The inferno had been so hot that there was not much left of the school, stadium—or the bodies. Now, in the light of day, it just seemed like a really bad nightmare. But I wasn’t fooling myself. It had been all too real.
I raised my face to the rumbling noise in the sky. Another pair of fighter jets streaked over the town. The power was out and there was no cell phone reception. Mom had told me that strange things were happening all over the country: random acts of violence, weather anomalies, and many fires. The National Guard was patrolling the streets of American cities, and more and more jets from the air base had taken flight.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t see anything like that.” I was determined not to make matters worse by creating a panic. Soon enough, the world would know that it was ending, and in the most horrible way possible. I wasn’t going to be the one to freak people out before they absolutely needed to be.
The young man patted his gun and glanced up at the jet trails in the sky. “Well, if the rumors are true, we’re ready for ‘em.”
As he walked away, I scowled at his bravado. I hoped he didn’t have to meet one of the giant, three-headed dogs or the glowing-eyed creatures. I wondered how brave he would be if he did.
“It makes you wonder,” Preston said, and I turned around. He was still petting his dogs. “If it came down to it, I bet an Angel wouldn’t be a match against a missile.”
“I don’t know about that. Angels and those monsters that attacked the town are magical. I’m not so sure technology would be able to beat them,” I shivered at the thought of the military fighting Satan’s army.
Preston grunted. “It’d be a hell of fight, though.”
“Maddie,” Grandpa called out.
When I looked up, he was pushing through the throng of people who were waiting for bottles of water from a soldier standing on an armored truck. Some people were crying and others shuffled along the sidewalk in a daze. The loss of the half of the inhabitants of the town was a shock to everyone.
I rushed up to Grandpa, grasping his hands and tugging him away from the crowd.
“You’re alive!” I hugged him fiercely, inhaling the smell of his aftershave lotion in a long breath. Being in his strong arms made the world a little brighter. “I saw that the church burned, and when momma couldn’t find you, we feared the worst.”
He pulled back and touched my face, wiping the tears away with his thumbs. “Oh, dear, Maddie! You are a sight for sore eyes.”
“Randy and Lindsey didn’t make it. It was horrible—”
He gave me a gentle shake. “Hush, child. Let those memories go. They are with our Lord and Savior now. He hasn’t forsaken us.”
“But He has!” I said loudly. Grandpa put his arm around me and guided me away from the curious glances. I rushed out in a lower voice, “Everything you’ve been preaching for years is true—the end of world is here! I’ve been talking to Angels. They say I’m supposed to be a Scribe of God, and Preston, too. But even the Angels don’t know what’s going on. God isn’t talking to them anymore.”
I knew I sounded insane, but Randy and Lindsey were dead, and so were a lot of other people. The world had gone crazy, and Grandpa, being a preacher, should understand better than anyone.
“Oh, child, He is with us always.” His dark eyes twinkled. “Maybe the Angels have become arrogant and lost their way. It is faith that keeps Him close.”
“You believe me?” I whispered.
Grandpa’s smile was sad. “Yes, I do. Because the Lord warned me this was coming.”
I swallowed, staring at Grandpa’s face. His gray, tight curls were longer than usual, and there was coarse salt and pepper stubble all around his mouth and chin. His sweater was buttoned unevenly. I’d never seen him in such a disheveled state.
Just as Grandpa didn’t question my words, I believed his. “What did He say?” I murmured.
“That He loves us, and that we should have hope.”
“Hope?” Images of the night before, when monsters poured out of the ground and began ripping my friends apart flashed through my mind. “How can we be hopeful when the people we love are dying?”
“You trust me, don’t you, Maddie?” Grandpa’s voice was soft and coaxing.
I nodded, fighting back the tears.
“Go north to Cincinnati. You can stay with your Aunt Marcie.” My mouth opened to protest, but he held up his hand. “He must go with you.” He flicked his finger toward Preston, who had followed our movement. “There’s no time to waste. You must be on your way.”
