City of Dark Angels

The next room is full of many different barriers, we run our hands along the sides of the wall just to feel around, not wanting to bump into anything or each other for that matter.

The floor feels rather soft, like the wood will cave under us at any given moment. I walk closely to Travis, close enough to hear his heart beating rapidly inside his chest. He keeps turning to check if I’m okay, and I lie and nod that I am.

“Here!” Erika says, pointing to a square trapped door camouflaged on the floor. She reaches down to grab it to pull it open, but its stuck. I have a quick idea in my mind and reach into my pocket and pull out the key.

I swipe the key along side of the trapped door, it swings open with ease.

The staircase leading down into the cellar creaks as we descend, I reach out in front of me and grab Travis’s hand for safety. His hand is damp with sweat and fear. The fear of the unknown greatly bombarding my every move.

“Don’t be scared Delilah.” Travis says as we reach the bottom of the staircase. I try accept his advice but it doesn’t help my heart from beating a thousand times a minute inside my chest.

I hear screams, and cries of ‘help me’ call out from the cages, my eyes try to adjust in the darkness and I can see so many scared young faces behind bars. I hold back tears, trying not to let my emotions get the best of me as we enter the room of which they are kept in.

“Delilah, swipe your key.” Erika says, pointing to the side of a cage at a swipe mechanism. I do so but I am met by the robotic voice of ‘Access Denied.’

I try again in frustration, but I am met by the same message.

“Raviera must have changed the locks...” Erika says, pacing back and forth not knowing what to do.

“Please...help us.” I hear a young boy call out, and I turn and recognize him as the boy from the High School. The one I snatched the card from. He looks so weak and tired, his face pale from having most of his blood drained already.

I look into his eyes and say in my most comforting tone ever, “You’re going to be okay, I promise you.”

He nods, still afraid of all the possibilities that can happen but tries to remain calm and unafraid. I swipe the key again out of curiosity but to no avail.

“Just give up while you’re ahead, it’s no use. The key is disabled.” I hear a voice say and turn around and see Death standing there; an evil in his eyes like never before. He snickers, and the room shakes.

“Let them out.” I say, my teeth gritted trying not to show my fear.

“No, we need their young blood for the sacrifice.” He says, holding a syringe in his hand and reaching out to open one of the prisons with ease. He shuts it behind him and without a care in the world jabs it in the young boys veins, taking out a lot of blood. He faints at the loss and Death kicks him to the side as he exits the cage.

“Death this isn’t you! This is the curse, please don’t be helping Raviera. You created the City of Angels for good, and not this evil. You can put a stop to this, tonight.”

“Raviera is my brother, my baby brother. I owe him my life.” He says, in almost a robotic rehearsed tone.

“Snap out of it idiot!” Travis says, snapping his fingers in front of his face. “You don’t owe him shit, he took this place from you. You made this place, this place wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you. We need you to fix it, to take it back from him. It’s not his, it’s yours. I know you’re in there buddy, you may be Death but you’re not the evil one.” Death shoves him to the side and he crashes violently into the wall as he storms past, the syringe still in hand.

Death retrieves a marker out from his pocket and writes on the wall, “I’M STILL HERE, JUST GO ALONG WITH IT, RAVIERA CAN HEAR OUR EVERY WORD. I’M ON YOUR SIDE.”

We sigh in relief at this, and Death continues to pretend to ignore us; taking the blood from the syringe and emptying it into a vase. He turns to us and winks, and retreats to write on the wall again. “I HAVE A PLAN, MEET ME IN THE CENTER OF THE CITY OF ANGELS AT 6:15, BRING YOUR WEAPONS, AND THE INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO REVERSE THE CURSE! -ALL OF YOUR BLOOD, A DARK ANGEL FEATHER, THE STONE, ASHES OF 7 ANGEL HEARTS, GO NOW BEFORE HE KNOWS YOUR HERE!”

We all nod, and turn to leave the cellar. I turn and look at the kids with guilt, I mouth to them that I will be back for them soon.

“I’m not sure that I believe him.” I say, now outside of the tower.

“He seemed sincere, and says he has a plan. I think we should trust him.” Travis says.

“I believe him.” Erika says.

“But why would he still be taking the blood out of those kids, if he were on our side. Wouldn’t he be trying to get them out...something seems weird to me.” I say. “Also, where is the center of the City of Angels?”

“He still has to pretend he’s on Ravieras side, so that probably means he has to do whatever it takes to make him believe that he is.” Erika says, but I still can’t help but have a funny feeling about the whole thing. “The center of the City of Angels, it’s hard to get to but don’t worry I will get us there.”

The AI appears in front of us again, looking frightened.

“You need to come with me right now, back to 2145.” She reaches her hand up to snap us there but I stop her before she can.

“Why so?”

“There’s something in the future that you need to see, before it becomes a fixed part of your lives.”

“What is it?” Travis asks.

“Raviera created a time portal.”