Lucifers Lost Angel

Chapter Six | Angels Are Not Innocent

I tilt my head upward, feeling my hair tumble further down my back; the pines are several houses tall, reaching toward the golden rays of spring. Birdsong comes in lulls and bursts, the silence and the singing working together as well as any improvised melody. A new smile paints itself upon my freckled face, rose-pink lips semi-illuminated by the dappled light. Before I know it, my feet have begun to walk, body and mind both on autopilot. My wings slowly rip out of my back, I close my eyes.  

'Believe.' 

Closing my eyes, I imagined a portal. A portal to hell. My wings covered my body, I gasp at the warmness it created. The trust I have given my wings were undeniable. Before I know it, I felt my self-drop. Colliding with the air, my eyes flew open and I see myself flying towards a black underworld. My eyes close, trusting my wings before I collide onto something hard.  

Groaning form the pain, I lift myself up. My hands burning from the heat. I look around, only to find myself as the top of the stairs. My fingers stroke through my hair, the stairs were leading to nowhere. It was never ending. I take a breather, regretting but then knowing I can do this. I am strong. I stood up, blowing onto my hands before taking the first step. The another, then another and I continued on doing so. Not long before the cold air brushes through me, I immediately try to warm myself up. By rubbing my hands on my arms.  

"Your father doesn't love you." I hear someone whisper, I turn around, trying to figure out who but darkness was the only thing around. I take another step, continuing going down. 

"Worthless," Do not let it get to you head Artemis. Remember, these are not your fears. These are not my fears.  

"Father left you, all alone...because he does not love you." 

"Fat, chubby," Another hand grasped my stomach, I pushed them away rushing down the stairs faster. 

"Your grandmother is disgusted by your presence." I feel a hand grasp my shoulders; I gasp wishing it would all stop. I did not like this one bit. Not one single bit. But I had to do it, I had to go through my insecurities. These were not my fears. These were my insecurities being thrown onto me.  

"Wingless." 

"Fatherless." 

"Your grandmother is dead." 

"You killed her." Everywhere.  

"STOP IT!" I shouted pounding my fist against my head, I screamed reaching my knees as I sat myself down. I look behind me only to notice I only stepped a few steps. I could not do this. It is too hard. The voices interrupt my own thinking, but I was not going to give up. I pulled. myself to standing, then I strode down the stairs. Every step I took. Even ounce of hate, love, desire took a hold of me. I know I can do this. I know this is what my grandmother would want. 

The minute I took another step, I look down to see a butterfly as I flew above my head. Black veins upon butterfly wings are the perfect hue to accompany such sunny golds. The butterfly sat upon her finger with wings of black and gold, the colours blending and swirling as playful waves upon night sands. I chuckle, looking at the beauty of it. It was like us Angels. Free with wings. Caged without them.  

It danced on the tip of my nose; I laugh with freedom as it tickles my nose before flying off to my hands. But then, the minute of laughter finishes when I feel it bite into my veins. I screamed in pain as I flung it of me, the pain overrides me. I hold onto my wrist before slowly looking down, noticing a small tooth mark that blood oozes out of. 

I scratched it a little, before continuing to walk down. As I take another step, I pause feeling liquid on my hands. The blood flowed thickly over my fingers, cold.  Blood coated my fingers like caramel over an apple, only brilliant red instead of soft golden browns. My eyes watched each finger move, entranced by the new colour of my skin. It felt no different from wet mud but it was not. I try wiping it onto my clothes but instead it comes back, that is when I notice a dead body not the floor. 

I gasp stepping back, only thinking, this is what they wanted to happen. For me to step back and to not continue. This was all in my head. And I will not allow it. I continued walking stepping over the body. That is when I pause to see hear my grandmothers voice. "Artemis, turn around and come here." I closed my eyes, no. This was not real. I took another step. "Turn around now Artemis."  

"Did you not want me to do this?" I said back as an echo followed my voice.  

"No anymore. This is not for you, you are not brave, you are not strong. Instead, you are weak. You cannot handle this." I did not dare to look at her, this was my imagination. This was all my imagination.  

"I am not weak." I returned; the minute I took another step I feel my wings slowly breaking. I groan in agony, the heat burning my flesh. I grab onto the stairs, "stop! Stop this! Augh." I screamed, screamed as I feel the heat burning me, screamed as I feel my heart slowly stopping. But I knew I could do this. I knew I could make this. 

I pushed myself, I pushed myself well as I continued walking. I needed to help him. He needed me. I promised my grandmother. I promised her I would help. I promised her I would be brave. I held onto the necklace she has given me, calming my breathing with every step I took. 

