by Lola StVil
“The location of the Deed is inside,” Hollander says as he gets down to the ground and places a flat see-through coin in the palm of Bex’s bloody hand.
“What is that?” Randy asks East.
“It’s called a Plate. The contents inside will gather and form a word or symbol giving us the location of the Deed. Plates are ideal to use because they will only reveal the answer to a designated being; in this case, the answer will only appear in Bex’s hand,” East informs Randy.
“It’s been a pleasure, Bexington,” Hollander says, calling the Para by his full name.
The rest of the Paras fly off and follow the guy who will soon be their new leader. We help Bex off his knees.
“I’m fine, I’m fine,” he snaps as he shrugs us off.
He straightens himself out and tries to act as if what has taken place is nothing major. But all of us know better.
“I can fix your hand,” Diana offers.
“No, it’s fine,” Bex says.
“Yes. Let her fix it,” Swoop replies.
Bex is about to argue but then thinks better of it and holds his hand out. Diana uses a small blue colored vial and Bex’s wounds disappear almost instantly.
“Thanks,” he says, avoiding eye contact.
Suddenly Swoop embraces Bex tightly. Bex is taken aback by this and stands shocked for several seconds.
“This isn’t me hugging you; this is me hugging you for Key. She would do this if she were here, so I’m filling in,” Swoop says as she continues to hold him. He embraces her back. We try and look away to give them some sort of privacy.
“Okay, let’s find this Deed thing and go get Pryor,” I say once Bex and Swoop are done.
Bex looks into the Plate and waits as the information gathers in the form of smoke inside the clear coin.
“Okay, so where is the Deed? Bex, tell us,” Randy says impatiently.
“Oh no…” Bex says.
“What? Did Hollander trick us? I swear to Omnis if there is nothing inside the Plate, I will kill him,” I vow.
“No, he didn’t trick us. We have the location of the Deed,” Bex says in an uneasy voice.
“Well, where the hell is it, Para?” Diana demands.
“Mercy Island,” Bex replies.
“That’s good, right?” Randy asks.
We all look at each other with growing dread. Randy studies our faces and is baffled.
“I was waiting for Bex to say something like ‘No Survivor Lane’ or ‘Good-Luck-Finding-Your-Teeth forest,’ but ‘Mercy Island,’ that’s gotta be good, right?” Randy says, filled with hope.
“‘Mercy Island’ is an ironic term, Randy,” East says in a grim tone.
“Of course it is,” Randy says, scolding himself.
“Mercy Island is—”
“Wait! I just need two seconds before I find out about the next hell that awaits us,” Randy tells Swoop.
We wait a few moments as Randy composes himself. He takes a deep breath and silently curses our luck.
“Okay, I’m ready. Tell me about not-so-Merciful Island,” Randy says.
“Many cycles ago, a group of angels had a falling-out with Omnis. The leader’s name was Knox. Knox and his group were radical thinkers. They believed that Omnis should take away his greatest gift to humanity—free will,” Swoop says.
“Why?” Randy replies.
“Knox and the others thought it was cruel to let the humans find their own way in the world. He argued that humans sucked at finding and maintaining peace. It was like they would constantly find things to wage war for: land, money, or worst of all, religion,” East explains.
“Wait, Omnis is all about religion, right?” Randy asks.
“You don’t get into the light based on what you believe; you get in based on your character,” I tell him.
“Okay, so this Knox guy wanted to take away humanity’s free will. I guess Omnis wasn’t happy about that,” Randy says.
“The most important thing Omnis ever created was humanity. It was perfect in that it was imperfect. Omnis loved to watch humanity learn and grow. He didn’t want to take away the humans’ right to choose goodness or evil. So he turned Knox and the other angels away.”
“Knox was certain that if Omnis knew what humans were like when they followed blindly, he’d agree to it and take free will away. So the group rounded up five hundred humans and took them to a small island off the coast of Spain. They administered a mixture called ‘Mercy’ to all five hundred humans,” Swoop says.
