PART 8

CHAPTER 7

Monica and Andrew had walked for a few steps more in the dark, frightening woods, and were almost reaching the road that would lead them out of that place. But suddenly, the angels’ hearts pounded loudly in their chests with an unexpected diabolic voice that came from behind them.

“Leaving so soon, ‘angel girl’?”

They turned around and the intense lightening in the sky allowed them to see a tall, blond man, with green eyes and wearing beige jeans and white T-shirt staring at them with an evil smile on his face. Andrew felt his dearest friend squeezing his hand with fear and he himself had an eerie sensation to see an evil creature covered with his own image.

“And you ran away from me when it was starting to be interesting! Not fair!”

“Leave us in the name of God!” the blond angel shouted, tightening his hold on Monica’s hand even more, feeling fiercely protective of her.

The demon shook his head with some disgust, “You’re gonna both regret the night you stepped here. This is not your territory; or His!”

At this very moment, the 2 angels noticed that lots of creatures, tall and wearing dark cloaks, with no face and no soul, equal to the one who had captured Monica, were surrounding them. And a moving exchange of feelings took place: Monica’ heart clenched with fear for her dearest friend, as she shouldn’t bear to see him suffering. As for Andrew, his fear was mixed with anger towards all those evil creatures, as the idea of them hurting such a kind-hearted angel like Monica was revolting.

All of a sudden, before their eyes, the demon’s appearance changed: Andrew’s image was gone and, to replace it, another creature, whose appearance was equal to the other ones, stood in front of the two angels.

A cold, strong wind was blowing and the noise of the thunders echoing through eternal darkness filled their hearts with great fear and left the 2 angels with nothing to hold on but their faith.

Andrew felt Monica’s arms around his waist in a tight embrace and, equally holding her, he stroked her hair, both looking at each other. “I told you once, angel: I’ll be right here with you, no matter what.”

“I know... and the same goes to you Andrew...”

*

Monica and Andrew were captured by the evil creatures that inhabited the dark woods, and taken to the top of a mountain. The old rock formation had no vegetation and there were some huge stone walls on the top, where the wind blew stronger. From the spot, all one could see was that darkness spread along that evil territory where it was difficult to say where earth and sky met.

But when the evil creatures brought the 2 angels there, someone was anxiously waiting of them. With an evil smile upon her pretty face, Monique watched with pleasure as Monica and Andrew were thrown on the stony ground right in front of her.

“Well, well, well... I knew that one of your friends you hang around with would show up here to try a... ‘rescue assignment’!” she said, watching as Andrew helped Monica to stand up, holding her with firm hands, protectiveness always on his face.

“Love and friendship are holy, Monique. I wish you could understand that, and I’m sorry that you don’t,” the little Irish angel spoke, facing the demon without fear, despite her injuries.

“Oh you’re sorry, dear? Well, I’ll tell you what: all the ‘love and friendship’ that you’re talking about will only serve to destroy you and this foolish friend of yours!” Monique stepped closer to the angel, “I’m the one who should be sorry for you... But you know something? I’m not... cause it’ll be a relief to get rid of you once and for all!”

“He is carrying us in His hands... Our faith in Him will give us the strength we need to go through this evil plan you have, Monique. Because there’s no evil that can overcome His love.”

“Unfortunately for you, and fortunately for me, you’re not in His territory, baby. You both know who is in command here!”

“The power of God can go anywhere... it can touch even the hardest of the hearts and heal even the most desperate of the souls,” Andrew replied, also facing the demon and secretly proud of Monica’s courage in facing Monique, who gave a short laugh.

“Well, you can be sure that despair is all you’ll find here.”

All of a sudden, they heard another voice, “Monique!”

The angels and the demon watched as Erika, Monique’s apprentice, appeared at the top of the mountain. She had a surprised look upon her face for seeing Monica and Andrew there and with wounds all over their bodies, especially on Monica’s.

“Erika! You arrived just in time!”

“So... he really came for her!” she spoke, approaching the angels.

“Of course he did! I am always right, am I not?”

“How can you risk your own existence because of her?” Erika asked, staring at Andrew with haunted eyes.

The blond angel looked at his dearest friend and after at her. “How could I risk being without her for the rest of my existence?”

Frowning with concern and now twice surprised with his answer, the young demon backed away from them. “I don’t understand...” she said.

Monique placed her hands over her shoulders. “Don’t worry, dear... They’ll both end up with no existence at all!” Then she turned to Monica and Andrew, “Erika is one of my best apprentices, you know? She’s been helping me to destroy 2 men’s lives and, in the process, you 2!”

“Two men’s lives? I thought Edward Evans was the assignment...”

“Of course, honey... I was talking in general. Think about Edward Evans family and friends, they’re all in great pain right now and thanks to us!”

“Yes. And tomorrow, by morning, when Dave wakes up, Edward Evans will have been executed. He’s fallen in deep sleep, Monique, thanks to the medicine you gave me.”

“Good girl! Now there’s no danger of him going to the police and telling them the truth!”

Monica and Andrew exchanged a worried look: their suspicions were correct, Erika had been close to David all the time, by Monique’s orders, and with the evil plan of letting an innocent man die.

Erika nodded her head. “It would be so stupid to ruin his life because of someone he doesn’t even know!”

“And live with the death of an innocent man in his conscience forever? Do you expect it brings him any peace of mind?” Monica questioned, looking at the young demon.

