Page 10 of An Unexpected Ascension (A War Between Worlds #1)

The Angel

“Briar?”

Will’s voice cuts through my reverie.

Perched on the grass, beside the pool of the fall, I force myself to look away from the point of my descent. I don’t think I’ve let my mind wander too far from the incident moments ago, or maybe it’s been hours. Time here isn’t my friend.

He aims for me with a woman towed behind him, her hand clasped in his. Though her wrinkles match his in age, her short platinum bob lacks any grey. I would say she can’t be any older than Will.

I push myself up to my feet, brushing the imaginary grass off my backside.

“Hey,”

I greet, offering a small wave.

There’s an unrestrained smile gracing his face as they near. My gaze rifled with curiosity.

“This is Jessie, my sister. I didn’t realize she had even... passed, but I happened to bump into her at the market the other day and it seems I must have lost track of time.”

Will found his sister...

“Wow!”

I finally say, pulling myself from my own thoughts.

“That’s crazy. I’m so sorry your life ended, but I’m glad to know you two have found each other.”

I grasp her hand in mine, shaking it.

“What a pleasure to meet a friend of Will’s.”

She smiles politely.

Friend might be a stretch, but I’ll take it. I could use as many friends as possible here.

“We were just catching up before he realized he had plans to take you somewhere. I didn’t mean to keep you waiting,”

she apologizes.

“That was... days ago.”

Will’s face falls.

“I am so sorry, Briar! I had no idea how badly I lost track of time.”

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it. This—”

I motion between the two.

“—is definitely more important.”

“Well, if you’re still up for it, we can go see the Garden of Eden. You wouldn't mind if Jessie joins us, right?” he asks.

My mind reels with inked swirls and murderous blue eyes, with threats of Hell and a death plummet from mere moments ago.

I had shared some of my most intimate pieces of my life with a demon, only to be shoved off a cliff with a promise of damnation.

Cluttered and in pieces, I politely decline.

“No, you two go. I’m sure you have a lot to catch up on.”

Will’s eyes glitter with question, wondering if he should insist.

“Really,”

I assure him.

“Find me next week and I’ll tag along.”

Jessie offers a friendly smile and a departing wave before she follows Will the way they came.

I watch as they vanish behind the plush green bushes enclosing Galsip Falls.

Now, here I am, left with my own thoughts.

A part of me wishes I could have told Will about the demon and what he had done, but the fear of revealing the cave as a passing ground kept me from it.

Pulling myself together, I saunter out of the forest.

The birds singing merrily flit from one tree to the next while the flowers blossom in my presence, but none of it registers.

The farther I get from Galsip Falls, the less my memories plague me.

Except, the absence of them leaves a fog in their wake as if they’re still there, just no longer clear.

All those wretched emotions now hang heavily from my heart, like a cinderblock tied with rope, but the reasons are lost to the cave.

It’s not until I make it to the edge of the forest, the town now in full view, do I take that deep, purifying breath, the weight dissipating with my exhale.

I take my time cutting through the bustling market filled with saints and repented angels.

Some look extravagantly wealthy, while others wealthy enough.

They laugh with each other, smell exotic foods offered at various stands.

One bites into an apple, rolling her eyes as if it’s the first time in years and she’s forgotten how the sweetness tastes.

A small fog of envy passes through me and instead of letting it fester, I recite a few Hail Marys to bring me closer to those luxuries.

While overly focused on the luscious fruit, my shoulder accidentally bumps against a stranger’s.

“I’m so sorry!”

I gasp, gently grasping the elbow of an older woman.

“Oh, do not fret, my dear.”

Her smile is kind as she pats me on the shoulder.

“Are you alright?”

“Me? Yes. I’m alright.”

But then I really think about it.

“I’m new around here. My buddy just reunited with his sister, so I’ve found myself alone. What does one do around here to pass the time?”

She brushes a hand down her habit before tucking a stray hair beneath her coif.

“Why you’re in luck, dear. I have just the thing for you. Follow me.”

With a soft wave of her hand, she beckons me.

I trail behind her without question, the nun seeming nice enough.

Together we come to a large building resembling a church, some ways away from the market.

Above the arched church door with iron ornate strap hinges, sits colorful stained-glass windows stretched up to the very point of where the cross meets the crown of the holy structure.

The door opens soundlessly as we step through into a brightly lit foyer, adorned with statues of different Gods.

The marble floors glisten back at me as though they were recently waxed, and the stone walls sit ageless despite the time that's passed since its creation.