“But what about Mom and Dad, and you?” Tears streamed down my cheeks and my stomach became tied in knots. “I can’t leave you all, not now, with everything that’s going on.”
He pressed his finger to my lips. “You are a strong girl, and you have been chosen. It’s a great honor.” He smiled. “Swallow your grief and go. We’ll meet again, whether in this life or the next. We’ll be together again.” He began to pull away and I pressed into his side, clutching him harder. “You must let me go so I can help people.” He fanned his hand out. “They need me.”
I sniffed into his sweater and nodded. He hadn’t taken more than a few steps when the crowd folded around him. His voice rang out loud and clear, asking everyone to bow their heads in prayer.
I stood silently and listened to Grandpa’s words of encouragement and love as I watched Preston hug his mom and pass the leashes to her. Her red hair was a mess and her face was as wet as mine. She had a shotgun strapped over her shoulder. I guessed that the bearded men with her must be Preston’s uncles or cousins. They were also armed and clad in camo. They thought they were ready for anything. Preston’s mom raised her hand at me and I waved back.
“Can you do this?” Preston asked, stopping in front of me. He had the keys to his truck in his hand.
I tried to ignore the burning smells, the military men, and the crowd of people praying on the roadway. Turning my face into the sunshine, I muttered, “I hope so.”
Chapter 14
Eae
“But I have to pee!” Emily screeched.
The sound pierced my head, and I found myself rolling my eyes, mimicking the boy who was driving the car when he glanced my way. It was a miracle that we’d made it through five states without being pulled over. The boy’s abilities had improved in the last couple of days, but it had been a frightening experience early on. The pillows had made a real difference. Now he could see over the dashboard much better. Joey was an amicable and intelligent child, but caring for the girls was proving to be more difficult than I had anticipated.
I searched the side of the highway for a place to safely pull over.
“I don’t want to pee in the grass again. Can’t we go to a restaurant and have burgers?” Emily hung over my seat, slipping her skinny arms around my neck.
Children were resilient. Once we were away from the chaos and the bodies of their parents, Joey, Emily, and Sarah came out of their shells, so to speak. The tears and trembling ended sometime in Utah, and now I couldn’t keep the girls from touching me. They climbed on my lap whenever they could and the hugs never ended. At first, their affection had shaken me, but I was getting used to it. Angels weren’t supposed to come directly in contact with humans, even an Angel without wings. It felt very wrong, but I couldn’t correct the situation easily. I’d considered leaving the children in a safe place where they would be found by their own kind, but thought better of it. Hell was being released on earth, and I didn’t want these little ones to suffer through that. When the time came, I would protect them the best I could. I was sure our Father would show mercy on them. But what I was going to do with them until then was a pressing concern.
They required regular feedings and breaks to relieve themselves. They didn’t seem able to exist without attention, either. They talked constantly, making it impossible for me to think properly, let alone plan for the days ahead.
We passed a sign saying we’d entered the state of Missouri, and I could see the lights of a developed ar
ea off the next exit in the distance.
“We’ll take that road.” I pointed for Joey to see.
“Okay, Eae. I’ll take it real slow,” he said, leaning forward, his face tight with concentration.
“Not too slow, liked we talked about. If we are to make it to our destination, we mustn’t be noticed.” I gripped the door handle when Joey hit the gas pedal a little too hard.
“Ohio, Ohio, Ohio,” Emily chanted, squeezing my neck tighter.
I tugged her arms away so I could speak properly. “Tennessee, child. We go there first.”
She shook her head, whipping it back and forth. “Nooo. It’s burning there.”
I swiveled in the seat, staring at the blonde-haired, blue-eyed little girl. We’d taken a country road the previous night and pulled into a stand of trees for the children to sleep for a few hours. Emily had woken in the night, crying about the forest being on fire. There had been an odd feeling in the air when I’d questioned her about the ill dream, almost as if she’d had a foretelling event. I hadn’t thought that possible—she was nearly a babe.
