Falling (The Soul Collectors Series Book 1)

by Tara Benham

  The walk into town was quiet. It was still rather early in the day. Last night, I’d spent time studying the map provided for us that showed where the damage would occur. I was saddened to know this beautiful area would be gone in no time. The area was lush and green. The smell of earth was clean and refreshing. Soon it would be destroyed and replaced with water. These parts of my jobs left me feeling blessed but sad at the same time. I would be the last to really appreciate the beauty of nature in this place, knowing no one would see it again.

  Each of my missions have been special for different reasons but I did have my favorites. This mission currently was creeping into my top five. My number one to date was Pompeii. Although it was one of the most destructive missions it was still special because it was my first.

  "You're very quiet this morning."

  Hadraniel's statement brought me back to the reality that I was not going to be the only one to enjoy the last of this beautiful location this time around.

  "Sorry. I was just thinking how sad it will be that in a few weeks this place will not be here."

  "That is sad. I figured you were used to that though. You've always seemed so level about your job." It wasn't a false statement but it stung a little.

  "My job does require some distancing. That does not mean that I don't feel something. I appreciate the feelings that others have about these missions as well. To survive though and be able to keep myself sane, I have to remain detached. This mission is completely different than my others. I normally don't interact with my target until almost the very end and never with help or mandatory involvement of a demon."

  Had seemed pensive as he listened to me talk. He was very attentive to whomever he was conversing with, even when home. Aniston had good taste when it came to crushes. He was kind and sweet. I hoped he reciprocated her feelings. They would make a good couple when the time came.

  "Has working with me been so awful for you?"

  "Nah, you're not so bad." I smirked at his scowl. "For real Had, it's been different, but not bad. I enjoy your company and you have had some wonderful ideas. Plus your good looks may have helped us with the in-crowd." Pink shot across his face with my compliment.

  "Well, Bay I hate to tell ya, but you're not that hard to look at either." My first reaction was to stick my tongue out at him, only increasing his smug grin.

  I suppose for human standards I was pretty. I had long wavy brown hair, ice blue eyes and was short. When most humans are asked to explain the image of an angel they say things like "blonde", "beautiful" and "tall". I didn't fit that description as much as Aniston did. Aniston was beautiful and tall and funny. Even if I found her annoying because she’s so chipper, she wasn’t as bad as I made her to be. I figured this might be a good time as any to mention her to Hadraniel.

  “So, Haddy. Do you have a crush on anyone?” Crimson flooded his face, and he squinted his eyes pretending to be blinded by the sun, that was barely squeaking through the leaves in the forest. He pursed his lips, and cleared his throat.

  “You’re really nice Bayla, but…”

  At first I was shocked, but when I realized he thought I meant me, I burst out laughing.

  “Well, I’m not that funny of a person to like am I?” He seemed almost indignant.

  “No, Haddy, not at all. It’s just I didn’t realize how that would sound. You are a great catch, I just don’t see you, or anyone for that matter, in that way. I was speaking about Aniston.” The flush appeared in his cheeks again.

  “Oh. Yes. Aniston.” He cleared his throat. “She is pretty. Why? Did she say something about me?”

  “Maybe.” Oh I haven’t had this much fun in forever. I could be a matchmaker. Well, here on Earth. At home we actually had matchmakers to ensure that those who chose to date would have their matches approved.

  “Good. Tell her I asked about her too then.” The red was fading from his cheeks, but there seemed to be a little more pep to his step.

  We went back to our comfortable, companionable silence as we finished our trek out of the woods and into town. It was quiet this time of morning, especially since it was the weekend. Even on missions, Angels tend to go to church, so I was glad they invited us today instead of tomorrow. As we neared the coffee shop, we could hear the chattering of a group of people. We rounded the corner and there had to be about fifteen people hanging outside the shop. I had never had to talk to that many people at once. My steps faltered slightly. Hadraniel, acting very brotherly, wrapped his arms around my shoulder, gave a quick supportive squeeze and then pulled me towards the group.

