Page 9 of Eyes Like Angel (Eyes Like Angel #1)

As I made my way to a closed building, the doors were locked.

Ah, typical. So I tried to search my way in to gather and profited the valuable items. When I infiltrated from a stained glass window, cobwebs greeted me and swarmed me.

I coughed up, but quickly held it shut and switched the flashlight on.

Nothing but boxed items stacked in holiday decorations.

Thanksgiving decorations, Halloween decorations and Saint Patrick’s Day, even Valentine’s Day.

Most were cramped and unorganized, and it sickened me from having a thick cobweb in my mouth.

I came across a portrait of a young man with a long, blond hair, pitch-black eyes and a timeless suit, a fanciful sash and a family ring rested on his finger with an encrusted ruby atop.

Shaking my head, not finding any valuable materials to steal, I spat out the cobweb and stalked through until I hit at the end.

Moonlight appeared and basked its glow through a window glass and pooled on the wooden floor, leading a conscious body shivering on the surface, puddled with wet water.

Getting closer to the figure, my eyes widened, a discovery of surprising events when I saw her again— a mystified woman with emerald eyes and a crucifix pendant on her chest and a golden embroidered “W” across her chest, shielded herself in a tattered, stained curtain.

I can’t believe it was her! Why was she there at the floor, all wet, coughing and freezing to death? Her cheeks reddened from a chilled air.

Holy shit!

Her stomach growled, and it prolonged.

Several wet drops on her forehead drippled on the wooden floor. The whole floor we wet.

Suddenly, I had several rations in my duffle bag I stole from Samantha’s place, and took it out with the white linen handkerchief with pink rosebuds on the fabric, and positioned it beside her, hoping she’d see and eat it.

Until I came across one of the boxes along the rest of the holiday decorations, and it was the box was in a redder shade, assuming it was old or whatnot with a laced ribbon on the lid, but it had several items contained when I peeked in, setting the lid aside—a silver brush, violet dress, red rouge lipstick, silver bracelet with green gemstone with an engraved in a cursive letter of ‘ E ’, and several pieces of skeletons.

I assume this is another Halloween decoration, but what stood out the most is another box beside it, it was all white and had a silky ivory ribbon on the top.

I shed the lid and spotted the quilt or some of fabric.

But it was muddy and muted to a point where I can’t see bright colors under the moonlight and relied on my bright flashlight.

The quilt was in a shade of darkest blue, dark as a shadow, embroidered in gleaming orchid flowers alongside of crimson and yellow butterflies stitched, stretched trails of starlight sparkled and scattered, and along the darkened sky, a delicate detail of an angel flown in the darkened sky, the angel’s hand extended outward to the grey clouds and white stars, dark manes flowed, imagined a wind caressed through her and mine contrasted on a white-feathered wings with a tinge of gold on the outlines, glittered and traced lines of golden tips on the intricate, ruffled feathers.

Contemplating whether I should take it or not. In the meantime, I took it, hoping I would make a use of it. But I don’t think Saul would like a quilted blanket like this. He hated things that represented elderly, or retirement.

Nevertheless, I set it back where it belongs.

By the time I went over at the door and twisted the doorknob, it was locked, tried to jam it open by kicking the doorframe, sturdy as a wall.

Shit, I can’t go downstairs! Guess I should climb out where I came from.

And so I did, I climbed out, shutting the stained-glass window, and run around the block, only to meet a nun who exited the church, eyeing me with suspicion.

I said nothing and gave her money, hoping she’d take it. Everyone loves money.

“I don’t need your money,” she said to me, remaining unconvinced. “Why are you here at the church?”

I gave her a weird look, assuming churches in general liked donations.

“I just heard Father Divine might help me with something,” I lied.

“Father Divine isn’t here,” she said, her hands intertwined. “I could relay a message if you like.”

“No thank you,” I said to her. “I’ll speak to him some other time.”

She nodded, remaining cool. “Alright.”

