“I still don’t understand why you killed a man.” John said, regretting the question as soon as it poured out from his mouth. He kicked himself for falling for his curiosity.
Alex gazed at him regretfully. “The man you saw, he was a cohort to Gabriel. He helped imprison me and threatened to kill Hayley.”
John was not quite sure if he respected the angel’s actions, but he could understand to some degree how upset and angry Alex must have been at the time. He was bound to this girl at all times, not knowing where she was, even for a brief time must have driven him mad. He could not even begin to fathom what that must have been like, so he decided that he was not going to try. “How come you have not told her?” He asked instead.
Alex lowered his gaze, almost shamefully. “Because I’m scarred.” He quietly admitted.
John did not know what to say, the air fell suddenly heavy with and silent.
Then Alex looked at him again and said, “But now that you know, I implore you to keep it to yourself.”
John became dreadfully reluctant at the request. “I don’t understand why you can’t just tell her...”
“Because then she’d have to remember. I don’t know if she could cope with it.”
A cross of realisation crossed John’s face. “You took away her memories, didn’t you?”
“Gabriel tortured her, showed her things that dead men see when they reach hell. Can you possibly begin to imagine the effect that had on a six year old child?”
John shook his head. “I know that I can’t begin to understand any of this but if she does remember it some day... what will you tell her then?”
Alex held his gaze. “Then I’ll just have to tell her everything.” He finally conceded. Then he never said another word, he simply left.
John found himself alone once again, his mind still churning with conflicting and terrifying thoughts – but at least now some of those were answers.
Chapter 11
Hayley had decided to go out for the afternoon to meet Elaine, who she had been putting off seeing all week due to various circumstances. Following a marathon three hour non-stop shop, the two girls finally retired to a cafe for rest and refreshments.
“Sugar?” Elaine asked, offering Hayley a couple of sachets as they settled into a window side table.
“No thanks, I’ve already put some in, thanks.”
“Did you?” Elaine said with surprise, she could not recall seeing her lift any sachets...
Hayley realised that she had forgotten herself. “The guy at the till put some in when he was making my drink. They will if you ask them too.” She quickly explained.
“Oh.” Elaine said, pretending to be surprised. She glanced at her own hot drink, stirring it absently. “I never knew that...”
Hayley sipped her coffee and smiled. “It’s called asking.” She observed sarcastically, but not unkindly.
Elaine forced a wide smile across her expressionless face. “It makes you wonder how much paper they would save if they just got it out of a pot instead.”
“Hmm.” Hayley mumbled, her a mouth full of coffee. Swallowing it down she continued, “Your right, it does make you wonder.”
Elaine gave an agreeing nod. “And we’re supposed to be saving the planet?” she added, laughing lightly.
“Yeah...” Hayley replied in distraction, gazing at something outside the window while she continued to sip her cappuccino.
“Did you see that thing on the news about Glasgow Green?” Elaine asked,.
“Couldn’t miss it.” She replied, forcing her gaze back across the table to Elaine.
“I went down to have a look at it last night, it’s amazing.” She marvelled in reflection, her eyes glazed with awe.
“It couldn’t have been that good. I thought the police still weren’t allowing anyone into the green itself.”
“No they aren’t which is a terrible shame.” Elaine said disappointedly. A moment later she perked up again and said, “But you could see it from the road.”
“How was it?” Hayley asked, feigning interest. She raised the cup to her mouth again. More than anything she wanted to forget the whole thing but she could never tell Elaine the truth behind the supposed miracle, so she endured the conversation.
“Like it would be in summer if the grass wasn’t cut is probably the best way that I could describe it.”
“It’s so weird thought isn’t it?” Hayley asked as she delved into her coat pocket for her mobile phone. She pulled it out – paying a total lack of attention to the fistful of small, white feathers that fell out with it.
“Are those feathers?” Elaine asked.
“Yeah, suppose they are.” Hayley muttered uncaringly, not even so much as glancing up from the screen of her mobile.
This made Elaine even more anxious than she had previously been all day. She decided that it would be best to bring out her concerns and get the conversation over and done with. “Hayley?”
“Yeah?” she replied - too busy texting to even make eye contact.
“Where did all those come from?”
Hayley cast a casual glance over the edge of the table and then back to her mobile. “My pillow burst.” She shrugged, feeling too lazy to even try to lie properly.
“When?”
“Last night.”
“How did it burst?”
“Pillow fight.”
“With who?”
“John and Alex.”
Elaine gazed at her sceptically. “I never knew that they still made feather pillows.”
Hayley finally looked up from her mobile. She shrugged. “So?”
Elaine stared at her. “Is there something going on that you’re not telling me about?”
“Like what?”
Elaine hesitated for a moment – the anxiety clenching in her stomach. Finally mustering the courage to say what was nagging at her conscience, she blurted, “Is your flatmate hitting you?”
Hayley’s mug exploded.
Elaine flinched. The self-exploding mug drew the attention of everyone in the cafe. Hayley gave what remained of the handle a funny look and sat it down like what had just happened was the most normal thing in the world. Casually she asked, “What makes you say something like that?”
