The Reaper's Apprentices #1: Awakened

by CS Patra

  Groaning, she climbed back up the stairs and lay down in bed tossing everything aside. The pain was unbearable. All she wanted to do was curl up and die. It was as though someone was trying to burn her alive, and she couldn’t escape it. She twitched, trying to keep her crying to a minimum, rolling all around. Finally, she let out a scream grabbing her head so the visions would stop. Everything grew dark, but she could hear footsteps running up the stairs. Was it her mother or father? Maybe one of her brothers heard her.

  But she would never know who discovered her, because the visions stopped, and she closed her eyes. Everything turned black, and she was out.

  Chapter 14

  Unlike the other three, Tiffany wasn’t ready to go straight home. She was still in college, and there was no place that she could move into immediately. The best she was able to do was find another cheerleader, Sara, who was willing to let her crash for a few days. Tiffany had promised Sara that she would start looking for an apartment right away, as well as a part-time job. That way she could support herself and not have to drag herself back home. Her parents still didn’t know she had left Tartarus Sanctum. That would come another time.

  “Make yourself at home,” Sara said, showing her the smaller bedroom. She was a junior in college and had been cheerleading since her sophomore year. “I know it’s nothing fancy, but it’s the best I can do.”

  “That’s okay with me. I promise I’ll be out of your hair soon enough,” Tiffany said, setting her bags on the ground. “If I get any phone calls, just leave them on the counter, and I’ll get back to those people when I wake up. Right now, I just need some rest.”

  “Why did you leave your old place?” Sara asked. “Was it dirty or something?”

  “More like I had a disagreement with the landlords,” Tiffany said, trying to keep it as vague as possible. Sara was a nice girl, but she knew nothing about the demonic world. It was best to give her as little information as possible. “I have been thinking about getting a part-time job while in school. I’ll pay you back as soon as I’m a little more settled in.”

  “Pay me whenever you’re ready,” Sara suggested. “Now you just get some rest, and I guess I’ll see you in the morning. Remember we’ve got our first big practice in two days.”

  “I wouldn’t miss that for anything,” Tiffany promised as Sara closed the door behind her. Once she was alone, she lay down and thought about the escape. It seemed unreal that they were able to pack up so fast and find a flight out, as well as places to stay. She had gotten phone calls from the other three. They all made it back safely. So that hurdle was out of the way. Now she had to deal with her family. That would be a bigger challenge than explaining anything to Fabian.

  She had never gotten along with her family, but it was okay. Somehow, the rest of her family must have known she was a Guardian, because they had always treated her differently. She noticed that her siblings would get things before she did. The only person who seemed to have any faith in her was her father. He had also been an artist, and the one that Tiffany had inherited her talent from. One day, she had hoped to be as good as him. His brushstrokes and technique was divine. She seemed to pale in comparison. For the first couple of years of his life, Dave Donnelly had big dreams and expectations. He was the one who would be famous in their family.

  All those dreams were dashed when he had taken on a big project. Her mother told him not to do it, but he insisted and promised that he would finish it. They had asked him to paint a giant mural at the high school. It was supposed to take at least three weeks. He had been halfway through the project when he ended up slipping on his ladder and falling to the concrete floor. This resulted in him being paralyzed from the waist down and crushed his hopes of being a famous artist. It became hard for her mother to take care of him and five children on her own. Lydia Donnelly kept telling them that they would fine, that they would make it. But while her father could still think and make art, it wasn’t the same. He had lost his spirit to do anything, and it showed in his work.

  I know I wanted to leave, but not like this, she thought as she stared at the bathroom mirror. As she brushed her red hair, she felt something burning inside. The pain was shooting throughout her body, and she fell to her knees, clenching her teeth. The whole world was starting to blur. Maybe the journey had made her too tired to think straight. But how did that explain the pain? She was okay the last time she had checked in with a doctor. She was a healthy girl, and there had been no issues. Her period had come and gone at the end of the last month. So why did she feel so sick?

  Slowly, she dragged herself out of the bathroom and tried to make it to her bed. It seemed so far away. Her vision was so hazy. Strange images flashed in front of her, and she saw things that she never liked to dream about. Buildings were burning down. People were dying. The whole world was collapsing, and she found herself helpless to do a thing. What was this feeling? What was going on? She lay down on the floor and tried to shake it out. In the end, the images won over, and she closed her eyes.

  Giving up, she collapsed to the floor and knew nothing else.

  ~ ~ ~

  Debra’s trip home had taken longer than the others, as her flights kept changing at the airport. At first, she had been giving the first one back, but the plane ended up being delayed. The weather pushed it two hours later, so she walked around the airport and got something to eat to keep herself busy. A few times, she stopped by the phones and wondered if she should call Sebastian. No doubt he would wake up to find her gone now. But as she sat down and dialed the numbers, she ended up calling her mother instead. Maybe her parents wouldn’t answer, but she felt more comfortable talking to them.