Usually when nuns said their goodbyes, they either said “ God Bless you ” or “ May the Lord be with you ”, according to Mom, but this nun said neither, and observed me while I was getting off of her radar, hoping not to suspect me when I fled from the dimly church.

By then, I played it cool and went far where I parked my car and drove off.

***

“Did you get any valuable items?” Saul asked when I met him up under the bridge.

“Nothing,” I said. “I got nothing. All of the stuff that the building has was fake and cheap-looking artifacts.”

“Ah, nothing good, huh?” Saul assumed.

Then my mind recalled back to a woman formed in a sleeping position in a dark, cold attic at the highest tower in a Divine Miracles Church. The same woman who has given bread and wine at today’s mass. Aside from her, another nun who was suspicious of me showed up.

“Looks like you’re bothered,” Saul said bluntly.

“I was bothered…by the lack of resources to our income,” I explained coolly, nodding.

He nodded. “Well, Rivers, we have to discuss about what happened. Why did you kill those guys in the house? Our goal is to steal, not kill!”

“I don’t know, I just felt like it,” I answered.

“You can’t just do that, Rivers. I have a code I have to follow,” Saul reasoned.

I raised my hands in the air. “My bad.”

“Yeah, saying ‘ My bad’ isn’t exactly going to make them bring back to life. Or have this bloody stain on my outfit. Fuck, this was the only one that I had in my life when going in incognito mode.”

“So what do we do? Dump the bodies and call it a day?” I guessed, somewhat reckless.

Saul huffed, squishing the bug on the ground. “I had another solution, and it might work, depending on our situation.”

His answer intrigued me. “Go on.”

“What if I’m about to do is something illegal? And by illegal, I meant immoral, to immoral that we make a lot of cash?”

“Prostitution,” I guessed, almost quickly.

“Organ selling…at the black market,” he suggested. “With selling their organs, this might be a chance for us to have a full income. And it might be better than steal items from house to house. Things changed.”

“How do you mean?”

“I heard rumors about how this town is going to install cameras soon, somewhere in the future. Right now, we’re lucky. But if they installed the cameras, it would be over for us. We go straight to jail, no life parole.”

My face scrunched. “So what do you suggest?”

“We sell the organs, and call it a day. For the people who will try these dead bodies, it would be to have them as missing than killed or dead. Shit like that causes to stir in a rural town, then goes on their daily lives. That’s my alternative.”

I contemplated. There were advantages and disadvantages. And if I were to place my bets, I’d rather get a source of income, even if it means making fatal kills. This might be a chance for me to escape from this town, a new life as I removed a family name.

“Question.” My finger pointed up. “If we get this source of income, do we have to make another bank account?”

Saul nodded. “Correct. It’s better to be safe than sorry, man.”

The problem is, it’ll be difficult. I mean, coming from a rich family, it might be hard for Saul to comprehend or to put himself into my shoes. He doesn’t know shit. If he was a family member, he’d never taken my side.

“Are you thinking killing another set of folks?” Saul guessed.

“No, I was just thinking about the money and how to make an account without us getting tracked.”

“That I have something to come up with. So I’ll be sending you info, only if you pay another $250.”

Disgruntled, I provided him $250, which it makes Saul joyful, but he’s so stoic on the outside. He’s content whenever I pay him cash.

“Alright, I’ve got to get going. We can’t stay here for long or else someone might see us.”

My head dipped in acknowledgement. “Right.”

“I’ll text you,” Saul said, getting inside his own car, and gathered the mask that has been taken from me.

“What are you going to do with that and your clothes?”

“Burn them, I don’t care. I need money upfront.”

“How much?” I was dissatisfied with his demand, but then again, this was me asking him a favor.

“$300,” he confirmed.

Hesitantly, I gave him 300 bucks.

After he collected the cash, he got back into the rusted car.

“Oh, and just to be clear, Rivers,” he said, rolling the car window after started his engine, pointing at me, “don’t fuck it up again.”

“Will do,” I answered back, in the peak of exhaustion.

With the secret meeting ended, I have to head back into the house before Mom kills me again. God, I hate my life.