by Sandra Love
“Shut your mouth, and make me dinner. Then go straight to your room. No dinner for you.”
“But I am so hungry.” I start to cry.
“I don’t give a rat’s ass! You disrespected me, and this is your punishment. Now make me a cheeseburger, and then get out of my sight.”
“Can I please take a shower? I got coffee spilt on me, and I feel gross”
“FINE! Now, shut up, my show is on. Cook my dinner.”
I go to start prepping the hamburger meat as tears flow down my face. He is so mean to me. I should poison him, but I will not sink to that level. They would know it was I. I finish making his dinner. I take it to him. He does not say another word to me. Thank the gods.
I go and grab my pajamas and head for the bathroom. As the water heats up, I get undressed and look at my back. It looks so bad. He managed to hit each shoulder blade. I look closer, and I swear I think I see purple feathers. I blink and look again, but there is nothing there. Great, at this rate I will get locked up and they will throw away the key. Then I notice my arm is a little sore, so I look down and see I have claw marks, like fingernails. I knew it was not from my blade, because they looked fresh. Then I remember the woman in my dream; she had a death grip on my arm. How, I think, it was just a dream?
Sighing, I get in the bath. I take the razor blade, and this time I decide to cut my thigh. As the blade kisses my skin, I let out a whimper. This time I cut my skin, because I have to prove to myself that I am still a normal human being; after the things I think I’ve seen over the last couple of hours, I feel like I’m in some weird nightmare. I wince, letting it slice my leg just enough for it to bleed. I feel the pain and hiss through my teeth—there goes the nightmare theory; this really is my life. I wash my hair and body, the blood washing away with the running water.
I get done with the shower, get out, and dress. I head to my room. I shut and lock my bedroom door. I sit on my bed and pull out my journal. I hope they find it when I exit the earth.
I open it and start to write:
Monday October 16
It is almost my 18th birthday, and I cannot wait. Maybe I can run away from this horrible place. Today was a weird day. Of course, I got a beating. It is always in the same place; my shoulder blades. I don’t get it. My dumb father will not even let it heal. And today I swear I saw purple feathers popping out. That happened after the horrible dream I had when I fell asleep. I want to know who that woman is, and what she meant by the truth. Maybe I will snoop around the house when my father goes out to get more booze. I will have to be careful, though. I almost forgot to mention I thought I say black and blue wings in the woods. Was it an animal? Or something I could not explain. I will get to the bottom of all this. Well, I guess I better get rest so I can start this all over. Or maybe the gods will take me when I am fast asleep! Please do, I beg of you.
Delia
I shut my journal, and put it in my bag. I never leave it here. I know my father searches my room when I am at school. I look around my room; it doesn’t have a lot of things in it. I am not allowed to hang up posters or pictures on my wall, so they are just plain white. I have one window that looks out toward the woods. My curtains are a dingy yellow color. I have one dresser that holds my under garments and shirts. My bed is a single, and the springs are popping up. It hurts my whole body. My blankets are so old, like from 1977. I can’t even get new ones. It is like I live in a prison; I cannot watch TV, nor have anyone over. Like that even matters, I have no friends. I’m not allowed to listen to music either. How sad is that?
My stomach growls, so I look in my bag and grab out the power bar that the gym teacher gave me today. I swear she thinks I have an eating disorder. I’m so skinny and probably low on all my vitamins. She’s the only one that is nice to me. At least one person cares about me. I start to eat it slowly, trying to enjoy it. There’s no way to enjoy it. It tastes like a rock. I finish it and put the wrapper in my bag. I don’t want my father to find it and give me another beating. I climb under the old blanket and lay there. I look at my nightstand to see it is only 7:45pm. I reach for the lamp and turn it off. I watch as the moon rises up in the sky, wishing I could just disappear. I start to doze off and everything goes black, except the wings that I see in the corner of my room just before I close my eyes; they’re black and blue.
