by Laurèn Lee
“I’m glad we finally made it here,” Charlotte said.
“Not still wishing you were at home in your PJ’s?”
“No, not anymore,” Charlotte said nudging him.
The night hummed with jubilance and the water rushed brilliantly. Mist from the waterfalls was carried over with the wind and gently kissed the faces of all who stood close enough. People had come from all around the world to witness the magnificence.
In the near distance, Liam was able to see Clifton Hill. Clifton Hill glittered and lured tourists to its vicinity. The stretch included incredibly entertaining attractions such as a wax museum, bars, restaurants, arcades, and so much more. However, what truly stood out was the massive Ferris wheel beckoning people to take a ride.
“Let’s go on the Sky Wheel,” Liam suggested.
“I don’t know,” Charlotte said. “I’m not a huge fan of heights.”
The Sky Wheel was no ordinary Ferris wheel, too. In fact, it made carnival Ferris wheels look like pieces from a child’s toy set.
“C’mon, it will be fun! Plus, I have one more surprise for you and I want to give it to you up there!”
Charlotte looked at Liam accusingly and laughed.
“Get your mind out of the gutter, Harper,” Liam said, reprimanding her playfully.
Charlotte nodded and Liam took her hand. He guided her toward the gigantic wheel in the sky. Once they approached the ride, they had to stand in quite a long line. The anticipation and waiting only made Charlotte grow more and more nervous.
Liam ignored Charlotte’s furrowed brow, however, and couldn’t stop delighting in the idea that soon enough, they would be able to see the city from atop the Ferris wheel.
“Ready?” Liam asked once he’d paid for their tickets.
“Not really.”
Liam helped Charlotte into the cart and sat across from her. Charlotte turned a pale green as soon as she began looking around. It so happened, the carts’ backs were clear and gave the illusion that nothing stood behind you to keep you inside, safely.
Before the ride began, Charlotte noticed the attendant give Liam a quick wink.
“What was that about?”
“Huh?”
“That guy winked at you.”
“You must be imagining things, darling.”
The Sky Wheel shuttered and began to make its slow climb up in the night. The higher they traveled, the more the city of Niagara Falls glowed beneath them.
“See, this isn’t so bad.”
“Easy for you to say.” Charlotte sat rigidly in place, too terrified to move.
Once they reached the zenith in their journey, the ride shuttered once more and ceased moving.
“Uh, what’s going on?” Charlotte inquired, squeamishly.
Without warning, Liam smiled, shot a thumbs up to the attendant on the ground and a song began to play, loud enough for all of the passengers aboard Sky Wheel to hear. But, it wasn’t just any song, it happened to be Charlotte and Liam’s song, “You Are So Beautiful” by Joe Cocker.
Charlotte, utterly confused, forgot her fear of heights and began panning the ground and the sky.
“Liam?”
He responded by pulling a black velvet box out of his pocket, knelt down before her and finally revealed his final surprise of the night.
“I knew from the moment I met you, you were the one. I’ve been carrying around this ring in my pocket for months, I figured I better ask soon before I lose it. Please, Char, make me the happiest man in the entire world and marry me.”
Charlotte nodded vigorously as tears poured down her cheeks. Liam slipped the gorgeous cushion-cut diamond onto her finger.
They stood up, despite being several hundred feet in the air, and Charlotte threw her arms around Liam’s neck. All around and below them, people clapped and cheered in joyous celebration.
“This is the happiest moment of my entire life,” Charlotte said into Liam’s ear.
“Same here, love.”
Smiles erupted from both their faces and Charlotte mentally paused to take note. It was one of those moments you want to remember forever. The kind of moments which linger in your mind longer after it’s over. The kind of memory you would replay over in your head for many years to come. Their lives would never be the same.
“You know what? We should take a road trip to visit Tori and Adam! We could surprise them with the good news, what do you think, Char?”
“I think a road trip is an excellent idea,” she said and buried her face into Liam’s neck. “Now, how about we get this ride rolling and get our feet back on solid ground.”
14
Present
The lights returned and the wind swirling around the room had stopped. Charlotte immediately felt different, she felt empty and not like herself. She no longer felt afraid of the stranger, no longer afraid of losing her soul, and no longer afraid of Liam dying. However, it seemed fear wasn’t the only emotion which had vanished, she no longer felt anything at all.
“Well, that was fun! How do you feel, Charlotte?”
“What’s your name?” she asked.
“Funny, I assumed the questions would stop once I took away your soul,” he smiled, stroking his 5 o’clock shadow. “I do suppose you’re due for some information at this point, though.”
“Well?” she urged.
“My name is Adriel,” he said.
“Adriel, Adriel, Adriel,” Charlotte said to herself, rolling the name over her tongue.
“Yes, that’s what I just said.”
“Who, or rather, what are you?”
“Hold on a moment,” Adriel said as he vanished into thin air.
Charlotte looked around the hospital room incredulously, he really had disappeared. She shook her head and laughed.
What the hell am I getting myself into, she thought.
“Okay, we can leave now,” Adriel said, reappearing suddenly.
“What did you just do?” Charlotte asked.
