Angel

The rain splashed against the window and lightening lit the dark gray sky. Thunder boomed and made the house shake slightly. Billie peered out of the window sadly, the site seemingly reflecting his emotions. Twenty-four years later and he still couldn't get over it. He still missed him more than anything. He still could hardly get through this day, September 10. Billie got out of bed, feeling depressed. It was the anniversary of his father's death.

He stretched and started to go about his daily routine not paying much mind to anything. He was thinking about his dad and how he had missed growing up without him. He was thinking about the day he died and his funeral. With a heavy heart he thought about going to his grave today, to visit him and talk to him like he usually did every 10th of September. He plodded downstairs and went into the kitchen.

The ringing of his phone broke him out of his thoughts. The caller ID said it was Mike. He answered it, wondering what he was calling about.

"Hello?"

"Hey, you'll never guess what."

Billie was slightly annoyed. He wasn't in the mood for guessing. "What?"

"The book's glowing again."

Billie was greatly surprised by that. They had slowly been forgetting about what had happened months ago, and now, here it was again. "What? Why?"

"I have no clue."

"But we killed Veldenbarr, right? What would we possibly have to do and how could it be glowing?"

"How should I know? Look, just come to my house and we'll see."

"Do we have to go there again?" Billie didn't want to go back to Surtomb, not today.

"Sorry, Bill, but I don't know what Veldenbarr did to the book so who knows what'll happen if we don't go."

"Okay, okay. Did you call Tré yet?"

"Yeah, he's on his way over."

"Alright," Billie said sadly. He really didn't want to go. Any other day would've been fine. But today, no.

"C'mon, Bill, it'll be okay."

Mike's words didn't help much. In fact, they made it even worse. Ever since they had told him that he had beaten them up, he had become quieter and had sunken into a state of depression. Billie and Tré had told him time and time again that it wasn't his fault. But they might as well have been talking to a brick wall. It made Billie worry about him and Tré, seeing his two friends acting all serious, stopped joking around so much. So all three were moody and Billie doubted that they would ever be the same immature men they were last time at the beginning of their adventure.

Billie broke out of his thoughts and said, "See you in a bit, then."

"Bye."

"Bye."

Billie hung up. He didn't like how today was turning out already.

He heard someone coming downstairs. He turned around to see it was Adie.

"What did Mike want?" she asked.

"Oh, nothing, just was asking about something," Billie lied.

Adie fixed him with a stare. "Oh, okay... "

"Well, I'm going to go to the cemetery," he said, getting up.

"Already?"

"Yeah, I'm not really that hungry so I might as well go now," Billie replied.

"Do you want me to come?"

"No, it's okay. You can come later when you're ready. I just feel like going now."

"Okay."

Billie grabbed his car keys and left, feeling guilty about lying, especially about something like that. But he made a promise to himself to go to the cemetery immediately after he returned and to stay there longer than he usually did.

He drove off to Mike's, contemplating what could possibly happen when they return to Surtomb. A number of possibilities filled his head. Them dying was a main one. He didn't trust the book anymore and probably never would. Especially since Mike had died last time. Somehow he had come back to life, something they had never figured out. They didn't care, though, just as long as he was alive and in one piece.

Billie parked and got out of his car. He walked up to Mike's porch and then rang the doorbell. Mike answered it almost as soon as he pressed the button.

"You ready?" Mike asked.

Billie gave him a look. "Do you think I'm ready? Why did it have to be today?"

Mike looked at him sympathetically. "Sorry. And I didn't make it that way."

"I know... "

Surprisingly it was quiet inside, even though Tré was in the house. Billie found him sitting on the couch in the living room, flipping through the book, skim reading some of its pages. He looked up when he heard Billie walk in and stood up. He held the now closed book out to him and Billie placed his hand on it. It made his hand look like it was glowing, as though he were using it to shield his eyes from the sun. Mike walked up behind him and placed his hand on it. Billie was going to glance up at him, but there was a bright flash of light and then they could only see themselves.