"Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker;

he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished."

Proverbs 17:5

Chapter 19

Startled gasps, murmurs of shock, harsh rocking and rumbling of the street car were the only focus both Rosette and Chrono had as they clung to the rear of the car with what strength they had left. The passengers had moved away from the sudden addition, but kept to themselves as no one wanted to get involved in whatever happened to those two reckless and bloody individuals. Their faint gray souls offered no hope in a true ally.

Chrono had such a white knuckled grip around Rosette's waist with one hand while the other held onto the car for dear life. He would not let her fall for anything.

Rosette let her head rest on him as she was crushed up against the jolting sidewall of the trolley. It only took the span of one block before all fight left her. Rosette now just mindlessly held onto both of their staffs and let her mind go blank.

The trolley made a sharp left turn and came to a rocky squeaking stop at one of its designated stops. Chrono took a deep breath as he forced his mussels to step off the side board and ease Rosette and himself down onto the platform. His hand didn't want to release the brass bar nor did his elbow want to straighten back out for being so stiff.

No one got off with them, and soon the trolley was off again dinging down the street.

For a brief moment Chrono and Rosette stood side by side wordlessly. The streets and sidewalks were starting to empty out as the day was drawing closer to the end. Motor cars, double decker buses, the occasional horse pulled street car along with the distant sound of the 8 o'clock train rumbling through the city gave their surroundings the surreal feel of normalcy despite their near death experience they had just undergone. Life simply kept moving on.

Rosette let out a theatrical sigh as she returned Chrono's staff, which she had pulled from his grip on the trolley so he could hold her tighter.

"Thanks," he said as he felt for the staff in Rosette's outstretched hand. He could feel how the once smooth metal was now contorted and riveted with bite marks. Elder would have to make two bran new ones because these were certainly bent and unsalvageable.

"Which way?" Rosette asked softly. She had zoned out and hadn't been paying attention to the trolleys path.

Chrono pointed straight ahead. "Straight. We are back on the Café's side of First Avenue since the trolley turned left." He then sighed. "But I have no idea how many blocks we are away. We are much further than before."

Rosette nodded solemnly. She waited a moment longer to watch the traffic around her. There were really less vehicles than earlier. That would help at least. Rosette then began moving her bent staff side to side as she stepped down to cross the street. Chrono followed at her side.

If they had been considered slow in the past, then their movement now was at a crawl. Their spirits dejected over such a failed battle and their outer appearance shown such disarray of clothing they could only imagine they looked like hell. Rosette didn't bother trying to tell Chrono it wasn't his fault for not being able to protect her from harm, while Chrono didn't bother trying to tell Rosette her actions were justified and not too reckless. It was an argument they have had plenty of times in the past, so words weren't really necessary. They both looked at the other with admiration and gratitude while perceiving themselves as the failure.

Those that passed them on the sidewalk clearly were in alarm at the sight before them. It was only after making it to the end of the second block did Rosette finally stop. A couple had just rushed past them with none to kind a word.

Rosette brought a hand to her head. "I have to be dense."

Chrono didn't answer.

"Hey Chrono," Rosette softly spoke. "How much are you bleeding out right now?" she asked devoid of any hysterical emotion.

Chrono was lightheaded to say the least. However, as much as he would prefer to tell her not to worry he'd be fine, he knew they were still a long ways from safely being within the gates of the Magdalene Order, so an honest assessment was wise. Oh, how he hated this. "A good deal," Chrono finally answered. "I'm sure no major arteries were hit, or I would have dropped earlier, but I'm bleeding from bites all over... arms, legs, back..."

Rosette nodded. She figured as much. "I'd say my right leg is the worst," she supplied knowing he'd ask the same question right back at her. "Should we try and patch ourselves up?" she wondered.

"Rosette, we can't see. It would be a waste of time. We just need to keep moving forward," he surmised.

"Ya, I guess you're right. But Chrono, let me know if you need a rest okay?" her voice nearly cracked.

Oh how he hated hearing that weakness in her voice more than anything in the world. She was in pain because he failed her… again. "I will," he promised her.

She smiled weakly and moved to cross the next street.