But now, I wasn’t so sure. Her insistence was almost believable.
“Why don’t you drive? You’re the grownup,” Sarah asked, squeezing in beside her sister.
“That way, Joey. Go to the right and pull into the back lot of that restaurant.” I hung on as he made the turn a bit too fast, then I answered Sarah. “I’ve told you this already. My kind do not drive automobiles.”
“You’re so funny,” Emily giggled, twirling some of my curly hair in her fingers.
She’d forgotten all about Tennessee and was looking brightly at the glowing sign with a picture of a piece of meat between two slices of bread. These burgers seemed to be the only thing the child would eat.
Joey found a space behind the one-story building and parked, turning off the engine. The machine was crooked, but I didn’t say anything. I realized my expectations were too high for the boy. He dropped the keys into my palm and jumped out of the car. The girls followed all too quickly.
“Wait, stop!” I ordered, but the girls ignored me.
Grasping each other’s hands, Emily shouted, “But we have to peeeee!”
“They are insufferable, disobedient creatures,” I muttered.
Joey stared up at me with raised brows. “What does insufferable mean?”
His innocence was like a slap in the face. “It is not a fair description of your sisters. They are good children. And I am very proud of your resiliency. Your automobile operating skills are quite impressive as well.”
Joey’s mouth spread into a wide smile. “You really think so?”
“I sincerely do,” I answered, giving him a gentle shove toward the restaurant.
“My dad wouldn’t even let me mow the lawn, and now I’m driving on the highway. I think…”
The stream of his words disappeared from my hearing as I looked around. The street lights and signs were bright, but few cars were coming or going, and even fewer people were hanging about. A nearly full moon lit up the sky and the drone of traffic on the highway filled the crisp evening. A gust of wind caused dry leaves to dance across the parking lot and pelt us in a golden frenzy.
Joey laughed at the onslaught and I patted his back.
Bad things were on the wind and the child was oblivious.
We entered the empty establishment, and Joey took a left turn to the restrooms. I chose a table with four seats beside the window where I could keep an eye on the vehicle. The woman who approached the table was ancient looking. Her long gray hair was pulled up into a bun and the cane she walked with tapped on the hard, checkered flooring. She wore a server dress and held a notepad in her free hand. Her name tag read Mary.
All that wasn’t as shocking as her eyes. A white film glazed over them. She was completely blind.
The children ran to the table together. Sarah and Joey took the seats across from me, but instead of sitting, Emily threw her arms around the old woman’s legs. I briefly wondered about the child’s show of familiarity with a complete stranger, but Mary didn’t seem bothered by the display of affection.
“You’re a sweet child,” Mary said. She shuffled Emily into her seat and took everyone’s orders.
I only wanted coffee and a slice of apple pie, two things I’d become quite fond of during my time in man’s realm.
“You shouldn’t have desert before dinner!” Sarah chastised.
I lifted a brow at the girl. “I am an adult and can eat the way I like. It is something you have to look forward to when you are grown.”
After I said it, I regretted my words. Little Sarah would never get the chance to become a woman.
“Yes, it is a sad thing,” Mary said, tilting her head at me.
My heart thrummed and my breathing slowed. “Who are you?”
She offered me a toothless smile that made my skin tingle with foreboding.
“Oh, surely, even without those glorious wings, you know me?” she said. Her tone was mocking and I stood, reaching out quickly to snatch the children from their seats and shove them behind me one by one.
“If I knew your identity, I wouldn’t have asked,” I said quietly.
Emily gripped my one leg, while Sarah and Joey pressed up against my other leg.
“I am one of the Virtues, Eae.”
I dipped my head. “Forgive me! I have been cut off from Heaven and have lost my way,” I said forcefully, wishing for understanding.
The Virtues were beings of light and beauty. They were in charge of delivering Heavenly miracles upon those humans whom God favored. They rarely came into this world, and only in times of great joy—or great disaster. They were there when Jesus ascended to Heaven after his death, and also during the human wars. They made heroes, giving them courage in the darkest of times.
