Afterlife BoxSet Page 6

  A solemn look is on his face. “It’s okay. I’ll deal with it,” he says. His eyes have turned the deepest shade of blue.

  I shake my head. “No. I can’t live with that. We have to try.” I lift my hand and place my index finger on his forehead. “I want you to try to block what we just did.”

  He nods, and I probe his mind, searching only the recent events. I catch glimpses of his day.

  I see his Innocent and the mission that he completed well—following the rules and completing his mission by inserting the conscience into the perpetrator. I see the perpetrator’s life flash before me. A deep nauseating feeling penetrates my stomach. The task overwhelms me, and my knees want to give, but I don’t let them. I’m puzzled why this feeling is stronger than the others I’ve had, until I realize I’m picking up on Blue’s feelings. The two stomach-churning feelings combined are working out to be a powerful force. He’s hidden it so well, sticking to his training and obeying the rules, but I’ve seen it now. I’ve seen his true feelings. He feels the same way I do.

  Pushing past my disbelief of my new discovery, I continue probing. I travel with him as he discovers the charm flashing, up until the moment he sees me in the desert. I’m hit with a wave of emotions as he looks at me. I get the impression that he’s fond of me and wishes for more than friendship. This puzzles me. We’re not allowed to have anything more than friendships, nor are we supposed to even feel that way. Out of curiosity I want to dig deeper, but I won’t. I feel awkward as I stare into his eyes, especially because my heart already belongs to another. I leave it. I’m also not supposed to be digging into his personal feelings. I search the next few minutes after we meet in the desert to see if I can find what happens next. As I follow the wavelength, all seems complete, but what I actually see I know didn’t happen in that order. There were parts missing. What I see is me standing there when he arrives. The next scene is Blue grabbing my hand as we take off together.

  I release my finger and focus on his eyes. A strange look is on his face. He almost looks embarrassed. Not knowing how to respond to his emotions for me, I only comment on his success. “You did it. You blocked me.” I smile. “And what was that I saw about your deep-centered beliefs being compromised by your missions. You feel the same way as I do about inserting a conscience,” I lightly accuse.

  He breathes out a deep sigh. “I have you and your last mission to blame for that. Before that I was on the straight and narrow.”

  The guilt washes over me again. I look down. “Sorry,” I mutter. “Now I’ve got you in a deeper mess.”

  He shakes his head. “No, that’s my fault. But if I managed to block you, then there’s hope.” I lift my eyes to look at his. He continues, “It’s your turn to practice. Let’s see if you can block me.” A slight smile stretches across his face.

  I lift an eyebrow. He looks as though he’s going to enjoy this too much, but I know I should practice, so I nod my head. He lifts his hand and touches his index finger to my forehead. I can feel the probing warmth immediately begin to spread. I track his moves as he goes through my day. When it comes to the part after I’d dismissed Louisa, I direct my memory to when Blue lands in the desert, skipping the parts between. I then direct it past the next stage straight to when Blue grabs my hand and we take off to fly. Knowing the probing is finished I relax a little. I’m surprised when I feel Blue probe other emotions. Not knowing where he’s going, and not wanting to expose more than I’m ready to part with, I immediately put up a wall. The warmth leaves my forehead as Blue removes his finger.

  “What was that?” I ask.

  He looks down. “Sorry. I overstepped my mark. I was just trying to get to know you better.” His face is a mixture of sadness and embarrassment.

  “Well then, you should do it the old-fashioned way, not by probing in places uninvited. I’m your friend, not one of your perpetrators.” My words are harsh, but the sternness doesn’t carry through my voice. I nudge him with my shoulder lightly. “Come on. There’s hope for us yet. We both managed to block each other.”

  He relaxes and looks at me.

  “We’d better get going,” I suggest.

  He nods, and we both push off the ground together. Another couple of seagulls squawk and scatter from the sudden movements.

  Our base isn’t far away. As we fly the final stretch, I feel as light as the clouds surrounding me. I’m more positive that Blue won’t be caught for completing the final part of my mission.

