Prelude To the Stars [Jackson Wang AMBW]

Chapter 19: Homecoming

Eden's POV:

The first thing I notice is the quietness; it's almost deafening. Secondly, I'm at Mark's house. How and why I ended up here of all places I don't even know. Fall has finally come, and I'm thankful that I haven't missed the leaves dancing to the ground. It's the beginning of November, so the cold is starting to seep in. The hardwood floors beneath my feet make my entire body shiver, and that's when I notice it: I'm bare naked standing in the middle of Mark's foyer.

Keys jingle from the outside and the front door opens. I'm like a deer caught in the headlights: frozen in my spot unable to move or speak. Reality crashes into me as I come face to face with Mark's sister Grace. Her keys dropped to the floor as she just stared at me in shock. "Umm Hi!" *Pause* "Is this as awkward for you as it is for me?" I was met with silence again. I sigh and make a move to leave when Grace runs up to me and hugs me, crying all hysterical.

"Eden, we were all so worried about? Jackson is going crazy. Mark isn't talking. We didn't know if you would come back. I am so happy to see you. It's as if a burden lifted up off of my shoulders, and I can breathe again." Grace said. "You're here! You're finally here!!!" She jumps up and down, but stops and tenses up. "And you're naked!!! WHY ARE YOU NAKED??"

"You've just now realized that?" I retort. "I would love to sit and catch up with you, but I need some clothes."

"Oh right, right." Grace leads me upstairs to Mark's room. She hands me a towel and tells me to take a shower. Well that's a nice way of telling me that I stink. I'm just glad that none of the guys or Mark's parents were here to see this. Once I get out I see a brand new toothbrush. I do my business and walk out of the bathroom to see clothes laid out for me on Mark's bed.

She spoils me! Grace is like another sister to me. So you can imagine how devastated I was to find out that the entire Tuan family left me. I was heart broken.

Once I'm finished moisturizing and getting dressed I walk downstairs to see Grace in the kitchen looking agitated. "Hey. What's wrong?"

I stop her from pulling her hair out. "I've been trying to call Mark and Jackson, but none of them are picking up their phones. Ever since you went missing they've lost themselves, and it doesn't help that Michael is training them hard."

"Michael? Michael as in the Archangel Michael?" I ask looking intrigued. She simply nods her head and tries dialing their numbers: nothing. "Have you tried calling your Uncle Donnie?"

A light bulb goes off in her head. "Oh yeah. Why didn't I think of that?"

I chuckle at her. My face falls when she tells me that Bá isn't answering his phone either. "Where have you taken everyone, Michael?" I think to myself. Just then the front door opens and Mama and Papa Tuan enter in. "Eden? Thank God you've returned!" Mama Tuan rushes in, drops her bags along the way, and embraces me in a bear hug. Papa Tuan follows pursuit.

"It's nice to see you again!" He slaps me on the back of the head. "You almost gave us old folks a heart attack! Don't ever disappear like that again!" Papa Tuan dramatically puts his hand over his heart. I stifle a laugh and roll my eyes.

I bow. "I apologize. Forgive me, Papa Tuan. I didn't mean to cause anyone pain. I... there were some things I had to deal with from my past in order to move on to the future." I straightened up and looked them each in the eyes. "I've missed you all so much!" The tears started flowing.

Mama and Papa Tuan always treated me like a daughter, which meant I received the same punishment as everyone else if I misbehaved. My parents never had a problem with it. Traitors. I was brought out of my reminiscing with arms hugging me tight. That reminds me, I have to call Sooyoung and Ayanna tomorrow. I wonder how she's doing with her pregnancy. Sooyoung should be 5 months along now.

"Oh, my dearest Eden... We didn't mean to make you cry. We've just been worried sick. Jackson, Mark, BamBam and Gabe are taking it the hardest. They blame themselves." Grace says stroking my back in a calming manner.

"Yes, they'll be back soon. I'm sure of it. In the meantime let me fix you something to eat. You must be starving." Mama Tuan says at the same time my stomach starts growling. We all start laughing. "Mmm, I guess it agrees. Come, sit child."

Tammy and Joey arrive later that night, and we all catch up over food. I miss moments like this. Night quickly approaches and there's still no word from anyone. Papa Tuan tells me to go to sleep in Mark's room. I make it halfway up the stairs and fall asleep. Papa Tuan chuckles to himself. "This girl... somethings never change. Joey, come help me bring Eden to the room."

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Dream:

The blood moon was very evident in the sky, but I couldn't admire it, because I was running through the forest. Blood and tears stained my face. "What happened? Why am I covered in blood? Whose blood is this?" An ear piercing scream brings me out of my thoughts.

Up ahead a slimey creature plops down from the trees. It's covered in shadows, and muck drips from its body poisoning the earth like acid. It runs towards me and grips my arms. The contact burns my skin. I push the creature back and kick it into a tree. It growls and I smirk.

"You will be mine, Eden! I will have your body." The creature wheezed out.

"Babylon. I would say it's nice to meet you, but it's not. Now on the matter of my body, you can't have it. I'm not allowing you access." I deadpan.

"I thought you might say that. So here's the deal, either you give me your body or I take your sister's body instead. It's not the one I need, but it'll do." She smirked.

"Touch her, and I will kill you. Well, I'm going to kill you anyway. So why not start now?" I hold out my hand a the holy scepter appears. I run towards Babylon.

"Impossible!" She hisses at the light. "The holy scepter can't be here. It's a fake!"

"Are you sure about that? I've been DYING to use it again." I stalk towards her. Babylon turns to run and I throw the scepter at her, pinning her to a tree. The light starts to burn her and she screams out in pain. "Ah, you're not so tough after all."

I take the scepter out and plunge it into her heart. "I'll see you in Hell." She spats sinking to the forest floor.

"No, no you wont. But you will meet Baldassare there." Her hand goes up in defensive position. "I, Eden Giles, under the authority of Yeshua, hereby send you to the dry wastelands. And when Judgment Day comes you will be sent to the Lake of Fire forever. So be it." I strike, taking her head from her body, and she descends.

END OF DREAM

A loud roar wakes me up. It's so fierce and angry that it shakes the entire house. I hear Joey yell "EARTHQUAKE!!!" I stifle a laugh and yell back, "NO, IT'S JUST A VERY ANGRY DEMON! THERE'S NO NEED TO WORRY! GO BACK TO SLEEP!" And that's just what I do: sleep. I know Baldassare won't lay a hand on the Tuan family, because they're covered in the Blood of the Lamb. Victory never tasted so sweet.

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*Song:
EXO: Call Me Baby