Chapter 2 The Witness
A/N: Here's chapter 2. Now we're getting into the story, I know the last chapter was a little slow. The band isn't back together just yet but we're getting there. I hope you guys like this chapter. Enjoy. Oh and this song means nothing good is about to happen.
I see the bad moon arising.
I see trouble on the way.
I see earthquakes and lightnin'.
I see bad times today.
Don't go around tonight,
Well, it's bound to take your life,
There's a bad moon on the rise.
I hear hurricanes ablowing.
I know the end is coming soon.
I fear rivers over flowing.
I hear the voice of rage and ruin.
Don't go around tonight,
Well, it's bound to take your life,
There's a bad moon on the rise.
All right!
Hope you got your things together.
Hope you are quite prepared to die.
Looks like we're in for nasty weather.
One eye is taken for an eye.
Don't go around tonight,
Well, it's bound to take your life,
There's a bad moon on the rise.
Don't go around tonight,
Well, it's bound to take your life,
There's a bad moon on the rise.
Bad Moon Rising by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Dawn was done with her homework and coming downstairs to get a snack before the night was over. She headed downstairs and went towards the kitchen and as she passed the training room she looked in and saw Angel in the room. Angel was doing tia chi and yoga. Dawn did want to learn how to do it. It seemed easy but it's not. It takes a lot of effort and concentration to do so. Dawn watched him as he went from one move to the next and then to hands to do a perfect and stand and then while in position he did some push ups.
Angel does this plus the four-mile job everyday to keep him leveled. It calms his nerves, calms the inner depression he still carries because he's back on earth. Part of him will never want to be on earth again. But the last summer showed him life is still worth living. He has Dawn, Dawn has yet to grow up and he wanted to see that. His friends haven't reached their full potential and he knows they're destine for great things. Then there's Buffy. He promised her to see her become human and now he can.
Dawn watched a little moment later and then went to the kitchen. At the dining table there was Cordelia, Doyle and Xander. Xander was still studying the construction plans on the school while Cordelia was cleaning up the kitchen and Doyle was next to Xander sipping a beer.
"Hi guys," Dawn greeted everyone as she went to get a cup for something to drink. "What are you doing?" Dawn asked and Xander and Doyle looked up.
"The school is almost finished." Xander answered but his tone had a worrisome in it. "Feels like completing it means…I don't know." Yet the four of them knew what Xander was talking about. The weight that once choked this town was back.
Angel was done with his training and headed upstairs to his room. Once there he sat on the edge of the bed and let out a huge sigh. He sat there for a moment longer and then got up and went to the desk and opened up a drawer and took out his drawling pad and sat back on the bed. He flipped through it until he came to his favorite picture of Buffy. He stared at it with a small smile. When looking at her pictures he can tell how much she's changed. She didn't smile a lot when they first met. But as time when on as drew her she smiled even more and more.
Angel missed her and hoped wherever she was she was happy. Angel set the drawling pad aside and laid on the bed and didn't move. He was doing his best to find himself again but it's hard to do so when your family isn't here. The team was split up, the family was split up.
Buffy sat in the John F. Kennedy International Airport. It took a long time to get a flight from Paris to here. She had to fly from Paris into Spain and then Spain to New York. It was strange being back in New York again. She's lived here before. This was her home when she first came to New York in the early 1900s. It's weird to think she's seen the world go from sail boats to horses to steam power engines, to small cars to now huge ships powered by gas and world class cars. And to be back in this city after seven years was even stranger.
She had another three hour lay over before she had to board her plane. This was such a long trip and she was tired. And she still had a ways to go. She would be landing in Dallas Texas to board yet another flight to Los Angeles. Buffy sat in her little seat waiting. The first time she went LA from New York was by car to help protect her from the sun. The good part about that weeklong driving trip was the site seeing. Part of her wanted to drive it again but there was a sense of urgency right now.
Buffy continued to sit there and then reached for her pocket for a small, old, crumpled up, wrinkled picture. When she opened it, it was the first picture of Angel given to her by Whistler. Looking at it he was so young. He hadn't even been called yet. It was like everything was repeating itself. Here she was in New York staring at the slayer's picture about ready to go to California. Buffy tucked away the photo and got as comfortable as possible because this was going to be a long three hours.
