Crossroads

by Nicole Coverdale

  “Is that how you talk about all of your angels?” Aaron asked, appearing in a reign of light, glowering at the Gods. “We’ve sacrificed everything for you!”

  “Ahh. Aaron. It’s about time you showed up,” the God to his left said, lowering his hood. “We’ve been waiting for you.”

  “You!” Aaron’s eyes widened as the God lowered his hood. Staring into his green face and blood shot eyes. “You’re a demon! You all are!” he shouted as identical demons lowered their hoods. “What did you do with the Gods?”

  “They’re where Sky is,” the demon said, stepping forward. “In hell!” He lunged forward, grabbing Aaron by the arms and tackling him to the ground. “Or dead!”

  “Aaron!” Jade raced out from where she was hiding, extending her hand forward. Electricity zinged from her fingers, and the demons swung toward her. “Witch!”

  “Jade! Run!” Aaron shouted as the demons raced toward her. He swung back around, jerking free from the demon’s grasp, and narrowed his eyes. “How did you even get up here?” he asked, stumbling backward as the demon stalked toward him. “These heavens are sacred! No demons are allowed through the gates!”

  “With this,” the demon said, holding up his hand, and showing Aaron the gold heart. “The heart of one of the Gods. The key to the gates.”

  “No! Leave me alone!” Jade screamed, stumbling back as the demons surrounded her. She raised her hand, shooting electricity at them. They dodged the bolts, drawing closer, and she closed her eyes. Focus, Jade. Focus. You can do this.

  Her body disappeared in a reign of electricity and reappeared on the other side of the room. Yes! It works!

  “Die, you witch!”

  She glanced over her shoulder, as three black angels appeared from behind the clouds. They raised their bows, slinging the arrows through the air.

  “No!”

  Aaron jerked his head around, fear washing through him, and he disappeared in a reign of light. He reappeared in front of Jade, shielding her body with his, as the arrows slung through the air, and pierced through his chest.

  “Oh my God! Aaron!” Jade dropped to the ground, staring at Aaron, reaching for the arrows.

  “No! Don’t touch them, Jade,” Aaron gasped out. “They’re laced with scorpion poison. It’ll kill you.”

  “But you! You… sacrificed yourself… for me,” Jade whispered, her voice breaking. “Why, Aaron?”

  “Because I’ve already lived a full life.”

  “But you’re immortal!”

  “Not anymore. Once the demons took over the heavens, my immortality was stripped. I’m just like you now, Jade,” Aaron whispered, clasping his hand over hers. “Jade, I’ve lived a long life. I’ve seen so much. I got to meet the Gods. I got to visit heaven. I got to meet you. Your sisters. Your mother. Your father. Even you grandparents. I helped lots of witches. Trained Sky, other angels. I have no regrets, and I’m at peace with this. I’m at peace, knowing that you’re still alive. That you’re free to live a long life. You’re meant for so much more, then to be killed up here in the heavens, Jade. You foresaw it. But you have to go. They’ll kill you!”

  “I’ll fry them before I ever let them kill me.”

  “You can’t,” Aaron said, pointing to them as they chanted in a circle, standing above the heart. “They have the heart, and that spell they’re casting, it’s going to shield them from your magic.”

  “But it’s not fair! Everyone always dies around me!” Jade cried, biting back a sob. “But Aaron, I saw something. On my journey. Is it true? Do I really have another sister?”

  Aaron smiled. “You saw it yourself, Jade, and let’s just say that very soon you’re going to have a very, big family.” The breath rushed out of him and he slumped to the ground, gold hues springing from his body and catapulting high into the

  “Goodbye, Aaron,” Jade whispered, reaching forward and closing his eyes shut. “And thank you. For everything you have done for my family.” She rose to her feet, stumbling back as the demons and black angels walked toward her.

  “I got her!”

  Arms wrapped around her waist, and she gasped, struggling against the black angel’s hold. “No! Let me go!”

  “What should we do with her, Sir?” another one of the black angels asked, raising his arrow. “Shall I take her life?”

  “No. I have much bigger plans for her,” the demon said, raising his finger. A large, black mass sprung from his fingers, zinging toward her. “In hell!”