“It’s beautiful,” I murmur.

“That it is, deary. Would you like to see something even better?”

I nod, letting her lead me through the empty room to a set of stairs hidden behind a stone wall.

Upon the third floor is a wide hallway with a few doors on either side and at the very end, a floor-to-ceiling stained-glass window.

The blues, yellows, reds, and greens shimmer against the sunlight, shielding the hall from the blaring brightness, providing just the right amount of glow.

All those colors make up a God, watching – protecting.

Each door is closed, but from behind those barriers, I can hear laughter.

I can hear arguing and singing.

I can hear small, little voices filled with curiosity. I can hear children.

The nun opens the last door at the end of the hall, revealing a room filled with pure innocence and unfiltered joy.

Babies and tots roam about, playing, sleeping, and learning.

A few other nuns are scattered around helping the children, some flustered while others serenely lulling babies to sleep.

“So, this is where all the children have gone.”

I smile to myself.

“We always welcome help.”

“I’d be happy to.”

Inching further into the room, I find a pudgy little thing crawling toward me.

Gathering her in my arms, I rock her, swaying gently.

Hair soft as feathers and legs with more rolls than the bread stands at the market.

Slowly, her eyelids droop as she fights sleep, eventually caving as my finger drifts down the center of her nose in steady strokes.

I bring my face to her baldish head and inhale her peace, soaking it all in.

Something I think I would have done if I were ever to have a child of my own.

“It’s a thankless job some days, but there’s no other way I’d rather spend my eternity.”

The nun shares in a hushed voice.

“I’m Briar,”

I tell her, keeping my last name to myself.

“Sister Mary.”

“Thank you, Sister. I really needed this.”

“You’re welcome any time, deary.”

She hustles off to help a young boy with a book in his hands up onto a rocking chair.

The scene, for a moment, makes me forget that this is the afterlife.

No one here is living, and all these children have left their parents, either back on Earth or lost in Heaven.

If I could feel more than a modicum of emotion, I would be heartbroken.

I spend the remainder of the day with the orphans of Heaven before I say my goodbyes and head back to my little grey cell.

Spiteful blue eyes and a face only the devil could have created accompany me home.

I desperately wanted to flush him from my memories all together, but it seems that’s not something I can do.

The hatred simmering inside of him was terrifying.

I’ve never met the man before, not that I can recall, so why am I the target of all that wrath? His warning rings loud in my ears, suffocating the urge to ask him.

Instead, I steer my focus on what tomorrow will bring.

Over the next five days, I find myself entertaining children, feeding them, teaching them.

All the while, Sister Mary explains the concept of children in Heaven.

They have been granted special rights to grow into adulthood, so we raise them as if they are alive.

We mold them into the perfect specimen, some becoming saints themselves, others... cast down to spend the rest of eternity in Hell.

It gives me that much more reason to take my time here.

I don’t have an ounce of perfection in me to give, but love, time, and attention are more than enough – at least by Sister Mary.

As I ready myself to leave, she places a gentle hand on my forearm.

“Have you checked your penance recently, my dear?”

“No, but I’ve been praying, teaching some of the other kids.”

“Wouldn’t hurt to do so.”

She winks at me.

I snap my fingers and sure enough, my Hail Marys have diminished greatly. I’m less than 1,500 away from checking it off my list.

“For your selfless efforts. Now, off you go. Enjoy the Garden of Eden.”

“Thank you.”

I kiss her cheek.

Flashes of my mother flutter forth from my memories – the pecks before school, the hugs after...

“Don’t forget! Whatever you do, do not partake in the forbidden fruit!”

she calls after me.

I chuckle, reassuring her I would never, then jog off toward the market to meet Will and Jessie. As time trickles on, I find that my existence here in Heaven isn’t nearly as dreadful or boring as I first imagined. I’ve made friends, I found a purpose, now I just need to find my mother.

“This is the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Those there—”

Will points to a plum-shaped object hanging from a branch.

“—is the forbidden fruit.”

Lustrous green leaves blossom heavily on each branch, weighed down by the small fruits. The tree itself is not large, just the right size to pluck from.

“It’s rumored that when Adam and Eve gave into the fruit’s seduction, they were given the gift of eternity without chance of eradication, but when their transgressions were discovered, they were smote by the Gods: Adam to Hell, and Eve to a fate far worse.”

“That’s all here say. I’ve heard six different versions of that story, Will.”

Jessie smacks him lightly in the chest.

