The Real Story of Heaven and Hell

It was three days since I had left the hospital, three days since I last saw Brian. He had left, turned his back on his friends, on me. I couldn’t feel anything but a numbing pain in his absence. I refused to speak to anyone but Lil, I just couldn’t face seeing the pity in everyone’s eyes. I was the reason Brian had left. I had naively handed him my heart and he had chosen to walk away like I was no one.

Maybe I was no one.

I hugged Lil in her sleep, she was the only thing I had left and she was slipping away. She shivered in her sleep and I knew it was time to get Jimmy. She had kicked him out so it was just me and her again, but she needed more than just me now.

Careful not to wake her, I crawled out of the covers and padded on silent feet over to the door. As always Jimmy was right outside it. “Jimmy?”

He turned around his normally bright steel blue eyes somewhat clouded. “Yeah God girl?”

I smiled up at him as his eyes went past me and into the room immediately seeking out my sister. He loved her and for that I loved him. “Lil needs you.”

Jimmy was past me before I could say another word. I silently closed the door behind me and wandered down the hallway. I had intended on crashing in Zacky’s room but instead found myself further down the hall.

I stopped at his door, placing my hand against the wood. After a few seconds of arguing about how stupid this is with myself, I turned the knob and went inside. The dark spice that was Brian hit my senses first. It was like he had just left, not been gone for days.

I didn’t turn on any lights, something I was sure if he was still around, he’d be proud of. I crawled under the sheets and inhaled deeply, pulling his scent deep inside my lungs. If I closed my eyes tight enough I could almost feel him here with me.

But he wasn’t.

He never would be again.

I pulled his pillow and clutched it to me like it was him. My heart was breaking all over again, my pain evident in the hot tears streaming down my face.

I guess I feel asleep crying because the next thing I remember is hearing Jimmy screaming for Matt. I rushed into the room my legs growing week at the sight in front of me. Lil’s arm was in clear view of everyone. Her arm had swelled her veins turning purple and almost poking out of her skin. But that wasn’t the worst part. In the center was a hideous bite mark that was oozing some kind of black almost tar looking substance.

I rushed to her side pushing everyone, including Jimmy out of my way. Her skin was a pale white, her eyes dull, she looked like death. I pressed a kiss to her temple. “It’s okay. It’s going to be okay. I’ll make it better.”

“Sera! NO!” Zacky yelled reaching for me as I rested my palm directly over the bite, the black ooze covering my hand almost immediately. I closed my eyes letting energy fill me until I was nothing but it.

I tried for hours to heal her only to get nowhere. Finally Zacky pulled me away from Lil careful not to touch the hand that was covered in the black ooze. I was too tired to fight him, so I let him carry me back to his room. “You shouldn’t have touched the bite. You could have put yourself in danger.”

Exhausted as I was I let him continue to lecture me as he scrubbed my hand clean. I screamed as he poured Holy Water that felt a whole lot like acid over my hand. After patting it dry he wrapped it in a towel and carried me to bed. My eyes fluttered closed almost as soon as we were under the covers.

Days later…

Lil was dying and there wasn’t anything I could do. The poison from the Lamia bite was spreading thorough out her system and no one could stop it. Jimmy didn’t leave her side, not even for a second.

I myself had gotten ill and hadn’t left Zacky’s room, turns out that as dangerous as a Lamia bite was to a Demon it was almost always fatal for an Angel. The only thing Zacky could figure was that I had somehow absorbed the venom from the bite when I was trying to heal Lil. Who I knew was blaming herself for my absence but the truth is I needed everyone looking for a way to save her. If they saw me their attention would be divided and that couldn’t happen. So I had sworn Zacky to secrecy and was trying to stay under the radar.

I heard the door open and immediately turned my head, I couldn’t stand the light anymore. Imagine that, an angel hiding from the light. Ironic huh? “Zacky?” I called out my voice weak.