“Well, David had a second chance when he escaped from prison; if he surrendered himself to the authorities then he wouldn’t have peace of mind for throwing his opportunity through the window!”

“I’ve talked to David a few times. He’s a man who has made some mistakes in the past but who is willing to change, he has a good heart.” Andrew interrupted, “But this omission will ruin his spirit for the rest of his life!”

“Of course that won’t happen!” Monique interrupted, “He’ll end up enjoying his new free life!”

“He’ll live with guilt and regret for the rest of his life!” Monica spoke.

Erika shook her head in disagreement. “No, he won’t! Monique is right, he’ll have a long and happy life! You guys preach about sacrificing yourselves for another person but look where you are right now!”

“Very well, baby. Now let’s stop talking and act cause there’s a lot to be done this night, starting by the angels...” Monique stepped closer to them, “Which one is gonna be the first to be destroyed?”

A loud thunder echoed through that vast and inhospitable territory as Monica and Andrew looked at each other and after to the demon, and the blond angel was the first to speak, “Do whatever you want to me, but leave Monica alone!”

“No! It was me you’re looking for since the beginning; I am the one you should take your revenge at, not him!” Monica protested, and her dearest friend tried to stop her.

“Monica!”

But she didn’t stop talking, “Leave him alone, let him go back Home!”

Monique rolled her eyes and sighed with impatience, while Erika kept on staring at them frowning in disbelief. “Oh gosh! I should’ve guessed that! You are really too repetitious, aren’t you?”

“Leave him alone... it’s me you’ve always wanted!” the Irish angel added.

“Monica stop! Stop doing this, for Heaven’s sake, you’re hurt!” Andrew replied, his heart filled with panic for what could happen to her.

The demon looked deep inside Monica’s eyes and smiled evilly. “It would really hurt to see him bleeding to death, wouldn’t it?”

“No! Leave Andrew alone, please!”

“Put her in the chains! And let’s have a little fun with her dear friend!” she ordered, and the creatures took a firm hold Monica and Andrew, first to separate them and after to put heavy handcuffs, linked to equally heavy chains, on Monica’s wrists. These chains were attached to some huge stones and limited her movements, and the only thing she could do was to watch as the creatures put Andrew right in front of her and threw him on the ground with violence.

“Andrew! No! please, don’t do this to him!”

“Monica... have faith in the Father, angel!” he said, receiving a punch in his stomach and letting out a moan of pain, followed by Monica’s desperate cries.

“No! Stop it! Don’t do this to him! stop it, please!”

“Don’t look, Monica! Close your eyes!” the blond angel said.

“If you close your eyes I’ll throw him from the top of this mountain into the stones down there!” Monique threatened, although it was far too clear that the little Irish angel wouldn’t ignore his dearest friend’s suffering by merely closing her eyes.

“No! Andrew, please, stop this Monique! Take me instead of him!”

The demon ignored her pleas and watched with pleasure as Andrew was tortured by the evil creatures at her command. In silence, and with a surprised expression on her face at how much suffering the angel could bear in order to spare Monica’s life, Erika watched the aggression suffered by the angel.

And then the young demon thought about David. They have known each other for nearly a year, and, although she had initially approached him with an evil mission to fulfil, it was evident they had shared many good moments since he had escaped from prison. The young man made a terrible mistake by stealing, for sure, but no one could deny he had a good heart and that this attitude was maybe due to despair, as he had no job and no family. Erika couldn’t deny that he treated her like a princess and she had never seen him being unkind to any other soul. Even the way he treated the little dog found at the door of the grocery store was an evidence of his compassionate heart.

A slight smile appeared on her face as she remembered of all the good times they had shared together and Monique didn’t miss that. “Enjoying the show, dear?”

Monique’s voice brought her back to the dark mountain and she stared at the demon without knowing what to say. “I... I keep imagining what takes him to do such a sacrifice...”

“Something they call ‘love’ but which we would call ‘stupidity’!”

Erika sighed deeply; Monica’s cries echoing in her ears and Andrew’s deeply hurt image right before her eyes.

“Will they be able to persuade David to go to the police after the execution?” she asked, with a pensive expression on her face.

“What do you mean?” Monique was surprised to hear such question.

“Well... nothing, it’s nonsense, forget it!”

“Ok...” the demon replied, staring at her with the same face, “...Well, as you are my apprentice, and soon will start working on your own, I’ll leave these 2 in your hands for a while.”

“Where are you going?”

“I have some... business to take care of. I won’t be long.” Then, she turned to one of the creatures that was beating Andrew. “Stop a little. I don’t want to miss all the details of this execution; I’ve never seen an angel dying!”

The evil being immediately obliged her and threw the blond angel on the ground, next to Monica. Only then, with tears rolling down her face and her heart filled with pain, anguish and deep sorrow, Monica could crawl up to where he was. “Andrew... Andrew, I’m sorry... please forgive me... Please forgive me...” she cried, gently stroking his bruised face. Carefully, the Irish angel held his head and made him rest it over her leg, never stopping the moment of her fingers through his damp blond hair.

“Oh gosh, I feel nauseous watching this!” Monique spoke, and disappeared a second later.

Erika watched as Andrew weakly moved his arm and held on of Monica’s hands, placing it over his heart.

“Please, Andrew, try to resist! Don’t go away from me!” the little Irish angel pleaded, sobbing and with a constant flood of tears falling from her eyes.