  “Had! Bayla!” Gray hollered at us in greeting. I was thinking maybe we would get a chance to hang out with Gray and Hannah without Declan, until we got closer and noticed he was in the middle of a group of girls. He smirked when he noticed me watching. “Guys, this is Had and Bayla. They’re new here. Their parents are missionaries, so they’ll be going to college here while their parents travel. Guys, this is the group.”

  We gave a quick wave, before being escorted to vehicles we’d be riding in, to take us to the quarry. I was placed in a car with Hannah, Declan, Gray and a girl whose name I didn’t catch, but she didn’t seem to mind. She was more concerned with Declan than with me. Hannah and I chatted about the quarry, my parents, her parents, and what classes we planned on taking. I really liked Hannah, and had started formulating a plan that would probably require that she was with us when we saved Gray. I wasn’t technically prohibited from her saving her, like in some situations, but I knew it would be frowned upon.

  “Did you know Declan before last night? He keeps watching you.” Hannah whispered.

  “What?” I went to turn in order to see what she was talking about but she grabbed me to keep from turning.

  She giggled at my response. “He’s so handsome. It almost hurts to look at him.” I only nodded in response. Why would he be staring at me? Miss Big Boobs, Blonde Hair was completely enthralled and using her best tricks to keep his attention. I didn’t need to look at them to know this. I could hear them.

  “He’s okay, I suppose.” I could feel heat spreading across my face, causing her to laugh again. “We haven’t ever met face to face before, but we knew of each other before last night.” That wasn’t a complete lie. I knew there was a demon coming, and most demons knew me because of my job and status. I was expecting Meph, so getting Declan was a definite plus.

  “Well, you’re a lucky girl either way.”

  “Tell me about the quarry. I’ve never been to one before, especially to swim.” Changing the subject seemed to be the best way to avoid furthering the conversation about me and Declan.

  “We should be there soon. It used to be a limestone mine, but after they stripped it, it filled with water and it’s been the local swimming hole ever since. It’s a beautiful area. Most of the local teenagers and college student hang out here during the warmer months. When it gets colder, we have bon fires. I can’t wait for you all to get to join us then. It is one of my favorite times of year.”

  Her enthusiasm was contagious, but unfortunately for her, the quarry would not be there come this fall. I’m not sure what has gotten into me this mission, but all of these new feelings and emotions were present. I didn’t like this change. I could not get attached to these humans, or this place. I blame Hadraniel and all of his wonder of this place. I smirked at the thought of his being at fault.

  “What’s on your mind over there Bay?” Declan asked

  Smirk gone. Frown now present.

  “Bayla, please.” My voice was a sugary sweet tone. “I was simply thinking about the quarry in the fall.”

  I had decided that the best way to deal with him was not to feed into his goading. He was so different, but he was still a demon. The less I revealed to him the better. I shot a blinding smile at him, and with much amusement received a pouty glare from Blondie beside him.

  “Yes, what a pity we won’t get to see it then, huh?” He was not planning on making this easy for me. I did
n’t get his game though, he needed them to go with whatever plan he made, and not mine. Scaring them was a good plan I suppose, but not one usually used by a demon. They much preferred tricking others into following them, as if it was their idea the whole time.

  “Why won’t you all get to see it?” The dense one spoke.

  “Well, because…” Declan started

  “Because we will be out camping most weekends of the fall doing research on the flora and fauna of the local area, and Declan agreed to help us out.” I shot him a warning glare. Different teams or not, I was still the superior on this mission.

  “Yes, that.” Declan winked.

  He. Winked. At. Me.

  What was this dude’s motive? I knew little about male Angels, less about male humans, and even less than that about male Demons. I get that they are charming to get their way, but not towards angels. There was an unspoken agreement. They were fallen angels, or the descendants of those who had fallen. They were everything we stood against. I had never met another demon like Declan. Ever. Not that I had met a lot, but still he was just so unlike the others. I wonder if this is why Father Paul asked me to allow him to work with us some. I was still dwelling on all of this when I felt the vehicle stop.