Mary reached out and touched my head. “The Lord is with you. There is nothing to forgive. In this guise, I’m not so sure even Michael would recognize me in quick fashion.”
I lowered my voice, despite the fact that the restaurant was empty, except for the children and us. “Why are you here?”
She pursed her lips and sighed heavily. “Bad days are upon us, and evil is spreading across this world. The balance is broken and Angels run amuck. Some of us are here to restore that balance, others only to observe.”
“Can you stop Samael and his army?” I whispered, searching the woman’s white eyes, hoping to see some of my glorious Heaven there. But I couldn’t see anything but an old, blind woman before me.
Mary snorted out a short laugh. “It is not my place to stop Samael or Gabriel or even the humans, who are amassing their weapons of destruction as we speak.” She glanced down at the children as if she could see them, and when Emily peeked around my leg, Mary graced her with another smile like she knew the small child was looking at her. “I am merely here to give strength to those who deserve it, and to those who need it. And you, Eae, are one of those individuals.”
She raised her hand in blessing. “May the light of our Lord Father shine upon you and give you strength.” Blinding light rained down, and the children held onto me harder, squealing.
The warm touch of our Father filled my heart with hope until it was almost bursting. For the first time since I’d had my wings taken from me, I felt His presence. Tears rolled down my cheeks and I gladly let them fall.
“Listen to the girl, Eae. Go where she directs,” Mary said.
The room dimmed and I opened my eyes. Mary was gone.
“Where did the woman go?” Joey asked, rubbing his eyes.
“She wasn’t a woman, silly. She was a kind of Angel,” Emily said, holding her arms out to me.
I bent down and picked her up. She wrapped her arms around my neck.
“How do you know that?” Sarah asked.
“She told me. Didn’t you hear?” Emily yawned and laid her head against my shoulder.
“She didn’t say anything at all!” Sarah argued.
“It’s
all right, child,” I smiled down at Sarah. “Sometime we hear things, and sometimes we don’t.”
Joey looked around the empty restaurant, frowning. “I guess that means we don’t get anything to eat.”
“On the contrary. I don’t think the owner of this establishment will mind if we take some pie and milk to go,” I said.
“But that’s stealing,” Sarah said sternly.
“I am pleased that you are conscientious of that. But sometimes it’s all right to take things for survival, and this is one of those times. Now hurry, Joey and Sarah. Gather up the food and we’ll be on our way.”
“Where are we going?” Emily murmured into my tunic.
“To Ohio, child, just as you said.”
Chapter 15
Ember
The loophole disappeared behind me and I ducked behind a bush. I felt for my Gaia and it came awake. Fire also erupted in me and battled with Earth, seeking escape. When Water joined Earth, they pushed my dominant element back. I took a shuddering breath. The Fire inside me was on high alert because there were Angels nearby. As I peered around the thorny branches, I was just happy I hadn’t stepped into a warded place.
Ancient stones jutted out from the green and tan landscape. I felt the memories of millions of souls stirring my heart. People had built city on top of city on top of city over the course of thousands of years. There had been a lot of blood shed on this sacred ground.
The clouds were thick and the sun was setting to the west. A chill touched my skin as the air turned ashy. I had no time to lose. I reached out carefully with my Gaia, touching the birds perched in the stunted-looking trees, and then further, into the rats in the tunnels below me. The maze of underground paths left me disorientated and I drew back into my body. I hadn’t seen any Angels, but I knew they were here, hiding somewhere. They wanted to ambush me. If I had any hope of saving Insepth, I couldn’t let that happen.
I closed my eyes, searching for the element of Air inside of me. There had been times when I’d felt its presence, like when I’d scorched the Demons’ compound and the Fire had gotten out of hand. Air had risen to create a rainstorm, putting out the flames. At the time, I wasn’t sure what it even was, but now I recognized it. Unfortunately, it still eluded me. I tried to call upon it the way I did my other elements, but nothing happened.