“Did the mixture work?” Randy wonders.
“It was too potent. Making mixtures for humans is very delicate because humans are very fragile,” Diana adds.
“Something went wrong with the mixture and the humans died ghastly deaths. Some were exsanguinated; some faced horrid disfigurement and loss of limbs before they died. A few of them were driven insane and took to cutting their own flesh off. And in one instance with a pregnant a woman, her name was Melinda, her fetus ate its way out of her belly and they both died shortly after,” Bex says.
“Wow, that’s…seriously?” Randy says, turning pale.
“Yes. When Omnis found out about the five hundred dead humans, he made a deal with Time, Death, and Fate,” East says.
“Omnis made a deal with Pryor’s mom?” Randy says.
“No, this was before Pryor’s mom took over as Death,” Bex says.
“Okay, so Omnis made a deal with the then Council members?”
“Yes, they agreed to allow the five hundred humans who passed away to live on even after death on the island. The five hundred souls had free reign to rule the island and face no consequences for their actions whatsoever,” I reply.
“Then Omnis gave Knox and his group a choice. They could go to Difi, otherwise known as Hell. Or they could face the wrath of the now five hundred evil spirits that roamed the island, commonly referred to as Furies,” East says.
“Knox and the others went with Mercy Island,” Randy guesses.
“Yes; they were never heard from again,” Swoop says.
“What?” Randy asks, once again baffled.
“Rumor has it the Furies tortured the angels beyond the point of madness and got them to kill themselves. But some believe that they kept them alive so that they could have the angels there to torture without end,” Bex adds.
“Omnis allowed it?” Randy says.
“He deemed the island free of his control. There are no laws on that island. There are wicked, unnatural things that roam the woods, swamps, and dilapidated structures,” Diana says.
“Mercy Island is what happens when there is no Omnis. It’s Hell on Earth, literally,” I reply.
“The Furies are vengeful, enraged humans who hate all things. Their one and only goal is to destroy life wherever it can be found,” East tells him.
“The Furies got so out of control that they wanted off the island and out into the world. Omnis could not let that happen so he locked them onto the island with the largest Holder ever made,” I explain.
“So Omnis placed them in a protective dome thingy that prevents them from getting out?” Randy says.
“Yes. The base of the Holder has a meter attached to it. It measures something you will never find in a Fury--inner peace,” Swoop says.
“So as long as they are pissed off and unwilling to forgive, the meter will register their anger and keep them stuck on the island for good?” Randy asks.
“Yes, but so help whoever is stuck on that island with them,” I reply.
“In this case us?” Randy says as he shakes his head.
“Yes, that is where the Deed has been placed,” East says.
“Fine, let’s go to Hell on Earth and get our girl back,” Randy says bravely.
“Randy—”
“Don’t think about it, Silver! You are not cutting me out of this. She’s my best friend and I am helping,” Randy declares.
I can think of a million reasons why allowing Randy to come would be a bad
idea. For one thing, if he dies in the process, Pryor will have my head for taking him along. Bex senses my hesitation.
“Can you stay and look after Key for us? For me?” he asks.
“You know I love Key, but she’s with Julian. She’s in good hands. Just like you needed to sacrifice for Pryor, so do I. Please, guys, let me come. I can stay in a Holder, I promise,” Randy vows.
“Fine, but we need to get going,” I reply as we take to the sky.
“You said Mercy Island is in Spain, right?” Randy says.
“It was originally, but Omnis had it moved,” Swoop says.
“Where is it now?”
“No one knows, Randy. It’s well hidden,” I reply.
“Silver, how will we find it?”
“We’re going to ask an old friend for help.”
***
Moments later we arrive in Atlanta, Georgia. We land behind the trees just off the main road. As we head down the winding path, we see a large yellow and white southern style home just up ahead.
