Chapter 2 - Taking your time to heal

The angel and the demon looked at one another, eyes to eyes, silence stretching like a rope ready to break, until the wristband at the angel’s side started beeping. Alielle looked at it, then back at Luca.

“I need to go, my friend.” He said, tired. “I know you found a way to circumvent the rules and that you’re very proud of it, seeing your grin, but don’t overdo it. Even this way could snap back at you if you do too much. You really hide your heart well behind all that jerkiness, but I know you.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll not overdo it. You can go without needing to think about me.” Luca answered, still grinning.

“I hope.” Was everything the angel said back before getting up, towering over the two other with his 2.25 meters. He touched his wristband.

She looked with awe as the angel was being covered by a beautiful shiny armor, if lighter than the one the now dead angel had had. He looked one last time at the two of them and, expanding wings of light, took off at an increasing speed.

“Close your mouth, girl, you’ll eat a fly.”

“Stop calling me girl, I have a name!” She snapped back at him before remembering he was supposedly a demon.

He sneered but didn’t snap. “Well, tell me then, but remember I didn’t ask for it, eh?”

Without thinking, she kept going, outraged. “Good! I’m called Lysandre, so now just call me that! Girl, who do you call girl, I’m nearly a woman you know!”

Luca chuckled sligthly. “all right, all right, Lysandre, calm down, you’ll hurt yourself.” He taunted her.

She really nearly snapped again but contained herself.

… What am I doing? I really wish to die it seems, talking like that to him. She thought when she calmed down, fear crashing in again.

“Good. So, Lyza, I can call you Lyza, right? Lysandre is a bit long.”

“...Only my friends call me that.” She answered while frowning.

“Good then, because I’m the best friend you could have, Lyza. Now listen attentively. Normally, angels and demons are forbidden to help humans. We can only intervene to rectify the state of the secret about our existence, right?”

“...Ok?”

“What I just did is that you became the object of a bet with Alielle, as you’ve heard, yes?”

“...Still ok?”

“This way I can… circumvent, as he said, the rule against intervention. It is still limited, but at least I can help you a bit now. Who knows, maybe you won’t die because of the blood poison?”

Lyza looked at him for a long time.

“...I don’t understand.” She finally said. “Why do you want to help me? I’m just cattle in your eyes.” Her voice was grim and suspicious.

“For once, no human ever managed to enter in one of my shield-domes, you’re the very first to do so, and I do this since three millenia ago. Another reason is that you can bite when you want, you’ve thorn and quite a good temper, hahaha! I like people that can resist, snap back. Oh and, of course, it would be a shame to let a girl with such a bosom die, huhuhu.” The gaze he was giving her chest was the most leacherous she had ever seen, making her cover herself reflexively with her arms.

“I’m joking, I’m joking, don’t try and burn me with your gaze.” His laugh only made her more angry, pushing her fear away once more.

“Now now, enough with the fun. I said I would help you, but I still haven’t said how. I’ll do two things for you. First, I’ll make one of my human agents contact you. This way, you’ll be led to an… organisation that may help you find the cure to the blood poison, and save your life.”

A those word, a spark of hope appeared in her heart.

“There is an antidote!?” She exclaimed.

“Yes, but it will be on you to find or create it. I’m just giving you the first clue of a long riddle.

Still she smiled in spite of herself. “At least now I’ve a chance to live.”

“Yes! That’s the spirit! You see, I can’t make myself dislike people that think like that. So, the second thing in which I’ll help… hm… Look.” And he started taking of some of the trinkets he had on him. Quickly, four things were put on the table. The first was a pendant looking like a miniature steel bow, rusted here and there. The second was a glove pierced at the palm, made of old and used silk. The third was a book that had seen better days, its cover and bookbinding damaged by water. The last was an old key for an old car.

“From those, I will give you one, to help you in your quest of survival.”

“...That garbage?” She said without thinking.

“...Yes, that garbage.” He answered, his smile turning a bit carnivorous.

“Hmmm… Some clue before you choose. The pendant will bring you to conflict. The book is powerful for those who can stay awake under its strain. The glove is both a blessing and a curse, its unending hunger bringing both pain and pleasure. The key is proud but steadfast if you’re worthy. So, which one will you choose?”