  I see our base and prepare to land. A few of our fellow fledglings are down below, waiting for Archangel Michael’s blessing and new task. I wonder if any of them are struggling with the final part of the mission.

  I land with a soft thud on the grass, and Blue follows behind. A couple of the others look over briefly. The afternoon is young. They’re probably hoping it’s the archangel so they can have something to do. I quickly scout around.

  “Can you see Yellow?” I ask Blue.

  He looks around and shakes his head. “She might’ve already been here.”

  “Let’s check the edges near the ocean. She’s always had an attraction to the sea.”

  He nods, and we walk together away from the other fledglings. The sun is peeking behind a cloud, but the rest of the sky is a clear blue. The only sound is a couple of distant calls by seagulls and pelicans that can be heard over the roaring waves.

  Growing up, I didn’t mind being alone. I enjoyed the peace. This’s probably a good thing because an angel doesn’t exactly lead a social life, though I’m glad for the friendships I’ve made with Blue and Yellow. They really care.

  This was often not the case when I lived in the city of the Gold Coast. I always felt insignificant and invisible around the people and the area. But there was one exception—Ethan, my only love. I wonder, What’s he up to now? Is he still living? Has he found a new girlfriend? I can never go back now as my days as a human are over. A wet sensation trickles down my face. Deep in thought, I lift my hand and wipe the tear away.

  “Hey,” Blue’s soft voice pierces through my thoughts. “What’s up?”

  I blink and realize what’s happened. I focus on his eyes feeling slightly embarrassed. I give half a smile. “Nothing. I was just thinking about my past life and what I’m missing.”

  A look of understanding passes across Blue’s face. I haven’t told him much about my past, we’re not supposed to share, but he nods as if he understands. He puts an arm around my shoulders and squeezes them lightly. I rest my head against his shoulder and look out over the sea.

  “Is there room for a third?” a voice calls from behind us. “I hope this isn’t a secluded club.”

  We release our embrace and turn around. Yellow is standing behind us. Her usually bright face looks unsettled.

  “Of course there’s room for you,” I say as I hold out my arm inviting her.

  Her face relaxes, and she dashes forward for a group hug. “I so need this,” she says.

  “What happened?” Blue asks.

  I look down and notice that the yellow angel on his charm is glowing dimly. Something must’ve upset her.

  I feel a little selfish as I turn and look at her. “Is all okay? Did something happen?”

  She sighs deeply and releases the embrace. “No, not really. I just had a really creepy evil person. I find it so hard to believe that people can stoop that low and do what they do to our Innocents.”

  I nod. “It’s upsetting, especially when all of us come from a background of innocence—not once, but three times. Doesn’t it make you wonder what made them become that way?” I ask.

  Her blonde brows crease together and her face puckers. After a moment’s pause, she shakes her head. “No. I’m just glad that we’re giving them what they deserve.” Her shoulders shudder as she lets out a sound of revulsion.

  Blue grabs my arm firmly from behind and pulls. I know that he’s trying to tell me to stop. I can’t help myself. “What if there’s still good inside of them?”

  Her eyes study my face. “Nah. That’s not possible. These people are pretty much born evil. They deserve whatever the conscience does to them.”

  I feel more pressure from Blue’s hand on my arm. My insides are about to explode. I want to argue and convince Yellow that there is possibly good in everyone, even though I know I shouldn’t, but I don’t understand how she could be so blind. As he watches me closely, Blue digs his fingers in deeper again.

  I’m about to open my mouth to speak when I hear the call, “Fledglings.” Our leader is here. We can’t see him, but we can still hear his call within our minds. We begin making our way to the meeting place.

  As we turn the corner, we see him. Standing in the center of our grassy meeting spot is the great warrior—our guide—who trained us to be the toughest of the new angels. He waits with his hands on his hips defining his bulging muscles. He looks tough in the skirt of his Roman warrior uniform. His feet are shoulder width apart as he examines the new angels in front of him with his piercing eyes. His no-nonsense demeanor is rather intimidating, even to the rule followers. Considering he’s the head of all the angels, and the greatest warrior since the beginning of time, the intimidation is understandable.

