Was the world ending? Was this the rapture? May didn't know. She had been surprised enough seeing Hickory and Weston about to fight, over her - and then -

He punched an Angel.

It was impossible, what she felt inside - what did she feel?

Her thoughts were a confusing, terrible jumble, but there was one emotion in front of all the others - fear.

Because May, she'd read the Bible. She knew what it contained, her father was a Preacher, had made sure she was educated...and God? God could be terrifying.

And the Angel, the Angel, the Angels...

Weston squeezed her hand again, he held it tight but she felt numb. Numb as she listened to him talking in a calm voice, describing the events to his uncle, the Mayor, and apparently now the Governor - and who knew who else.

Important people. People with plans. People who knew what to do - that would have answers and an explanation as to what - what was it?

An Angel. Of course others said aliens or even weapons, computers, or the Chinese. Herbert was over there yelling about project bluebeam and false flags and the CIA...

But May could see the gurgling, multi-faceted light, watching it from the soccer field where it floated, still there, it was the size of a room, it had kept growing, she also knew it wasn't the only one -

This was happening all over, she'd listened to the phone call, and now the other students looking at their phones, periscopes, snaps of bright lights - of people describing the same event.

Then there was a bright flash - a clap like thunder, a splash.

May's mouth went dry, the fear, it coalesced - and she saw it, where before had been nothing but a ball of light in the middle of the lunch lawn, a scattering of picnic tables, there was something else. Something more.

A structure, grey, stone, seven pillars that held up a roof, and beneath?

Hickory.

Returned.

He was standing there, looking down into a fountain, a long minute passed, he turned and started walking - walking right at them.

"Cory Schaffer is back and appears unchanged, unharmed." Weston narrated, and she could tell people around her were afraid, they were backing up, she was afraid too, but - this was Hickory.

Certainly she didn't need to fear -

Hickory approached slowly and May had completely forgotten, forgotten about the - the confrontation? No, she must have imagined it because they had both been almost smiling - compared to Hickory's vicious explosion against the Angel, face twisted in sudden rage -

And if she felt that tension again, as Hickory looked at her hand clasped with Weston's - then followed it up to Weston's eyes, she didn't know what passed between them, that her mind was too saturated to interpret more then his smug grin - and wasn't he always?

He strutted forward, nodded to her, "May."

He looked normal, distracted, if anything - uncomfortable, to have so many people staring at him, he'd never been shy, always private. Like a secret - a whisper -

But now he was more then that, wasn't he? Now he was possibly the most important person since - since Jesus - and it didn't matter if his hair held all the tumbled colors of fall, it didn't matter if his eyes were as calm and clear as cool running water - that she'd perhaps began to think of him today as a treat that could be tasted?

Heaven sent. Pure. Innocent.

She closed her eyes in a brief prayer - and opened them, she saw Hickory's face, anew - a man touched by Angels, chosen by God - you didn't look at such a man with -

She saw his eyes, as he looked back at her - fill with tears? Frustration -

"Damn it." Hickory said, and the crowd gasped. May was just speechless - then Hickory blushed, his eyes going wide as he shook his head, "Pardon, ladies."

"Hickory." Weston said, May looked to her right, surprised - she'd forgotten he was there, even tethered to her hand, "Is there a message."

She could feel the held breath - as Weston switched to speaker phone, the surrounding people, their silence, as Hickory looked back at Weston, twisted his mouth in chagrin, he kicked the ground as though he'd been caught doing something naughty - asked to explain himself. A look that made May chuckle without realizing, before hearing the words -

"No, there ain't anything there." Hickory shrugged, "I reckon I failed."