“I made sure your darling husband was stable. He won’t die, at least until further notice.”
“Fine,” Charlotte yawned, “Continue your story.”
“Not here, take my hand,” Adriel demanded.
Charlotte sneered at his outstretched hand as though it was a dirty animal’s paw.
“Uh, no, thanks.”
“It was not a request,” Adriel growled.
“Okay, okay, don’t get your leather jacket in a bunch. Let me put my clothes back on, this gown is incredibly itchy,” Charlotte said.
“There’s no time.” Adriel grabbed Charlotte’s hand before she could attempt to protest.
With another flash of light and a swirl of rushing air, Charlotte and Adriel disappeared from the hospital room. It only took a second or two and they landed feet first in a foggy, dank alleyway.
“Well, isn’t that a neat little trick,” Charlotte mocked, wiping the alley’s residue from her bare legs.
“I know.”
“Okay, now are you going to finish your story? Or, are you going to ask for my heart or kidney next?”
“Please, I don’t want to touch any other part of you than necessary,” Adriel mocked.
“Fine, then finish your story,” Charlotte said, cautiously peering around.
“Well, my name is Adriel —”
“You said that already. Where are we?”
“I will never finish answering your questions if you don’t stop interrupting me by asking more!” he boomed. Birds flew away in a panic from atop the buildings on both sides of them.
Once Charlotte had conceded, Adriel continued.
“I am not of this world.”
Charlotte quizzically gazed at Adriel. She felt a rush of intrigue wash over her. She no longer dreaded the figure before her. She supposed not having a soul had created a certain level of fearlessness.
“I am a demon and a very long time ago, I made my descent from Heaven to the Hell.”
“Wait, so you’re saying Hea
ven and Hell are real?” Charlotte asked aghast and yet wholly skeptical.
“As real as you and me standing before each other.”
“And, you’re a demon?”
He simply nodded and allowed his crimson eyes to answer on his behalf.
“Why did you leave? I mean, was it your choice?”
“Of course it was my choice,” he spat, “I was tired of being God’s puppet. I wanted more. More power. More freedom. More revenge.”
“How long have you been in Hell?”
“I entered the depths of Hell as a fallen angel in 1863.”
Charlotte stared into Adriel’s eyes. She saw no signs he was lying to her, yet she couldn’t find it within herself to believe him. Although, if a demon had conceivably taken her soul, believing in Heaven and Hell didn’t seem so bizarre.
“I have a stronger leader now, and I am free to come and go as I please. It’s really quite refreshing. Leaving God’s side was the best decision I’ve ever made,” Adriel trailed off, possibly reminiscing about his past.
“Okay, so you’re a demon. What do you want with me and Liam?”
“That part is a little complicated. However, choosing you was not luck of the draw. You have something I need, and in return, I have something you need. I can save your precious Liam, but I need your help first,” he swallowed.
It seemed Adriel was not accustomed to asking for help.
“What else can I possibly do for you? I already gave you my soul.”
“It so happens you are the only one who can help me. I don’t want to spoil the surprise for you, though,” Adriel added mysteriously.
Charlotte fell silent for a few moments, thinking back to the night of the accident.
“It was you, wasn’t it?”
“Whatever do you mean, dear Charlotte?”
“The truck driver of the semi who sped toward us, causing us to veer off the cliff,” she replied darkly.
“Oh, me?” Adriel burst out laughing, “No, of course it wasn’t me! I don’t drive trucks. But the driver may have been under my control, so yes, I do suppose you could blame me for the accident.”
Without hesitation, Charlotte punched Adriel squarely in the face. Maybe she wasn’t without all of her emotions, after all. Blood trickled from his nose and he laughed again.
“I suppose I deserved that.”
“You’re an asshole.”
“Yes, this is something I’ve grown accustomed to hearing,” Adriel said airily.
“You could have killed us, you know.”
“If I wanted to kill you, dear Charlotte, well then, you’d already be dead.”
“Well, what happened to the car and all of the wreckage? The police said they didn’t see any cause of an accident?”
“Had to hide the evidence, didn’t I?”
“Why, did you leave fingerprints on the obliterated windshield or something?”
“Can’t have the pesky police trying to find the cause of your terrible accident,” he teased.
“So, you just made the car vanish?” Charlotte questioned.
“In the simplest of terms, yes. I made all of the damage disappear. Poof!” Adriel mimed, spreading his hands apart like a magician.
Charlotte wanted to press Adriel further, but a group of businessmen walking past the alleyway interrupted their conversation.
The sun began peeking above the horizon, illuminating the sky and signaling dawn was near.
“Where is my soul?”
“It’s being kept safe, don’t you worry,” he said patting his breast pocket.
“How do I know you’ll eventually give it back?”
Adriel smirked. “Well, this is all for now, I’m afraid I must be going.”
“Going? You can’t leave me here! How am I going to get home?”
“You’re a smart girl, you’ll think of something!”
“You bastard,” Charlotte snarled.
“Thank you, Charlotte. That’s the nicest thing I’ve heard all day,” he patronized.
“Where are you going anyways? Do you have a date with the Devil?”
