So a few people have asked whether Uriel is a hermaphrodite or not, and the answer is this: As a human, she is fully female, just as human Ryo is fully male. She would be a hermaphrodite if she were to take on her angelic form, but during the time of this story, she is female. I hope that clears things up.
Three days had passed since Ryo's visit, and trash was piling up. Uriel was usually a relatively clean person, but with so many animals and a fear of what lied outside her front door, there were bags of awful stench stacked to be taken to the dump. Not only had she had to perform the usual maintenance of the restrooms, but yesterday she had also had do to clean her iguana cage. She really couldn't put it off any longer.
Gathering up all the courage she could muster, she shoved her feet into boots, her hands into gloves, and grabbed as many bags as she could carry before stopping to stare at the door. She counted all the way to ten, as slowly as she could, then shoved it open and made for the elevator. She couldn't sit still even inside of it, and when she hit the ground floor, she sprinted out as fast as all the added weight would allow her to. Afraid of who might be waiting outside the main entrance, she opted for a side door. It was closer to the dumpster, anyway. She didn't stop to pause until she'd hefted all the bags over the edge of the dumpster and emptied her hands. It was then she noticed how quiet to was.
Normally, there would be the noise of cars, the low murmur of people, footsteps, something. It was a city, after all. But it was silent. For a minute, her fear was replaced by sheer curiosity, and she found herself inching towards the streets. The sight that met her made her pause.
It was….empty.
There wasn't a single person. The only thing in motion was a small white bag blowing by on the wind. It was as if the entire population had just...disappeared.
Then a man emerged from a convenience store nearby. Over his back there was a rifle, and in his hand, a bat, and yet he walked out casually as one would running errands. Uriel cocked her head in confusion. The guy went on his way until he happened to spot her. He froze, free hand flying back to grab his gun and causing her to take a step back in shock. He didn't draw it, but kept himself ready to at any time as he said, "A young girl like you shouldn't be out. It's not safe."
"W-What?" she stammered. "What's with the weapons?
"Have you been living under a rock? It's for the demons!"
Her stomach churned. She knew this was coming, the deterioration of society, but this...this was too fast! And weapons for demons? They weren't that common, although...considering how demons worked, and what they liked, it was possible that their numbers were growing. The human response to their presence was increasing them. What a vicious cycle.
"Um, about the demons, how many-" She took a step towards him and he drew his gun in one smooth motion, setting up his aim and tucking the bat under his arm with the same movement. Immediately she stopped and stiffened. "A-Alright, I'm going home, then."
She didn't dare turn her back, keeping her eye on the gun barrel that followed her as she slowly drifted backwards towards the door. Unable to see behind her, she ran hard into the side of the building. Her hand groped until it found the doorknob. When it finally did, she tore it open and flung herself inside, slamming the door shut behind her.
Her breathing came heavy as she tried to process what just happened. She'd...she'd just...she was almost shot! He almost shot her!
Overwhelmed, her legs gave out beneath her. That...was what Ryo had caused. This was what the world was going to be like, until the end of it all. People were going to always be on edge, always be 'this' close to murdering each other. How many more times would she face it? How many more times would she feel like her life was on the line? First it was the club, so inappropriately named Sabbath, but that was understandable. That had been demons. But then it was the crowd at her performance. And now it was the guy with the gun. These were humans, regular, everyday humans. They were so ready to kill: each other, and her.
…Being mortal was scary.
She'd grown intimately familiar with fear since becoming a human, she decided. In a way, she was glad she understood. It was getting easier to comprehend why humans sometimes committed unimaginable things, and it almost made her regret some of the punishments she had previously doled out on sinful humans. At the same time, she felt that fear was an emotion she might have been better off never knowing.
Someone walked past the other end of hall and she jumped, remembering with a start that there were other people in the apartment complex. Pursing her lips, she trembled to her feet and, forgetting the elevator, instead darted to the stairs that were only a few feet away. She couldn't remember the last time she'd taken the stairs, or if she'd even ever at all, considering her apartment was on the second floor to the top, but the pondering barely grazed her mind as she shot up the stairs, easily leaping two or three at a time. She was gulping down air like a person nearly drowned by the time she slammed her front door behind her. Having been startled by the noise of the door, none of her pets moved to greet her.
It would be nice, Uriel thought, if she had a TV. She never thought it would be worthwhile to spend money on such a thing, but right now, she wanted one. She wanted to turn on the news, so she could watch what was going on outside without actually leaving her home. But she was going to have to leave again, eventually. Even if she neglected cleaning, she would eventually run out of food for her and the animals.
Wait, couldn't she just call Ryo? Yes, he had said he hated her, but he'd also said to call him if she needed anything else. He might not have liked her, but he clearly didn't dislike her enough to wish her dead. But even if he complied with bringing stuff, she somehow doubted he'd be willing to take out the animal excrement.