The deep purple hues of the fruit dangle dangerously close to my face.

“What about the knowledge, is that off limits or just the fruit?”

I ask Will.

“I don’t know, why?”

“Just curious.”

I tear my gaze away with a strained effort, as if the tree itself is entrancing me, trapping me in its lure, seducing me to just take a small bite of its labor... I won’t.

“So, Jessie, how are you settling in?”

I force myself to ask as we continue on.

The further from the tree we stride, the tighter the invisible string grows. Each step takes more effort, but I press forward anyway.

Jessie sighs, tucking a small strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

“It’s been okay. Different, of course. I’m just so lucky that I ran into Will on my first day. I don’t know what I would have done without him.”

“That was lucky,”

I murmur.

“I’m still looking for my mother. I’ve spent nearly every day since I got here just wandering the market, searching for that familiar face.”

“You’ll find her. I’m sure of it.”

Will places a comforting hand on my shoulder.

“On the bright side, I’ve started volunteering at the orphanage. Sister Mary said friends are always welcome. If either of you are ever looking for something to do, you should join me.”

“I’d love to!”

Jessie gasps.

“Oh, I love kids. Never had any of my own but always wanted them.”

“Me too. Never found the right partner.”

A flash of a man with cropped hair flits across my memory, not lingering longer than a millisecond. The face, the dread, the pain... it all spiked to a terrifying height before plummeting into nothing once more and disappearing as if it never even happened.

My mind drifts back to the tree while Jessie and Will reminisce about a childhood memory, laughing at some joke they played on their elderly neighbor. Could it help me find what I’m looking for? Can I simply press my hand to the trunk and request answers to the questions plaguing my mind?

I glance behind me, a whisper brushing my ear, slithering into my thoughts – just touch it. I won’t eat the fruit, but I’ve never heard stories of anyone being damned for just a touch. Though, I don’t doubt that people stay far away for fear of repeating past mistakes.

“Briar?”

Jessie’s voice cuts through the fog, clouding my head.

My gaze snaps to hers. “Hmm?”

“Are you okay? Do you need a rest?”

“No, no. I just... I was admiring the beauty is all.”

I smile at her, and both my friends return the expression.

“Look!”

She gasps, pointing in the opposite direction to a family of deer.

They frolic together through the fields of flowers. The little fawn running on wobbly, thin legs.

We coo over the adorable sight, but those whispers remain loud in my head.

Touch me.

“I-I should go,”

I say suddenly.

“Already?”

Jessie whines.

The blanched expression on my face must be keeping her from pushing any further.

“Alright. Let’s meet up again soon. I want to join you at the orphanage!”

“Yes! Please,”

I call out behind me, eager to get out of there.

“See you guys soon!”

Passing the Tree of Knowledge, I force myself into a sprint. The whispers grow louder and louder. I don’t know if the others are hearing it, but neither of them made a mention.

In the desperate need for escape, I find myself back at Galsip Falls, climbing up and into the cave. The noise of crashing water seems to steal away any unwanted thoughts. I sigh in relief that the whispers have left me and lean back on my elbows with my legs stretched and ankles crossed.

Against the waterfall, my mother’s face appears.

“Briar! You look stunning!”

Gripping the railing of the stairs, I carefully make the descent in five-inch silver strapped heels while lifting the skirt of my dress.

Sparkles glitter along the hem, shimmering right up to my waist.

The dress was more fitting for a ball from the eighteen hundreds rather than prom, but my mother loved it the moment she saw it.

It also helped that it was Lucy’s old prom dress – our neighbor’s daughter who’s now in her thirties. Was it a little dated? Sure, but it was free.

My mother spent the last couple weeks taking it in and ridding it of the horrendous puffy sleeves, leaving it that much closer to perfect.

My dark hair lies curled and heavy against my bare shoulders, draping down my back.

I feel like royalty, I feel as if I’m on stage with my eyes closed, dancing until my heart nearly floats away.

I feel happy.

The doorbell rings and my mother, gripping the edge of the stair railing, takes a struggling step toward the door.

“I’ve got it, Mom!”

“Nonsense.”

She leans back from the railing to gain some much-needed momentum and stretches for the knob.

“CiCi! Honey, come in. You look so beautiful!”

CiCi and I met in cheer freshman year, but didn’t click until recently over the one thing we had in common... Matt. After that experience, we both decided it was best to go to Prom together.