The home boasts large pillars, a wraparound porch with a swing, and a six-piece white wicker patio dining set. The land in front of the house is filled with children of all ages. They play and run around without a care.
“Wow, what is that place?” Randy wonders as we get closer to the house.
“It’s a group home for Quo children. It’s run by Maybelle Harper,” Swoop says.
“Who is she?” Randy says.
“Mrs. Maybelle is a Quo. She’s half angel and half human,” East says.
“And all attitude,” Bex adds.
“She owns this place?” Diana asks.
“She owns property all over the world, thanks to her uncanny business sense. She owns a large Fortune 500 company, but her passion is kids,” I inform her.
“What’s her power?” Randy says.
“She is the finder of lost things,” I reply.
“Great, why don’t we just ask her to locate Pry for us?”
“Nice try, Randy, but Mrs. Maybelle can only find things, not beings,” I tell him.
“So she can lead us to Mercy Island?” Randy asks.
“Let’s hope so,” I reply.
“I’ve heard about her, but I’ve never seen her face-to-face,” Diana says.
“She’s a real trip. She used to babysit Silver,” Swoop teases.
“Really? So she knows some major embarrassing stories,” Randy says mischievously.
“Hey, we are not here to socialize. We just need to get the location of the island and get going,” I remind them when we draw near.
Standing in the middle of the lively group of Quo children is a tall, heavyset woman with licorice colored skin, dark brown eyes, full lips, and a bright smile. She wears a designer flower printed dress and has her hair pinned up in a mop of close curls. She sees me approaching and folds her hands across her ample bosom in dismay. When she speaks, she has a southern no-nonsense tone.
“Silver Case, don’t you dare step foot in my home. I mean it, you take your wings and your no-good self and get on down the road…”
Chapter Fifteen:
Devil's Tongue
Randy is shocked at Mrs. Maybelle’s reaction to seeing me. He whispers in my ear that I was wrong about going to see a friend. I smile back at him and assure him that Mrs. Maybelle is not only a friend but also family.
“Mrs. Maybelle, I came a long way to see you,” I reply with a smile.
Her cell phone rings and she holds up her hand, signaling for me to wait until she is done with the call.
“Mrs. Maybelle speaking,” she says into the phone.
Her voice has lost about ninety percent of its southern accent. Her voice is official, strong, and certain.
“Mr. Warfield, I think we have made your company a fair offer given your current situation...the fact is your suppliers have backed out, your stock holders are calling for your head, and the SEC is closing in…I hear disdain in your voice, Mr. Warfield, and that’s not acceptable. So as of now we are offering you fifty million dollars less than we did yesterday…yes, I am very serious. And Mr. Warfield, have an answer for me by the end of business today or we will pull out altogether,” Mrs. Maybelle says.
She then calmly hangs up her cell and looks over at me.
“And why are you still in my front yard?” she asks.
“We know you can’t stand Silver, but what about me? Do I have to go back too?” Swoop asks.
“Now, you know how much I love your behind. Come on up here, sweetness!” Mrs. Maybelle says to Swoop.
She hugs Swoop tightly; she does the same to Bex and East.
“Why do they get a big welcome and not me?” I ask.
“Cause I don’t like you.” She reminds me with a small smile.
“Well, I like you. In fact, I’ve really missed you,” I reply.
“You ain’t no damn good,” she says, suppressing a smile.
“You know you missed me,” I tell her.
“Aw hell, I been think’n bout you and your crazy self, come here,” she says, embracing me.
I really have missed her. I didn’t realize how much until I inhaled her flowery scent. Mrs. Maybelle is the closest thing I have to a mom. When my dad would leave me with her, it only took five seconds for me to get in trouble. But as many times as she scolded me, put me in the corner, or outright spanked me, I never doubted she loved me.
I could tell by the way she treated me. It didn’t matter that I was half demon. Whatever the other kids had, she made sure I had the same. And when some of the kids refused to play with me because I was a demon, she’d cuss them out. Then she’d she let me follow her around and ask a million questions.