Elaine gave her a ghostly look, her heart-pounding. “Are you ok?” she gasped uneasily, glancing across the debris scattered and dripping table.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” She replied.
“You didn’t burn your hand did you?”
“No. I’m fine.” She shrugged. “But what I’m more concerned about is why you said what you just did.”
Elaine’s jaw gapped, matching her bewildered expression.
“Are you alright there, miss?” asked a member of staff, arriving to Hayley’s side.
Hayley only glanced at him for a second before turning her focus right back onto Elaine. “Yeah, we’re good.” She hastily dismissed him, barely even hearing the question. “Elaine?”
“I...I just don’t see you anymore and when I do you...” She shook her head, her gaze returning to the shattered coffee mug. “...you always appear to be tired and you still haven’t found yourself a new job.”
“Would you like to move to a new table?” offered the staff member, as two of his colleagues hastily cleaned up the mess.
“Not now.” Hayley replied, uninterested. She looked straight at Elaine again. “So how did you go from that to accusing Alex of hitting me?”
“I don’t know...I just thought because I never see you anymore...” she trembled, questioning her own motives now as much as her friend did.
Hayley shook her head. “Grow up Elaine.” She said harshly. Taking her coat and shopping bags, she stormed off.
******
Hayley slammed the front door behind her. Pressing her back against it, she gazed up at the ceiling – sighing in disbelieve.
“I hit you?” Alex said angrily as he appeared at the far end of the hall with his arms folded.
&n
bsp; Hayley closed her eyes. “I know, I know...I’m sorry.” She looked back at him. “Come here Alex.” She said, on the verge of tears.
Alex quietly obliged. Drawing her into his arms, he cuddled her for a minute.
“Are you alright?” he asked, looking down at her.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” She replied, disheartened.
Alex kissed her on the forehead and gave her a warm smile. “Don’t worry, she’ll come around apologising sooner or later.” He assured her.
“I know.” She looked up at him, a slight smile appearing across her saddened face. “But you didn’t have to make the cup explode.”
Alex fidgeted on the spot, his face red with embarrassment. “Yeah, I shouldn’t of really, should I? I was just mad...”
“I know.” She nodded, as she walked past him. Looking back over her shoulder at him she added, “But at least it was more entertaining than your bad jokes.”
“Oh come on, you were shopping for hours. I was so bored I had to do something to pass the time. So I came up with putting the feathers in your pocket.” He argued, as he followed her into the kitchen.
“Your jokes are getting worse and don’t think that dancing in the street will make me laugh like a nutter in front of my friends.”
“You were trying not to laugh, even from the distance I could tell and you could have stopped looking out of the window at anytime. It isn’t my fault that you were ignoring Elaine.”
“No I wasn’t, I just didn’t want to give you the satisfaction.” She said, sitting her bags down.
“You should have seen the look on her face when she saw the feathers though.” Alex laughed.
Hayley shrugged. “That was so bad. Your jokes really truly are getting worse.”
“Maybe next time I’ll make it rain locusts.” He mused thoughtfully, with a hand on his chin.
Hayley gave him a dubious look as she took a glass from the cupboard. “You’re maybe taking that a little too far.”
“Yeah, I’d definitely get shot for that.” He agreed, having second thoughts.
“Yeah, a joke’s one thing, a plague’s another.” Hayley said, as she poured some orange juice.
“Oh yeah this came for you earlier.” Alex said, producing an envelope from his pocket.
“What is it?” she asked, taking the glossy white letter from him.
“An invitation to the House of a Thousand Paper Swans.”
Hayley peered at the letter with a scrutinising eye. “Do you want to go?” she asked, suddenly wary.
“Why not?”
“Don’t you think it’s odd that this came the day after we talked about it? I don’t know it all seems a little too convenient to me if you know what I mean.”
Alex didn’t seem to share her concern. “The guardian would have seen us coming, hence why the invitation arrived so soon.” He explained.
“Does that always happen?”
“Usually.” Alex gained a thoughtful look for a moment. “The last two times I went, it did.” He added.
Hayley took an apple from the fruit bowl. “So what do we do when we get there then?”
“It’s like I told you, you’re allowed to take a paper swan. Mind you, you’re only allowed one on each visit.”
Hayley took a seat at the table. “Why?” she asked, biting into her fruit.
“Because taking any more would just be plain greedy.” He replied, taking a seat.
Hayley frowned. “As clear an answer as you ever give, Alex?”
“Tea?” He said, ignoring the quip.
“Erm...” she contemplated, glancing at the empty glass – the tangy taste of citrus still fresh on her tongue. “Yeah, alright then.”
Turning in his seat, Alex glanced at the kettle sitting on the kitchen side, which decided to turn itself on. Two cups slid across the counter, stopping by the kettle. This eerie display was followed by two levitating teabags and a floating teaspoon depositing sugar into both cups.
Hayley rested her head on the end of her propped elbow. She did not seem at all impressed by Alex’s tricks. “Next time I dare you to do it with your eyes closed.”