A young teen girl went up stairs to her bathroom to get ready for the night. She got to the bathroom and went to the shower and turned it on. She was going to let the water get hot as she went to the sink to brush her teeth. The young teen grabbed her toothbrush and tooth paste but she couldn't help feel that someone was watching her. The girl turned around and a shadowy figure appeared. The teen dropped everything and started to run.
"Help!" She cried out and the man downstairs who was reading heard the cry. He got up and reached for a sword that hung on the wall and raced upstairs still hearing the scream. The teen was thrown to the corner as she looked up to her attacker. Just then the door flew open and the man with the sword came in to kill the shadow but another shadow appeared. "No!" The girl yelled as the man was stabbed and she looked back up to her shadow and screamed seeing a knife plunging to her.
Angel grabbed the knife that was under his pillow and shot up in bed looking around the dark room. He was in a cold sweat as he sat there in the dark. The air was heavy and it felt like someone was in the room with him. Angel got out of bed slowly still holding the knife and turned on the lamp. The room was empty but he decided to walk the mansion. As he left the room he could hear the rain storm that was happening outside. Angel checked the entire mansion and there was nothing here.
Angel headed back upstairs to his room. Once he got there he placed the knife on the nightstand and then went to the balcony opening the curtains looking outside as the rain came down.
It was a Saturday morning so it meant the mansion was still asleep and wouldn't wake up until nine or ten in the morning. Well, everyone but Angel. He did his four-mile jog, showered, got dressed and then headed out. He needed to talk to someone. Angel left the huge place walking into a rather cooler morning for September. He got to the car, got in and left the property. Up in Dawn's room she heard the faint sound of the Mustang starting up and she got out of bed. She knows if she raced downstairs to catch up to her brother she won't make it.
Angel drove into town to the Sunnydale Catholic church. Once there he saw there were a lot of cars in the parking lot. Angel got out and headed up the steps and into the church which had quite a few people in the pews praying as a service was going on. But it's Saturday…Saturday morning. Angel looked around and at the Alter was Father Michael leading the service. Angel decided to hid in the back and sat down. He still felt out of place around here. One, he liked it when Buffy came with him because she can explain everything. But the thing they were doing now he knew what it was. Also he felt rather not dressed for church. Everyone was in nice clothes he was in jeans, a black tank top with his leather jacket. And still to this day his Saint Michael medillion and the cross Buffy gave to him around his neck. Added onto the necklace was the ring.
Angel decided to wait for the service to be over. But sitting there he did feel a sense of peace in this place as he looked around to the high ceiling with the paintings of heaven. He thought maybe he'd be rude saying that's not what heaven looked like. But then again heaven is what you want to be. His heaven was the mansion on a comfortable day with a breeze sitting on the porch hearing the wind chimes and being with his mother. That was heaven.
The service was coming to the end as Angel continued to sit there in the back. He knows Michael has seen him and when the priest sees the slayer it can't be anything good. Angel would stand up when everyone else did. He would sit when they did and kneel when they did. Catholics seemed to get a bit of a workout during services. Right now everyone was getting up to receive communion and Angel got up when his pew got up. He had no idea what he was doing as he followed everyone. What do you do? He saw people holding out their hands to get what looked like a little wafer.
He neared Father Michael and the priest didn't hand him the wafer but instead put his hand on Angel's head and said a quick blessing and Angel walked away. Awkward was what Angel was thinking as he sat back down again.
After the service everyone was leaving and there was a line of people waiting to say hi to Michael and Angel waited in line. Maybe he should have come later to avoid this. Finally he got to Michael.
"We need to talk." Angel made sure only Michael could be heard and the priest nodded as Angel stepped aside.
Finally the crowds were gone as Michael walked back into the church with Angel following.
"When I saw you walk in I thought you were finally converting but then again you are the slayer." Michael explained as he got to the Alter, bowed and kept moving. Angel was unsure if he should bow so he did one of those awkward bows like "Is that right? That's how it's done?" Michael started to blow out some of the candles while Angel stood there.
