Chapter Twenty-Seven

Listen to Me

Back at Angela's house, she had spent the whole morning and most of the day in her room.

Her parents had come to check on her but she had stayed under her duvet and told them she was feeling ill and had called in sick at work.

Her mother had come up with some food and drink which Angela was grateful for, but she got annoyed every time her mother asked her how she was feeling until her husband had to pull her away and let Angela be.

She had been keeping an eye on the news to see if anything came up about the fire at Solomon's and with Spencer being a small town, the news had spread quickly.

Immediately the community had gone to lay flowers at the scene of the crime when the police and fire department had gone in and found the bodies of Solomon's parents and they were identified.

The media were like a storm as they surrounded the police and the fire fighters asking for updates or if the fire was an accident or a deliberate attack given the fact that the family who lived there were Jewish and had been subject to abuse.

Angela hoped within that those who had been known to assault the family were being questioned and that the perpetrators would be caught before Diablo and his group could catch them.

Now that the sun had set, Angela decided to go out into the yard to sit in the evening light to reflect.

She sat on the grass and looked at the trees at the back of the house, she had told her parents she was feeling better and wanted some fresh air and that she would get herself some dinner later.

Wrapping her coat around herself, Angela tried to think of Nigel and what he would advise her.

After his death, Angela had often stared at the skies, come rain or shine, dusk or dawn and wonder if he was still soaring the skies, flying through the clouds like he loved to do.

"I wonder if you really are up there? And safe?" She mused "Still soaring the skies, flying and never landing."

She hugged her knees and continued to look at the fading light.

After spending the day crying in her room, she had been able to let out her emotions, but she still felt so hurt and raw about Solomon.

"After Nigel, I could talk to hims about anything." She whispered "I missed him when he left for San Fansisco, but I was pleased for him, he then returns, and we finally catch up and I didn't feel so alone again, and now he's been torn away, and he hates me! But….it wasn't my fault!"

She sobbed into her knees.

"I didn't mean for it to happen."

Unknown to her, Diablo and Seth had arrived at Angela's house and were standing on the roof where Diablo had landed and they were looking at her down in the back yard.

"That's lucky." Seth commented "We didn't have to sneak to her window."

Diablo nodded.

"That is true, yet if we go down there, we might be seen, not just by Angela." He looked around the small neighbourhood, a few lights were on as the light was fading, even though the remains of the sun still peeked on the horizon and strips of red, gold and pink stood out against the dark blue sky, he knew it was risky for them to be outside.

Seth sighed.

"Yeah." He said then frowned as he tried to think of a way to get to Angela, both without scaring her as well as making sure no-one else saw them.

He studied the surrounding area then saw a group of trees in one corner of the yard that would provide a good hiding spot.

"Over there!" He pointed to them "We can hide in those trees, it's close to where Angela is and we can talk to her there!"

The Raven looked and observed then nodded in agreement.

"Good idea!" he said.

"I'll sneak round to there, you fly over!" Seth suggested and they crept over the roof towards the trees.

Seth jumped off the roof and onto the ground, making sure that no-one saw him and also that he did not scare Angela.

He swiftly leapt towards the trees then looked up to see Diablo silently glide down over to the trees.

Once they were hidden they looked over to Angela who still sat there staring at the sky and hugging her knees.

"How are we going to approach her?" Seth wondered.

Diablo rubbed his beak.

He was still hurt as well as worried on how to approach Angela after the words that were thrown at him the other night, and he looked down at the Oryx.

"Sorry Seth." He said "I think it best you try and approach her, after how she reacted to me after we mutated you, I'm the last person she wants to see."

Seth looked crestfallen.

"I get it." He said and chewed his lip as he looked back at Angela.

"Okay…I'll give it a go."

Meanwhile Angela, still unaware Seth and Diablo were hiding in the trees kept staring at the skies and tears fell from her eyes.

The sunset had almost faded and now the sky was almost completely violet and dark blue and a few stars could be seen.

She shivered as a cool breeze blew through the yard and through her hair but she kept sitting there lost in her thoughts.

"Angie…Angela!"

She soon heard a voice and she looked around wondering if she had imagined it.

"Angie!"

She held her breath and looked around, at first she thought her parents were calling her to come inside, but she soon realised the voice wasn't coming from the house but rather to the side of the yard and she looked towards the trees.

"Whose there?" She called as she got onto her knees to climb to her feet.

"Angie!" The voice called again "Angie! Over here!"

Angela looked closer at the trees then saw movement and she almost jumped out of her skin when the security light went on and she saw the face of an Oryx peering through the low branches.

"What the..?" She jumped up and almost turned to run until the Oryx called to her again.

"Angela! It's me! Solomon!"

Angela gasped as she heard his voice more clearly and she remembered!

"Solomon!" She cried as she looked to the house then turned to the trees and quickly ran over.

"Solomon?"

She then felt a hand grab her and pull her into the shelter of the branches.

"Angie!"

Angela looked at Seth and she remembered the last time they saw each other and she opened her mouth to speak but Seth covered her mouth.