“It’s me Sera.” He kneeled in front of me so that our faces were on the same level. He reached out gently touching my forehead, checking my temperature. “We need to get you checked out.”

I tried to shake my head no but it didn’t work too well. “Not until Lil is okay.”

A deep sigh left Zacky. He looked so sad. His green eyes had lost their fire and there were bags under them. I wondered how no one else noticed this change in him. Then again they were all pretty preoccupied with my sister as they should be. “You’re going to die.”

He cut himself short, before he said too; I was going to die too. Is it wrong to no longer fear that option? If Lil was going to die then I wanted to be where she was. I wanted to be with my loved ones. I gave Zacky a small smile. “Then it is father’s will that I die.”

“Bullshit.” Zacky growled as he stood up rage filling him. “He has to be able to do something.”

I reached out taking his warm hand in my icy one. “This might be his plan.”

The look on Zacky’s face was heartbreaking. “I don’t believe it. I’m going to talk to him.” He leaned down pressing a light kiss to my lips before leaving me. He was such a good man; I wish I could love him the way he deserved. But I couldn’t. This angel’s heart belonged to a demon who didn’t want or need it.

When the door opened the next day I assumed it was Zacky returning. I couldn’t see him, I don’t know when but sometime in the last few hours I had lost my vision. My heart took flight with happiness when I heard a different voice.

“SERA! GET UP! I’M ALL BETTER AND IT SNOWED AGAIN!!!!!” Lil hollered as she jumped onto the bed causing a groan of pain to leave me. “Sera?” Lil asked her voice suddenly full of concern.

Next thing I knew light was blinding me but I couldn’t see. I threw my arm up trying to protect my now sensitive eyes. I heard her gasp of shock and horror in the process. I knew what I looked like, I was like Lil had been.

“What happened to you?” She asked as she reached over turning off the light.

I breathed a sigh of relief and moved my arm off my eyes. “Lamia venom.” I answered in my raspy whisper of a voice.

“Jimmy!” Lil screamed bringing more than just him into the room.

“Oh shit.” Was Jimmy response to seeing me.

“What the fuck?! How the hell did this happen to you too?!” That burst of outrage came from Johnny.

“We have to help her.” Lil pleaded from beside me.

“There’s nothing we can do for her, I’m sorry.” That came from Matt.

“Why the fuck not?!” Lil all but screamed.

“Lamia venom is fatal to angels. There isn’t a cure, just death.” Cory sounded like she was starting to cry.

“There is a cure and the deal to acquire it has just been made.” I swear I could hear everyone in the room turn to look at Zacky who seemed to be suddenly back.

“What the fuck are you talking about Vengeance?” Lil hissed. She must be really mad to be using his code name.

I felt a large hand take my smaller one in it and knew it was Zacky. “Your father and hers have come to an arrangement. Your father is going to heal your sister, for a price.” The anger and loathing in his voice was unmistakable, he didn’t agree with this in the least.

“What kind of deal?” Lil asked sounding guarded, she didn’t trust her father anymore then Zacky.

“I don’t know. I was just told to take her to him and he would heal her.”

“Well I’m coming with.” I couldn’t see her but I knew Lil ended that sentence with a look that dared anyone to stand against her.

“Then I am too. It’ll be like old times.” I smiled despite everything. Leave it to Jimmy to find something amusing in this.

I felt someone pick me up and then suddenly stop.

“Give her to Matt.” Johnny ordered in full on leader role.

“Like hell.” Zacky growled.

“They already know who Jimmy is we can’t have you compromised as well. Now give her to Matt so he, Lil, and Jimmy can take her.” Johnny commanded.

“No.”

I reached up touching Zacky’s face. “He’s right, you need to stay, please, for me?” Zacky sighed and I knew I had won.

I felt warm lips press to my forehead before I was gently handed into another larger, more muscled pair of arms. “Don’t worry I promise not to drop you.” I could hear the smile in Matt’s voice.

“Thanks.” I mumbled into his chest.