The earth trembles as a result of Hemek's power, and it hasn't stopped yet. The angel of death braced me in a tight hug as he wrapped his wings around me to shield my body. At this point of chaos, I am a sitting duck waiting to be plucked as the howling wind reminds me of a wailing tornado sucking in the air.

The storm passes, and the sky rains ash. He slowly opened his wings and the right wing, sparking black, purple electricity as he fell to one knee in discomfort.

"Are you okay?" I held his shoulder as I looked closer at his injury. Now I see where the ash is spewing from, his wing, seeing a deep chasm far-flung through the hole, leading into another world of moss-covered mountains with an unstable wood plank bridge trailing around at its peak like watching a live majestic painting. I get lost in the empty eyes of the gigantic charcoal-colored birds with skeleton heads defending the dismal skies. Nothing in life is comparable. A coal brick path trails toward the bridge, but an iron-steel gate cuts it off.

"What is this?" I asked, taken by the wind rustling off loose moss from the one mountain inside his wing that falls into the unknown sky beneath it.

"The mesial line between Nirvana and Perdition is where the souls congregate."

"An entrance?"

"Yes, there is Nirvana, the beginning. Then there is Perdition, which recently formed as the darkest abyss. The soul's return from the earth for judging - is the mesial line between both. They will tread to the beginning of life, or they will be cast to the end of their existence or reborn to start anew. It never used to be this way. All life was once innocent and taken to Nirvana, but angels fell to defile the earth's soil. Our new war."

"Remarkable. The gate is also within you." Hemek cut in, raising his arms in praise in trembling joy, crying, holding up his staff. And his face took shape with a plain expression, pointing to my possessor. "We shall live for eternity. I no longer live in fear of death."

"We will fight another day." My possessor waved his arm across the sky toward Hemek, which cast a looming dark film, and Hemek immediately screeched in frustration or pain.

"What have you done?" Hemek covered his eyes. "Give me my sight." He cried harder.

"What did you do to him?" I asked, watching the man hold his eyes in agony.

"I created an illusion in his mind to direct him to a different place until we figure out something, but it doesn't last forever. Come." The angel of death staggered to his feet as I gave little help to hold up his stern torso. We walked back to my apartment in the silent night, only hearing Hemek's distant yelps. "We can not stay here." My possessor breathes. But there is nowhere else to go, the only home I ever owned. I tore away from him as he stopped to face me, posture slouched over, taking glances at his wing, then at me with his natural-looking glacier-white iris and blue-black damp, stringy hair that slightly fell over his eyes.

"I don't know if you noticed, but I have a life, a job. I can't drop everything and leave my home."

"You can."

"I can't. Too much has happened too fast." I stepped back, watching this- thing- through the blowing strands of my hair. I tucked it behind my ear as they sneakily swayed along, standing firm in my statement.

"After everything you witnessed. How could you continue to live in ignorance? Humans are complicated. Maybe I should remind you about your fleeting life. Your ex-fiancee left you at the altar two years ago for another woman. You gave up on your acting career a year ago and were too ashamed to face your parents. You settled for a job you hate. As you used to say, life's a stage, and we all have an important role to play in it. The role you play is this one. You no longer have dreams, Doe." He read my real life to me, painfully facing the truth about my lack of success. Living proof that this is my reality. And a big slap in the face.

"This is not what I prayed for." I cracked, but continued to stay firm with burning eyes.

"Sometimes, we get more than what we ask for. You can run from this, but it will always follow you- I- will always follow you."

The still air whispers in my heart what is set for me. Why me? In a few months, I'll be twenty-five, the age at which it's okay to be selfish. My tragic truth is that I desired an acting career and marriage. Instead, I've grown into a crazy plant lady like a sixty-year-old lonely cat woman living in a busted-down home with uncut grass. Every turn I made failed. I know they say never to give up on your dream, but what to do when not a single door opens? I give in to him because nothing else speaks to me the way this does, the clarity of the right path. But it isn't fair.

