamber. The room had a rounded glass dome, and Kara could see the blue sky and hints of other tall buildings floating around them. Rays of light spilled through the glass. The archangels sat around a black half moon desk, which sparkled in the light like a huge black diamond.

Kara staggered behind David as they walked through the majestic doorway. Her skin prickled all along her back, as she felt the entire room go still around her. The only sound was the echoing patter of their feet.

Rows of wooden seats were angled along and around the chamber, like seats in a stadium, but this time they were all empty. She started to feel extremely cautious. A long bench was placed ten feet away from the dais, anticipating their arrival. David walked casually to the bench and faced the group—mouthing Kara to do the same. She flicked her hair behind her ears and waited. And as she looked up, seven pairs of eyes were still watching her every move. Kara bit her lip, feeling small and insignificant.
I’m so dead.
She couldn’t remember feeling this nervous before, even when she first presented her paintings. She wished she could throw up.

The largest of the archangel males, who sat in the middle, stood up and spoke.

“Welcome, guardian angels, to the Council of Ministers. I am Uriel, the Minister of Ministration and Peace.”

The voice was soft and almost musical. Not at all like the booming voices of Ramiel and Gabriel. His dark brown wavy hair sparkled in the light. There was something very soothing about his presence. He was also very easy on the eyes. A long golden robe swished and swayed as he lifted his arms.

“Let us begin,” he called back. “Please, sit down.” He threw out his arms, gesturing for Kara and David to take a seat.

Kara fell into the chair with an echoing
thump
. The sound cut through the thick wall of silence like a knife. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled. She felt the energy of the council focus upon her. Kara flinched.
If looks could kill, I’d be a goner.