So sorry for the terrible delay! Post-graduation adulting is obnoxious. I should be able to start focusing on this story again. Thank you for your patience!

Back on the Job

April 12, 2007

The hunter slowly pivoted around, eyeing the pine trees suspiciously as the moonlight filtered through the network of branches. She delicately rolled the silver dagger between her fingers, perfectly conscious of the leathery handle. Finally, she stopped, facing what she knew to be the closest exit from the trees.

There was no need for her to look to know that the hulking demon was standing right behind her, circling in hopes of cutting her off from the clearing. It knew she was trying to draw him out into the open. He, however, didn't know her true reasoning why. It wasn't the open field that was her goal, but what was beyond it.

He ended up cutting off her escape a little faster than anticipated and she heard him already charging at her. The woman expertly threw her knife at the attacking figure, but he dodged it. Just to spite her, the demon launched Jen headfirst into the air towards the clearing. She found herself whipping through the pine needles and somersaulting onto the soft moss that covered the meadow. There would certainly be a few bruises from that...

As the demon stumbled out of the brush, she noticed that he hadn't taken the time yet to fix his dislocated arm. Other than that, he was very much unharmed.

The sound of someone gulping loudly alerted her to the presence of an audience – three people standing beside a rather conspicuous blue box that hadn't been there earlier. The two men looked confused and giddy, while the woman was simply peeved. No time to find out who they were. The demon had finished resetting his arm. To buy herself another moment, Jen snatched the small holy water bottle from her pocket and sprayed it at the demon. She laughed darkly at her audience's shock. While the demon screamed in agony, the hunter grabbed her knife from the ground and bolted toward the shack in the distance. As anticipated, her challenger followed and her audience was left none the wiser.

Jen ran as fast as her legs would carry her, finally managing to reach the door to the cabin; however, she stopped upon realizing that the demon was no longer in sight.

Where did it go? She peered through the darkness of the clearing for a moment, only to get the wind knocked out of her as the fellow sent her crashing into the door, shattering the flimsy old plywood.

Jennifer winced upon realizing that she had landed on a large sliver of wood, which was now jammed into the back of her shoulder. Not part of the plan. She dragged herself backwards into the cabin as the demon reappeared. Just a few more steps…

The demon froze in the doorway, sensing a trap. He looked down at the entry rug and bent down to flick it away, revealing the chalk demon trap. As he scuffed his shoe on the floor, breaking the circle, Jen greatly regretted her choice of writing tool. She made a mental note to stop by a hardware store to stock up on spray paint.

Now what? It wasn't like she had some magic knife to kill this guy, and she didn't have time to do an exorcism without being crushed. At the edge of panic, Jen braced herself and yanked the chunk of wood from her shoulder. She started to scramble away, but the demon grabbed her leg and lugged her backwards. Then nothing.

The woman flipped over and froze at the sight of the blade tip sticking out of the chest of the demon, which collapsed a second later. Dead.

In his place was a tall, severe-looking old woman with her silver hair pulled back in a high bun. With a wave of her hand, the blood on her dagger vanished.

"Please do not get yourself killed," the lady requested blandly, offering to help the hunter stand.

Jennifer winced at the throbbing in her shoulder, but still managed to retrieve her own weapon from where it had clattered to the floor.

"I appreciate the help – peculiar as it was. But who are you?"

"I'm an angel."

The woman put a hand on Jen's shoulder and, in an instant, they were standing in a small chapel with a few parishioners in the kneelers. Jen's shoulder wound was completely healed. The stranger observed her expectantly.

"Um. Angel, eh?" Jennifer looked around helplessly. "Are we here to visit your friends?"

Her companion's eyes lit up.

"What friends?"

Jen stared pointedly toward the tabernacle at the front of the chapel.

"The two people on guard over there? Everyone seems to not notice them, so I figured they're…angels or somethin'."

"What do they look like?"

"Silver armor. Gold hair. Uh…wings. Wait. You can't see them?" The woman…angel…person didn't answer. "If you're really an angel, why are you here?"

The matron stared blankly at the chapel for a moment before walking disappointedly outside onto the small town street.

"Those angels are from a very special class of Cherubim. A bit like God's secret service. They usually remain invisible even to other angels."

"And you can't see them. But I can. How?"

"How can you blindly throw a knife and have it instantly kill your enemy, or convince an officer of the law to not give you a parking fine simply by telling him it's not an issue? Whatever happened when that…spirit attacked you during your travels also lets you see the Cherubim. Makes you special. I suppose."

Jen scratched her head in confusion. Angels? Warrior Cherubim? Knives that could kill demons? Those things weren't supposed to exist. It made sense, but…

"Listen, again, I appreciate the help. But you're not… I guess it should have clicked when I first saw those…Cherubim a few months ago, but I was a bit busy with a goblin. How… I think I need a drink." The old woman touched her shoulder again and zapped them to the front doors of a sketchy bar. Jen leapt defensively away from the angel's grasp. "Would you stop that?!"

The angel cocked her head with a critical scowl.

"Your vehicle is two miles north of here. I must go."

"Where?"

"To give my report. In the meantime, don't get yourself killed."

In the blink of an eye, the prickly old dame had disappeared, leaving Jen more confused than ever. With nothing better to do, she walked into the dim building, sat down at the bar, and ordered her drink. No use letting a good opportunity go to waste.

Angels paying her a visit? Angels that couldn't be seen by other angels? She hadn't even heard of any other hunters ever seeing any angels. This earned a second drink.

She paused upon catching sight of the headline of the paper that had just been discarded on the bar.

"Excuse me," she hesitated, eyeing the owner. "Do you mind if I borrow that?"

"All yours," he grumped, paying for his drink and walking away.

Jen gulped the burning shot of whiskey and unfolded the front page. Angels could wait. She had a job to do.