My friend waltzes into our small foyer, both of us squealing. Her in her pink silk dress and gold strapped heels and me in my purple tulle. We take turns spinning each other around, my mother giggling and finally begging us to take pictures before we leave.

I kiss my mom on her cheek, noticing how thin her skin feels after her diagnosis last week, and suddenly the happiness fades.

“Maybe I should stay back. You and I can have a Prom here.”

“No! Briar, you can’t do that to CiCi. Go, have fun. I’m going to get some rest.”

She nudges her head to my waiting friend and reluctantly I go, leaving her with promises of an early return.

Only, I didn’t return early enough.

Sirens wail outside my house as CiCi’s father’s car slows to a stop. Ripping off my heels, I run to my front door, making it inside just in time to watch my mother’s unconscious body being hauled onto a gurney.

“What happened?!”

My voice came out scratchy and high pitched.

“Neighbor did a wellness check, and it seems she lost consciousness. Called it in.”

“At least you had fun.”

That voice!

I jump to my feet, spinning on my heels.

“You!” I growl.

“What? Surprised? You've come to the one place you know I would be.”

The demon smirks.

“I didn’t call your name.”

“No, but I sure did call yours. Many times, Fentonelli. Cursed it, in fact, for years longer than you can imagine.”

“Why? What did I ever do to you?”

Slowly, I move my feet, pushing myself as far back into the cave as I can to keep from being sent off the cliff again.

He follows, closing in on me, revealing my mistake.

His hand smacks against the rock wall beside my head, biceps rippling beneath tattooed skin.

He’s ditched the leather jacket today for something far more menacing: a simple black T-shirt.

Where the jacket once hid the veins and ridges, the shirt leaves his foreboding strength fully exposed.

With his other hand, he pinches my chin, forcing my face to his.

He hovers over me like a wave in the ocean, threatening to render me victim to its drowning ways.

I decide it’s much easier to pretend he isn’t here if I close my eyes. That face of his, so mesmerizing, could be the forbidden fruit.

“Oh Angel, it’s not so much you, but the rot in your soul from generations before you.”

“My soul isn’t rotten. I’m here in Heaven, aren’t I? That should tell you enough.”

He scoffs.

“That tells me nothing except that your God is a parasite leaching power off the souls of this world.

Letting anyone in, despite their dirty little deeds back on Earth.

Never mind the murdering, the raping, the terrorizing. So long as they prove their everlasting fealty to the Gods, their evil is forgotten.”

He leans even closer, his breath skittering over my face and those whispers to touch come back in full force.

I desperately will them to simmer, to quiet inside my head, because the last thing I want to do is please this demon who despises my rotten soul.

His eyes burrow deep inside mine, watching as I wince the louder his demands get.

Touch me, Angel. Run your fingertips down my chest. Feel me, I know you want to.

“NO!”

My voice echoes through the cave as I squeeze my eyes shut.

“So, you can hear it.”

He chuckles in my ear.

When they flit open, my gaze narrows on his mouth that now cuts into a devious smirk.

“That was you?”

“Hmmm,”

he hums darkly, like the seduction of the tree.

“Neat little trick, right? Didn’t even think it was a thing, but here you are. Go on, now... Touch me.”

“Stop! You’re going to get me into trouble.”

“Good. You don’t belong here anyway.”

“Says who? What exactly have I done in my life that’s worth an eternity in Hell? Tell me.”

“As I’ve said, it’s not what you’ve done but who you are. You could be a saint for all I fucking care.”

I wince at the curse, the word reverberating inside my skull.

“Tell me, please! Why do you hate me so much?”

“I hate your entire bloodline. Fentonellis have only produced one vile soul after another. Though, I have to admit, I’m surprised to find a female descendent. You’re the very first I’ve come across.”

He pinches his lips thoughtfully.

“I’m the first daughter on my father’s side.”

I don’t know why I bother offering him any information when he’s been infuriatingly vague with me. Despite the countless times I’ve asked, he refuses to divulge any more history with me as if he didn’t just watch half my childhood memories.

Before I get the chance to pester him again, he rips his hand from my jaw and creates space between us.

“Any other Fentonellis I should expect to meet in the future?”

“Just my father, if he isn’t already dead.”

His gaze turns thoughtful, those eyes drinking me in. I can feel every bit of his stare like hands groping the most intimate parts of me.

“Well, isn’t this news,”

he murmurs to himself.

“Please, go on. Watch your memories like I’m not here. I have business to attend to.”

With that, he vanishes in the blink of an eye, leaving me in the cave alone.