  I’m starting to feel nervous again. After seeing him, my confidence in being able to pull off the deception is wavering. My concern for Blue heightens. He shouldn’t have become involved. It’s my battle. I glance at him as he walks beside me toward our meeting spot. His face is a blank canvas. If he feels concern, he’s not showing it. I can’t read any emotion.

  I look back at our leader. His eyes are studying me. I try to hold an honest stare, but I’m not sure I’m pulling it off. He turns and assesses the gathering few as we line up and wait.

  “All right,” the archangel says. “Let us begin.”

  He walks up to the first in line. It’s Yellow. Glancing to the side, I can see she looks completely relaxed, but I know that she doesn’t need to worry. Her mind is on the straight and narrow, not willing to divert from our training. Archangel Michael places a finger on her forehead and it lights up. After a moment, he pulls it away.

  “Good work, fledgling. You have served well.” He produces the cloud in his hands and pulls out the shining bean. She smiles and takes it between her thumb and index finger and places it in her mouth. I watch as she swallows. I’m half-jealous that she can follow the angel law without remorse, but at the same time I’m happy for her. She’s earned it.

  When she’s swallowed, Archangel Michael says, “Go, young one. I believe your mission is of an urgent matter.”

  Yellow nods once and disappears, teleporting to wherever she needs to be.

  With Yellow gone, it’s Blue’s turn. The flutter of wings fills my stomach. Our leader stands in front of him. With his legs firmly apart, he places a finger on Blue’s forehead. I sneak a sideways glance. Blue still doesn’t show any emotion. I wonder if he’s stressing right now or if he’s redirecting the probing light to avoid the unwanted areas. I feel faint and realize that I’ve not been breathing. Taking deep breaths, I try to calm my stomach. After a few moments that seem to take forever, Archangel Michael removes his finger.

  He says, “Good work, fledgling. You have served well.” He turns and looks at me. “But, we have some issues to discuss.”

  I try to swallow the large lump that’s suddenly formed in my throat. It doesn’t go away. I look at Blue. His eyes darken as he looks at me. He shakes his head, and his face shows deep concern. Great. That isn’t helping me relax.

  The leader of the archangels stands in front of me. He’s forever in fighting stance, standing balanced and strong. His eyes are piercing as he looks into mine. Is that disappointment I see in those sapphires? He raises his hand and touches his index finger to my forehead. I feel the light as it spreads into my mind. I don’t know what went on with Blue, but I’m not going down without a fight. I’m going to do my best to redirect the probing.

  I allow it access to where it wants to go. As it begins to progress past the part where I save Louisa, I put up my barriers and begin to direct it to the last moment, when Blue and I take off to come back to base. My diversion begins to work. I’m feeling confident, but there’s a sudden push from the white light, and it penetrates my barrier, exposing all the secrets I want to hide from my judge.

  I’m still looking into the archangel’s stoney eyes as I fight to rebuild the wall, but I can’t find the strength to raise it from the ground. Before I know it, everything I want to hide has been seen. Now I know why Blue looked so defeated. The pressure lifts slightly as the probing light is removed, yet the archangel’s eyes turn to an eerie color of ice.

  - Chapter Eight -

  “You have disobeyed me, fledgling,” Archangel Michael snaps. My eyes look to the ground as I wait for his judgment. “Not only have you disobeyed me, but you have also disobeyed the standing rule of the archangels. And because of your disobedience, you have dragged down your fellow fledgling.” He looks at Blue. “But this fledgling is not without fault.”

  Out of the corner of my eye, I see Blue bow his head to face the ground.

  “He should not be chasing you and finishing your work,” our leader continues.

  Blue lifts his head and focuses his eyes straight ahead and says, “I felt she was in trouble, sir. I was making sure she was okay.”

  “That may be so, but she should be strong enough to complete her own mission.” He turns in my direction, and the glare is scrutinizing. Then he turns back to Blue.