Before the four things she stood, frozen by choice anxiety. I don’t even know what those are, how does he want me to choose? Those clues weren’t very helpful…

“Geez, stop worrying like that. Touch them and see which one feels the best in your hand. Shut your eyes, too.” Intervened Luca, rolling his eyes.

The key was strange, weirdly heavy and she put it back quickly. The pendant was… violent, but not unpleasingly. The glove wanted to eat, an endless craving it seemed, and she quickly dropped it, disgusted. The book was sleepy, but like a gigantic beast. The book was… peaceful, and knowledgeable, and full of mystery, and...

“I want the book.” She said while opening her eyes.

“Yes… I felt you resonating with it. I wouldn’t have wagered on it, but the book it is. I hope you’ll be able to stay awake, Lysandre.” He answered, taking back the other trinkets.

“... And now what?” She asked.

“Now, ironically, you sleep.” He said with a grin as big as his joke was bad. He knocked the ground with a cane that wasn’t in his hand just a moment before. Darkness swallowed everything and she felt herself falling...

***

Her right arm was hurting. No, not only her arm, the torso too. She tried to move a bit but something was tying her to her bed. She opened her eyes.

That is not my ceiling. She thought before the smell hit her nose, a blend of sanitizer and cleaner that could only be found in one place.

I’m at the hospital? But she couldn’t remember why. The last thing she remembered was…

Angels and Demons. Luca. Alielle. So it was only a dream? But before she could continue thinking a head came in her vision field.

Her mother was still very young and her face’s beauty was only slightly diminshed by her worried look.

“Hello Glimmer, how do you feel?” Lysandre couldn’t stop her smile from budding.

“It hurts but it’s bearable.”

“That’s good.” Her mother said softly before kissing her on the forehead.

“I was so worried.” She added.

“I’m ok mom, I assure you. What… what happened?” She asked, uncertain.

“You don’t remember?”

“N-no, well, only bits and pieces… Explosions, people screaming...not much.” She lied.

“Well… The festival was attacked by terrorists. They made a bomb explode in the center of the crowd… A lot of people died, but you’re okay, you were far from it…” She answered, before suddenly hugging her.

“It’s okay mom… I’m okay…” Lysandre whispered in her mother’s ear, stroking her back.

“I’m glad you’re okay, Glimmer.”

“...So… what is broken?” Asked Lyza after some more hugging.

“You’ve three cracked ribs and your right arm is broken. You’ll be able to exit the hospital in two or three days, the doctor said, and you can go back to school next week, but only if you want…” Her mother said while putting back a strand of her daughter’s hair.

“I stayed as long as I could but my boss is pestering me to come back to work. You’re good with me leaving? Your father will come in the evening to check on you.”

“Don’t worry mom, go to work, I know your boss can be really toxic when he’s in lack of manpower. I’ll say hi to dad for you.”

“Thanks Glimmer, you’re really sweet. I’ll come back tomorrow to see you.” Her mom said, putting one last kiss on Lysandre’s forehead before leaving.

“I love you, tiny Glimmer.”

“I love you too, mom.”

The room fell silent once more. So it was really only just a dream. She thought while smiling. Her imagination was quite vivid, nurtured by the passion of both her mother for BD, Comics, Manga and the like, and her father for games and books. And, of course, her own dreams and hobbies. I’m thinking too much about tabletop rpg scenarii. She smiled at her own foolishness, thinking that angels and demons were real. I will not die. The thought warmed her but felt strangely hollow. She moved a bit in her bed, making herself comfortable. Softly, her hand fell on something leathery. Intrigued, she grabbed it to see what it was and she recognized the old and weary book Luca had given her, the one she had asked for. Shock stunned her and she let it fall on the blanket. N-no. No, that’s not possible, that’s just a coincidence. The book must have been retrieved with me or something, and I just dreamt of it, that’s all.

She looked around her and found what she searched : Her tablet. Her mom knew she would have gone mad without anything to do and had let it on the nightstand. She took it with her left arm, the one she could move and, pestering about how difficult it was with using only one hand, she used it to go on the internet. What she was searching revealed itself shortly after.