  “Hello, Miss Julie.”

  Julie turned from where she was standing at the window, bringing the glass of wine to lips and taking a sip, regarding the woman standing in the doorway. “Who are you?”

  “A friend,” Talia said, striding into the room. She took the glass from Julie’s hand, setting it on the table.

  “Hey! I was drinking that!”

  “You can drink it later,” Talia said, bowing in front of Julie. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Talia, the vampire queen, and a long-time friend of Elijah. It’s nice to meet you Julie.”

  “You too,” Julie said, sighing. She turned, staring out the window and closing her eyes. This isn’t me! she thought. This isn’t me! Why am I here? This isn’t me!

  Darkness washed over her, blocking out the voice.

  “You look troubled my dear.”

  “It’s the good witch inside of me,” Julie said, clenching her hand into a fist. “It keeps trying to break free. Trying to tell me I’m good. And I feel them.” She pointed a finger to her heart. “The sisters. I feel her love for them in here!”

  “They’ve been a part of your life, your whole life, Julie,” Talia said, gripping her by the shoulders and turning her toward her. “But once you marry Elijah, all that will be over, and you’ll never have to worry about your good side ever again. Or your sisters.”

  Julie sighed, lifting her head. “Am I doing the right thing, Talia?” she asked. “Turning my back on my family?”

  “Of course you are, Julie,” Talia said, brushing Julie’s hair away from her face. “Your sisters, they don’t understand you, Julie. They don’t understand the thoughts in your head, how you’re feeling, what makes you tick. They never will. Tell me something, Julie. After that car accident, what did you feel?”

  “Fear and pain.”

  “And now.”

  “Anger.”

  “And what did you do with that anger?”

  “I made him pay.”

  “And how did it feel?”

  “Like the best thing in the world!”

  “Good.” Talia placed a finger under her chin, staring into her eyes. “Now, Julie, I need you to look at me,” she said, her eyes glowing. “And remember, you’re doing the right thing.”

  “I’m doing the right thing,” Julie said, staring into Talia’s dark eyes, mesmerized.

  “The evil inside of you isn’t wrong. It’s right.”

  “It’s right.”

  “And soon, you’ll be more powerful then anyone in the world. Even your sisters.”

  “I’ll be powerful.”

  “That’s right. And what are you going to do if they try to hurt any of us?”

  “Kill them.”

  “Precisely. And what about Elijah? How do you feel about him?”

  “I love him. I want to marry him. I want to bear his children, and I want to be by his side when he is coordinated to become leader of the underworld.”

  “Good. But in order for you two to wed, he needs one last thing from you, Julie.”

  “What’s that?”

  Talia smiled, her eyes going to Julie’s neck. Her unbeating, cold, dead heart thumping with excitement as she watched her pulse race. “Your blood,” she whispered, arching her neck back, and snapping forward. Her fangs seeping into Julie’s neck.

  “This is the place?” Jasmine asked, plopping the map out of the air, and staring at the long, light, brown house standing in front of her. “This is where your kid lives?”

  “It�
�s where the map lead us,” Josslyn said, staring at the group home standing in front of her, her heart aching at what she’d done. Lowering her eyes to stare at the trash littering the ground. What kind of person am I? she wondered, staring across the road at the run-down home. Cringing at the fractured exterior, and the cracked windows. What kind of mother am I? Giving my child up to live here? She swallowed, glancing over at Jasmine. “I can’t believe I did this,” she whispered. “Look at this place! It’s gross! Disgusting! You must hate me!”

  “Why would I hate you?”

  “Because you grew up in the foster system.”

  “Yes, I did grow up in the foster system, but Joss! You didn’t have a choice. You were in prison! How could you ever care for your child while being locked up in a jail cell?”

  “I could have at least found her a good home! Look at this place! It’s so dark and gloomy! And look! There are bars on the windows! How is this a good place for a child?”

  “It’s what the foster system is like,” Jasmine said, looping her arm through Josslyn’s. “You get some good. Some bad, but I could never hate you for your decision, Joss. You did what you had to do. Now come on, let’s go find my niece or nephew! Aren’t you excited, Joss?”