“It so happens that I do! And, I’m also not a fan of the daylight,” he said.
“What? You’re not a fan of daylight? I thought you were a demon, not a vamp —”
Before Charlotte could finish her insult, Adriel was gone.
15
Present
It seemed getting home would be no easy task as Charlotte still sported the hospital gown along with crusted blood on her forehead and shards of glass still in her hair.
She feared the police may pick her up if she tried hailing a cab and send her to an insane asylum, or worse, back to the hospital. It also didn’t help she had no phone and no wallet. Since Adriel had cleared the scene, naturally none of her possessions were recovered.
I’m going to miss that purse.
Her only saving grace happened to be having a friend who only lived a mile or two from where Adriel had teleported them, or whatever it was that he’d done. She still wasn’t sure what had actually happened, the feat felt almost like magic.
Along her brisk walk, Charlotte continued to pinch her arm in hopes she would rouse herself out of this nightmare, to no avail. No, this was completely real. In fact, she really needed to accept this notion sooner rather than later, because she was beginning to bruise where she had been continually pinching herself.
Once she had reached her friend’s block, she decided to make a break for it and sprint to her doorstep. Traffic had begun to pick up as commuters made their way to work. A few drivers had already beeped and jeered at her. The journey had been worse than a college walk of shame.
Charlotte knocked ferociously upon the white, wooden door.
“Coming!” Charlotte heard from within the house.
Charlotte paced across the porch, anxiously waiting for the door to open.
“Hello?”
“Sophia!” Charlotte cried.
“Oh my God, Charlotte! What the hell happened to you? Come inside!”
Charlotte graciously accepted the invitation from her friend who also happened to be her co-worker at the magazine.
“It’s a long story,” Charlotte began, unsure of how to tell it.
“Are you okay? Let me get you some clothes, and get you out of that gown. Coffee is on, I’ll be right back.”
Charlotte knew she could count on Sophia. She was a few years older than Charlotte and was the Mama Bear of the office. She was the kind of person who carried extra toothbrushes, tampons and Tylenol in her purse. She was the kind of person who would make sure everyone had a safe ride home after a work happy hour. She had taken Charlotte under her wing as soon as she’d been hired.
Sophia returned a few minutes later with a pair of sweatpants and a worn, but comfortable tee.
“Liam and I were in an accident,” Charlotte finally admitted.
Sophia didn’t wait for further explanation, but instead hugged Charlotte closely.
“What happened? Where’s Liam?”
“He’s still in the hospital. He’s in a coma, but recovering,” Charlotte sighed, dramatically.
“Are you hurt? What happened?”
Sophia fussed over Charlotte, checked her arms and legs for further cuts and bruises and picked a few remaining shards of glass out of Charlotte’s matted hair.
“I’m okay. Hanging in there.”
“Why aren't you still at the hospital?”
“They released me,” she lied.
“Is there anything at all can I do for you?” Sophia asked.
“Actually, there is something you can do. See, our car was totaled in the accident and I have no way of getting home. Do you think you could take me? If it’s too much trouble, please don’t worry at all.”
“Too much trouble? C’mon, girl, let me tell Frank I’m leaving and we can hit the road. Is there anything else I can do for you? Do you want breakfast? I can whip you up some eggs and bacon. I don’t have to be to work for an
other hour or two.”
“No, just a ride, that would be amazing!”
Sophia eyed Charlotte suspiciously, but patted her arm and left the room.
Charlotte feared Sophia would continue to press her about what had happened while in the car to her condo, after all, she did just show up to her house in a hospital gown covered in blood. Luckily, Sophia didn’t ask for more information during the drive, but didn’t stop looking at Charlotte as though there was more to the story, which of course, there was.
“Call me if you need anything at all, okay? Will you need a ride back to the hospital after you wash up and collect yourself?”
“No, it’s okay. Thank you, though. Can you please let the office know I’ll be out for a little while? I don’t think I can go into work this week,” Charlotte hugged Sophia after she had agreed to pass her message along to the staff.
Phew, that was close! Charlotte smiled, waving goodbye to Sophia.
Approaching the front door of the condo, Charlotte remembered there was a spare key in the garden. Exasperatedly, she dug through the Hydrangeas where she had sneakily hidden the spare once they’d moved in.
Charlotte opened the door, made her way to the bedroom and passed out before she could realize what she was doing.
…
Charlotte woke up well into the afternoon. Temporarily forgetting the previous night’s events, she turned over in bed hoping to see her fiancé lying beside her. Of course, she was all alone.
She carefully sat up as the reality of her injuries was beginning to set in. She was covered in bruises and shook out even more pieces of glass from her hair. She must have a million pieces of glass woven throughout her blonde, matted locks.
Well, now what?
She wasn’t surprised to feel as peaceful as she was, though, considering she’d felt almost entirely calm ever since Adriel had taken her soul. She wasn’t panicking or even a little bit sad. If anything, Charlotte continued to feel numb to the horrors she had survived.
Eventually, Charlotte gingerly stepped out of bed and headed toward the bathroom. It was most definitely time to wash up and rid herself of last night’s destruction.
