I splashed my face with cold water to cool my temper. Numerous uncanny events had occurred within the last three days that I had lost my head somewhere. I couldn't believe my lack of altruism and care for Ivan's coma caused by his bizarre headbutting behavior. However, being relieved seemed to be the most natural thing to feel. I was getting detestable stares coming from the students ever since I set foot here. Brently Bryant died on the same day when we announced our sexuality to everyone. We were treated as plagues, a curse. I was grateful for Samael's protection. Ethan also came to our rescue whenever we would get verbally or physically attacked (not that Samael needed saving).

During lunch break the school's soccer club came to bother us. Ethan was quick to get in between Samael and the captain.

"Not cool bro," Ethan called out. His usual cheery voice was replaced with seriousness.

"Hi Ethan," I greeted.

Ethan's furrowed eyebrows lightened up; he waved at me while keeping the trembling fist of the soccer captain from landing at Samael's cocky face.

"Hey there Keet, how are ya?"

I shrugged. "I'm good I guess...I'm being bullied now," I replied.

"That ain't a nice example of being in a good condition, Keet."

Samael pulled Ethan back. He kneed Benjamin's jingle bells and slapped him so hard that he landed with a smack on the floor.

"Need a bowl for those cracked eggs, mate?" Samael shamelessly offered. It didn't take a minute for the entire soccer team to retaliate against Samael and Ethan. I hid under the table while they did their thing of biting, punching, and kicking.

I occasionally peeked to see who was winning. Samael didn't break a sweat. It seemed like he tortured souls for a living and fought countless wars while Ethan had been receiving punch after punch like an amateur boxer. Five minutes passed and the soccer team was unconscious on the ground and was in dire need of medical attention.

"Are you guys okay?" I queried, coming out of the table in awe.

Ethan groaned; he twirled on his heel, landing on the bench. Principal Dill and the other teachers arrived. There was a look of disappointment on their faces. They probably expected Samael to be lying there instead of the soccer team. Samael shoved me under the table before the principal could notice me.

"Stand up! In my office, now!" he screamed.

"Ya hear that? Get your butts in the baldy's office!" Samael barked, kicking Benjamin.

"Except you Samael, I'm so tired of seeing your face!" the principal snarled.

"Gee, thanks man! My ophthalmologist told me to avoid shiny objects. Wear a hat next time, yeah?" he snickered.

If Mister Wall didn't donate funds in this school, Samael could have been expelled from the very first day.

I healed Ethan's injuries before leaving the cafeteria with Samael. We were both late for our next class but I told him that I didn't want to go which made him place his palm on my forehead to see if I had a fever.

"Serious? I'm proud of you berry, you're becoming a rebellious little shit like me," he chirped. "Want anything from the vending machine?"

I shrugged. "Grape juice."

He snorted. "Grape juice? Might as well get you the Blood of Christ. A'ight, wait here."

While waiting, I had the urge to relieve my bladder. I sent Samael a text and headed for the comfort room. Right after peeing, I washed my hands and then my face. I felt someone touch my shoulder blades. I raised my head to see who was behind me but I was the only one in the reflection.

"Samael, stop fooling around please," I sighed. There was no reply. The faucet water filled the silence.

"Yo, there wasn't any grape juice so I got ya Dr. Pepper cherry flavor, Milky Way, and Wheat Crunchie."

I switched off the faucet, straightening myself up and looking around to see if there was anyone else with us. He tossed me the snacks while he chewed on a Snickers bar. He licked off the string of caramel that loosely hung on his lips before sniffing the air.

"I smell fart and pee."

I palmed my forehead. "Do you really have to tell me that?"

He snorted. "Well I smell something else but I ain't tellin' ya."

We headed out of the bathroom, walking through the empty hallway.

"So what's with that sniffing thing?" I questioned him curiously, taking a sip of the Dr. Pepper.

"It's a skill. I got a sharp sense of smell just like a werewolf but with more enhancement."

I scoffed. "Werewolf? You believe in those things?" I credit the existence of demons because I have encountered many but other than that? They were all myths.

"Oh they are real alright. I've met lots of them."

I squinted my eyes at him. "I don't believe you."

"You're a kid with healing powers. I thought you'd be more open- minded," he stated with a bored tone. He finished his chocolate, throwing the wrapper into the bin we passed by. I remembered the child I played with many years ago. He could control the weather, make plants appear on his palm, and befriend any animal he sees. He was definitely not human but I never met with any other being like him after he vanished. I thought maybe my mind made him all up but he appeared so real.

"So you're telling the truth?"

"You wanna make a bet?" He asked with a sinister smile.