They limped onward. A thought had crossed her mind to maybe go into one of the passing shops and ask to use the phone, but they had no money on them and they couldn't be sure they'd meet someone who'd be charitable enough to help out an injured nun. She just wanted to get back to the café and find Sister Mary and go home. Why bother wasting time with others?

This was just so depressing.

As they walked on, a little tormenter was hanging out on an awning and saw the two dejected bloody couple pass beneath him and cackled with joy.

"HA! Well, well, lookie lookie! A saint all beat up and bloody! What fun! What fun! I'd wish I'd see it!" the tormenter hopped up and down with glee.

Rosette and Chrono ignored the little red demon.

"Ah ha ha! Broken and bloody! Broken and bloody!" he chanted gleefully.

"Go away," Rosette looked up at the annoyance and waved off. She then nearly stumbled over a dustbin.

"Ha! You fell! You fell! Well isn't this fun! You can see me little Christian? Clearly you're a freak! A freak!"

Chrono started to growl.

Rosette rubbed at her leg as she walked on with resolution to ignore the taunts.

"Aww, did the poor young girl get an owie?" the tiny little demon laughed as he hoped onto the next awning to say overhead. "Poor baby! Poor baby!"

"Knock it off Mockery," Chrono warned darkly. Tormentors were such a common type of demon, but insignificant in the world of evil. They had no real name, just classification.

A factory worker walked by and laughed at the sight of the disheveled pair he passed; clearly influenced by the air Mockery gave off though the human couldn't see it.

"Its fine," Rosette mumbled as she worked to ignore his chanting above and those that passed by. Clearly letting the little pest know she could see him did not work in her favor.

"Fine? It's fine? HA! Never!" Mockery continued gleefully. "She's pathetic! She can't do anything! Look at her dress! Look at her face! Poor, dirty, sad failure. Ooh watch out for that street light!"

Rosette stopped quick only to have nothing in front of her.

"Ha, ha, haa! Too funny! Too rich! You're a failure! A failure!"

Rosette bit her lip as she took a hesitant step forward.

Chrono had had enough. In one fluid motion, Chrono phased into his spiritual body, reached up and grabbed the tormentor by the throat and pulled him down to eye level. "I had warned you," he hissed.

Mockery, no bigger than a cat, frantically clawed and scratched desperately to get free. "Mercy! Mercy!" he wailed. However, Chrono had no mercy to give. Mockery's fatal mistake was choosing to verbally attack his Rosette. With one hard jerk, Chrono cracked the demon's neck causing the little beast to turn to ash.

Rosette watched from a few feet up ahead as Chrono then shifted back into his physical form, although with spirit vision Chrono didn't seem to change at all.

The moment Chrono phased back, he brought a hand to his mouth as he pivoted around quick, rushing to where his staff had last hit a trashcan, and proceeded to wretch up what little he had in his stomach.

Rosette let a few tears fall as she watched her partner in distress. She felt so useless right now to help him. Wiping her eyes, she moved back to stand beside him as he now held the rim of the can for support. He was trembling.

"That was dumb," Rosette teased. She reached out to rub his back as a comfort only to pull back at the feeling of warm slick blood. She bit her lip again.

Chrono weakly smiled. "Ya, I guess that kind of was." He stood straight once the world stopped spinning. "I didn't think phasing in and out just now would make me feel like being whipped around on a Ferris wheel spinning backwards."

Rosette smiled for him. "Ya, you probably shouldn't do that either. Come on. Let's keep moving."

Only after another block did Rosette mumbled a thanks. Mockery was salt in her wounds and she didn't feel like being kicked while she was down. It made Chrono happy to hear her appreciation, however it was getting harder and harder to walk straight. It didn't go unnoticed by either of them that they were both breathing hard and trembling with each weary step. How much further?

Chrono held his side tightly as they reached the next intersection. Rosette suddenly grabbed a passing man by the arm. "Excuse me sir. What street is this?" she asked quickly.

The man glanced up at the street sign before replying.

"Thank you," Rosette said with a strained smile. The man huffed away eager to reach his favorite pub.

Rosette's smile dropped the moment he was gone. Five more city blocks. "Just great," she mumbled.

