‹ Prequel: In an Instant
Sequel: Delilahs Darkness
Status: 2017 Nanowrimo Project!

City of Dark Angels

The 60th Floor

"Dammit Erika, can't you just transport us to the 60th floor?" Travis groans as we reach only the 45th floor.

She pants, opening the door and wandering inside. "Trust me, if I could I would. But, there's Raviera blocked us from the use of any powers inside the city of angels. Why do you think we only get transported outside the city?"

"Well Raviera is an asshole." He groans as we ascend yet another flight of stairs.

"Wait, I think I know of a way to make the elevators work!" Erika says suddenly halfway up the staircase.

"You couldn't have said that like I don't know.. 30 floors ago?" Travis says grumpily as Erika runs towards an elevator.

"Oh suck it up, I just thought of it now. There is a switch in the back of the elevator that puts it into manual mode, in case the power ever goes out. We have to wind it by hand."

"Beats walking up another 15 flights of stairs." Riley says as Erika pry's open the elevator doors. We all step in and she walks to the back of the elevator, opening up a small box and turning the switch into manual mode. She starts winding the elevator and it begins moving upwards.

We all cheer as it ascends up the tower and towards the 60th floor to where the control room will be. About halfway there it stops abruptly, and Erika isn't able to continue winding it.

"Whats going on?" I ask looking around fearfully. The doors swing open and we find ourselves on the 60th floor.

"How did that happen?" Erika wonders walking out of the elevator and onto the floor.

The AI from the island appears in front of us, flashing in and out just as she did before.

"With the help of us, great thinking on your part. Come this way to the control room, and get the key prepared."

I reach into my pocket for the key, and the AI holds out her hand and tells me to swipe on the control room door. I do so and it opens easily. We walk into a room filled with computers showing cameras all around the city of angels.

"I found the pond!" I say pointing to an area with a small pond, the water looks more like a sludge but it's a pond nonetheless.

"Good eye Delilah!" The AI says to me and points to the side of the screen. "Now, swipe your card."

I do so and from the control room we are transported to the pond, the water in fact a deep brown sludge.

"Now, who will do the honors of retrieving the stone from the bottom of the ravine?"

"The stone?" I question curiously.

"Yes, the stone. The one thing that can reverse the dark angel curse." The AI informs me which only puts more questions inside of my mind.

"I guess I will go and get it." Travis volunteers. "What does this stone look like?"

"It's the size of your average stone, but glowing blue and full of dark secrets."

"So I literally have to dive to the bottom of this muddy, gross ravine to retrieve this secretive stone?"

"Yes." The AI replies, encouraging him to go forth and do so.

Travis looks over at me, and shrugs. He walks over to the front of the ravine and takes off his jacket getting ready to dive in.

"Well, here goes nothing."

He kicks off and lands in the mud with a loud plop, he disappears underneath the mud and I can feel my heart beating fast in my chest the longer he is down there.

The AI turns to me and grins, "I sense a strong connection between the two of you."

"He's my best friend." I say to her, knowing exactly where this conversation is headed.

"And you're okay with that?" She asks tilting her head the way a dog would do at the sound of a treat bag shaking.

"Of course, I wouldn't have it any other way."

In a sudden motion, I can see bubbles forming on top of the mud. Then Travis bolting upward towards the top of the lake, he shoots his hand up and in it is the glowing blue stone of which we seek.

He swims to the front end of the pond and stumbles out, covered head to toe in the gross muddy substance.

"Gross." He says, wiping off the mud from his face and walking over to us; "I need a shower for the next thirty years."

"You smell like a trashcan." Erika says laughing.

"I wonder why?" He says sarcastically.

"What now, now what do we do with the stone? How do we reverse the dark angel curse?" I ask, and the AI reaches out to Travis and takes the stone out of his hand, polishing it off with her shirt.

"Well first of all, is there anywhere I can take a damn shower?" Travis asks sighing dramatically.

We are transported back into the tower, we are near a room with a bathroom that has a working shower in it. Travis looks grateful and stalks off to the shower.

"Meet back in the control room in 10 minutes." The AI says to the rest of us disappearing in a puff of smoke trailing behind her.

***

Back in the elevator up to the 60th floor, Erika gets ready to wind it to ascend to the floor.

"Feel better?" I ask Travis while watching Erika move the lever that winds the elevator upward.

"Much, that shower sucked but whatever it worked." He says to me, I look up and see the digital numbers climb the closer we get to the 60th floor. We are only on the 20th at this point.

"So what was it like underneath the mud?" Riley asks him curiously.

"I couldn't see a damn thing, but somehow I knew exactly where to go. Like my eyes were closed to block out the mud but they were also propped open, and when I reached the bottom and found the stone, everything just became more clear to me. I felt a power surging inside me, something I never thought I would experience. I don't know what that stone does, but it sure as hell is powerful."

After a few more moments of us taking turns winding up the elevator we finally reach the 60th floor and walk out, the control room is just down the hall from it. I take out my key and swipe it, just as before it swings open and in our out most horror we are face to face with Raviera.

"I believe you have something that belongs to me."