In a moment’s flash, I stand in the midst of a vast darkness. There is a dull spotlight on me, and on my clothes. I glance down at my hands and feet. I find myself wearing my ripped dress, which I didn’t choose. What’s going on? Fear hits me like a falling tree in an ice storm. I am barefooted, and the soles of my feet are hot. 

 The hair on the back of my head stands up. I am horrified by this vast, empty, wasteland which surrounds me. It’s pitch black. My eyes could not penetrate the darkness no matter which way I turned. It was the complete shutdown of light, except for the dull light around me. 

 This darkness weighed heavily on my shoulders. The darkness felt as if it were brooding and rotating about me. Then, the loneliness, and the sheer depth of my aloneness takes my fear to a level I never knew. There streams the smell of…sulphur. 

 The pungent vapor filled my nostrils, turns my stomach. I hear muffled voices spelling out from my left and from behind me. I hear a ripple of mocking laughter. Waves of rejection and hatred sweep through me like the heavy stream from a fireman’s hose. I tried to ran away, but I slammed into an invisible barrier.  

An unholy voice spoke from below me, "Welcome, to The Gate of Hell." The gates appear in front of me, they slowly open. My eyes widen. Just like heaven. Except hell. People were miserable, children were not happy. Everything was shockingly scary. It was darker, gloomier here. Lonely. I took my first step inside.  

I feel the burning of my wings slowly beginning. I take a long and see the top of the White chipped. "And who are you?" My body flashed back as I met eyes with striking brown ones. He grabs my chin and forces me against him. I feel my breath exaggerating. His blonde hair was falling against my forehead. 

"I-I am here to see Lucifer." The man chuckles, he chuckles so much that his grip around my chin slowly lead to my neck. I hold onto his wrist, trying to get him to stop blocking my breathing. 

"Lucifer is unavailable for an Angel, I suggest you get back to where you came from." He slurred, throwing me roughly onto the ground. My arm collided against the floor, I felt something snap as I slowly sit myself up holding onto it. "Don't ever think an Angel as yourself can ever come to hell. You're lucky because next time I will f*****g kill you." I gasped at the words he said. He just swore. I notice him turn around and begin walking.  

"Wait! I am his mate. One of my wings are black and I just need to speak to him. Even if it is only for a minute." I stuttered over my words, he stopped on his tracks. His head slowly turning to face me. He analyses my face, before sniffing me slightly.  

"How would I know if you're not lying?" 

"Because as you said yourself, I am an Angel...I cannot lie no matter how hard I try. I have proof, I just need to figure out what is going on with me." I whispered, the blond man scurries towards me lifting my harmed arm in his grasp as he pulled me from the ground.  

"Angels aren't perfect. Show me." I held my arm as he let go, feeling the pain. I slowly step back and release my wings. His eyes widen as he notices, he looks around and comes closer. "Hide them now!" He shouted in a whisper, with that I instantly removed them from sight. He gazes around the area and pushes me in front of him. "You're an Evangel. It's a rare species. You cannot be down here," 

"An Evangel?" I repeated his words. 

"It's a mix with good and bad. You are not only an Angel but a Devil." He whispers, we continue walking down the path, "you are a dangerous species. You should be put to death." My eyes widen as I pull back.  

"No! No, you cannot kill me. I have done nothing bad!" I shouted, trying to pull my hands away from his grip. He yanks me towards him as he drags me up some stairs. "No, please. I have done nothing to harm anyone. I have just come here for help." 

"I will not allow you to ruin the species, you are a threat." My heart was pounding against my chest, the fear of being killed was not the idea I had when I came down here. not at all. All I wanted was to help and to be helped. All I wanted was to give Lucifer the life he desired as an Angel. And yet, here I was paying the price. The price to be murdered because I was apparently a threat. This was my fear. Fear of death. Fear of being harmed. Fear of joining my grandmother and leaving my mother.  

The place was hot, too hot for my skin. My wings felt like they were about to melt of at any moment. His grip around my harmed arm hurt. I could not do anything to seize the pain. "Please, please I have not done-" 

"I don't care, you f*****g i***t. You will not go near Lucifer; Evangels are meant to be extinct. So, I will do that for you." My head shakes, I noticed people staring. "I'm doing you a favour; you should be grateful." 

"Grateful, for what? Death. I am innocent, is this what happens? You hurt the innocent." 

"Innocent. Angels aren't innocent. They are the opposite. Acting like perfect birds, always the self-righteous ones. Like yourself." 

"No, we make mistakes-" 

"Lucifer made a mistake, trusting you." He then pushes open a steel wooden door, leading down to a room full of cages. My eyes widen even more as I try to fight back but his grip onto me was too strong. I hear screams, gruesome screams. I hear shouts, cries and tears. I hear no laughter, no joy just devastation. He then pulls open an empty cage and throws me inside. I make one with the ground.  

"I hope you rot."