DEVIL'S HIGH

CHAPTER 3

KIARA’S POINT OF VIEW

I stared at the angel whom I considered as my uncle in utter shock. Perhaps I heard it wrong. I am probably imagining things because of my nervousness. There is no way he would ask something so absurd for me to do.

“I apologize, Uncle Gabriel, but I think I perceived your message wrong. Could you please repeat what you just said?”

I tried not to make my trembling arms obvious to the visitors’ eyes and locked my hands in a firm grip.

“The council is afraid that there might be something improper happening in the Devil’s High School in the underworld and they want someone efficient to stay there for a year and confirm that everything is alright.”

It was one of the Principalities of the Third Sphere who spoke and usually no Angel in their right mind would object to his order. But right now, sanity was the last thing that had any control over me.

“What do you mean by improper? Everything that is happening in that hell hole is against the law.”

I semi shouted at the official, but he seemed to be expecting such a reaction from me and stayed calm with his serene face.

“Kiara.”

All this while, my father was gazing at his polished shoes, but on hearing me on the verge of tears, he tried to soothe me with his angelic voice. But for a very valid reason, his voice didn’t hold the usual calming effect on me. I can’t believe this is happening to me when I finally thought that I would leave this jail in one year.

“Why me, father? Why me out of all the powerful Angels? I did not even become a fully grown Angel.”

My words were definitely filled with desperation and right then I didn’t mind that more than a dozen of individuals were watching me breaking down. I can fix my pride once I find a solution to this problem.

“I am sorry, child. But you were chosen by the council after thorough inspection. You are the top of your class and you have the qualities of your father, which are really necessary for surviving in the underworld. It is just for one year and you will be back before you get fully settled in your new environment.”

I didn’t even respond to Archangel Raphael and just kept looking at my father and brothers. An Angel should always abide by the rules of authorities, but I couldn’t accept the reality no matter how much I tried. They were asking me to go to a place where Angels are considered as enemies and they are waiting for a chance to overpower us. How could Uncle Raphael even think that I would be able to settle in that place?

“You guys protected me for this? I was not even allowed to go out with other students, but will you gladly send me to hell? Why make my life miserable all this while if you were going to do this?”

No one responded to my questions and when Johnathan tried to say something, Adam, my oldest brother, reached out for his brother’s hand and squeezed it as if to say not to interfere.

That was my last stroke and hot tears started to streak down my red cheeks. The decision was already made and there was nothing my family could do against it. I took the folder from the table as gently as I could and I bowed again in front of the officials.

“I will do as the law says. But remember, father, that I would never have studied hard if I knew this was going to be my fate.”

Without waiting for a reply, I stormed out of my house and literally ran towards Rachel. If there is one person in this entire heaven who would understand how I feel, it would be her. I turned back once to see if any of my brothers followed me out, but I was devastated to see the empty road. Why are my brothers suddenly like this? I understand that they can’t speak up for me, but can’t they at least comfort me and tell me that it’s going to be alright?

Why do I feel like I was suddenly abandoned?

.............

Rachel’s mother opened the door for me and, on seeing my red eyes, she immediately let me in without any questions.

Rachel had both parents as she was adopted by a couple and I always loved to spend my time there. I have never known the love of a mother and the closest feeling I have experienced to such a thing was from this woman who was hugging me. She didn’t even ask me the reason for my unusual behavior and I was grateful to her for that. I stayed in her arms for another few minutes until my best friend came out of her room.

“Ara, what happened? Why are you crying?”

She was near my side the next second and Esther, Rachel’s mother, asked her to take me to her room, which she obliged instantly.

I plopped down on her bed and the sudden movement caused the file to drop to the ground and several papers fell out of it.

Rachel picked it up one by one till her eyes locked on a particular sealed paper.

‘LETTER OF TRANSFER’ was written in bold letters on top of it and it was hard to miss for any normal Angel. She studied the letter word by word and looked at me with the same face I had half an hour ago.

“You are getting transferred to Devil’s High? That is pure sacrifice, Ara!”

Rachel screamed on top of her lungs and the word sacrifice stung me like a bee. My family was literally sacrificing me for the council. Do they feel guilty?

“Tell me your father will do something about it. Or your brothers. I am sure they are trying everything they can to get you out of this.”

