Halo Of Fire: An Angel In Trouble

Strictly Confidential 1

The drive in the sedan was quiet, the air was thick with anticipation and auras shimmered in interested purples. Ophelia hadn't reappeared since we last saw her during break and we had started to worry since she also had not replied to any of our texts, but we decided to give her space and see what was up in the morning the next day.

We filed into the house after Cecily, but instead of sitting in the living room like we had gotten used to, she indicated to follow her upstairs, "Not here, I feel like we're gonna have some serious conversations and I don't want Gerald to hear us. Come," we followed her up to the 'Media Room' on the sixth floor of her place that gave our to a terrace onto the street below. I was left in awe of the view. We'd never been upstairs before.

"Next time, we're taking the elevator. I don't know why I insist on taking the stairs every time." Cecily mumbled, lifting her hair above her head and then dropping it back down.

Even though it wasn't covered in gold, the opulence of the place was extremely overwhelming to my senses. My apartment was modest and I knew it cost my Aunt an arm and a leg if not more, and we didn't have an elevator or multiple floors. Nevertheless, I always thought that if I had the money I'd use it so I couldn't blame Cecily's parents for wanting to go over the top.

Jordan sat down on the couch inside and gestured for us to come to them. "This has to remain strictly between us. I shouldn't even know."

"Oh! Juicy details!" Cecily clapped her hands excitedly.

Jordan was quiet for a second, building anticipation, "So you know I run student government." We nodded, "Well, a couple of weeks back it came to my attention that some students living in the dorms filed reports with campus security about  lights being on in the school after hours."

"What's this got to do with the principal having an affair?" Cecily sounded disappointed.

"It has nothing to do with that because she's not."

Cecily groaned, "I'm going to make myself a drink, do you want anything?"

I looked at her confused, "A drink? As in alcohol?"

"Of course, silly."

"It's Monday and we're minors?"

"And it's not a problem for me given that my parents are never home and I can do whatever I want. Do you want anything?" She looked at me expectantly.

"I'll take whatever you're having," Jordan said then. I looked at them bewildered, "What? It's just a drink and I have a lot to tell."

I rolled my eyes, "Sure, I guess. Whatever is fine."

Cecily nodded and went over to a wall. She then pulled a painting down from the top, which turned into a tabletop, and disclosed a small bar full of amber liquors in crystal containers.

"That is cool," I said watching her pour drinks for us and then come back, leaving it open.

"It was something my dad had installed in nearly all the rooms but the bathrooms." She chuckled, handing us the glasses and sitting down, "Jordan please continue."

"Ok, so, the reports to campus police all say pretty much the same thing. There's a light that flickers like a candle that goes by 6 windows and then disappears. This happens regularly, every week at 11:45 PM," they said lowering their voice, "By that time, the buildings are completely closed, there's nobody allowed in or out. And, campus police don't know what it is because they don't know where those windows are or what they are to, so now students are saying that the school is haunted.

"The school is haunted?"

"No. Well, I don't know, but I don't think so."

"Well, what do you think it is then?"

"I think someone is getting into The Academy at night, but I don't know how or what room they are going to because I just can't seem to find them no matter how much searching I do."

I chewed on my lip, "That sounds weird. Aren't there any building plans for the school that you can get your hands on to see if there are any rooms you don't know about?"

"Ugh, no. The building was a private residence," she made air quotes, "of some fancy rich guy in the 1800's and he had enough money to make sure any plans went missing. He was paranoid. Said that demons lived among us and he would not allow them to take his soul too."

"Oh yeah! I've heard about him. Isn't he the same crazy that said that only angels could get into?" Cecily asked, taking a sip of her drink.

"That's just an urban legend," Jay waved her hand in the air as if swatting a fly, "There was, however, a whole group of people that believed that he had some fancy key that could open special doors in the Academy that wouldn't otherwise open. So it's possible that whoever keeps visiting the school after hours found the key?"

"That seems like a possibility," I took a small sip of my drink. It was so strong I felt heat warm my throat in not a fully unpleasant way, "EW what is this?"

"Whiskey."

"Why would you hand me whiskey?"

"Because I was out of grenadine," Cecily said sarcastically, "Obviously I'm not a bartender."

"Right, sorry."

"Well, where would we find the key though?"

"We'd have to find the person first."

"Wait, did you say 6 windows and candlelight?"

"Yeah?"

"I think I know where that is."