In the Angel world she is highly regarded as a caregiver among both angels and even demons. She never really took sides. If you were a kid then she protected you no matter what. Everyone had stayed with Mrs. Maybelle at one point for one reason or another. But I got to stay with her the longest, while my dad tried to deal with my mom’s death.
I stayed with her for nearly a year when I was a kid. As happy as I was, I also missed my father greatly. She could tell that I was homesick so she called my father and I remember that conversation word for word.
“Thomas, I know you’re sit’n up in New York City hurt’n cause you done lost the one you love. But you need to get your pretty demon ass up and come get this boy. He needs a daddy. So shake that shit off and come do right by him,” she said.
It worked. From that day on, my father never left my side. I think he was a little afraid of her; most of us are. Mrs. Maybelle is and always will be the very definition of “no nonsense.” She stands before me now, examining Randy and Diana.
“And who is this li’l boy and why ain’t you all fed him?” she asks.
“This is Randy. He’s human,” I confess.
“Hi, Maybelle,” Randy says.
“Maybelle? I am your elder; we did not go to school together, young man. You call me Mrs. Maybelle,” she says.
“Yes, ma’am,” Randy replies.
“Now who is this pretty face skinny li’l thing?” she asks, looking at Diana.
“Um…hi,” Diana replies.
“How you do’n li’l bit?” she asks.
“Ah…I’m good,” Diana says awkwardly.
Mrs. Maybelle studies Diana suspiciously. She then raises her eyebrows and opens her mouth as if she’s about to ask a question. But then Diana looks back at her with pure panic. And Mrs. Maybelle decides not to say anything.
“What’s that about?” Bex asks.
“No idea,” I admit.
“Mrs. Maybelle, we need your help,” Swoop says.
“Hey, if you can’t play without your powers, Davey, I will take them away.” She yells at a small boy using his powers to cheat at hide-and-go-seek by disappearing.
“Sorry, Mrs. Maybelle,” the boy replies.
“He’s just as crooked and shady as his damn daddy was,” Mrs. Maybelle whispers to us.
“How long has he been with you?” I ask.
“Davey just got here; now I love him already, but he is sure ’nough try’n me. Just like you did.”
“I wasn’t that bad,” I protest.
“I was tempted to sell your fresh behind to a band of demons the very first day you came here,” she reminds me.
“Was Silver really hard to handle?” Randy asks.
“Hard don’t even begin to cover it; he set my kitchen on fire twice. He kept using his secondary power and summoning things up out of midair. I walked in my living room and I would never know what I would find. One day he conjured up a pack of penguins. The next day he summoned up a forest. It ruined my hardwood floors. And there was also the time he summoned the crown of the Queen of England. Boy, were the humans mad about that,” she says, laughing.
“What’s the worst thing Silver has ever done?” Diana asks.
“Well, there was the time he ran away and tried to fly back to New York on his own. Can you imagine? His wings were so scrawny at the time he could barely make it past the front porch,” she recalls.
“Where was he going?” Diana says as she joins in the laughter.
“He was going to find Pryor. Seems like ever since I knew you, you been chasing after that girl. Where is she? She didn’t come with you all?” Mrs. Maybelle asks.
“No,” I reply simply.
“What’s going on?” she asks.
“Pryor is back home,” I tell her.
“Boy, you bout as good at lie’n as I am at that Face-novel things the kids love.”
“Mrs. Maybelle, it’s called Facebook,” Swoop corrects her gently.
“Whatever you call it, I ain’t no good at it and Silver ain’t no good at lie’n. Come on and tell me what happened to that little girl. I know things been bad since most of your folks are stuck in the light. Now the question is, just how bad have things gotten?” she says.
We explain the situation with Pryor. She listens carefully and her smile is replaced with worry and fear. I didn’t want to tell her because I knew she’d react this way. She loves us and even though we are older now, still thinks of us as her kids, regardless of our age.