Chapter Three
Cameron
I walk back to the cabin to meet up with Kaleigh. As I grow closer to our temporary home, I watch her through the window. She is decorating for the upcoming holiday of Halloween. She is placing carved pumpkins in the window in the kitchen. I notice she had our little kitchen table set up with Halloween plates and cups. She had black and purple lights hanging all around the kitchen, and it got me wondering what the rest of the house looked like. She always loved all the holidays and decorating. She and our mother would sit around planning what they wanted to do months before. It always made her happy, but now our parents are gone. This is the first time in 5 years she has done something for the holidays. My sister has the biggest heart of anyone I know. She would have made a great mother. I could just see her sitting around with her children, planning the holidays. My heart starts to ache for her, knowing that we are stuck like this; we can never love or have babies.
But, at least we are not dark angels. Dark Angels are never to see day again. There is a place in our home country where the sun never shines, called The Dark City. Creatures are stuck in the dark; creatures such as Vampires, Evil Witches, and Werewolves.
I am a fallen angel and have been since I was 13 years of age. My parents were white angels. Then they acted out—something about The Law of the Coven. They did something horrible. I do not know what happened; all I know is that The Old Ones killed them. Sadly, my sister and I had to watch as the Old Ones ripped and cut out their beautiful white wings. The blood was horrible. I can still hear their screams. The Old Ones watch over everyone in the country of Ithaca, and some are over 5,000 years old. They’ve seen destruction, they are used to devastation, but my Kaleigh and I would always have that image in our minds.
“Cam, are you okay? I’ve been talking to you for like five minutes.” I blinked, the soft voice pulling me from the memory. Kaleigh was standing there with her hands on her hips.
“Sorry, I was lost in thought. Kaleigh, do you think Cordelia will ever find out what happened all those years ago?”
“I hope so; she needs to know the truth and know what she is. We can’t tell her, she has to find out on her own. I know you want to be the hero, but it’s not in your cards.”
“I know. Let’s go in and eat. I’m starved, and tomorrow I start my day at Summers High School as a senior. YAY!” I say, excitedly like a little child.
Kaleigh laughed and playfully punched me in the arm as we walked into the cabin. “You’re a dork. Just think, all the snobs will want to jump your bones. Oh, and I hear homecoming is coming up. I bet you will have a line of slutty girls wanting to talk to you.” She starts to boil the pasta.
“Please; there is only one girl I want to go with.” Shit, did I say that out loud? Kaleigh drops the spoon she is using and sighs.
Oh boy, she looks pissed off. “Cameron Ethan Douglas, stop it right now. I don’t want you to be one of those sad melodramatic guys, walking around stalking innocent girls. Girls you know you can never be with. You are not to fall in love with her. You hear me? You are making me repeat myself, and I hate that. I will hit you with this rubber spoon across your nugget.”
“Kaleigh, chill. I won’t. It might be hard, though. She’s gorgeous.”
“Just eat, and go to bed. You need your rest. I’m going to head to my room now and read, before you say something else that’s stupid. Good night, Cam.” She storms off toward her room.
Great, I pissed her off, I think as I munch on the food she had prepared. I’m just glad her wings didn’t come out. When that happens, I know she’s really pissed off. Her wings are beautiful. They are black with purple on the tips.
That’s the perks of being a fallen angel. Our wings have color to them. But, you still have to have some darkness to them, to let everyone know that you are being punished. I really miss having those white wings, because it gave me hope that I could one day fall in love and start a family. Maybe a family with Cordelia. I don’t know why I’ve been thinking of her lately. Today, while I was watching her sleep, it felt like she was the one for me. I can’t explain that feeling, but it felt real. I feel so close to her when I’m near. I wonder if she feels the same. The last girl I felt like this with was Anna. Anna was beautiful, also with short red hair and green eyes. She was a natural beauty. My thoughts go to the night she died.
“Cam, I can’t do this anymore,” she had said. “You came into my life, telling me I’m a witch, that I’m adopted, and my real parents died because of someone called The Old Ones. How could you be so damn cruel? I was falling in love with you. You have destroyed me, ruined me.” She was standing in the pouring rain and tears were running down her face. What had I done?
“Anna, please look at me,” I urged her. “You are a white witch. That means you are good. Your family lives in a country called Ithaca. Here, take my hand and I will show you the truth. Please Anna, I don’t want to lose you. I love you.” After those words, Kaleigh grabbed me and spun me around.