"I don't make bets," I deadpanned.

He pouted before smiling again. "If I do something inhumane, you have to stay with me in school tonight."

I cocked my head at him. "What's in school tonight?"

He snickered. "You'll see."

I sighed and thought of something idiotic. "I want you to open the locker doors in this hallway all at the same time."

He grinned at me. I knew he was acting high and mighty. There was no way he could do it and even if he was going to do magic, this was an impromptu so he couldn't possibly prepare.

Samael stayed still and jerked his head as if saying: "What's up?" The locker doors slammed open. Shivers coursed through my spine and I stepped back.

"Well, berry?" He cockily said.

"What...are you?" I asked him.

Samael slipped his hands inside his pocket. "You'll know in due time."

"Why can't you tell me now?"

"I don't think you're ready yet. You're still in the Hallelujah Club."

I stopped on my tracks, realizing that ever since Mister Wall and Samael came to this town, many anomalies had happened. It could be coincidence, I could be overthinking things but I knew that Mister Wall and Samael were not on God's side.

"Do you have something to do with Brently Bryant's death?"

Samael winced. "Hell naw. I don't do rape. My dick is loyal."

"How about the church?"

Samael almost looked disgusted. "Nope, God did that."

My heart pounded fast. Raphael...Raphael knew what was going to happen that day in the church didn't he? Was he behind the attack? Where was he? What was he? "Is...Is Mister Wall like you?"

"It's better if you ask him about it."

I won't be able to sleep tonight if I don't figure out what they were. "Are you guys vampires?"

Samael shook his head. "Nope, the driver is."

My eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah, offer your neck and you'll see."

My hands instantly covered my neck, watching out for any blood-sucking being. "Are you fairies?"

That caused him to laugh hysterically. "Hell naw berry! But Thomas is." That hunka meat was a fairy?

"Look, whatever we are, we won't hurt you. You're the reason why we're here anyway," Samael reassured. "My uncle loves you too much."

I blushed. I still had so many questions that needed answers. I didn't want to doubt them yet they were hiding secrets from me.

"Thinking will just turn you gaga. Anyway, call your guardians, a deal is a deal. We'll have some action tonight."

I should have backed out when I had the chance.

I texted Samantha and Derek, telling them that I'd be staying at Mister Wall's place for tonight. The lone security guard in the school would usually lock the classrooms and the entrances at around 6 p.m. right after the sports club finished training. Samael and I waited in a classroom, eating snacks from the vending machine.

"Can you break that tree in half?" I questioned Samael and pointed at the tree outside. I still had my doubts or perhaps I was in disbelief that they were more people like me.

What if Mister Wall wasn't human? What would that make me? Was I adopted?

I slammed my head against the desk, forgetting that Samael was here. Everything was a lie. Perchance I got into an accident and was in a permanent comatose state in the Intensive Care Unit? Mister Wall, Samael, and Thomas were products of my imagination (why would I even have Thomas in my imagination?) My parents were still alive and were ready to get rid of me because I was bringing out money instead of giving them profit.

Maybe my hair was really blonde rather than red...

Maybe...Donald Trump didn't really win...

I was in a universe of questions and what ifs...

"Hey berry!" Samael called out, throwing a packet of crisps against my face.

"What?" I asked in an annoyed tone but kept my voice low.

"You're suddenly spacing out there and here I was blabbering my heart out," he complained, wiping a nonexistent tear.

A tissue box appeared out of nowhere and it was floating beside him! I scrambled off my seat, staring at him wide eyed.

"What?" he asked me. "Never seen a floating tissue box? You shouldn't be this surprised considering that you can heal anything that medicine can't do."

"But this is God-given," I retorted.

Samael scoffed at me. "How do you know that it is? Satan has many healers like you. You may be one of them."

I opened my mouth to answer back but I had nothing to counter that. There were many possibilities in this world. Oh my Lord, maybe I was a pawn of Satan.

All my life...I was–

"Ouch!" I hissed when he smacked my cheek with the back of his hand.

"You were gonna space out again and leave me talking to air." He had a victorious grin on his face. I looked outside the window, the sky was already dark.

"Can you tell me what we're waiting for?"

Samael didn't answer back. He had his one ear raised up with his eyes closed.

"They're here. Come on...follow me," he ordered. I followed him like a lost puppy. We ended up in the gymnasium. The lights were off. Samael hauled me under the bleachers. We weren't supposed to be here. The eerie silence was deafening until I heard shoes squeaking against the waxed floor. I peeked behind Samael. There was a man dragging a big sack in the middle of the court. My body grew cold from seeing blood trailing after the sack. He dropped the sack down, releasing a huff before hiding in the janitor's closet.

