Hallelujah awoke the next morning. The fortnight period was officially over.

The seven year old rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. Now seeing clearly, she looked around the room and realised she wasn't in her room. It was the room that Startle shared with Bobbie, Chanel and Pages. Opening her eyes, Hallelujah realised that she had slept beside Startle last night.

"Startle? Are you awake?" Hallelujah asked softly

When Startle didn't stir or make so much as a sound, the seven year old realised that her older sister was asleep. She wondered what time it was as she carefully crawled out of bed and tiptoed out of the room.

All of Mount Carmel was quiet. There was barely any light coming in through the windows. Hallelujah still had no idea how to tell her parents about what she had to do. She didn't know how her mummy would react, but she knew there was almost no way that her daddy would let her do what she had to.

'Maybe I just shouldn't tell them.' Hallelujah thought. She knew it was wrong and that her parents would be worried about her when they found her gone. They would also be disappointed in her when she returned, but not telling them seemed easier.

'Maybe then no one has to get hurt.' She thought, hoping she could prevent the bad thing from happening.

Hallelujah sighed as she approached the front door. With her hand on the doorknob, she started to turn it. She stopped herself, looking back over her right shoulder. No one was behind her.

Her breath labored. She didn't think she could do it. She couldn't just leave without saying anything.

'But what if this is how it's supposed to be?' She wondered.

Hallelujah knew that it wasn't though. She knew that she wasn't supposed to go alone. She just wanted to prevent the bad thing from happening. She didn't want anyone to get hurt.

Suddenly Hallelujah heard a voice. It was so clear that she had to turn around, but there was no one behind her.

Turning back to face the door, she saw what looked to be a hologram or a projection. But she knew it wasn't.

It was the angel.

"You're back." Hallelujah uttered

The angel just nodded.

"Why?" Hallelujah wondered

The angel uttered the same prophecy again. The one she had told the seven year old about on the night of her birthday.

Hallelujah furrowed her eyebrows, "I already know the prophecy. Why are you telling me again?"

"Because you didn't listen the first time." The angel told her

Hallelujah frowned. She still didn't get it.

"A marked child shall bring forth an era of sorrow." The angel emphasis, putting extra emphasis on the word child. Almost as if the angel were trying to say that the word was misleading.

From looking at the stare of Hallelujah's face, it was plain to see that the wheels of her mind her turning.

"Vivi has a birthmark like me. Is she the marked child?"

The angel stared back at the seven year old blankly, "I can't tell you. You have to figure I out on your own. All I can say is that you're on the right track. Just think a little broader. Cause you were also right the first time."

Then the angel disappeared.

Hallelujah took a breath. If she was the marked child, but she was also on the right track with asking if Vivi was the marked child, then that meant...

'No!' Hallelujah thought, shaking her head. It couldn't be. She couldn't believe how wrong she had been. She swallowed. She knew exactly what was going to happen now. She knew the how, the why, and the where and when.

It was getting lighter outside. The sun was starting to rise higher in the sky. From the brightness, Hallelujah guessed that it was probably around six o'clock, which meant she had about seven hours until the bad thing happened. Until the person would be hurt.

'Daddy will be getting up soon.' She thought.

David always woke up at precisely 6:30 every morning.

Hallelujah didn't hear him moving around, which meant that it wasn't quite 6:30 yet.

She wondered what she should do. If she should leave now. Or wait to tell her parents. Wait for who was supposed to go with her. The one who would get hurt.

Hallelujah nodded. She knew that she had to tell her parents, so she headed back up the stairs to have the conversation she was dreading.

On the second flight of stairs, Hallelujah encountered the now 16 year old Dayland Gent coming down the stairs.

"Halle, what are you doing up?"

"Hey Day." She uttered. She sounded a little defeated.

Dayland sat down on one of the steps, a little higher up than Hallelujah, so that he'd be at eye level with her.

"What's got you so down in the dumps?"

"I have to tell Mummy and Daddy that I have to face Adria alone."

Dayland's eyes grew wide, "Oh jeez. That's intense. You scared?"

Hallelujah shook her head, "No. Not really. Not about facing Adria at least. I'm scared for someone else."

"Cause someone is gonna get hurt?"

Hallelujah nodded, "Yeah. And I now know who."

"Who is it?" Dayland wondered

"Don't wanna say." Hallelujah informed

Dayland nodded, "Well, you know what...it's a good thing someone has some good news to tell for after all this is over. We'll all need it."

"What are you talking about?"

"Serenity and TJ." Dayland replied, "Did they not tell you yet?"

Hallelujah just stared at him confused.

"I guess that means no...well I'm sure they'll tell you after everything is over. Maybe Serenity didn't want to distract you."

"Dayland, just tell me."

He scooted forward and leaned over, whispering into his little sister's ear.

Hallelujah's mouth dropped open, "That is good news."

Dayland nodded, "You want me to go with you to tell Mama Charlie and Dad."

"No. I gotta grow up sometime, right? This destiny is a big deal."

Dayland gave a small smile, "Yeah. I'm proud of you."

Hallelujah smiled, continuing up the stairs to her Mummy's room. Because her Daddy had so many wives, he alternated who he spent the night with. Last night he had slept in Mommy Shari's room. But as soon as he woke up, he would make the rounds to the rooms of his wives. Even if he wasn't there with Charlie when Hallelujah got to her Mummy's room, he would be there soon.

Upon reaching Charlie's room, Hallelujah walked right in.

"Hi Mummy." Her tone wasn't cheerful though. She sounded kind of sad.

"Aww...what's the matter, babe?"

Hallelujah walked over and hopped up on the bed, "I wanna wait for Daddy."

Charlie nodded. She could tell that something was troubling her daughter. She wrapped her arms around Hallelujah, pulling the small seven year old into her lap.

A few minutes later when David arrived in the doorway, he stared at his wife and daughter for a moment before stepping into the room. Striding over to the bed, he squatted down in front of Charlie and Hallelujah.

"Is everything alright with Hallelujah?" David asked Charlie

"She wouldn't tell me. She wanted to wait for you."

David nodded as he took his daughter's hand into his own, "Hey baby, do you have something to tell Mummy and I?"

Hallelujah took a breath as she told her Mummy and Daddy all about what she had to do and even what would happen, and to whom it would happen.

"Oh...Sweetheart." Charlie uttered, not knowing what else to say.

"Halle, thank you for telling us." David said simply

The seven year old stared at her father, wide-eyed, "So can I go? Can I do it?"

"If an angel really visited you, then I think you have to." David told his daughter

Hallelujah smiled as she leapt into her father's arms, "I love you, Daddy."

David hugged his daughter back, "I love you too, baby."

Hope you enjoy. Comments are greatly appreciated. In fact, they keep me going.

What would you like to see happen next?

What do you think is going to happen? What did the angel mean? And who do you think is going to get hurt?