"I thought only Sundays you have…service?" Angel was confused, religion was confusing to him.
"It's the First Saturday, there's a special service on the First Saturday of each month." Michael explained. Angel thought sure whatever. "But I take it you're not here for worship."
"It's the high school." Angel then followed Michael to the back of the church and once out of the church the priest started to de-robe to his normal back suit with the white collar.
"What about it?" Michael asked as the two got to the office.
"You know it sits on the Hell Mouth." Angel didn't want to play games right now. "I got a job there as a coach and so far it seems ok but I just know something's going to happen." Michael hung his robes and then went behind his desk. "I don't know…maybe you can bless the school or something." Michael nodded understanding Angel's concern as he sat down. Angel continued to stand there and Michael gestured for Angel to sit in the chair and the slayer did.
"How do you feel?" Michael asked and it meant he knew Angel was still going through the steps of recovering from alcohol and the resisting the urge for a cigarette. Michael could tell Angel was tense and the easiest thing would be to either drink or smoke or even do both.
"Just…had a strange dream, been having a lot of strange dreams." Angel was honest and Michael nodded.
"Well, you still are in a detox phase." Michael reminded him. This takes longer than three months to get over it can take years for some. "I think you're doing well."
"I was also wondering if you've heard from Buffy?" Angel wanted to know Michael shook his head no.
"We both know if she wants to disappear she does." Michael reminded Angel. It's true and Angel hasn't been able to sense her anywhere so she was gone. "And no, she has made no contact with me in the last several months."
"Can you just come to the school with me?" Angel asked.
"I can't really legally bless anything without the proper authorizes." Michael reminded the slayer.
"We're just looking, I got a key." Angel added and Michael let out that uncomfortable sigh.
The two pulled up to the empty school and the first thing Michael noticed were the plants and vegetation around the school, they were dying. Angel let Michael to the main building and unlocked the door and they went in. The place was very different even though Angel has been here for a week now. Michael followed Angel and once they reached their destination they stood before the Principle's Office.
"This is where the old library was," Angel explained to Michael.
"The Hell Mouth is under that room." Michael stated and Angel nodded.
"How many times am I going to have to take this place down?" Angel asked and Michael looked to him.
"True evil can never be taken down, it'll come back." The priest explained.
"Take it even more pissed off too." Angel added and Michael couldn't say no to that.
"You are very well known in the underworld Angel. The school being back is somewhat evil laughing at you." Michael looked to Angel.
"So what do I do?" Angel asked.
"Laugh right back, you've destroyed this place before you can do it again." Michael reminded him but it also meant it was going to take more this time around to get rid of it. "I cannot bless this place." Michael looked around. "There's so much death on these grounds and sadness. Why would anyone build here? This is a graveyard and it should be left alone." Angel couldn't agree more but you can't tell that to City Council. Well, ok you could but then you might find yourself in a straight jacket for a few days. "You be careful on these grounds, you watch out for Dawn as well. The more this place remains open the more angry the loss souls become."
Angel was having lunch with Xander and explained what had happened this morning with Michael. Xander didn't like the warning that was given but there was something else that Xander didn't like either.
"You ever get the feeling Michael knows more than he lets on?" Xander asked and Angel nodded a little. Ever since he met the priest he just knew there was something strange like he was trying to hide something but it stands out. "So, heed the warning now what?"
"I don't know." Angel sat there thinking. What Angel really wanted to do was go back down in that basement. Something was down there alright but what?
Monday was here and it was week two of the new high school year. Angel blew the whistle as he was outside with his class. He decided this week would be track and field week meaning he just wanted to make the students run laps as fast as they could. Dawn was in a science class and she was liking her new lab partner, his name was R.J. Brooks a football player and Dawn was a bit flirty with him. Only if the poor boy knew who Dawn's older brother was.
Angel was in small office on campus and when he looked up it was Dawn. It was nice to be close to each other on this campus even though Dawn wanted to maintain her reputation as a cool teen. She was technically a superhero when you thought about it. As she went into her brother's office two of her friends waited outside the office and peered in. They were only following because they wanted to see her brother.