Another man entered, this time, he wore a white mask with something smeared at the forehead part. I think it was a number. He cautiously approached the sack, kneeling beside it. He cut the tie with his knife, peeling the sack off from the content.

"NO!" he screamed. His voice bounced off the walls. "No no no no no!" His baritone voice became smaller and came out as soft whimpers of a crying child. "Abel!" he cried. "Abel!" he repeated. He threw his body on top of the corpse, mourning for him.

"Abel?" I whispered. My stomach churned. My knees shook.

Samael pushed me down on my knees as if he knew I was about to stand up. I want to see...I want to know!

This was Cain. No one would react this way like him. My eyes welled with tears. Samael covered my mouth. Cain stood, two knives in hand.

"Where the fuck are you?! Come out!" he snarled in his raspy voice.

The door in the janitor's room was already open but the person inside was gone. I didn't even notice him coming out. A knife besides the ones Cain was holding glimmered under the moonlight and sank deep into Cain's back. Cain wasn't one to stumble forward. He pulled himself off from the knife, twirling and deflecting the plunge of the knife, He kicked his attacker at the stomach. My eyes adjusted. I stood weak against Samael upon recognizing the other boy.

"I knew you were good but I didn't know you were this good!"

Cain didn't waste his time with small talk. He launched forward, clashing his knife against Michael's. They were both holding two blades and showed adeptness handling them. Cain's every swing had a purpose to end this quickly while Michael wanted to play and prolong the fight with his playful deadliness. Every swing Cain made was accompanied by a loud cry, giving Michael the upperhand to toy with his mind and body.

"I didn't get the chance to have your brother while he was still alive so I had to settle with his corpse. You can have him back now."

Cain's eyes widened. His jaw clenched. A look of insanity took over his face. "Did he call for me?"

Michael burst into laughter. "Yeah he did, he wouldn't shut up." When he realized that Cain was out of it, he flicked his hand. "Oh come on now, don't be so butt hurt. You two aren't even meant for each other. You're brothers!" Michael revealed.

This was no time to joke around. How could a person be so obscene and thick-skinned?

"You're the...26th person to tell me that..." Cain said in a daze, throwing his mask to the side.

Thinking that Cain had let his guard down with the blank stare he gave off, Michael sprinted forward, aiming to pierce his weapon through his chest. Cain grabbed his wrist, twisting his arm and tackling him to the ground. He grabbed Michael's other hand and skewered them together on the floor.

"Shit! Okay okay! I'm sorry! Lemme go man!" Michael screamed and gagged once Cain shoved his fingers inside his mouth and pulled his tongue out. With horrified eyes Michael tried to reason out with him but the older man sliced his tongue off leaving him screaming and gurgling his own blood. Cain removed the knife that he impaled Michael's hands with; the latter grabbed the blade that was arm's length and stabbed Cain's stomach. Cain stared at the knife stuck in his gut before spiking his blades into Michael's eyes. Abel's older brother wasn't done yet. Every sound of Cain's knife impaling through Michael's flesh made me wince. I wanted to stop him. I wanted to take him away from this place. But what right do I have to stop a man from claiming his justice?

Cain left his knives impaled through Michael's crotch. He limped slowly to the sack, sitting beside him and caressing Abel's face with his bloodied hands.

"I'm sorry I'm late..." He released a shaky breath, raising his head to stare at the ceiling. "Why...Why did you take him away from me?"

Samael's body stiffened as if remembering something. Sobs racked Cain's form before he wailed and thrashed his legs on the floor. He held his head tightly. "What do you want from me?! Why Abel? Why did you take him away from me?!"

Cain wiped his eyes, pulling the knife from his stomach. He lay down beside Abel, touched his face and smiled dearly at him.

"You don't have to be scared anymore, Abel. I'm coming. "

Using the knife Michael stabbed him with, he slit his throat. Samael didn't stop me from running but he only released me after saying: "Don't make him live for nothing."

I placed my hands on Cain's neck, attempting to heal him but stopped when I saw the peace that ruled over his face.

Samael was behind me. "You won't save him?"

I took my hands off his neck. "I can't... save him."

Why me?

Why my family?

Why was everything unfair?

Why won't you answer me?

I had the same questions for Him but all remained unanswered. We were told to trust Him and to leave our burdens in His care. Everything will turn out alright one day even if it doesn't. Just trust in Him. Place your faith in Him. Do not doubt Him.

At that moment another silhouette from the opposite side of the gym appeared. Samael patted my back. "It's time to sleep, Keetan," he murmured. "You can't save him but he can."

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