  I lift my head and look at Blue. His jawline ripples as he clenches his teeth. He looks strong again, but I wonder if underneath he feels petrified.

  “You know the rules. You are not to finish another fledgling’s work if they choose not to complete it themselves.” Archangel Michael turns and glares at me again.

  Blue is clenching his fist by his side, and I wonder if he’s having second thoughts about helping me. I turn my head to look at our leader I feel terrible.

  “Esteemed archangel,” I say.

  The cold eyes assess me silently as he stands only inches away. After a moment he says, “Speak.”

  “It’s my fault. Please punish me as you deem fit. Blu—I mean—he’s not to blame.”

  The archangel’s eyebrow lifts. “You have named each other?”

  I’ve put my foot in it again. We both remain silent, and I try swallowing that persistent lump. I think I can see steam coming out of Archangel Michael’s ears as he clenches his jaw.

  “You know this is forbidden. You were both clearly breaking the rules even before this incident,” he snaps. “I’m taking you to stand in front of the panel of archangels straight after this meeting. Your fate is up to the archangels.” He turns to his left and continues down the row of fledglings to finish the checkup.

  Riddled with guilt, I sigh and look at Blue. His eyes are so sad when they look at me. He seems disappointed. I mouth the words, “I’m sorry.”

  He shakes his head and says quietly, “It’s not your fault. It was my choice to step in. I was—”

  “No talking.” His voice is harsh. Archangel Michael’s finger is pointing at us, but he’s looking the other way.

  With adrenaline exploding through our veins, we fall silent and wait for him to finish and our trial to be over. It seems to take forever for the remaining fledglings to be cleared and given a new mission. I watch them disappear or fly away after they’ve cast both of us a sideways glance. I’m sure this isn’t helping me make any new friends. Like Yellow, the other fledglings have done the correct thing. I hold a tinge of regret I can’t do the same. But I also know if I did not start to question what would happen to our perpetrators, I wouldn’t be happy with myself, and my conscience would eat away at me.

  As we wait silently, watching the last fledgling disappear, Archangel Michael turns to us and demands, “Follow me.” He pushes off the ground and flies into the clouds. As I lift off the ground and into the air, I hear Blue do the same behind me. My wings flap back and forth, and I listen to the dull whistle as the wind pushes away with each stroke. The rhythm of the sound is comforting, and at this moment, I don’t want to lose the sound.

  Within moments we’re in the clouds, rising farther up. I don’t know where we’re going. We’ve never been to wherever he’s taking us. The temperature is dropping rapidly as our wings quickly take us higher. It’s not long before I see a strange-looking platform on the highest cloud. We fly directly to the platform, rise over the edge, and follow our leader as he drops to land.

  I take a look around. If I weren’t so nervous, I’m certain I’d have found this humorous. The area looks like the typical cliché of angels living among the clouds. The entire place has a fluffy white-cloud finish. In different parts of the platform, there are large cloud chairs that resemble lounge chairs. They’re large enough to lie on and are empty.

  We step forward following Archangel Michael. Walking on the platform is a strange feeling. It’s like we’re walking on the semifirm cloud, but we don’t fall through. I hear a slight rumble of an airplane underneath us.

  Up ahead there’s movement, and from behind a cloud wall I see an angel step into the small gap of a doorway. The blue angelic gown flows softly to the angel’s feet. It’s a slightly darker color than the sky. Majestic white wings fan behind the angel’s back. I haven’t met any of the other archangels before, and I’m not sure what to expect. If they’re all like Archangel Michael, then I’m sure we’re in for a rough time.

  I look apprehensively at the angel’s pale face. The features are handsome but soft, so I can’t tell if they belong to a male or a female. And the gown is too loose to make out any defining shape of either sex. Allowing my eyes to meet the angel’s, I’m surprised to see that they’re the color of a welcoming crystal clear spring, rather than that of a hard sapphire. I begin to feel confident in my decision again, and I’ve an overwhelming urge to go and do something creative and express my emotions—this isn’t like me. I’m not the creative sort.