"Hey," Dawn greeted Angel and he looked up. "I'm not feeling so hot." And she wasn't. Angel thought that was weird because this morning she was fine. Maybe she was catching something. She got closer and Angel went to feel her head.
"You're not warm." He said but he could tell something was up. She looked more tired than sick. Dawn sat in the chair and had a few moments before the next class. "Are you sleeping?" Angel asked and Dawn looked up at him. She sort of diverted his attention, which meant yes to Angel. The slayer got up and walked to door while the two young girls looked like they were about lose their minds. He shut the door and they looked to each other with those star struck eyes and did that sigh.
"Wow," Dawn was always somewhat embarrassed by those reactions as far back as she can remember. Angel then sat his desk and wanted to know if Dawn has been sleeping. "Just been having some strange dreams." Angel continued to wait meaning he knew there was more. "I don't know why but I see girls young girls my age getting killed." Then Dawn saw Angel's eyes widen. "You're seeing it too?"
"Yeah," Angel leaned back in his chair thinking. "Last night's,"
"Was brutal." Dawn finished for him and he nodded. "But…we're both seeing it?" That was the confusing part. "What about Doyle? Shouldn't he be seeing this? And why haven't we heard about it?"
"Because it's not in this town." The slayer answered quickly. "It's happening in other places." That still wasn't comforting as Angel sat there and thought about it.
"What do we do?" Dawn wanted to know and Angel looked up to her.
"I don't know." Because he didn't know. One he hasn't slayed anything in a while because it has been very quiet in town. Doyle, Cordelia and Dawn have been doing the slaying and it's not much. "Can you make it through the day?" Angel asked and Dawn nodded. "I'll see you at the rally." Dawn got up and grabbed her bag and left as Angel sat there.
There was a huge pep rally at lunchtime and all three lunches were combined. School has been in session for a week and it was time to celebrate. The rally was taking place inside the gym and Angel stood there with some of the staff. He looked up to see if he could find Dawn and looking around the gym he could see all the banners had been restored. He saw the varsity basketball team banner that said they won state championship. Angel remembered that night he was here when it happened. He was with Buffy that night.
Angel watched the crowd of people as the stands were filling up with students. Angel then saw Dawn walk in with her friends as they went to find a spot in the Junior section. Then when he looked across the way he saw a small group of female teachers looking at him and they stopped talking and they all started to blush. Angel redirected his focus making sure the students stayed in order because pep rallies can get out of control. Just then Angel heard the tap of a snare drum and the war chant began to start. Standing in the gym, at a pep rally with the war chant made Angel remember more and more of his high school days.
He saw Dawn and her friends sort of dancing to it. They students were taught how to the same way he was taught when he went here.
"You think we do it we'd look stupid?" Xander asked stepping close to Angel. Angel shrugged probably because they would. "You got some teachers over there who probably want to dance."
"Shut up." Angel said and Xander smiled as the gym was now full. The football captain R.J. Brooks then came to the middle of the gym. Angel could see from the distance Dawn was in a bit of dreamy look over the boy. Xander could see it too. Of course Dawn would go for the older man much like how her brother goes for the older women. Not only that he was football player and that seemed to make girls lose their minds.
"He's going to die right." Xander more or less stated as Angel folded his arms across his chest.
"If the Hell Mouth doesn't get him first." Angel answered and Xander smiled. The Hell Mouth would show more mercy than Angel ever would if a boy broke Dawn's heart. Once the music was done R.J. started to talk and Angel went to tune him out for now. But as he scanned the gym something caught his attention. It was a young looking man but his clothes were torn and they weren't in this years fashion less he was stuck in the ninties. Just then what looked like a student disappeared.
"You saw that right?" Xander asked and Angel looked to Xander. "Oh, shit." Angel looked back in the direction and there was nothing there. "Just like the old days. Now what?"
The rally was over and Dawn sat in her English class doing some work from the text book. It was quiet for now. But as she sat there making notes on a story they were reading Dawn felt that wave of sickness hit her again. It made her want to throw up and pass out. Dawn looked to the time and thought maybe she can go to her brother's office and just sleep. But all of a sudden the air got cold. It was getting cold enough for the students around her to be aware of it.