"Angie!" He said quickly "I…I'm so sorry for the things I said! I didn't mean any of them, I was just so….so mad…so devastated."

Angela gave a muffled cry but she stopped to listen as Seth spoke out his apologies to her.

"Angie…" Seth said, still with his hand over her mouth "I know I said some cruel things, and I got no excuse for it, what happened wasn't your fault and I wish I could take back the things I said, but I can't, but all I can say is, I'm so sorry."

Angela stared at Solomon and put her hands on his and gently removed them from her mouth.

"Solomon…" she breathed "I…You…How did you get here? Did anyone see you?"

"They didn't." Seth assured her then turned to his right and Angela followed his gaze to see Diablo hiding in the darker shadows of the trees and her eyes narrowed.

"You…" she said.

Diablo felt his heart pound but he kept his cool.

"Hello Angie." He said.

"Diablo brought me here." Seth said "He wanted us to make amends before we…before we…" he hesitated.

"Before what?" Angela asked glaring at Diablo then looking at Seth.

"We wish to seek out the fire starters who caused the fire that killed my parents and lead me to being mutated." Seth said "My moneys on those neo nazis, Rex has their scent."

Angela's heart pounded and she swallowed hard.

"You're actually joining them?" She asked "To find the ones who did this?"

Seth nodded.

"Even if they do find out the perpetrators, which shouldn't be hard if they got the evidence as well as the suspects, after all the abuse my family suffered, I want to see them pay, and Diablo will help me do that, just like he did the others."

"Solomon…" Angela gasped.

"And that's the other thing." Seth said softly "Now I have this new form…I go by a new name now…Seth."

"Seth?" Angela asked, "Oh my God…you…you're…." She stroked Seth's furry cheek and Seth lowered his head.

"I'm afraid so Angela." He said "I go by a new name, and I have a new body, Diablo and his Disciples will look after me, I just wanted to let you know, and that I don't blame you for what happened, before I seek out my vengeance on the bullies who destroyed my life…and then…"

"Then what?" Angela asked dreading the answer.

"We will be skipping town before long, Angela." Diablo cut into the conversation "We only have one more set of sinners to punish, then we will be moving on."

"What!?" Angela cried "You mean you're leaving forever?"

"Well…" Seth started but he couldn't think of what to say next.

"So you've come back to say I will never see you again!?" Angela cried, her voice getting shrill and high as she spoke.

Diablo looked worried and Seth quickly placed his hand over Angela's mouth again to quiet her.

"Shhhh! Shhhh!" Seth hissed "Someone will hear us!"

He looked towards Angela's house where he saw the lights were on, but there was also some flickering lights from the sitting room indicating that the television was on.

Looking back at Angela he could see the tears forming in her eyes and he felt guilty.

"Angie…" he pulled her into a tight hug and Angela couldn't help but sob into his chest.

"Why now Seth?" She asked "Just when we were getting to hang out again since high school! I missed you so much, you were always there for me!"

Seth squeezed Angela tight.

"And I always will be Angie, I mean that!" He soothed.

He then began to think of that if he hadn't mutated and had returned to San Francisco, it wouldn't have been much different, but then he realised that at least they could have kept in contact via email, social media or Skype.

As a mutant, he couldn't, now as a mutant, he had to cease to exist to the humans.

He sighed and hugged Angela closer as she cried.

"Why me!" Angela sobbed "Why was I cursed to loose those I care about! First Nigel! And now you!"

She clenched her fists and looked at Diablo in anger.

"You!" She snarled.

Diablo took a step back then his eyes widened as Angela let go of Seth and went for him.

"You did this!" She shouted as she stepped towards the Raven, but Seth held her back.

"Angie! Angela no!" He said "Diablo didn't mean for this to happen!"

"It's because of him this has happened!" Angela barked pointing at Diablo accusingly "Because of him! If I hadn't met him this wouldn't have happened!"

As she yelled at Diablo, Seth kept holding her back.

The Raven was shocked and hurt, even though he had heard these words from Angela before, they still stung hard.

"Angie! Angie!" Seth cried "Please, listen! Listen to me!" He pulled Angela back and pinned her to one of the trees holding her there and getting her to look at him.

"Diablo didn't do this on purpose! He only gave us to the choice after sinners and evil people destroyed our lives! The others were the same! He gave me a chance to live! And I took it! I might have been angry to realise my predicament, but after I had a chance to calm down, I realised I was still alive!"

Angela stared at Seth opened mouthed and tears still streaming from her eyes.

"Diablo didn't do this! He didn't steal us from our lives! Sinners did! He just gave us a new life, a new path…" he looked to Diablo who looked at him, a small smile gracing his beak as he listened, feeling rather touched Seth was speaking of him like that.

"Please…" Seth said "Don't be angry at Diablo, don't blame him, I know you're upset, but your anger is directed at the wrong person! The only ones to blame are those evil sinners! And with his help!" He pointed at Diablo "They're gonna pay!"

So Diablo and Seth have reunited with Angela and Seth has apologised to her for what happened.

But Angela is still furious at Diablo, and Seth has told her not to be angry at the raven.

But will his words sink in?

Find out!