The Flames that Engulfed Us

Chapter 26: Cars and Would You Rathers

Gary wasn't in a hurry, so we had much more time to admire the car. It looked good, I thought, but it didn't seem like it was the best thing we could've stolen. The whole thing was a sleek red, which didn't seem discrete, but then again, I wasn't the one who was afraid of being caught. Lincoln's mother went straight for the door, seeming to be uninterested in the car other than a mode of transportation. The door opened the opposite way then it seemed like it should've. Treasa hesitated.

"We're not going to run?"

I looked at her. "Where could we escape to? It's not the running that's the problem."

"So, that's a no then?"

She climbed into the car, doing a crawling sort of thing. It was more graceful than what I normally did. I know that's not much of an achievement, but it was still something I noticed.

"A Mazda RX8," Lincoln observed, sounding to me like he'd broken and started spewing an error code, "I heard these get terrible mileage."

The second part I understood. And it had gotten fantastic mileage, more than any car should have been able to. I guess it was magic or something, but it was still interesting. I opened the front door, and just like a clumsy Treasa, I got in without any further admiration for the car. I only slid the backpack between my knees, settling in to stare out the window again.

Lincoln eventually followed. Gary was the last one in, and the car started accelerating the second he did. Habit guided my hand as I clicked the seatbelt in.

Angel, Gary said presently, can you control the way you glow or not?

"I haven't actually tried."

Try now. I'm curious to see how it works.     

Lincoln's hand reached through the seat and grasped my shoulder. I could understand his concern, but I wanted to feel that way again. I thought about the warmth spreading on my palm, and soon I wasn't pretending. My palm glowed gently, not enough to be painful, but just soothing. The whole car was bathed in the subtle glow. I closed my palm and let go of the feeling. It dimmed again, and its absence didn't feel cold like I had anticipated.

Gary stared straight ahead.

You can control it. Interesting, the way you developed it. You used it as a defense mechanism. And it is healing, but I've never seen an Angel react that way to pain before. Most of the time, they just use that for healing. I can see why they all like you, you're unique, and people love special things.

Whenever teachers in school would give ice breakers that I had to describe myself for, I always chose ordinary. I guess I needed to update that.

"How long do Angels normally last in hell?"

Anywhere from a week to a few years. The longest one was just short of a decade. Hell doesn't support being good. It punishes that, and most Angels either leave for heaven or earn their position here, demoting to Souls. I expect you to be interesting, Angel.

"Why the sudden vote of confidence in me?"

You hurt me. I've never been hurt before. I have inflicted pain, but never received it. You changed that, but it was unintentional. When you had the opportunity to consciously hurt me, you just flopped back on the bed like a weak mortal. I don't understand you, and that is a feeling I don't like. I want to make it go away. So, I just need to understand you, Angel. What makes you tick. Everything.

"Everything is a lot."

He didn't say anything, and I reached up and rested my hand on Lincoln's. After about an hour, he pulled it back.

"Do you want a pillow?" I asked no one in specific.

"Yes, please." Treasa replied.

"Yeah," echoed Lincoln.

I reached in my bag, glad for my impulsive need to always pack everything, and gave them each a pillow. Soon they were each asleep, their heads pressed against the window, the pillow cushioning the sides of their faces. I watched the scenery zip by, eventually zoning out as it was all the same.

I looked back at Lincoln's face.

"Can I turn the radio on?"

Gary didn't say not to, so I did. The music came out soothing. I made sure it wasn't loud enough that it would wake Lincoln up, but loud enough so that I started counting the pieces of night passing by the songs ending. Gary didn't speak to me. We kept driving on and on, Lincoln, Treasa, and I eventually playing games with each other when they each woke up.

"Would you rather die alone, but have free food for life," I asked, "or have all the friends you could ever want, but you can only eat your least favorite food?"

I pursed my lips, answering my own question. "Definitely the friends, because Lincoln better than all the food in the world."

Treasa and I both looked at Lincoln. "I agree with Sky," he said casually, "because I think I would go insane if I was alone forever."

I turned back to face Treasa. "What do you think?"

"Food," she said after some hesitation. "I don't mind being alone with food."

"My turn," she said smiling as Lincoln and I groaned. "Would you rather be able to fly or read minds?"

We both groaned again. 'Would you rather' was always easy because it's hypothetical. But life's easy too because I can just pick whatever option includes Lincoln. It's worked moderately well up to this point. And you will note, I only said moderately. I acknowledge that it hasn't been perfect, but it could have been worse.

Everything could be worse, right?

Hi everyone!

In the spirit of would you rather...

Do you think you'd rather never be able to have Wattpad again or never have your favorite food again?

I'd probably have to give up Wattpad...

Hit that star below if you enjoyed.