  Her father got it on the third ring, “Hello?”

  “Dad, it’s me,” she began. “I…I’m coming home.”

  “Deb?” He didn’t seem fully awake and tried to stifle a yawn. “It’s early in the morning. Can’t this wait until later?”

  “Did you even hear me? I said I’m coming home.”

  “Now?”

  “Yes, Dad, I’m coming home now. Well, in about a couple of hours. My plane’s been delayed, but I should be there by ten. You don’t have to come get me if you’re unable to. I’ll just take a cab and get back home.” She rubbed her forehead.

  “So you left last night and now you’re coming home?” Her father was confused. “What happened? Did they kick you out?”

  “No, I left them. Something happened and I need to come back home now. I don’t have time to explain it. But it’s bad, and I don’t think I can go back.”

  “Did you have a fight with someone?”

  “Not exactly, but I don’t think I belong there anymore,” she murmured, looking up at the screen where the flights were listed. Her plane was now coming in early. “Look, Dad, I have to go and get ready to board. Just tell me if you’ll be there at ten or not.”

  “Yes, I’ll be there. If anything changes, give me a call. But you have to tell me exactly what happened over there. It doesn’t have to be now. Just let me know about it eventually.”

  “I will, Daddy. I’ll see you at home.”

  The conversation ended, but her mind was still filled with doubt as she boarded the plane. So far, no one had tried to come after them or convince her to return. Was anyone even awake to notice they were gone? A part of her wanted to believe that Sebastian and the others were respecting her wishes not to be found. He was always respectful and gave her space when necessary. He knew when she was upset and when she needed a shoulder to lean on. It was possible that he thought this was one of those times.

  But then there was a small part of her that wanted him to break the habit. She wanted him to chase her down and apologize and bring her back to Tartarus Sanctum. She wanted to hear his voice and ask him all the questions she still had. What made him crazy enough to send her away? Did he even know what was in Eridanos Sanctum? Sebastian would have a logical explanation behind it all. She needed to hear it. As the plane took off and she stared out
the window, she began to wonder if he was following her. He was smart enough to figure out where she was going. He could very well be taking the next flight to her hometown, or he might already be there.

  When she got off the plane and saw her father waiting for her, she greeted him with a ‘hi’ and followed him to the parking lot. He kept quiet as he put her things away and patiently waited for her to start talking. That was the one good thing about Phil Laird; he never forced her to speak unless she was ready. He could tell from her face something big had gone down, but she wasn’t able to explain it. Instead, she waited until they were halfway down the road to explain.

  “They wanted to send us away to an all-boys place,” she began. “I guess they thought we weren’t learning fast enough or something.”

  “I see,” Phil said, taking a right turn and getting on the highway. “But why an all-boys place? Surely, there has to be a place for just girls or another mixed area.”

  “There are, but I heard both of those places were overcrowded.” She wasn’t sure if that much was true, but it would be hard to explain without all the facts. “So I decided I’d come back home again. I just don’t feel comfortable moving so soon and far away to a place I don’t know.”

  “And how long you intend to stay home?”

  “Until someone changes their mind. I’m sorry, Daddy, but I don’t want to be forced out of my home,” she said, staring out the window. It felt strange to come back to Virginia and see how things had changed. It had only been a year, yet she noticed some new stores and buildings that hadn’t been there before. Older restaurants had been renovated and some of the streets had been widened. Her old elementary school had expanded and had strange outdoor sculptures lining the front. It was as though she was entering a brand new city even though this was her hometown.

  “A lot of stuff has changed here,” she noted.

  “Yes, they did change up the city,” her father agreed. “Did you tell anyone that you were leaving? Or was this done on a whim?”

  “I can’t tell anyone this. I know they’ll try to convince me to come back, and I’m just not ready. I don’t think I have what it takes to be a demon.” She threw her hands up in the air. “Plus I don’t feel good anymore. I don’t feel like I belong.”

  “And what makes you think that? You loved being over there. Suddenly you feel like you don’t belong? Did someone say something to you?”

  “I told you — they want to get rid of me by sending me somewhere I don’t know. I can’t be in a place where I’m not comfortable.” She closed her eyes. “I’m sorry, Dad, but I’m just too tired to talk about it anymore. Do you mind if I tell you the rest tomorrow?”

  “Yes, that’s fine. But you have to tell me the whole thing, Deb. And eventually, you’ll have to talk to Sebastian about it. Maybe he’ll come up with another solution.”

  She knew he was right, but chose not to say anything else. Instead, she remained quiet for the remainder of the ride back, not making any sounds until they were finally in the house. Her father carried her bags inside while she made her way to the couch to lay down. The whole world felt like it was spinning, and it wasn’t until she heard her mother’s voice that it went still again.