"Almost there," Chrono encouraged. "We can do this," he said for both their benefits. Honestly they both would rather sit down and sleep more than anything.

"Right!" Rosette rallied. Onward they hobbled. After much effort, finally they could see the clear silhouette of two angels up ahead.

"Look its Seth and Nathan!" Rosette said with exasperated relief.

"Finally."

Just as they neared, an automobile came to a screeching halt alongside of them with a white soul inside.

"Mary!" Rosette exclaimed.

"Rosette! Chrono!" Mary cried! "Oh thank goodness! I've been driving up and down every street trying to find you!" Mary engaged the break and got out of the car as she rushed around the vehicle to embrace her dear friend.

"What happened?" she asked shocked now in arms reach of Rosette.

Seth as well, approached the trio concerned, bag in hand.

Mary instantly shied away from the tall stranger. Who was this blond man in jean coveralls?

Chrono could easily see what Rosette had forgotten. "Mary this is Seth," he offered as the angel hadn't been visible earlier.

Seth didn't smile. Looking at Rosette and Chrono, clearly they were severely injured. Did the demon not realize his appearance? "You're covered in blood," the angel stated not at all happy.

Rosette was in too much pain to deal with this right now. "Mary, take our bag from Seth. Seth, thanks for watching it for us. If you see that stranger again, the possessed one from earlier, please contact the Magdalene Order immediately."

Mary hurriedly grabbed the bag and opened the rear door to help Chrono inside. He wasn't doing well. With him seated and the bag tossed in as well, Mary helped Rosette into the front seat. Mary felt near hysterics over this whole situation. She hadn't a clue what just happened this afternoon and only wanted to get her friends back to the infirmary as fast as humanly possible. The moment Mary was behind the wheel, she floored it down the street leaving two very concerned angels in her wake.

Seth walked back to stand beside Nathan as he returned to his spiritual body and Grecian armor.

"You know," Nathan finally spoke. "Was it just me, or does Chrono not seem as… red as he used to be?"

Seth sighed heavily, not liking the danger that waged hidden within the city. "I suppose his soul is rather orange like," he surmised.

"Odd," the Asian observed.

Chrono was certainly different from all the others.

It was late when their car pulled up to the gate. Those on watch had been waiting for them and opened the rod-iron gate quickly. Sister Kate was already bustling towards the car park before Mary even put the vehicle in park.

"What happened?" Sister Kate instantly asked before she could even get Rosette's door open. The surprise she found inside however, stopped her next words in their tracks.

"Oh, Rosette," Sister Kate spoke softly.

Rosette only lulled her head towards the open door, but made no move to get out. She weakly smiled. "Sorry for ruining the upholstery," she offered.

Chrono behind her could only imagine how much blood had soaked into the seats. His world was starting to go black. Why couldn't he be back to normal already? What was his body doing? Whatever it was, it was taking too much of his energy. He should be able to heal faster than this. Not even Rosette's life could help him now. Chrono's demeanor darkened at the thought. How dare he even reminisce about taking Rosette's life force for himself! He was pathetic.

"Medic's!" Sister Kate called out over her shoulder. These two needed to be bandaged up fast. "I let you outside for one day," she harshly spoke to herself as she moved about giving commands.

Mary got out and stood off to the side. What could she do?

In a rush of people and stretchers, Rosette and Chrono were whisked off to the infirmary and placed in cots opposite of their coma patients. Expert hands worked to clean and bandage their wounds. "Dogs," was all Rosette had said in explanation of the bite marks, puncture wounds and gashes that littered their bodies. Both couldn't stay awake any longer. It had took all their remaining energy not to succumb to the sleep their bodies demanded on the ride home. Despite all the fussing, Sister Kate would have to wait once more until this troublesome pair would awake to get the answers she so desperately craved.

Tough day for our favorite duo.

I admit I'm not exactly sure how I want to write the next two chapters. I'll work on it, but its foggy in my mind. I know the villain, the issue, the cause, and how to end/resolve this, but I'm not exactly sure how I want to connect the dots to complete this story. My sincere apologies.

Reviews/opinions appreciated!

TBC…