Dawn looked around and everyone looked uncomfortable but went back to work but then Dawn started to panic when she saw her breath.
"From beneath you it devours!" A voice screamed and everyone jumped from their desks and looked to the back of the room as a student pointed at them. "It'll take you all!" Just then the boy fell to the ground. The teacher ran to him as the other students gathered around him. But Dawn took the moment and left the classroom to find Angel. This was scary as Dawn sped walk through the hall. She had no weapons on her so she felt venerable. Then it felt like something was behind her so she upped her pace to a run.
"Dawn!" Something whispered loudly to her. Dawn turned around and there was nothing there. She then rounded the corner and ran into someone. It startled Dawn and she looked to the person.
"Where's your pass?" The lady asked and Dawn looked confused.
"Screw your pass." Dawn answered and continued down the hall.
"Dawn!" The woman's voice changed to a deeper voice and Dawn turned around and the woman was filthy, covered in mud. "No running in the hallway." She warned her and Dawn went back to running to find Angel.
Angel was back inside the gym while everyone was changing out back into their normal clothes before the end of the period. Angel had a clipboard of all the student's running times on the track and had to turn it in. As he looked up from the clipboard he saw Dawn running to him. This can't be good.
"We're in trouble, some kid in class yelled out from beneath you it devours. The room got extremely cold and just now in the hallway I think I ran into a ghost." Dawn finished and Angel was about to say something until both heard a scream. It took a moment and the girls came running out of the locker room screaming. But Angel and Dawn ran towards the locker room to see what happened and went in. They quickly walked around wondering what they might have seen and at the same time Angel and Dawn looked down a row of lockers and saw it. It was a girl hanging from the ceiling. But by the outfit she didn't even belong in this time period. Then the girl opened her eyes and screamed.
"I wasn't supposed to die!" She yelled and that was Angel and Dawn's cue to leave and they did. As they left the bell rang. They both walked back to the main building and as soon as they got inside there was another scream. Angel went to see what it was and it was a boy. He appeared to missing his jaw as blood came from it. The students around the area screamed and went run out. As they went through the doors they stopped. They banged on the doors but they were shut.
Angel looked around knowing something supernatural was happening but what? It didn't take long for another scream to be heard and more panic. This time it was a dead cheerleader and her throat was ripped out. Angel had to get this under control but how? He ran to the principle's office and Wood was about to step outside probably getting word of some strange things.
"Get back in your office!" Angel yelled and Wood looked to him. "Get into your office and tell everyone to get to the classroom and locked the doors."
"Are we under attack?" Wood asked and well, yes they were but there was no time to explain. Just then a woman stood there. She was pale with black circles under her eyes.
"I was beaten." She said and Angel had no time to keep talking. So he pushed Wood into the office.
"Do it now, locked the door." Angel ordered and then he shut the door and looked around. Wood's voice came over the intercom telling all students and staff to get to the nearest room and to stay there until further noticed. Angel took Dawn's hand and she followed him.
"Angel!" Some one called out and both Angel and Dawn looked behind them and it was Xander pushing his way through the crowd. "What the hell!"
"I don't know." Angel answered but there was one place to go and three ran to the library. Some of the students followed Angel as he made it to the library. Angel and Xander shut the doors while Xander got some chairs to block the entrance. The librarian came over hearing the commotion and the order over the intercom.
"I was overseeing a paint job and then five people out of no where appeared." Xander started. "They looked like zombies or ghost…zombie ghost?"
"It's happening everywhere." Angel stated.
"Why?" Dawn asked and that was a good question. So Angel rushed to the front desk and picked up the phone and dialed the mansion number. It took a second or two and someone picked up.
"Cordelia?" Angel asked.
"Yeah? Is everything ok?" Cordelia asked.
"Listen I need you and Doyle to find something about…" Angel wasn't sure what to say and Xander came up to the phone.
"Zombie ghost." Xander finished and Cordelia on the other line gave a strange look.
"What's going on?" Cordelia demanded.
