Chapter Thirteen
Close Encounter
Meanwhile, Diablo had flown from the abandoned house and had taken the skies, high enough so the humans couldn't spot him, and even if they did, he was high enough to be confused with just another large bird.
He had decided to take his walkie talkie with him, and he left a note on the chair so that if any of the Disciples awoke and saw him gone, they wouldn't worry.
At least he hoped they wouldn't, he had gone on daytime flights to search for victims, supplies, or to find a route to take when they were to hit the road again.
After a while, he decided to lower himself to ground especially when he saw an open area of land filled with trees, where there were hardly any houses, and he couldn't see many people.
Taking a chance to swoop down, he moved quickly and down towards the trees where he found himself above a large, tumbling, picturesque waterfall.
Diablo landed in a tall tree and blended himself into the branches as he looked down in case anyone was watching.
He could hear a few voices of some tourists nearby. So, he decided to keep still until it was safe to move again.
He was wise to do so, as he soon saw a couple of groups of tourists walking down some paths in the forest, and all were pointing out the different flora and fauna as well as locating the falls below.
The Raven kept very still as he watched, and he hoped none of them would look up and see him.
Luckily, because he blended well into the trees, none of the tourists spotted him and he was able to lower himself from the tree and move on.
He then came to the edge of the cliff where the waterfall was, and looked down, crouching down he could see there was a cave behind the curtain of water and he believed that if he hovered down and hid in there, the humans wouldn't spot him, and he could rest without fear of being discovered.
Looking around the area and listening hard, Diablo could just about hear the voices of tourists, yet none were close to his spot, apart from the ones who had just left, so he decided to take the risk and he jumped off the ledge before hovering in the air.
He then turned towards the waterfall, and he dived through the curtain and into the cave.
It was dark and damp, but the raven moved to the far back and blended himself into the darkness and wrapped his wings around himself both for warm as well as camouflage, yet he looked over the top of his wings at the water dropping down.
Watching the water and sitting in the cave, a few memories began to flow into the Raven's brain, memories he had almost forgotten as it had been so long ago, about three years before Monalisa had left and never returned home, but what came to him was one memory he never forgot.
Flashback
Callum pulled on Monalisa's hand as he got close to the hanging icicles of the cave ahead of them, Jake following close behind whilst their parents lingered back.
"Come on Mona!" Callum urged "Come on!"
"Slow down Cal!" Monalisa wheedled "We'll get there soon enough!"
It was the middle of winter, only three weeks after Christmas, and Callum, Jake and Monalisa were on a holiday with their parents to the Apostle Islands National Park and they were following a group of tourists walking across Meyers Beach over Lake Superior to the Ice Caves.
It had been hit and miss for the lake to be frozen over, and it was by their good luck they were visiting when the weather had been so cold, and they had been given the chance to go over the frozen lake to see the giant icicles in the caves adjacent to the beach.
Callum gripped his older sister's hand and kept pulling her along, yet she kept trying to pull him back.
"Calm down little brother! If you pull any harder, I'll slip over!"
As Monalisa spoke, she did almost slip but she kept steady, and Jake stood behind her.
"You heard her Cal!" Jake reminded him.
"Sorry Guys!" Callum said, "I'm just so excited!"
"Kids!" the three children heard Caledon call over "Not so fast please! We will get there!"
"Sorry dad!" Jake called back and he slowed down and Monalisa did the same and Callum was forced himself to slow down despite the fact he was keen to slide over to the ice caves he was so excited to see.
After fifteen minutes they arrived at the ice caves, and they followed the other tourists to look within and see the beautiful hanging icicles.
Callum stood there at the entrance, with his eyes open wide at the large spikes that hung above him.
He had always admired the sparkling icicles when they hung off the drainpipes and rooftop sides of the buildings back in their hometown and he thought they looked amazing but seeing some that were large enough to crash through a roof, that was what made his jaw drop.
Stepping inside the cave with some help from Monalisa and Jake, Callum slid on his bottom inside the cave laughing.
"Whoa steady there!" Jake called and slid in after his younger brother, Monalisa following suit.
Callum laughed as he slid along the icy floor, and he was soon helped up by a couple of tourists, to whom he gave thanks and returned to his siblings.
"So?" Monalisa asked "Was this what you imagined?"
Callum grinned.
"Oh you betcha!" he answered, as he held up his camera and positioned it towards himself and his brother and sister.
He was about to get them to smile with him until the same tourists asked if they could assist.
"Why thanks!" Monalisa said gratefully as she coaxed Callum to give the tourists his camera and the siblings got into a couple of silly poses to which the tourists took a few photos and handed the camera back.
Callum thanked the tourists then looked through the pictures and grinned.
"Wow!" he said "We look awesome huh? Can't wait to show these back home!"
Monalisa and Jake smiled at each other and agreed.
"Kids!" they heard Gina's voice, and they looked over to their parents waving to them.
"Stay close please!" Gina said again.
"Coming mum!" Monalisa called over then turned to her brothers before leading them over to their parents.
Callum as he held Monalisa's hand, he kept his eye to the roof of the cave and admired the many large icicles and felt like the luckiest boy in the world to see such an amazing sight and one that would stay in his mind forever.
End Flashback
Diablo lowered his head as a couple of tears fell at the memory.
Even though he had turned his back on Monalisa and Jake, and he felt anger towards them, he never stopped loving Monalisa, nor Jake, and as the memories returned to him, he couldn't help but have a quiet cry.
He had felt anger that his siblings hadn't followed him in his quest and his purpose, but he also had felt heartbroken, part of him wished he could return to Mutopia and make amends with his sister and brother, but at the same time, the other part of him, and the larger percent wanted to continue in following his path and leading his people in doing their duty in punishing the wicked.
Monalisa had spent two years punishing those who had ruined her life, and he was doing what she had been doing before she met the turtles, or rather her 'new' family which angered him, that she had chosen them rather than him and Jake, despite her condition.
As he sat there, the thoughts circling through his head like a deranged merry go round, he heard a voice within the cave which made him look up.
"Nigel…. Nigel…."
The Raven felt his heart leap to his throat as he heard the voice, and he closed his wings tighter around himself and he looked up to observe and he soon saw a figure silhouetted against the opening of the cave, the falling waterfall, and the pouring rain.
Cursing within, Diablo sat very still and watched and in the light from outside the cave he recognised the girl he had saved from the Mugger just the other day.
He could see the same colour hair and the face despite the poor light.
"No way!" he thought as he watched.
There was no doubt about it.
There, sitting near the entrance to the cave was the girl he had saved from the mugger he had attacked not two days ago!
Diablo didn't know what to think as he looked at the girl who sat there, he didn't dare move, he only knew how she reacted when she first saw him, how she had screamed and fainted at the sight of him.
He didn't blame her, if he had been in her shoes, he would be shocked and sickened at the sight of him, so he decided to stay quiet and observe.
"Oh Nigel!" Diablo heard the voice
"No matter how I've tried to move on, or get on with my life, I can't stop feeling sad or angry about how you died and left me alone! You promised we would be together for always! I know you wanted to follow your dreams and I supported you, and I am still proud of you! But you left! You left me behind! I didn't want to be left behind! I wanted to stay with you! I wanted to fly with you too! Everywhere I am, you're here with me, and I'll always carry your memory! You were my hero! Always were and always will be!"
As Diablo listened, he felt tears form in his eyes again, it was like hearing himself grieving over his sister.
He lowered his wings and he decided to continue to listen to the girl who poured out her woes.
I wonder how many of you guessed Diablo was in the same cave?
How will things go from here? Well thats for me to know, and you to find out!