  “Debra? What are you doing here?” Rita Laird rushed over to her daughter’s side. “Are you sick? Did someone hurt you?”

  “No, Mom, I just chose to come home tonight,” she admitted. “I know I’ve got a lot of explaining to do, but I’m tired right now. Do you mind if I go to bed and fill you in later?”

  “It’s only eleven though.”

  “I know but…I just want a nap,” she insisted, pulling herself up. The house had changed since she had gone. The pictures had been rearranged on the walls, and the walls had been painted blue instead of the cream color they used to be. The carpet was new and matched the walls, and there was a new dining table.

  “Well, how about you nap upstairs?” her father suggested, helping her to her feet. “Your room is still in good condition and your mother did change the sheets when she heard you were coming. Is there anything else you need?”

  “No, I just want my bed,” she said, slowly making her way upstairs. Her parents were right behind her to make sure she didn’t fall. It seemed to take forever to get to the bedroom, even though she was moving fast.

  “Are you sure you want to be home?” Rita asked. “You should at least tell them why.”

  “I already did,” Debra murmured into her pillow. “I can’t be a demon, Mom. I can’t be a guardian of the Underworld. I can’t protect both sides. I’m just a kid.”

  Her mother sat down and rubbed her shoulders. “I know it’s a big shock for you. I didn’t believe it at first, but it makes sense. Things happened in the past that made me see you were different. You were special. They just confirmed what I already knew.”

  “Well, that’s great for everyone.” Debra rolled over and looked up at the ceiling fan, avoiding her mother’s gaze. “I’m supposed to protect the living and the dead. Right now, I’m not even sure if I can protect myself. I have no idea how to start protecting anything.”

  “But Tartarus Sanctum is a good place to find all that out.”

  “Not anymore,” she said. “I’m sorry, Mom. I really don’t want to talk about it. All I want to do is sleep and forget I ever was a demon.”

  Rita knew this was code for alone time, and she got up. “Well, you can sleep all you want, but I doubt you’ll forget what happened. If Sebastian does call, what do I tell him?”

  “That I’m asleep, and I don’t want to be bothered. If he wants to know if I made it okay, tell him that I’m fine. I made it back in one piece. I’ll talk to him when I’m ready.”

  “I hope you follow through with that.” Rita turned off the lights. “Now you get some sleep. Try not to think about anything that’s going on outside of these walls.”

  Debra tried to close her eyes, but something inside of her was hurting. She thought it was dinner, but the pain was in her chest. She felt nothing inside of her stomach or head. The idea of leaving Tartarus Sanctum wasn’t easy, but she felt better to be away from it. They were willing to send the four of them to Eridanos Sanctum. They wanted to send them to a place where they didn’t know anyone. If she couldn’t stay in Tartarus Sanctum, then home was the next best place. Maybe it didn’t have the gardens or the pets running around, but it was safe. Her parents wouldn’t care if she could make fire or not. They had been reluctant to send her away in the first place.

  She rolled over and thought about what they had talked about before she left. Neither was ready to send their thirteen-year-old daughter into a strange place where she knew nobody. Debra had been hitting her pre-teen years, and she still wanted to have fun. It took a lot of convincing from the Reaper’s Apprentices to let her go. She kept up her end of the deal and stayed in touch while doing well in school. It was what they had wanted. And Debra got a freedom she never had before. She soon learned to make friends, accepting her demonic nature. There was something fascinating about demons; they could feel and act like humans but were more extraordinary. They had their own way of doing things and their own culture that people could never understand. There were even stories and legends that were passed down. Being a Guardian sounded like the best thing in the world when she had first heard of it.

  “I wonder what everyone’s doing,” she said to herself. Maybe they were contemplating what to do next. Maybe they had already gone on with their lives. She imagined that Sebastian was still worried. She looked over at the phone, itching to press the buttons. He probably wanted to know if she had made it home safely but was scared. He was probably terrified that she would turn away from him, because she had found out the truth. Or maybe he had given up waiting by the phone and had gone off to study. Burying himself in books was the only way he knew how to cope. He was probably knee-deep in them now and trying to concentrate.

  Her head started to hurt, so she closed her eyes and hoped that it would go away. But the more
she tried to ignore it, the worse it got. She was soon seeing Sebastian’s face in her mind. She could see him pacing around Tartarus Sanctum, looking up at her empty bedroom. His face was filled with worry and fear. Then she saw all of Tartarus Sanctum collapsing as though it had been in a big earthquake. The walls were coming down and turning into dust while demons were running around. There was smoke and water rushing everywhere, and she could hear screams. Cringing, she tried to shake the vision out. That couldn’t be real. She would have heard about an earthquake if that was the case. Everyone was fine. Everyone would be okay. She was dreaming, that was all, worrying about nothing.

  “I just need to sleep,” she told herself. “I just need sleep. I’m dreaming. I’m dreaming. All that I’m seeing is nothing more than a dream.”