Category: Chapter 4

I reached for the restroom and pounded through the handle-less swinging door. Ari from Algebra class stood washing his hands in the sink, with a startled expression. “Woah! You scared the shit out of me. I thought you were the toilet police, the way you rammed through the door like that. How are you holding up after everything that happened to you and Jamie?” Ari asked. 

I turned around, facing the towel dispenser, grabbing a bundle from the bin. “I’m doing alright. Just trying to move past it, however it’s hard to, when everyone is asking about it. I hope people will move on to the next thing sooner rather than later,” I explained. Ari stuttered on a few incoherent words, like he was choking on his tongue.

“I totally understand. I won’t bring it up ever again. I swear on my mother,” Ari said as he raised his right hand.  

“Come on Andy, don’t pretend like you aren’t drinking up all the fame, like a milkshake,” Danny said, breaking out of the bathroom stall wearing a shit-eating grin. His conclave, squinty eyes revealed his sinister nature, as he crept up close. “Last week you were a no-name loser on the verge of flunking out of school. You get kidnapped and you’re all of a sudden the talk of the town. I know who you really are. Don’t expect me to kiss your ass like all the rest,” Danny demanded. Danny’s words pierced through my skin like a dagger. I stood there frozen still like a scarecrow. If he could only see Wrath behind my glassy eyes, he wouldn’t open that fat mouth of his. “I don’t like the way you’re looking at me. If you have something to say to me, say it! Don’t give me that stupid look. Oh are you going to shoot me you sick son of a bitch? Only way you would win against me is if you used a gun,” Danny said, standing six inches away from my face as he delivered his menacing monologue. 

If I was still that vulnerable snowflake a few days ago, I’d be intimidated by his aggressive bravado. The man I am today meets a rat like Danny with a shovel. I hocked a loogie in Danny’s face. I had been accumulating saliva since he began speaking. Afterward, I erupted in a maniacal belly laugh, as he attempted to wipe the thick liquid from his face.

In an instant, the rescue workers carrying Jamie on a stretcher, cut through the choppy terrain of the wilderness. My heartbeat pounded exponentially, more expediently, with every foot Jamie came closer to the helicopter. The anticipation of knowing my sister’s fate was intertwined with my own destiny, was excruciatingly damaging to Wrath’s ego. Wrath was leaning on Jamie’s demise when he gave her the shot. He wasn’t thinking the medical aids would get to the cabin as soon as they did. He feeds on determining the fates of his hosts and himself. Jamie is a major obstacle in Wrath’s end game. It makes sense since she always gets the last word in. 

I studied Jamie’s status as she came within 20 feet of my purview. She was wearing an oxygen mask over her pale blue face and no voluntary movement was visible. The stretcher moved wildly against the bumpy terrain and violent gusts of wind were manifested from the thrashing propellers. 

The whole episode felt like it was happening in slow motion. The rescue workers reached the helicopter with Jamie, followed by the two policemen closely behind. They slid Jamie onboard next to me. Her eyes were closed shut and her skin was as pale as the moon. Office Sal attempted to board, however the rescue worker put his hand on the officer’s chest. The rescue worker then leaned closely to yell into his ear and Sal backed away from the aircraft slowly. 

Officer Sal locked eyes with me, and pointed at himself, then back at me. His message was loud and clear, this wasn’t the last time I would be seeing Officer Sal. The rescue worker turned toward the pilot. He pointed up at the sky and the pilot gave him a nod. We suddenly became airborne in a matter of seconds. The two officers became smaller and smaller as we pulled up into the heavens.

I motioned to the rescue worker, pointing at the burn on my back. He picked up his flashlight and flicked it a few times. I understood the gesture to mean to take off my shirt, so I removed the blood-drenched shirt. I looked down at Jamie and her eyes were wide open. An icy blue stare of blistering hatred locked on me. A sinister smile slid across my face.

“The alibi I concocted for your brother includes you alive, but that could change. If you don’t play along, I’ll put a round in that big mouth of yours. It’s not my will to blow you away, but I will improvise if I have to. I’m good at that. It’s my estimation that the police have heard the gunshot and they will be here in about five to ten minutes. We have to act fast and get our alibi straight before they come through that door. Take a seat,” Wrath said.

Wrath took the gun out of Jamie’s throat. He grabbed Ted’s blood soaked shirt, and threw him off the chair. Wrath waved the gun over to the chair, signaling Jamie to sit. Her trembling body slowly responded to Wrath’s demand. Wrath picked up the second chair and faced it toward Jamie. He took a seat to stare at his reflection showing in the whites of her eyes.

“The story goes as follows. Ted firebombed the ambulance you two were riding in. You two miraculously escaped with your lives, only to be kidnapped by gunpoint. He proceeds to take you and Andy over to the cabin, where he pumps you both with drugs. Ted plans to sell you both into the sex trade. Before he goes through with his plan, Andy takes his gun and shoots him,” Wrath explained. 

“Andy, if you’re in there, please come out! You don’t need this demon to do your dirty work. I’m sorry I told you that you were helpless. You’re not. You and I can deal with this together. Cast the demon out, he needs to go back to hell where he belongs!” Jamie pleadingly expressed as she looked into the beast’s eyes.

“My first instinct was to fight you, but for what? I’ve been trying to do the right thing my entire life, and it’s gotten me nowhere. My sister is wrong about almost everything, but she’s dead right about me being nothing without her. I want to be something. I want my sister to need me. I want my enemies to fear me. It’s now clear to me, you are the missing piece. May I be your immaculate vessel, to carry out our will upon the earth?” I asked.

“I only have your best interest in mind. Say my name from thy mortal lips and we’ll be one body and mind,” Wrath pleaded. Cloaked in darkness, I took my last breath as a mortal soul. 

“Wrath,” I whispered. Wrath’s wings broke the sound barrier, as the darkness all around me turned into light, and a potent sense of euphoria washed over me. It’s time to live for the first time. We opened the door and found my dear sister right outside with a deeply concerned look on her face.   

“Who were you talking to? I know who you were talking to, I don’t know why I asked. You were talking to the demon right? You’re really freaking me out, you shouldn’t do that. Demons just want to trick you, they don’t care about you. I thought you knew about Satan’s plan by now. All of those years in church wasted,” Jamie said.

We put our hand on her shoulder. “His name is Wrath. He has come to clean up your mess, so we can dine in civilization again and not with this disgusting insect, trapped in this rundown shack. Let us do the thinking this time,” I explained.

All the color drained from my sister’s face, replaced with a clammy white resemblance.