“Cam! Cam, look at me, please. You can’t take her there. She had to find out on her own. Now you will be punished, and I don’t want to see that. They will kill you like they did Mom and Dad. I love you; you are my brother. The only brother I have.”
I slapped her hands away. “You have no right, Kaleigh. She is who I want. I need her.” I turn in time to see she took out a bottle of something and drank it.
“No, Anna! What have you done?” I ran to her, but it was as if everything was going in slow motion. I caught her before she hit the ground. Tears filled my eyes as I watched her cough up blood. Blood was coming out of her eyes and down her cheeks.
“Cam.” She started to cough harder. “I love you, but I can’t live like this anymore. Goodbye.”
With that, she died. I held her lifeless body as I cried and screamed. Kaleigh came over to hold me, but I pushed her away. I was so mad at her. If she wasn’t there to distract me, I could have saved my love.
“Cam, please we have to go. We have to go back and tell the Old Ones what happened.”
“Just go, and leave me the hell alone. This is your fault!” I screamed at my sister. “I hate you!”
She turned, and her wings came to life and she flew away. I sat there holding Anna’s lifeless body, tears streaming down my face. All I wanted to do was save her. Why did this have to happen?
I come back to present day and realize I have tears running down my cheeks. I miss her, but she’s not Cordelia. I will not let what happened to Anna happen to her. I will stop all this hurt she is experiencing. I get up and head to my room, thinking I better get sleep. Tomorrow I start my first day as a senior. I lay in bed thinking about when Kaleigh and I were told we needed to take on Cordelia as our new charge.
Kaleigh and I walked up the white spiral staircase to go see The Old Ones. It almost looked like we were walking up to heaven. White doves flew around us, creating a peaceful space. I was wondering what they needed us for. I was felling nervous. I hoped I wasn’t being punished for what happened with Anna. They had told me that things happened for a reason and dismissed me. That was a couple of months ago. Kaleigh and I entered the huge room, and in front of us sat the seven Old Ones. They were sitting in huge chairs, wearing white robes and looking wise. I only knew one by name; Abem. He’s the oldest of them all.
Abem stood up. “Please approach us, Miss. and Mr. Douglas.”
We walked toward them and bowed. “We have a new task for you two. It will be a difficult one at that. You are to go to Summers, Georgia. A young girl there is like us. She has no knowledge of this. Your task is to watch over. She is a troubled young lady. Cameron, don’t repeat what was done with young Anna. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes sir, I promise. What is this new charge’s name?”
“Her name is Cordelia Rose Newton, and you will be able to sense her when you arrive. Keep your distance, watch her, and study her. Then, Cameron, I want you to attend her school in October. Then, and only then, may you talk with her. But, this is your only warning—you don’t want to cross us again.”
“I won’t let you down again.”
“You both are dismissed. Goodbye and good luck.”
I brought myself to the present day once more. I sigh. Why I agreed to this, I will never know.
Chapter Four
Cordelia
I have the sense that someone was watching me, and it is a creepy feeling, as if someone is in my room. Then I hear the crying of a woman coming from the corner. I reach to turn on the light. There, in the corner, balled up and sobbing, is my mother.
“Mom? What’s going on?” I get out of the bed and slowly walk to her. I haven’t seen my mother in days.
“Delia, she’s coming for you. She came in my dreams, and said she wants you back. You need to run away before she comes for you.”
“Who is the woman, Mother? Why does she want me?” Then my mother starts to shake, her eyes rolling into the back of her head. Oh my god, what is going on? I scream for my father. Even though I don’t want to be anywhere near him, he is the only one who may be able to help right now.
“What the hell do you want? It’s 4 in the damn morning!”
“Something’s wrong with mom. Call 911; she needs help.” He just stands there, so I run past him to the kitchen, picking up the phone and calling for an ambulance.
“911. What’s your emergency?”
“My mom is shaking and I don’t know what’s wrong with her. Help me, please.” I start to cry.
“What’s the address, Sweetie?” The operator asked in a soothing voice. How can she have a soothing tone during this moment of panic?
