The Fallen (Angelic Redemption) (21 page)

“I really liked this guy and he seemed to like
me. He wanted me and I think I wanted him too. I wanted to keep him, that’s for
sure. Whenever we kissed or tried to be together though, I’d want to throw up. Being
physical with him made me sick,” Heidi said, with a quick smile at Maximo who stared
at them both.

“I’m not telling you this because I feel differently
with you. I think that’s obvious. I just think that because you’ve done bad
things and been with women, you don’t believe you’re worthy of my love. I just
wanted you to know that I would have done things too, but I wasn’t strong
enough to overcome God’s warnings. It’s not that I’m better than you, just
weaker. We’re both flawed. Maybe that was obvious to you, but I wasn’t sure.”

Joaquin kissed her hand then glanced at Maximo
who stared at them frowning.

“What?” Joaquin asked.

“I never dream this. What did she say?”

Joaquin and Heidi smiled. “She said she loves
me.”

Maximo nodded, taking another piece of bread.
Joaquin watched the boy chew his food and Heidi fiddle with her straw and
realized he hadn’t checked for possible threats since arriving at the
restaurant. He felt safe for the first time in decades, truly free from danger.

After lunch, they drove to the church and spoke
with Father Francisco about a wedding. A few hours later, as evening
approached, the ceremony began in a place not on any map.

The setting sun illuminated the dilapidated
church, giving a golden hue to everything inside. Heidi’s blonde hair shimmered
as if a halo rested upon her head.

The priest’s words echoed in Joaquin’s head as he
marveled at how just a week earlier he had lamented his disinterest in
everything. Yet, now he suffered with the immensity of his love for this woman
and that boy and the God who brought them into his life.

Gazing at a smiling Heidi, he searched for signs
she worried over this choice she made for her future. Instead of concern, she
radiated joy, alternating between grinning at Maximo and the man she knew so
little and desired to marry so much. Joaquin trusted in that smile and returned
it as Father Francisco pronounced them husband and wife.

Joaquin wiped the tears from Heidi’s face as he
kissed her, whispering his love as if afraid to admit it to the world. Heidi
kissed him back, pulling at his shirt, suddenly overwhelmed. Nuzzling against
him, she trembled. Before he might think she was upset, Heidi laughed and
reached for Maximo.

“God has blessed us,” she said, holding them both
tightly.

Joaquin could have stayed there forever, just
holding onto his precious family and ignoring all of the ugliness in the world.
Maximo though squirmed away from the embrace.

“We eat now,” he said, pulling at Heidi.

Heidi nodded, taking Maximo and Joaquin’s hands.
Walking down the aisle, she thanked Father Francisco who waved goodbye to Maximo.

Opening the front doors of the church, Joaquin
was startled to find dark clouds covering the land, turning the late day into
black night. An angry outpouring rained from the sky. Frowning, Joaquin glanced
at Heidi whose smile faded at this development.

“I don’t understand,” Maximo said, truly confused
for the first time.

Joaquin might have assumed a thunderstorm was no
more than a changing weather pattern, but he knew something else was stirring.
He felt fear in his chest, the kind that tore at him during his encounter with
the monster at the prison.

In the downpour, Joaquin could barely spot their
car a few yards away. Yet, he noticed a small detail on a nearby tree. Neither
Maximo nor Heidi saw it, but Joaquin knew the white thing was the clawed hand
of the monster that promised him misery.

The talons scratched at the tree, tearing away
bark before disappearing. Joaquin might have convinced himself it was a light
distortion from the storm, but he knew evil had followed them to this holy
place. Tightening his grip on Heidi’s hand, he also knew the monster waited in
the darkness for the opportunity to make good on its threat.

The warm ocean water splashed against Lila’s
ankles. Glancing down, she could see her feet through the crystal blue water as
a balmy Caribbean breeze circled her. Studying the white beach, she noticed a
beautiful Asian woman strolling passively in the water. Lila watched the woman
without curiosity, her mind detached from who she might be.

Moments passed before she realized this place was
silent. Not a hint of noise from the splashing water to the casually flowing
breezes. Turning back to the beach, Lila found a man standing a few yards from
her. The man was handsome, lean and tan. He wore only a pair of cutoff shorts. Oblivious
to Lila, he moved into the ocean until the water was at his waist. His eyes were
on the woman who stood in the surf.

Watching him for what felt like too long, Lila
sensed something in her hand. Studying the small white object, she realized it
was a postcard with a picture of the same beach she now stood upon. Turning it
over, she comprehended the words slowly as if reading for the first time.

Dear
Lila,

Having
a great time! Wish you were here!

 
Love,
Micah

Glancing up from the card, she found the man
standing in front of her.

With
a smile, he said,
“I have time. You must hurry.”

Lila awoke to a world of pain. Her eyes only
opened for a few seconds before the dim light became too much. Closing her eyes,
she did a quick damage check of her body. Lila found she could move her toes,
but not lift her legs. Wanting to turn her head, she fought her stiff neck
which achingly complied.

Forcing her eyes open again, she immediately
recognized Roman next to her. It took her a long minute to realize he was
asleep though. Blotches of dried blood darkened his face and his breathing
lacked the tranquility of the hotel room, but otherwise he seemed unharmed.

Lila tried to speak, just to whisper his name, but
her dry lips barely opened, let alone released noise. Giving up, she closed her
eyes and again surveyed the damage to her body. She quickly realized everything
hurt even those wiggling toes. Not only was the pain intense, it was increasing
with every minute she remained conscious.

As tears leaked down her cheeks, Lila was
startled by the scorching heat of them. Lila was helpless to stop the tears or
the whimpering. So focused on remaining calm, she never noticed her right hand
was cradled in Roman’s hand. Or how when she squeezed her fingers into a fist
that she squeezed his hand. When he called her name, Lila opened her eyes,
barely seeing him.