  “This place is gorgeous.” I gasped.

  We were parked in a gravel lot, but you could see most of the quarry in front of us. There were cliffs with trees, a beach, and still dark blue water. The place was quiet; I assumed because we had gotten there so early. The group from the other car had already exited and were hauling things towards the beach. I hopped out behind Hannah, taking my bag as well as the beach blanket she handed to me.

  “If we stay all day and night like we usually do, you’ll be amazed at the night sky. There’s little light out here other than the fires people build, so the stars are clearly visible. It’s a beautiful sight.”

  “This place is amazing isn’t it, Bay?” I turned to fuss at Declan, when I realized it was Hadraniel, not Declan, who had spoken.

  “Absolutely, Had. I can’t wait to go for a swim. How about you?” It wasn’t nice to tease him. Swimming on Earth was going to be another new experience for Had. He took the ribbing in stride and just smiled.

  “Let’s go dive off one of the cliffs, Had.” Gray suggested.

  Declan was standing behind him though so it was safe to assume he was the one who made the original suggestion. I silently held my breath, hoping Hadraniel wouldn’t allow himself to be goaded into doing something he wasn’t ready for yet.

  “Nah, I’m good man, thanks. Maybe later. I think I’m going to swim out to the platform and chill for a while.”

  I sighed a breath of relief. No one seemed to notice, thank Grace. It wasn’t that I didn’t think Hadraniel couldn’t make the jump, he was a Blue-in-Training for Grace’s sake. But he needed to learn to maneuver in the water first before jumping into it. I don’t know why I continued to be surprised by his good decisions. He has done nothing but show me how smart he is with most of his decisions and suggestions.

  “Wait up, Haddy. I think I’m going to join you.” I spoke up before he got too far away.

  “Cool.”

  For the rest of the day, we lounged, swam, jumped, ate, laughed and just hung out with our new group of friends. After his initial threat of spilling the beans, Declan was well-behaved the rest of the time. I’m sure it had more to do with the fact that we were all having fun, and not dwelling on what our futures were going to be. And soon. Earlier on the platform, after discussing in length with Hadraniel my plans for including Declan, he agreed. We would be giving Declan a brief outline of our plan with as little details as possible. That way I could say I included him some, without giving away any help to his plan.

  The night sky was starting to creep in and overtake the daylight. The oranges, purples and pinks were radiant out here, reflecting on the smooth surface of the quarry water. Orange was such a soothing color, I loved how it looked next to the darkness that was winning.

  “This is my favorite part.” Declan was standing close by me, with awe on his face. “It’s quiet out where I am staying. Just me and the animals out there, so I spend a lot of my nights watching the darkness take over, and the stars come out.” He sounded almost lonely. I had to tell myself not to pity this man. He was not good. He was demon, to the core.

  “Earth can have some of the most spectacular night skies. I agree. I think my favorite view was from the Titanic. The water was still, and there was absolute darkness. The air was crisp and you could see the stars everywhere in all directions. It was quite a sight. Your fellow demon was on that mission, but I doubt that he once looked at the night skies.”

  “Mephistopheles and I are not the same perso….err demon. I was never like him. I guess that’s why I wasn’t given any missions until now. And even that’s only because my ‘look’ fits more appropriately than his ever could, or I wouldn’t be here. Hadraniel said you two wanted to talk to me.” Quick change of subject, smooth.

  “Not here, not now. Let’s just enjoy the sky and the company. You can come to our cottage after church tomorrow and we will discuss it then.”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  We headed back to the group. He went and sat by Alissa, as I discovered was Blondie’s name. I laid down beside Hannah, and gazed at all the stars that were out. All was silent for a while and I was beginning to drift off, when someone suggested we load up and head home. I was not ready to leave this area, but I knew I had church early in the morning. I’d gotten the directions from Hannah for the church Father Paul suggested we attend. The trip home was quick and quiet as most people in the car were asleep other than Gray, who was driving, and Declan. Declan and Gray chatted, while I pretended to sleep.