  “More like scared to death,” Josslyn muttered. “Like what is he or she like? Are they mad at me? Are they like you were? With a giant chip on your shoulder and a big attitude?”

  “Hey!”

  “What? I’m just—"

  “Aighh!”

  The loud shriek sounded through the air, and Josslyn screamed. She dropped to the ground, clutching her ears. “Oh my God! That noise! Jasmine, do you hear that?”

  “I hear it!” Jasmine cried, clutching her ears in pain. “Oh my God! That sound is terrible! Where is it coming from?”

  “I think, from there.” Josslyn said, pointing a finger behind them at the woman with long, brown hair standing behind them. She opened her mouth, a blast of sound escaping her lips.

  “Aighh!”

  “Stop!” Jasmine cried, lowering her fingers, staring at the blood on her finger tips. “We get it! You can scream really, really loud!”

  “It’s not the only thing I can do,” the woman said, shutting her mouth and regarding the two women. “Who are you and what are you doing here?”

  “Who are we?” Josslyn rose to her feet, rubbing a hand against her ear. “Damn girl! Is this how you treat everyone who walks up to the house? By screaming at them?”

  “I—”

  “Who are you anyways?” Josslyn asked, lifting a hand as the woman opened her mouth. “I know. You asked first. I’m Josslyn and this is Jasmine.” She pointed to Jasmine. “We’re here for my child. Now, who are you?”

  “Jorja,” the woman said, eyeing them. “I’m the caseworker for the girls. I protect them, as best as I can. From anyone.”

  “Maybe you should try talking to people before yelling at them,” Jasmine muttered, wincing. “You have some serious vocal chords on you.”

  “Ahh! Let go of me!”

  The scream sounded nearby, and all three of them swung around. Staring at the young, read-headed girl as she struggled against a man dressed in a black cloak. “I said, let go of me!”

  “Hey!”

  Josslyn spun on her heel, racing across the grass. Both Jasmine and Jorja following close behind her. “Let her go!” she shouted, pulling the girl away. “Are you okay?” she asked, glancing at the girl, and she gasped. Oh my God! She looks just like me! she thought, staring at the girl with hair so similar to her own, and piercing, blue eyes she stared into every, single day. I have a daughter!

  “No! I’m not okay!” the girl snapped, jerking free from Josslyn’s grip. “This man just attacked me out of nowhere! And you… who are you?”

  “Josslyn, watch out!”

  “Witch!”

  The man in the cloak swung toward her, the hood falling free from his head. Bright, gray skin gleamed underneath the sunlight, and he slung his arm out. Spikes slinging from his fingers.

  “Watch out!” Josslyn grabbed the girl, dragging her to the ground. She lifted her hand, ice shooting from her fingertips, the spikes freezing.

  “Not on my watch, evil doer,” Josslyn said, narrowing her eyes. “You’re not touching a hair on her body!”

  “But I need her!” the demon shouted, lunging forward. “For the sacrifice!”

  “Over my dead body!” Jorja raced up, raising her hand. Soundwaves danced through the air, filling the silence around them, and Josslyn grimaced. She covered her hands over her ears as the demon flopped to the ground. He shook, reeving in pain. Green goo poured from his ears, and he gasped, clutching a hand to his chest as he combusted into a pile of ashes.

  “Damn! That’s one cool power!” Jasmine cried, glancing back at Jorja as she raced up to Josslyn. “Josslyn, are you okay?”

  “I think so,” Josslyn said, glancing over at the girl. “What about you? Are you okay?”

  The girl shook her head, staring at Josslyn, then Jasmine, and finally at Jorja. “No. I’m not okay. Who are you people and what is going on?”

  “That’s kind of a long story,” Josslyn said, laughing. “Because, I’m your mother.”

  “Oh my God! That is hot! Hot! Hot! Hot!”

  Jade let out a shriek, racing down the path as lightning whipped around her. She gasped, stomping her feet, as flames lit up the bottom of her shoes, swearing. “Dammit, where the hell am I?” she asked, gazing around as fire lit up around her.

  “No. Please! Please!”

