Page 12 of Eyes Like Angel

“No, please—”

“Quiet, you filthy demon!” he shouted darkly, withered eyes flashed in rage. “After everything we have given you, blessed you and welcomed you in God’s name, this is how you repay us? By stealing the food that was never yours!? You are a disgrace to the Divine family! Shame on you! Beg for forgiveness, even if your limbs and tears were wasted and rotten! I want you to feel shame and the choices you make! God has put me in charge with your life, and for that, you must be disgrace for all eternity for as long as you live!”

He recited another verse—in Proverbs 12:19-20 and John 14:25-26

“Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment. Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but those who plan peace have joy,” “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you,” he emphasized, his rage seeped in further and further. “You must honor thy mother and father, thy sister and brother.We took you in as part of the family, and you have given us but your traitorous lies!”

The belt in his hand slapped, and his hand has grown tired; his palm reddened from clenching on a leathered fabric, labored breathing and sharp cracks deflected from grey-bricked walls surrounded me.

I was starving. I deserve to be rewarded, but none has given me.

I deserved to be rewarded.

I deserve some happiness in my life.

After he has given lashes on my flesh on a twentieth hit, as he was done with me with a heaving breath, with little left of my energy, he dragged me by the hair, my scalp scorched and pricked as he hauled me upstairs, tossing me inside the dark attic—where I resided, catching a glimpse of a blurry silhouette.

“Repent, for you have committed mortal sins, for you being so incompetent in today’s mass, you shall repent. Repent until God will decide whether to release you, to kiss you with love and forgiveness on your bruised cheek. Repent with your sinful blood, your sinful existence, you demonic witch, for as long as you live, until you accept the lesson and accept for whatyouare,” he hissed, and bolted the door shut, no way for me to escape, and felt water in my ears, until it drained and heard no noise but felt my own shivers convulsed and clenched in my trembled palms.

The floor has gone wet, and I was shivering.

I, on the floor, curled up alone in the dark, no blanket to warm me down, basked in coldness, as the silence in the thick air prevailed.

4

Adrian

Tonight was simple. Get in and get out.

For what, you might wonder? For stealing valuable resources that isn’t mine to begin with.

But stealing one’s property, one I could never have an advantage before has been redeemed.

On a darkened road, the dimmed lights came to a close, driving block to block, and watched out for the pedestrians walking outside. It can be tricky on the road, especially those who wore darker material. Pressing the gas pedal, the sports car sped up ahead to the narrow road, and like everything else in this darkened town, it lacks a source of lamp posts. Setting the headlights to high beam was a terrorizing moment of trial and error.

I didn’t want to any witnesses on me moonlighting as a burglar.

Thankfully, the security cameras were non-existent since Fort Heaven hated advanced technology. To my relief, there wasn’t a strict gate attendant who requires for me to slip the passing ticket or a gate itself. Not a single option where there’s no code box, I got lucky. Or should I say blessed since today is Sunday.

Being a son of an affluent CEO comes with good packages, and this was one of them, and infiltrating openly to the neighborhood puts me into ease. Not long after I met up with someone at a darkened passage, on the far corner of the non-gated houses.

Parked on a dark side corner, I shifted automatically to parking mode and got off the sports car. I wasn’t alone. Ten feet apart, there’s a taller silhouette standing there, watching me.

Only a person I recognized.

Saul, as always, in his usual baggy jeans and baggy hoodie, smoking out from his strong weed, his duffle bag lay beside his worn out black sneakers.

“What the fuck took you so long?” he exasperated, hands in his pocket, blowing out thick, gray smoke.

“Church business,” I told him truthfully, stuffing my hands in the pockets.

Saul’s thick, untrimmed brow flicked in curiosity. “I hardly believe someone as sadistic as you would go to a holy place.”

I leaned my body on his car for support. “Have you been into church?”

“Please, I never baptized in my life.” His expression was sinisterly calm, his eyes dulled. “You know what we’re here for, right?”

Nodded, I knew exactly what he implied.