"Let me grab a few things first." I breathe in disappointment and plea.

"We leave now."

Huffing like a child annoyed with being forced to do things they do not want, I welded my weapon, pointing at him with it.

"New plan. How about I go nowhere and you leave me alone?"

"You dare raise your hand at the one who's bare you the weapon?"

"I didn't ask for it. It's on you." I dictated, but he sighed and retrieved his Scythe from the inside of his black hellraiser coat, still very weak from the last attack.

"He didn't tell me humans are complicated. Fine, come at me, weak thing."

My eyes widen with quivering rage. I roared like a screeching bobcat, holding the weapon with both hands over my head and charging him. When I got close enough, I swung downward hard, and he caught the blade with one hand and yanked me face-to-face, almost kissing-distance with sparing intense eyes.

"You have five human minutes to grab what you need." The dark angel said, but I watched him through narrowed eyes.

"Meadoe?" A soft voice covered my ears from behind. I turned to face a woman with worried eyes and an unsure posture. "Who are you talking to?" Gala asked, tilting her head aside with confusion and fear, something I'd never physically felt before.

Great, I'm now the crazy lady who talks to herself.

"Inform her you are practicing for an upcoming role in a Broadway show." The Angel of Death tickles in my ear. I nudge my shoulder to rough brush against his chin for him to get away from my ear.

"Rude," he said, withdrawing from me.

"You caught me." I smiled at Gala with a playful gesture. I was, um- rehearsing for a play in New York.

"Oh, that is wonderful. You're pursuing your dream again. But in the middle of an earthquake?" Gala wondered. Did she feel it, too?

"You know, inspiration sparks at the weirdest time. I thought it would fit the dramatics." I laughed it off.

"We have to go." The Angel of Death mentioned for the gazillion times.

"Just give me a second." I clenched my smile, hoping Gala didn't notice.

"Interesting. I wanted to check on you. The earthquake ruined my apartment, and-" Gala rambled on as I noticed our surrounding neighbors outside checking on each other as well. Their sounds of worry swirl my existence. People have so much emotion and concern that it could be overwhelming, but their distress gives me a sense of calmness and realness because each one I know will be okay.

"It happens." the Angel of Death said.

"What does?" I whispered.

"Our world affects theirs."

"Your world." I rolled my eyes, entering my home as Gala followed behind, almost forgetting she was there. Crushing broken pottery pieces sitting in spilled water, plants ruined, and leaking pipes busted, I watched Gala disappear in the back room. That blast destroyed my apartment.

The ceiling even has a big hole, watching wires hang from it. I regret that I took the only thing I had for granted.

"Your feelings are fear of the unknown." My possessor informs me. I picked up my purse and good luck bamboo plant. The only thing that stood in the madness and turned to face him with disfavor was that he read my thoughts.

"We are connected, Doe."

"I know, but keep it to yourself." I veered away with Gala in my face. I have to remember she can't see him. I hope she didn't notice.

"So sorry about your place." She hugs me. "My apartment didn't get hit this hard. If you want, you can stay with me until they repair the space."

"Doe, we have to leave." I hear the anxiousness in his voice.

"That's sweet of you to offer, but I read in the newspaper about the audition held in New York. My parents booked me a ticket so I could leave by tomorrow. I will be staying with them tonight." I lied to my friend. I feel like the worst person in the world having to do that.

"And your apartment?"

"Everything is damaged, and I can't let this setback hold me from my dream." I try not to cry.

"I understand. Well- good luck!" She tried to say without worry. "Call me and tell me how it went." She smiled through her concerns and hugged me as I embraced her closer, trying not to mash her with my plant. I am unsure where this life will lead me. I let her go, sniffling. We parted ways as I kept looking back at her, waving at me, smiling.

"You are doing the world a service." The Angel of Death said, but I turned up my lip walking faster.

Service my ass.

***

Thank you for reading.