TERRORIST ATTACK ON THE STEFF-ROGER SQUARE

Wednesday 13/05/2019, the Square Steff-Roger of the small city of Lastreau had been the target of a bombing from a still unknown terrorist group. The city is in shock, mourning the 86 people that died in it. Hundreds of others had needed intensive hospital care to survive. Multiple hospital were needed to take the full charge of wounded…

The article kept going like that, with assuption on who made the attack, why or even how, and how the government reacted to it, or other countries. The EU was in turmoil etc etc just like last time terrorist attack had struck it, nothing really changed, well, not so far.

With a dead toll like that, I wouldn’t be surprized if something like the martial law was established…

She spend the rest of the day reading and watching videos, distracting her mind from the worn book that was on the bed. Food was given to her around 7pm. No long after, her dad came in.

“I’m surprized they even let you enter.” She said jokingly.

“Sorry to have come so late, Glimmer. Work has been crazy since the events at the Square.” He answered seriously while kissing her on the forehead.

“Don’t worry dad, I understood. Mom says Hi, by the way.” Her father smiled.

“Thanks, glimmer, I’ll take part of the night shift today too, I’ve not seen your mother in three days but through notes on the fridge.” He sat on the chair beside the bed and they talked about nothing and everything, how work was going, how the finals were approaching, which turned the contain of Lysandre stomach into acid, etc. When he stood up to leave, it was already past 9pm. Lysandre and her father had always things to talk about, books and games, and it was with regret that he let his daughter behind to go back home. When he went through the door, a flying eyeball floated there for one second. W-what? But in the blink of an eye, it was gone.

The next three days went by slowly. She read most of the time, and talked a bit with her doctor, about her wounds and when she could exit the hospital. Her mother came visit her each day, as did her father. The afternoon of the second day, other guests came to say hi.

“Hahaha, you really came.” Laughed Lysandre as she saw her two best friends come in her room.

“Of course, Lyza! We would have come sooner if we had been able to!” Answered Lauriane while hugging her.

“Here, for you. I’m sure the cooks here aren’t half as good as I am.” Said Marcus, putting a box full of food beside her.

“Not even a quarter as good, my friend.” She answered, hugging him too.

“So, how are things going? At school, I mean.” She added.

“Hmmm. Mirien is quite pissed that you missed a presentation again, he seemed ready to make you eat your final exam, but he can’t do anything since you’re literally at the hospital. Vondeman drown us with homework as always, and said that you being here wasn’t reason enough to be totally exempted of them, so you’ll have to work a bit, hahaha!” Marcus was always cheerful like that, one of the reason Lysandre liked him.

“And another bunch of things to do in math, again. Teachers are killing us instead of letting us study for the finals, I hate when they push all the things we couldn’t do during the year at the last minute!” added Lauriane, frowning. She was full of energy, if maybe a bit hot-tempered, but not airheaded like Lysandre, who was nearly always making problems for herself by speaking her mind more often than not.

Later in the day. “Well, we’ll need to go or we won’t have time to study. Oh, one last thing. I bet that for tomorrow, it’s dead, right?”

Lysandre looked at herself and laughed a bit. “I don’t think I can masterize a rpg in this state, Marcus, so it’s indeed dead for tomorrow.”

“Too bad, I was really seeing forward to it. Well, maybe we can postpone it to next week?” He asked eagerly.

“Stop pestering her! She’s wounded, remember?”

“Yes yes, sorry. Then see ya later, Lyza.”

“See ya Lyza!”

“Se y’all next time.” She answered, watching them exit the door. No flying eyes over them, nor over the doctor or mother. Is it only father?

One more day and she was discharged, able to go back home, albeit with a cast on her right arm and a strict order not to do any sport, which Lysandre would bet her sport teacher would burn her for. Sunday went and go, the girl worrying over her homework, not really thinking about the few strange things that had happened so far. Staying at home, she felt peaceful and protected from the world, her bedroom a dusky fortress against everything and everyone else. With both parents at home, it was quite pleasant, moreso since she didn’t need to do any chore because of her cast. Well, the cast wasn’t nice, but the doctor said it could be removed quite quickly, so she endured and enjoyed life. She had not looked once inside the old book, and forgot about it most of the time, when she didn’t see it in her field of view, the thing seemingly following her wherever she went. Then Monday came, and with it school, and strangeness…