Alex sat back round properly and smiled at her. “Done.” He said confidently, before closing his eyes.
The kettle clicked off. Hayley watched intently as it levitated from its base and began pouring hot water into the cups – not faltering once in its course. She glanced back at Alex who still had his eyes closed.
Two minutes later the tea was made and sitting on the table in front of them. A cunning grin crossed Alex’s face.
Unsurprised but still impressed, Hayley quietly raised her middle finger at him.
“I can see that too.” He laughed, his eyes still closed.
Hayley lifted her cup of tea. “Thanks for the drink.” She said, not giving him the satisfaction.
Alex opened his eyes again and smiled. “You’re welcome.”
“So when are we going to this place?”
Alex sipped his tea. “We can go after John gets back from school. That is, if you want to go...”
Hayley looked at him curiously. “What makes you say that?”
“Nothing, nothing...it’s just... I know it’s been a rough few of days. I just don’t want to make you do anything that you are not comfortable with.” He could read her face like a book. “And to be honest, it looks to me as if you’ve had enough.”
Hayley let out a strained sigh. She did feel exhausted, both psychically and mentally. “I’m sorry.” She apologised, her gaze falling to the floor. “My head is still spinning Alex.” Warily, she lifted her cup and drank some more of the sweet tea.
Alex sat with quiet patience, knowing there was more.
She sighed again. “Alex...” she looked at him again, this time with heavy eyes. “I just don’t know what to believe anymore. It’s just too much you know?” she looked away again, shaking her head in loss. “I mean, what’s so important about this place you want to go too anyway? If we go, will we be attacked by demons or vampires again? Like what happened in the supermarket?”
Alex continued to reserve his voice, unsure whether or not she wished to say more. But a glance his direction confirmed that it was now his turn to speak. But still, he took his time with his words. “No, we will not be attacked there. It is a safe place, I promise you that.” He began gently. “The reason I believe we should go is because the house could provide a lot of answers to the things that have been happening lately.”
His words failed to reassure her. “Could provide answers? How?” she asked sceptically.
“I would be lying if I said that we would definitely be getting answers, as we don’t know what we will be told until we get there. But on my previous visits, I was never let down. I have faith that this time will be no different.”
Hayley covered her face with her hand and shook her head, her afflicting thoughts tearing her two different ways. “How long will it take us to get there?” she asked, weary of another adventure which would likely leave her frightened, edgy and even more confused than she was now.
“We’ll be there and back again within ten minutes. You don’t have to do anything. I can take us straight there.”
Hayley gave a long sigh, before re-emerging from behind the screen of her palms. “Fine...” She conceded, with a gnawing feeling of apprehension within her gut.
******
The air was musky and damp, a lingering testament to the rain that had freshly fell. In its place a gentle breeze rippled through the tall, grassy green meadows. Through the swaying emerald grassland ventured Hayley, John and the angel. Standing tall over the meadows was an ancient, sandstone temple – The House of a Thousand Paper Swans.
As the party approached, it became clearer that the structure was beginning to show its age. One of the two pillars which lined either side of the grand entrance was missing its upper half; the tall grass evidence of how many long years the fallen sandstone had rested there, but its absence did not appear to falter the s
tructure’s integrity. Although not having yet succumbed to the same fate as was guaranteed by time, the remaining columns all appeared to have suffered from heavy erosion.
As they ascended the short flight of steps that led into the temple, wings spread wide across Alex’s back – released from their fleshly prison.
John eyed him curiously as they walked on. “Why are you getting those out?” he asked.
“As a mark of respect to the guardian.” Alex explained, his large white wings folding down flat against his back.
“Oh...ok.”
They walked on in silence.
The interior was nothing impressive, nothing more than eroded columns and blank sandstone walls. With the exception of the light pouring through the entrance behind them, the temple was dimly lit. The further they progressed, the paler the light became, rendering the temple into a cold and eerie twilight. They stopped before a towering set of large oak doors. Even in the poor light the grand and elegant engravings etched into the wood could be made out – the last drops of sunlight just catching their edges; but what they were remained hidden within shadows.
Alex glanced at John through the failing light for a moment, before turning to Hayley. “Remember do not touch anything unless you are told that you can do so, alright?” He stressed again.
John gave him a bored look, while Hayley gave a slight nod.
Turning back around Alex reached for the iron handles nestled within each ancient oak door. He gave the doors a hard push.
A rich golden light poured out from the room inside – the same light that flooded the land when the rising sun breached the horizon on a clear, cloudless summer morning. The room was enormous; row upon row of shelves ran from the entrance down each wall and into the distance – the end of the room beyond even the best eyesight.
Upon each shelf sat a line of delicately crafted origami swans. What was truly amazing was the lack of deviation from one hand crafted swan to another; they were all identical in every conceivable way. From the folds, to the edges, to the final shape – one was an exact replica of the last. The centre of the large dwelling was far less impressive. There was a chair and a desk and behind that desk sat a woman, garbed in pale robes scribbling away hastily with her quill.