“Are you in pain?” he asked, before calling for
help from someone named Gus.

Nodding, Lila hated to admit her weakness, as if
somehow she might alleviate her suffering through sheer willpower. Flinching at
his touch, Lila wished to pass out and find a reprieve from the pain for long
enough to give her strength. Her body instead responded with more pain.

Around her, Lila could feel movement, maybe Roman
sitting up or her body convulsing. New voices joined Roman’s. She only heard
her husband speaking at first. Gus then spoke up with a voice full of anxiety.
She recognized Sophie’s trembling whispers, but Lila refused to open her eyes.

Their voices implied fear, maybe panic, and she
wanted to remain calm, even if her situation naturally led to despair. Their
panic wouldn’t help her, so she ignored their words and focused on Roman’s hand
holding hers. His hand soon trembled and his fear infected her.

A pinch in her arm startled her, but Lila knew
what it meant and hoped the medicine would work. A rush of fuzzy heat rolled over
her body. Lila gave into the drug, embracing its power and the freedom from
pain it promised.

Hearing Roman’s whispers in her ear, the words
felt foreign, though their meaning was clear. He felt responsible for her pain
and guilty for bringing her back in such an unnatural way. There was so much
suffering in his words that she wished she might console him, but the drug
pulled her away.

Lila prayed to dream and escape from the anguish.
This new place provided no escape though, only darkness.

Opening her eyes, Lila searched for light, but
found not a hint of illumination. Even as her eyes adjusted to the darkness,
she remained blind. She soon realized this place existed without light for it
was a place without God.

Lila ached with a fear far worse than any she had
known before. The terror burned her from the inside out until she begged to see
the light again. Yet something warned her seeing what was in this darkness
would be worse.

Closing her eyes, Lila flinched against the
movements from the monsters around her. Refusing to open her eyes, Lila would
not look at what should remain unseen. Around her, the things growled and chafed
her skin as they prowled closer.

The monsters’ growling intensified, closer to
her face, echoing in her ears. Hungering for her, they snapped at Lila, their
jaws clicking in the darkness. The urge to open her eyes and fight back grew
intense, but Lila refused to give in.

The first bite piercing her thigh, the monster yanked
her down to the icy ground and dragged her farther into this hell. Lila
struggled to stop the momentum, even opening her eyes in the hopes of finding
something to grab onto in this frigid place. She instead witnessed
a face so monstrous her mind refused to
comprehend the sight of it. A face some part of Lila knew was her own.

The monster released her leg, allowing her to
fall deeper into the frigid darkness. Screaming now, Lila begged to be given
another chance. Her only answer was a chorus of taunting screeches around her.

Awakening to her cries, Lila flinched at the
brightness of the sun lit room. Embracing the light, Lila saw how it illuminated
Roman’s worried face, Gus’s red hair, and Sophie’s shiny shotgun. More than the
light and familiar faces, Lila felt reassured by God’s presence. His warmth
quickly soothed her terror. Relaxing in the knowledge that she had another
chance, Lila focused her attention on Roman and tried to smile.

“Worst dream ever,” she said, her voice cracked
and alien.

Roman nodded, touching her face. Wiping her forehead,
he frowned at Gus.

“She’s running a fever.”

While Sophie and Gus moved closer with their
matching frowns, Roman’s expression teetered more towards dread.

“I don’t know, man,” Gus said. “No one’s ever
come back from that kind of wound. I don’t know what’s normal.”

“Is she still in pain?” Sophie asked, switching
the weapon from one arm to the other.

Lila hated how they spoke of her as if she weren’t
there. The image of Sophie holding the shotgun suddenly seemed hilarious though
and she began to laugh. The giggles echoed in her head as she faded from their
chatter again.

Lila dreamed of a busy street in an unfamiliar
city. Even knowing she was dreaming, she felt pain when a female hunter pushed
roughly past her. The dark haired hunter glanced back at Lila and gave her a
little snarl, even if her eyes were amused. Rushing to keep up, Lila soon
realized they were on the streets of New Orleans. Passing throngs of revelers,
Lila hurried her pace when the hunter crossed a street.

Heading into a liquor store, Lila lost sight
of the hunter. She instead found a dozen humans roaming up and down the aisles.
Scanning the faces for her mystery hunter, she noticed a villain
eyeing
the crowd from a spot near the back. Just as it pulled out a gun and started
firing, a hand yanked Lila to the ground.

Her mysterious hunter snorted. “Some big dog you
are. Looking pretty overrated to me.”

Lila thought to say something, but she was
dreaming and arguing with someone in a dream seemed stupid. When the villain
reloaded its gun, the hunter jumped to her feet and aimed a crossbow at her target.
Lila stood up, just in time to see the arrow puncture the villain’s head.

Head shots were nice, but the arrow seemed
inefficient. Lila thought to say something to that effect, but then the
villain’s head exploded. Flinching, she could only stare at the mess left
behind.

“Explosive charges,” the hunter said with a
shrug. “That’s just how Ivy rolls.”

Lila woke to the real world with a gasp. Studying
the room, Lila realized that during her latest nap she had been moved. This new
location smelled better or maybe that was just her.

Lila felt clean, her old clothes, hardened from
dried blood, were gone. Her skin cleansed, even her hair felt damp, Lila’s body
was renewed. Ready to sit up, she quickly realized her improvements were only
skin deep.

“Don’t try to get up,” Roman said, stepping
closer.

Lila’s fingers moved from the IV in her arm to
the still throbbing chest wound hidden under a bandage. Running her tongue over
her teeth, she tasted mint.