"Listen the school is under attack from something I don't know but their dead and pissed off right now." That's all Angel could say about whatever these things were. "We can't get out."
"Ok, we'll start with ghost first. Angel what are you going to do?" Cordelia asked and that was a good question. How was he going to keep the entire school safe?
"I don't know, just tell me what it is and I'll stop it." Angel stated and there was a click. Angel stood there and then turned to the students who were in the library and they looked scared and confused and they should be. Dawn then pulled Angel aside.
"If they are ghost," Dawn started
"Zombie ghost," Xander corrected Dawn and she rolled her eyes.
"These doors won't do anything." Dawn reminded Angel and he knew that. Was he going to ask these students to become soldiers? All students here are aware that strange things happened in Sunnydale but were they ready to face it? They are just children. Angel looked around the library and realized this was an ok place to be. But then again this isn't the same library from his days as the slayer.
"Ok," Angel started. "This is going to sound…weird but off hand what do you guys know about ghost and zombies?" Dawn couldn't believe this was happening. Then one guy slowly raised his hand and Angel pointed to him.
"Don't ghost hate crosses?" He asked.
"That's vampires you dim witt." A girl said. " I heard ghost don't like silver."
"No, that's werewolves." Dawn corrected her.
"Salt," Another student called out. "Evil doesn't like salt it's classic folk lure." He explained. Angel then looked to Dawn and she looked to him.
A few of the students agreed to go with Angel, Dawn and Xander to the cafeteria to find salt. They went to the back to the kitchen. One student went to the condiment section and found packs of salt and started to stuff it in his pockets. Two other students followed suit while Angel with Dawn, Xander, the librarian and a few other students went into the kitchen and found bags of salts.
"Hey, remember that one time you found that lunch lady who was pouring rat poison into the soup?" Xander asked as Angel reached for the one pound salt bags. Everyone looked to Xander and he got nervous. "Right, right," He brushed it off and grabbed some salt.
"Ok, we got salt now what?" A student asked. They could pour it in front of the class room doors but that would take too long.
"Any entrance into the school." Angel stated. "Keep everything that's already outside there. We'll handle what's inside." And the ten of them nodded and began. "Stay close." Angel warned them. They started to make a line of salt near the doors. As Angel was making his way to another door he looked up and his eyes widen.
"You were supposed to protect me." Jenny said and slapped Angel and he flew down the hall. Dawn looked up and her eyes widen too. "You protected a monster, let her live and she killed me." Jenny walked closer to Angel. "Now, here I am stuck here waiting. They woke me up. I should have been married by now but you let me die." She got closer to Angel but Dawn went into quick action and threw a line of salt in front Angel and she got on the other side with him. "You're going to die, it will take you whole."
"Jenny, why are you here?" Angel asked.
"I died, maybe not here but death was sealed just above us." She looked up to the ceiling and then back at Angel. "I found her cure and the she came after me and killed me."
"I'm so sorry." And Angel was.
"You're going to be sorry. I got out in time but you Angel, you're going to die." Jenny stood there. "Either you come from behind that line of protection or I'll go and find a student and snap their neck like mine was." She threatened.
"Jenny, please don't do this let me help you." Angel begged.
"Holy shit." A voice muttered and the three looked to Xander. Jenny smiled at him and then back to Angel.
"Xander run!" Angel demanded and Xander did as he was told and Jenny disappeared. Angel couldn't stand here and do nothing. Just then there was another scream. "Dawn, try and help as many people as you can." She nodded and went to leave but Angel then grabbed her. "Be careful," And she nodded. Angel and Dawn went separate ways to help as many people as possible. Angel came to basically a four way stop and looked around wondering where Xander went. Angel then saw a closet and opened it. He found a broom, held the stick over his knee, broke the stick and now had a stake. It wasn't going to hurt a ghost but at least he had something.
Angel started to look for Xander then saw him on the ground with Jenny's ghost hovering over him. Angel ran to the ghost and thought why the hell not and stabbed it. Jenny turned around and Angel flew back. But then Xander opened the bag of salt and threw it on Jenny and she screamed and disappeared. Angel got up and got to Xander and helped him up.