“8515 Sunset Court. Please hurry.”
“Someone is on the way. Please stay calm.”
I hang up the phone and go to sit on the porch.
It is about 5 minutes before the ambulance shows up. I decide to stay outside; I don’t want to see my mother like that. I wonder if that woman from my dreams is the same one that came to Mother. Why is my life so out of control? I think the Gods and the universe hate me, just like everyone else. I never had any friends and I always keep to myself. Hell, I don’t even know who Justin Bieber is. The girls at school talk about him, and supposedly he’s famous, but I just think he has a weird name; it sounds like beaver.
“Miss, I have some questions for you.”
I looked up at the sound of a male voice to see a police officer standing over me. “Yes sir. I can answer anything.”
“Did your mother say anything to you before she started to have her episode?”
I decided to lie, even though I would probably go to hell for lying to a cop. “No sir; I woke up, and she was crying and then she started to shake. I’m so scared. What’s wrong with her?”
“They have no clue; they are taking her to the hospital. They will inform you as soon as they run some tests.”
“Thank you, Officer.”
Just then, the medics were rolling my mother out and putting her in the ambulance. I watched as every one left my house.
“Cordelia Rose, get your ass in this house,” my father bellows.
“Yes sir,” I say as I stand up to walk in and receive my punishment, even though I don’t deserve one. “Is Mom going to be okay?” He grabs my arm and shoves me against the wall. I whimper when my body makes contact.
“This is your fault, because you have to be so damn special. You have driven your mother insane. I wish I never took you in.”
What is he even talking about? Took me in? If I’m so special, why does he hit me? “What do you mean?” He doesn’t answer, but slaps me across my face and walks away.
After he slams his door, I stand
there sobbing. I run to my room and shut my door. I sit down on the floor where my mother had just laid and cry. I just want to run away from here. I hate my life. Whatever happened to my mother was not my fault. I know that, but my father’s slap brought doubts to my mind. I tell myself to stop thinking like that and start to drift asleep.
Beep Beep Beep. I wake with a start. I must have falling asleep on the ground. I get up to shut off my alarm and then head to my closet to dress. What should I wear today? I think as I rummage through my small supply of clothes. I grab a long sleeve black shirt and a knee length skirt. I run to the bathroom and get dressed quickly. After I have brushed my long, black hair, brushed my teeth, and even put on some of my mother’s makeup, I head back into my room to grab my bag. I have no idea why I put on Mother’s makeup. I’ve never worn makeup in my life. I decided to curl my hair also. I look at myself one final time in the mirror over my dresser and sigh. Why do I bother? It doesn’t matter how I look; no one would give me the time of day, even if I was a beauty queen.
I run out of the house. I don’t want to see my father today. I hate him so much. A part of me wishes it was he who became ill, not my mother. Actually, I wish for worse, but I’d never voice that opinion out loud.
I decide to take my time walking to school. Today I feel different; I have butterflies in my belly. What was that all about? I arrive at school and sigh. I hope I can make it to my classes today. I start for the door and hear a couple of girls talking as I pass by them.
“OMG, Darcy, did you see the new boy? I so want to kiss him all over.”
“You know who will have their claws on him? Kelsey. She always gets the hotties.” They laugh and walk away.
Yes! I think. Maybe her and her goonies will leave me alone today, because they have someone new to pick at.
I walk in the school, and it seems like the whole scene freezes. I see him, with his midnight hair, blue eyes, and luscious, kissable lips. I must be dreaming, because I swear he just smiled at me. That’s not possible. As I continue to look into his startling eyes, I gasp as a realization comes to me. He is the same guy I drew in my sketch pad. But, how is that possible? My heart starts to race. I have to walk right past him to get to my locker, and my heart races even faster. It feels like my heart is speeding around a race track, fighting for attention from the crowd; the crowd being the new boy in this case. I wish I could skip my locker and run to my first class, but I can’t, so I continue walking toward the metal contraption and open it. I grab my books without looking behind me, as much as I want to, and then hightail it to English. I am glad that no one else has arrived in class yet, because I want a moment of privacy. I take out my sketchpad, flipping it open to the angel I drew only yesterday.