On hearing that, my self restraint broke like a twig and I began bawling my eyes out.

“They want me to go, Rachey. I am all alone. My brothers didn’t even say a word against the Principalities.”

“There’s got to be a way, some way. This is not a joke, Ara. They are demons, devils. How in the Holy Cross are you going to survive? You can’t hurt a thing even if your life depended on it.”

She was sitting beside my leg, clutching the paper like she was restraining herself from shredding it into thousands of pieces. What she said was a fact, though. Pre-graduated Angels like me can lose our power if we hurt someone before fully developing our skills. It was a secret known only to the angels, and the rule was implemented after some of the youngsters began fighting over simple things.

“I don’t know, Rach. I don’t know what to do anymore. I have one more week and then it’s over. I don’t think I can hold myself around those monsters. I will either end up as a human or become a fallen angel.”

Rachel slapped her palm over my mouth, her eyes widening with fear and anxiety.

“Don’t say anything like that, Kiara Snow Michael. Becoming a fallen angel is worse than losing all your power and dying. Do not even think about it. You were always good at hiding your feelings and you can do it, Ara, no matter what the situation is. I am sure the council has their reasons for choosing you, and they wouldn’t have selected you if you were someone who could be easily deviated from the path of righteousness. Believe in God, Ara. We will make it through together. Please don’t blame your family. I am certain that they are feeling as helpless as I feel now.”

............

Aunt Esther informed my father that I would be staying at their house for the night and, surprisingly, father agreed to her request. I have never spent a night outside my home for four years, and somehow the idea of being with my best friend relaxed my edgy nerves. I had an entire week to prepare for the departure and I decided to enjoy everything that I missed during this time. Unfortunately, making more friends was not an option since school had closed down and I didn’t have the courage to tell everyone about my sudden transfer.

Right now, me and my partner in deed were creating a bucket list that involved most of the things we planned to do since we were kids. And this time, I am not going to be stopped by any of my family members. I may not have the right to be angry at them, but that doesn’t mean I am okay with the way they suddenly distanced themselves from me.

..............

On the next day, I went back home reluctantly as Aunt Esther asked me to solve the family issues and then go for the trip with a pleasant mind. I too found her advice valid, since I would most probably be gloomy during the times I should be happy. I didn’t tell anyone that I would return today and didn’t bother to knock on the door as it was already open.

I could hear my third brother, Reuben’s booming voice, echoing throughout the house, and I knew that he was in a fight with someone.

“With all due respect, father, I am not blaming you for this situation. But you have to do something. One year is too much. What if she can’t cope with that environment? What if the other students bully her? She is just a teenager, father. The council can’t do this to her.”

On hearing his angry words, I decided not to let them know of my presence right then and stayed behind the guest room to listen in on their conversation.

“Our brother is right, father. We said nothing in front of the Principalities and other Archangels, just like you said. But we hoped that there would be some change in the decision if we didn’t interfere. But this is not practical, father. I couldn’t even look at her eyes without feeling guilty.”

Aaron, my fifth brother, raised his voice slightly higher than usual and I realized that he was trying not to be emotional. God, how I misjudged them. They were all concerned about me. An Angel should never be judgmental and maybe the Council understood that I am not fit for my job.

“Kiara looked really broken as she left, father. Please have mercy on her.”

I was surprised to hear Ezra, my sixth brother, speaking his mind for the first time. He is usually quiet and is afraid to even raise his eyebrows in front of our father. Tears welled up in my eyes on listening to their pleas, and I apologized to the Lord for being selfish. I only thought about myself and not the pain the news would have caused for my family.

Father was sitting on the couch with his arms supporting his head and I had never seen him this weak before.

“I wouldn’t have brought her back from the End of the Realm if you had told me what the meeting was about. She had so much fun yesterday and to see her crying after that was heart breaking, father. You know she never expresses herself like other kids. That poor child must have felt left alone.”

Johnathan’s voice cracked in the end and right then my decision was made. Father cannot use his power to help me and I wouldn’t let my family suffer anymore. This is what God planned for me, and who am I to stop it from happening?

I swung my borrowed backup, which contained the folder, onto my shoulder and hopped towards the dining room with a large smile on my face.

“Guys, what should I wear on the first day of my school?”

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