Earth Angel

Part 10

Mark leaned back away from Sean.  The question burned in his throat, until he asked Sean in a barely audible whisper.  "What killed me"?  Sean lowered his eyes to the floor, answering in a fragile voice.  "You have a tumor in your gut. I was told to reap you and end your suffering before it got any worse... but I failed you. I can't reap you with a broken wing. All I can do is ease your pain for now. I'm sorry".  Mark took a shaky breath and ran a hand through his hair as he leaned forward.  He felt like he was going to be sick.  The world around him was melting away.  He was a dead man walking!  Sean hesitantly touched his arm and he felt calmer.  He wanted to blame Sean... but it wasn't his fault.  Taking a confident deep breath, Mark told Sean seriously.  "This stays between us. You don't tell my mother anything. Got it"?  Mark locked his eyes with Sean's and he nodded. 

Maybe it was Sean's touch... but Mark calmly took in Sean's pained face.  He could almost guess what Sean was thinking right now.  Sean's watery eyes turned back to the floor and his voice creaked when he whispered.  "I'm sorry. I didn't want to tell you... I wanted to see you happy and alive".  Even with Sean's gentle touch, Mark still felt his heart ache.  Seeing Sean cry was bad enough, but knowing he was crying over him.  That just made him feel strangely comforted.  Reaching out, Mark lifted Sean's chin with the tips of his fingers.  Sean's watery blue eyes seemed to glow brighter in the light streaming through the curtains.  Giving Sean a small smile, Mark leaned in and pressed his lips to Sean's.  What did he have to loose?  Sean's hands slid up to his shoulders as they kissed.  Mark couldn't help smiling in between sweet innocent kisses.  His mom had been right.  He had made an angel fall for him.  In more ways than one. 

They only broke their kiss, when a high pitched voice giggled out playfully.  "How delicious".  Sean quickly rose to his feet to stare at someone standing in the shadows by the back porch door.  Mark strained his eyes to see, but couldn't make out any of the mans features.  How did the person even get into the house?  Sean's good wing rose tensing into the air as he growled out.  "What are you doing here"?!  The shadowy figure seriously answered in a soft voice.  "He doesn't want me to tell you".  Sean raised an eyebrow, asking curiously.  "Who"?  The shadowy figures arm extended out into the light of the back porch door as the person pointed toward Sean, answering.  "Him".  Mark and Sean both turned to look behind them and practically jumped across the room in fright!  A man was standing right there!  How long had he been there?! 

The man began to laugh sadistically and Mark gawked.  This man... He looked a lot like Sean.  Only he didn't have wings and his eyes were solid black with bright green irises.  Sean raised his hand to bring his black trident out as he shot back at the man.  "You have two seconds to get out of here"!  The man cocked his head, his eyes drifting to Mark as he told Sean in a mockingly pained voice.  "You're hurting my feelings, Sean. I mean, I traveled all this way just to see you".  Mark slowly stood up, asking Sean a bit nervously.  "Sean? You know him"?  Sean pointed his black trident at the man's chest, snapping back.  "Unfortunately. He's a long story".  The man rolled his eyes, sliding a finger over the sharp tips of Sean's trident as he chimed in happily.  "Oh? You haven't told him? That's intriguing". 

Mark looked between the two of them, before telling the man.  "He has told me".  The man suddenly disappeared and reappear right beside him, replying with a wicked grin.  "I don't think so. Cause if you knew. You would know who I am and why I am here".  Mark took a step back, snapping out bitterly.  "I don't care who you are! Just stay away from me"!  A dark evil grin pulled at the mans lips, when he answered in a grumbling dark voice.  "Gladly. I'm not here for YOU".  Without warning the man disappeared and reappeared in mid-air as he lounged for Sean!  Sean barely blocked with his trident as the man slammed into him like a wild animal going for his throat!  The force knocked Sean to the floor as he flipped the man across the living room.  The man went into a graceful cart-wheel to quickly correct himself, before dashing back toward Sean. 

Sean stabbed the man through the gut with his trident... but the trident just passed right through him as if he was a ghost.  The man halted in front of Sean, wincing as the trident plunged into his stomach.  Then when he realized he was fine, the man locked smug eyes with Sean as he playfully chided back.  "Oh? Seems you're not running at full power, Sean. Are we hurt"?  Sean's eyes grew wide with fear, his trident slipping from his hands to the floor.  The man's hand shot out to grab Sean's throat and disappeared with him, before reappearing to slam Sean against a wall.  Mark mentally shook himself.  He couldn't just stand here!  Although, what could he do?  Whatever this guy was... He clearly wasn't human.  Mark's eyes fell upon the trident laying on the floor and rushed for it.  The man leaned in closer to Sean's face, snarling out bitterly through clenched teeth.  "Are you scared, lil' Earth Angel? Can't get it up, can you? You are not worthy of your gifts. So, let me take them from you"! 

Mark picked up the trident and it began to spark with blue static.  Raising it high, Mark planned to stab the man in the back with it... but the lights suddenly flicked on.  Mark's mom stared at them all with wide eyes, while the man suddenly released Sean to cover his eyes protectively from the light.  Mark hesitated as fear for his moms life rippled through him.  Sean didn't.  With a swift punch to the man's face, Sean knocked him flat across the floor.  The man rubbed his jaw, staring up at Sean as he giggled back playfully.  "This isn't over".  The man disappeared and Sean fell to his knees, panting heavily.  Mark lowered the trident as his mom, asked very concerned.  "What just happened"?  Sean rubbed his throat, rasping out.  "I believe humans call things like him a demon".  Mark slowly approached Sean, asking a little concerned himself.  "A demon? Why did he look like you"? 

Sean chuckled, but there was no humor in it.  Slowly climbing back onto his feet, Sean seriously answered.  "Let me put it to you this way. Nature is all about balance. To have light, you must have darkness. To have good, you must have evil. Humans were made with both light and dark inside them. Angels were not. We are pure light. Which means that our dark half was made into a form of their own... and you just met mine".  Mark's mom moved closer to place a comforting hand on Sean's shoulder, asking him curiously.  "What did your demon want"?  Sean looked her in the eyes, answering calmly.  "What all demons want. The power that their good side is in possession of. With my power, Anti wouldn't fear death. He'd become the master of it. He'd throw the world out of balance to play with death as he saw fit. And the longer I am on earth... The stronger he will become".  To Be Continued...