Wood paced his office wondering what do and then jumped when his phone rang. He wasn't sure if he should pick it up and let it ring three times before he did.
Angel was with Xander looking around knowing Jenny will return. They had to come up with a way to get every student out of here. These ghost were capable of hurting people it meant they were angry spirits. Just then something came over the intercom.
"Uh…Coach O'Brien," It was Wood's voice. "You have call parked on…line one o one…Coach O'Brien…you have a call on line one o one." His voice sounded so confused. Angel saw a phone on the wall and walked to it, picked it up and dialed one zero one.
"Hello?" Angel asked
"Hey, it's Cordelia." He could hear her voice. "Ok so nothing on zombie ghost,"
"It's not zombie ghost." Angel directed that to Xander. Of course Xander looked disappointed. "Then what are we looking at?"
"Well, we started with just the typical angry spirits," Cordelia went on.
"Cordy," Angel meant for Cordelia to speed this up.
"Well, it's all typical upset ghost Angel." Cordelia said and the slayer didn't like that. "I mean people died there and something upset them." Maybe she was right, maybe it was just angry spirits. But how do you calm angry spirits?
"She's back." Xander pointed to Jenny's ghost and Angel looked up. Something wasn't right though.
"It has to be more Cordy." Angel insisted and just then someone else came on the phone.
"I think I found it." It was now Doyle. Jenny's ghost started to get closer and then Xander threw salt at it. The salt wasn't going to save them. "Had to look in the unconventional place, the bible. Ok, ok, it's called the Witness. What happens is spirits who died a horrible death before their time."
"Dying here on the Hell Mouth is one." Angel confirmed the theory so far.
"There's more, out of the spirits two will rise and be the Witnesses for the end of days." Doyle finished and that hit Angel.
"What book is this from the bible?" Angel asked but he already knew the answer.
"Revelations." Doyle answered and Angel looked to Xander. "What do we do?" What do they do now? The Revelations part of the book was the end of times section.
"I need you to get Father Michael, he needs to bless this place." Angel wanted the priest to do this before.
"We're on it." Doyle stated and the phone clicked.
"Now what?" Xander asked.
"We got to get these people out." Angel answered but he didn't mean the living he meant the dead. Just then Dawn came running down the hall.
"Ok, there's more spirits and they're getting more angry." Dawn looked around. "We don't have an endless supply of salt." Just then a few students came down the hall.
"Coach," One started. "Can we help?" He asked and Angel looked confused. "I mean, this school is freaky most of us here know that. So…can we?" Angel motioned for them to follow him and they headed back to the library and went in.
"Ok, find a bible," Angel started to order. "Go to the psalms and look for something for protection." The four students answered and one was R.J. Brooks, which Dawn sort of hung around. "Once you get it start to recite it. Dawn, put a salt line in front of the door." Dawn nodded and did just that.
"How long will it take Michael to get out here?" Xander asked and Angel didn't know.
"Coach, will this one work?" R.J. asked and Angel looked over to him. "It's just called Psalm Ninety One." Angel hasn't heard that Psalm in such a long time. "Will it work?" Angel nodded, it's worked for him and Buffy.
Father Michael was in the back of the car with Cordelia and Doyle as they made it to the school. He didn't like it here. This place even when the school was demolished still held hate, despair, and sorrow. This whole place was angry. Plus how is he going to calm the amount of upset spirits here? There is a lot of death just on this campus let alone the entire town. They pulled up to the school and went to the entrance but couldn't get in.
"So, who do we do this?" Doyle asked and Michael handed two laminated sheets to Cordelia and Doyle.
"Cordelia you'll be the R," Michael pointed to the R. "Doyle, you'll be the T." And he pointed to the T. "And I'll N." The priest put on his stole and started.
In the library R.J and the few other students were just reading Psalm Ninety One softly as Angel stood guard. And then out of nowhere it was Jenny. Angel went to the throw some salt on her but it did nothing. She was getting stronger with hate.