  “Thanks for the invite today. I had fun.” Declan said.

  “You’re welcome, dude. Alissa really seems to like you.”

  “She seems like a nice girl. I’m not really interested in her though.”

  “Oh yeah? Got your eyes on someone else?” Gray chuckled. “Maybe Bayla?”

  “Bayla? Nah, I mean she is absolutely one of the most breathtaking girls I have ever seen, but our backgrounds are so different it would never work. She’s pure goodness, man. I, on the other hand, have a bit of a wild streak.”

  “Right on.” Gray high fived Declan, who just smirked a little.

  Hearing Declan say I was breathtaking, made my stomach knot. I was not this girl. I was not going to be this girl. I was Bayla, angel, Collector of Souls. I was strong, disconnected, and perfect at my job. This was the kick I needed to get refocused. I could not allow this demon to affect my decisions. These humans were nice, but I had a mission. One I would not fail, even if I didn’t know why Gray was so special. I would save him, complete the mission, and return to my home in Heaven to await my next mission. I turned and really went to sleep this time.

  Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. ~1 Peter 8 (NIV)

  We left early for church to ensure that we had time to get there and still look presentable. When we got into town, the bookstore owner who had introduced himself as Mr. Whitstock, asked to join us on our walk. He was a nice gentleman, and seemed very kind. We walked along in silence a while before Mr. Whitstock turned to speak to me.

  “I noticed you seem quieter today. Is something on your mind?”

  Funny how this man who barely knew me could read me that easily. What was stranger was that I wanted to talk to him about my problems. I knew I would have to choose my words carefully, but I really thought he could provide some good insight.

  “Well, I feel like I am missing something important, like in a puzzle. I can’t really give you any details, but I feel a little more lost than normal. I am good at what I do, and usually I’m able to stay on task. For some reason, there seems to be something different this time.”

  “I’m betting you already know the answer. I would even dare to say you’ve fig
ured out all the clues needed to understand what you should be doing, even if you don’t understand the purpose behind it. Sometimes help comes even when it shouldn’t be given. I say you wouldn’t be thinking so much about these issues, if you weren’t sure of your path.” With that he sped up to walk with Hadraniel but not before giving me a wink and pat on the back.

  There was something about Mr. Whitstock. I couldn’t seem to figure it out, but I would add it to the mystery that has become my mission. No wonder Elder Michael put such an emphasis that I must not fail. Something big was going to happen, and I feared it wasn’t just the earthquake.

  The interior of the church was beautiful. There were cedar benches, pristine white walls, and stained glass windows depicting the stories of different great men in the Bible. Hannah was sitting beside the story window of Noah and his ark. She smiled and motioned for me and Hadraniel to join her. We sat down just as the choir began to sing. I loved hearing hymns. Music fed my soul, and the choir was very good. It allowed me time to re-center myself and my thoughts back to the mission at hand. I would save Gray, hopefully Hannah, and if my suspicions were true, like Mr. Whitstock somewhat eluded too, I’d be saving Declan too.

  The preacher stood up to begin his sermon for the day, but I got lost in my prayers and thoughts. I asked for guidance on how to handle this situation and to detach myself and my feelings from the situation. I couldn’t allow emotions to cloud my decision. All of my choices on past missions were based on the best way to accomplish them with little thought as to how it affected the humans. I needed to continue with these practices. The Elders entrusted me, alone, to figure out this mission and to complete it. I didn’t need to know the why, just the how. As I continued to pray, I came back to the conclusion that I had to learn to trust and let go. I had to stick to being just a collector of souls, not a redeemer. Redemption seemed to be the message of the day. The pastor was reading from Romans 3 when I came back around.