What if she called- No. She banished the thought. Yes, Akira was nice enough to do what she needed, but she couldn't pull him into this. People were already suspecting her of being a demon. Things would just get worse if someone saw Akira with her. She was just going to have to do things herself.
For the time being, she decided not to think on it too hard and got out her phone. Her fingers shook as she searched for a news website, or article. There were plenty. Too many, actually. And everything that came up under the tag of 'current event' was nothing less than ugly. Finger spazzing, she clicked on a video titled Demons Will Burn!
The video was far from professional, the camera bobbing erratically as the person holding it jumped about, but what it showed was hard to misinterpret. The shape...it was mostly human. And it was burning. Sure, there were clawed appendages flailing from the midsection, but it was a little girl! Among the deeper, manic voices, a high pitched scream of pain was resounding over the noise.
Uriel clicked out before she could see anymore, the taste of bile making its way into her mouth. That….hadn't been a demon. That had been a little girl that had fused with a devil and overcome it, only to be burned alive for her bravery. And that video, that was posted only two days prior, already had over three million views.
Tentatively, she continued to browse. There were more headlines, some about rumors about the demons and connecting them to organizations, others describing different actions different governments had been taking, and even more blaming giant world powers like Russia, China, and even the U.S. There was more than one website advertising humanity's impending extinction. Humanity as a whole was panicking.
If Uriel had always been a human, she would have fallen to her knees to pray out of desperation, but there was no need. She knew where the world was heading. To pray for otherwise would be going against God's wishes, so she was just going to have to trust that God was right, as He always was.
But...was He?
The thought sent an electric shock through her, and she tried to forget it with little success. She was doubting! She couldn't believe it! Maybe she didn't understand His intentions before, but she….now she was doubting? But she knew He was real! She had seen Him, had heard His voice, had been witness to all His works in and beyond the ages! How could she doubt Him? But she was.
Her phone slipped from her hands, forgotten as she dashed to her bedroom. The blinds already drawn, she also shut the door to shut out distractions, then ransacked the drawers of her desk for her rosary and bible before pulling out a candle and shakily lighting it. Once that was done, and the scent of vanilla had begun to fill the room, she flicked off the lights and sat crisscross in the middle of the floor, holy book in her lap and rosary clenched tightly in her hands. She hung her head and tried to meditate.
She tried to recall the reason she became human in the first place.
It was because she was curious….wasn't it? Because she wanted to understand the punishment. Because she didn't see why it was necessary, and she wanted to. She hadn't thought…
...that he had deserved it?
Her eyes popped open in astonishment. She...hadn't thought he deserved it? But didn't...didn't that mean….she thought He was acting unjust? But He was never unjust! God was justice itself! But she thought...He was wrong.
Gulping, she realized she still thought the same. She still didn't understand why such pain was necessary. Yes, he had sinned against God, but really, did any sin warrant such harsh treatment? And towards someone who used to be a loyal servant to Him, no less.
But that was why God sent her, right? To see if it was time to stop. To see if he had been through enough to repent, bringing an end to the punishment. Of course God wasn't being unjust! He was offering the one who wronged Him an out through her, using her curiosity for good. But hadn't she just decided it wasn't curiosity, but doubt?
What...what if...God sent her to feel human pain, to punish her, as well? She, an angel, had doubted Him, after all. Despite how well she knew Him, she felt He had wronged someone. Didn't that warrant punishment? In the past, she would have instantly agreed that it did, if only on a small scale. She would have thought it necessary to encourage repentance, to bring the doubting soul back to God, but now…
Was she...falling?
That couldn't be right! Even during the war, she had fought gallantly alongside Michael without a glimmer of disobedience within her. She stayed true even during the time of temptation for angels! Surely now, it was just the human nature affecting her. It was just the pressure of original sin. It had to be. The doubt she had even as a pure angel, it must have been a fluke. It had to of been.
Heart uneasy, she opened the bible and began to read, but even as she delved into the word of God, she couldn't quell the instability creeping into her mind.
On the surface, it may seem like not a lot goes on in this chapter, but there's a lot here if you look for it! Her purpose, her troubles, the progress (or reversal of) of the world, it's a lot. Oh, and for those of you who may be wondering, Christianity doesn't look down on meditating. They say if you're doing it with full faith in God and no other power or deity, its fine. It's kind of like a form of prayer. Just thought I should point that out in case some of you were wondering why a Catholic character was meditating. But what did you guys think of this chapter? What about the story so far? I'm glad you're all enjoying it, and feel free to call me greedy, but I want to hear more from you guys! You all are what makes writing this so great, after all! I eagerly await your comments!
Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!