"I died because of you." She said to Angel and then smacked him and he went flying back. Her anger was strong enough now to be caporal and physically hurt someone. "Giles and I were in love. I wanted to help you but she killed me." There was no way to kill her. Angel went to get up but she smacked him down again. Dawn then got up and went to take a swing but Jenny disappeared and then reappeared behind the teen and smacked her back. R.J. got up and went to catch Dawn.
"Read that psalm louder!" Angel yelled to the other students.
"You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor the arrow that flies by day," They recited together. Jenny looked to them and literally hissed and disappeared. Angel got up and got to Dawn and R.J. and brought them to the other students.
Outside the school Michael was reciting the prayer of protection. After the third time the grounds started to shake and when he sprinkled more holy water on the building the building stopped shaking and the windows and doors flew open.
In the library Jenny disappeared and it was like the sun came through the windows. The air felt light and fresh. Angel looked around and went out in the hall. The students were coming out of the classrooms looking confused. Yup, school was back in session.
"Attention Sunnydale students," It was Wood's voice over the intercom. "Classes…classes are dismissed, please…go home." And that was it. You didn't have to tell the students as they all quickly left campus. Dawn stayed close to Angel as everyone was leaving. Then just down the hall it was Wood. "Right, go home, get some rest…it was the pressure of the building keeping us locked in." He then met up with Angel.
"Stick with that story." Angel stated and wood nodded.
"I think I'm looking at employee of the month." And Wood kept walking.
Angel stayed at the campus the rest of the day waiting to see if anything came back. So far nothing and he looked at the time. It was nearing nine at night. He decided it was time to leave. Angel grabbed his car keys and headed out. As he made it to the parking lot he caught a shadow going to the campus. Angel decided to follow it, maybe a spirit wasn't resting yet. Angel ducked in the dying bushes and his eyes widen seeing Michael there. Michael looked around and then held out his arms wide and just then the doors of the building opened and little lights started to fly out. Angel sat there and watched as tons of little lights floating out. They all gathered above Michael. He looked up to them and then he said something.
"You're free." Angel heard Michael say to them and then they all went up. All went up but two and he looked to them. "Stay, there's no need to be angry, you have been chosen." He spoke to the two lights. The little lights went back into the school. Angel stood there looking at Father Michael as the priest walked away. But Angel knew he was more than just a priest…but what was he?
That's chapter 2. Are we a little interested in what just happened? I hope so. And I hope you're liking it so far. Now, there won't be a review in the forum this time but I got a sneak peek of chapter three for you guys. I promise all this will pick up as we move along. Until next time thank you for reading, commenting and everything in between, you guys are awesome.
Chapter 3 All Souls
"Revelations?" Wes asked and Angel heard something that sounded like typing over the phone.
"Yeah," Angel wasn't liking this.
"And everything was explained to you? What the Witnesses are?" Wes had to be sure.
"Yeah, because after a protection prayer was said by Father Michael I stayed long after the school was out for the day. Michael returned and…" Angel hoped he didn't sound crazy. "It looked like he released all the souls but he told two to stay behind." And there was no response on the other line from Wes. It confirmed to Angel that something big was happening. "Been trying to get a hold of Giles but nothing. Was hoping there was some Watcher's code and you can get in touch."
"Angel, this Father Michael…" Wes wasn't sure what to say.
"He's a good man but shady, he's hiding something." Angel knew that much. He's always known there something more to Father Michael than just being your typical priest. One he never freaked out knowing Buffy was a vampire or freaked out over anything supernatural. At first Angel thought he was exposed it when he was young like a kid. And it would make sense why he would chose the profession he was in. He was fighting evil. But as time went on it felt like Michael was hiding something.
"If this is the Rise of the Witnesses…I'm not sure. I'll try and contact Giles and I'll do some research here." That's all Wes could offer right now. "Be on your guard Angel."
"Thank you." And Angel was thankful.
"I'll call if I have any information." Wes added.
"Thanks." Then Angel hung up and leaned back in his chair. He sat there for a moment thinking. They had a lot of information but still nothing to go on. Well, there was one place he could start and that would be the high school, the basement. He just had that gut feeling something was down there.
In Los Angeles Wes just hung up the phone with Angel and sat at his desk. Then he felt a presence coming from the door and looked up. Buffy was standing there.