  The yell sounded nearby, and she turned, narrowing her eyes. Staring at the bright, orange walls around her, the rolling lava underneath her, and behind her she heard a splash. She froze, glancing over her shoulder as lava spewed in an arch high above her.

  “Holy crap!”

  She stumbled back, spinning on her heel and racing back down the path. The lava hit the ground behind her, just missing her heels, and she raced around the corner, disappearing through a doorway. The sound of the door slamming shut echoing in her ears.

  “What? No!” She lunged forward, slamming her fist against the door. “Let me out!”

  “Hello, Jade,” a dark voice said somewhere nearby. “Welcome to hell.”

  Hell? Jade froze, fear snaking through her. I’m in hell? Oh my God! She screamed, pounding her fist against the closed door, a sob escaping her lips as she sunk to the floor. This can’t be happening! she thought. My sisters need me!

  Tears filled her eyes, and she thought of what Cynthia had shown her, and a blinding pain suddenly cut through her skull. She screamed, clutching her head in her hands. “Oh my God! That hurts!” she cried, stumbling to her feet, and staggering backward. She fell backward, her back hitting the bright, orange wall behind her. Flames scorched through her shirt, burning her, and she jumped back. “Ow!”

  “Hello, Jade,” Jillian Morgan said, appearing before her. “Why couldn’t you save me?” she asked, holding a hand out, the back of her skull missing.

  “Mom?” Jade bit back a sob. “I couldn’t save you! I was just a kid!”

  “What about me?” An infant appeared next to Jillian, staring at Jade with sad eyes. “It’s your fault I’m gone, Jade. All because you didn’t want me.”

  “No! That’s not true!” Jade cried. “I did want you!”

  “But you didn’t want me,” Tony said, appearing in the cell in front of her. “I wasn’t good enough for you, Jade. You couldn’t accept me for who I was.”

  “You tried to kill me!” Jade cried.

  “No. I tried to love you,” Tony whispered. “And now, all you will ever love, is a monster.”

  “No!”

  “Jade! Jade! Stop!”

  The yell sounded through the wall next to her, and Jade jerked her head up. I know that voice. “Is someone there?”

  “Yes. It’s me.”

  “Sky?” Jade jumped to her feet. “Sky, what are you doing here?”

  “Same thing as you I p
resume,” Sky said softly. “Being tortured.”

  “But why?”

  “It’s part of the demon’s plan. To get rid of us,” Sky said, gasping as memories scorched through his brain. He closed his eye, trying to fight them off, but it was too late. His mother, his brothers, his sister, even his father came to his mind. “Jade, where’s Aaron?”

  “Dead.”

  “What?”

  “The black angels killed him,” Jade whispered, her heart breaking as she said the words. Thinking of the man who had helped her family. The man who had saved Jasmine. The man, who had trained Sky. “He died saving my life, Sky.”

  Sky swallowed, a pain striking him in the chest as he thought of his friend. “He was a good man and a good friend,” he whispered, his voice breaking. “I will surely miss him.”

  “You and me both,” Jade whispered, closing her eyes. “Sky, what is this place? What are these memories I’m seeing?”

  “This is the torture chamber of hell,” Sky said, as another wave of pain hit him. He gasped, holding a hand to his head, trying to block out the pain. “It’s where the demons send the strongest of their foes, and use their memories, their thoughts, their feelings against them.”

  “So these memories…”

  “Are real, but they’ve twisted them in a way that isn’t true. What was the first thing you saw, Jade?”

  “My Mom. She said I didn’t save her,” Jade whispered, biting her lip. “I couldn’t do anything, Sky! I was just a kid!”

  “I know, Jade,” Sky whispered. “But you’re seeing it, because it’s one of your biggest regrets. The number one thing you wish you could change, if you could. You have to fight it, Jade. You have to hold on to what’s real, if you don’t, the memories will destroy you and your sisters will never be able to save us.”

  “Isn’t there a way out of here?”

  “No,” Sky whispered. “There’s no way out. We’re stuck.”

  “I don’t believe that. There has to be some way out of here!” Jade cried, silence sounding on the other side of the wall and she jumped to her feet. “Sky? Sky?”

  And a moment later, Sky’s earth-shattering scream filled the air, shaking her to the very core.