The Second Sign (19 page)

Heather laughed, a croak of a sound that made the
hairs on the nape of Gabby’s neck rise. Heather’s once blue eyes
were black, her face deathly green, and covered in deep jagged
lines. A nasty wound on her cheek revealed white bone.

Gabby calmed her breathing, her senses working
overtime. “Naite,” she whispered.

Heather walked in a semicircle to her left. “Pawns,”
she said her voice echoes of different pitches. “Humans are just
pawns in a larger game.”

“This is not a game,” she said, surprised to hear
her voice steady.

Heather turned her eyes to the sky and laughed. “It
is liberating.” Heather’s own voice spat the words.

Could Gabby have missed the evil in her? All these
years?

“No mask, no care in the world. I wanted to kill
them. It’s good to be free,” she added, lowering her eyes to
Gabby.

Gabby stepped back, her heart wedged in her throat.
“Sarah is family.” She clenched her fists tight.

Heather gazed at her as if
she
were the
freak. “Nah, she deserved what she got.”

This
was
Heather talking to her. Naite may
have stirred something in the witch, but this was Heather in her
true form. Humans were just as evil as demons, as angels.

“Where is she? What did you do to her?”

“The little slut ran. She’ll get what’s coming to
her, and you...” She pointed a long thin finger at Gabby. “You
helped me.”

“Liar. Cheat. Murderer.” Something more than anger
wrapped around Gabby, and a feeling of freedom sparked through her.
A feeling so feral leapt in her mind, blasting her with images of
lunging at Heather, clawing her eyes out, driving her fist deep
into the witch’s chest, and ripping out her heart. Wrath. Betrayal.
Gabby shook her head just as Heather laughed. But Gabby did not
move.

“Liberating, isn’t it? Feels good, doesn’t it?”
Heather hissed with a smile that extended past reason. “You think
you're so much better than me? You are the same.”

“I am nothing like you,” Gabby forced herself to
say. But she wasn’t sure anymore.

Gabby’s vision went from the bright color spectrum
to grays and reds, like looking through a color lens that shaded
everything around her. The trees were no longer green but gray, the
ground a cover of inky blackness that spread as far as she could
see. The little light that managed to slide through the canopy of
trees was tinged red as if the sun had spilled its blood on the
world. She blinked but the color spectrum hadn’t changed. Heather
became encrusted in a red hue with a black swirl of fog encircling
her. She led Gabby’s eyes to the large, gnarled oak tree to her
left. Gabby followed her gaze up the thick bark and to a branch
about a hundred feet off the ground where a noose hung.

She turned her gaze back to Heather whose smile
remained plastered to her face. Heather leapt to the bark of the
tree, her claws digging into the bark as she climbed faster than
humanly possible up the tree and to the noose. Gabby felt the
coldness seep up through the soles of her feet. Her eyes glued to
the mad woman as she slung the noose around her neck and jumped.
The rope snapped taut along with Heather’s neck, but Gabby’s eyes
followed the descent of the shadow that continued to fall from
Heather’s corpse to the ground.

The shadow became darker until it took shape and
substance. “That one deserved that,” Naite said, her face a haze of
blackness, never revealing her true form.

“You made her into that,” Gabby said, though didn't
believe her own words. She couldn’t believe that the woman whom she
visited often, whom she revealed her secrets to could have been
responsible for the deaths in the shack. Heather had been evil.

“No child. You see, demons cannot completely control
someone unless that person allows us.”

“What about Marty?”

“Marty was very mad at her parents for not allowing
her to date Mikey. She was grounded. Poor thing.” Naite moved like
the wind, her thin dress billowing around her. “She killed herself.
The memory of her parents’ death obviously part of her
subconscious, she couldn’t live with it. It’s hard to live with the
fact that you killed your family.”

“You lie.”

“Just distort the truth. Influence.” Naite
smirked.

“What do you want from me?”

Naite’s eyes went to Jake who hadn’t moved and then
back to Gabby. “Your soul.”

“Never.”

“Never is a very long time Gabby. Are you so sure
you don’t belong with us?” Naite raised her hands, and the forest
erupted in lithe shadows that crept out from behind thick trees,
inching their way closer. Naite seemed to give them enough energy
so that they transformed into luminescent shapes, taking form.
White shadows.

Gabby hadn't realized that it stopped raining and
gray light streamed into the ground.

“Max will—”

“Max is governed by rules
he
doesn’t even
understand. He does nothing to help you. Your blood bond is broken.
You were never supposed to have been born. And the gods, or more
specifically your seraphim father, has to rectify that small
indiscretion. Your soul is up for grabs. You
are
the Second
Sign.”

The white shadows crept closer. “You lie!”

A burst of light flashed around her, forcing the
apparitions to retreat, leaving Naite standing alone. Beside her,
in the clearing stood the short, stout form of Hasam Adler and
Max.

“Naite,” Adler’s voice hinted at the possible fight
between them.

“Adler,” Naite confirmed before swirling into mist
and fog and then nothing, taking the ghosts with her.

Max came up beside Gabby and took her trembling
hand. “Gabby, we came as soon as we sensed the evil circling this
place,” Max said.

Gabby did not turn to him, could not look at him.
Deep inside she knew Naite’s words held some truth. Max had not
saved her. Not when the fire broke out and Kyle went back for her.
Not when Naite appeared to her. She could no longer feel Max’s
presence, his energy just a black haze in the ever increasing
darkness surrounding her. She found her footing and ran to Jake who
moaned.

She fell to her knees beside him. “Jake.”

His eyes fluttered open, but they were
bloodshot.

She cupped his face in her hands and leaned against
his lips, touching them briefly and kissing him. Warmth spread
throughout her body.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Gabby?”
he whispered.

“Yeah, it’s me.” Max and Adler dropped down beside
her. “Is he going to be okay?” She looked to Adler.

He touched Jake’s forehead and nodded. “A headache,
but he will live.”

“I don’t understand, Adler, what’s going on?” Gabby
asked.

Adler sighed and his eyes led hers to Max.

“War,” Max breathed. “It is the Second Coming.”

Max and Adler exchanged looks and Gabby knew it was
bad. Really bad.

“We have to get you out of here,” Adler said to
her.

“I’m not leaving him.”

“He’ll be fine. It’s best you are not here when
Miller arrives.”

Miller. Gabby wanted to ask what was up with the
weird Lieutenant but didn’t.

“They’re right, Gabby,” Jake said, opening his eyes.
They were bloodless. Normal. “You should go. I’ll explain things
here and get back to you as soon as I can.” He sat up and
groaned.

“I don’t think you should get involved,” Max
said.

Gabby glared at her brother. Couldn’t he sense that
she needed Jake? Didn’t he know that Jake meant more to her than
Max could ever imagine?

“I am involved,” Jake said, taking Gabby’s hand and
squeezing it. Her heart fluttered with emotions she couldn’t sort.
She didn’t want to risk Jake, and yet she felt he anchored her in
this world. She couldn’t be without him. She would lose more than
her soul. She leaned into him and kissed him. “I’ll be at home,
okay?”

He nodded, and it took all of Gabby’s strength to
leave him. She ran with Max into the thicket until they were sure
they couldn’t be seen, and then Max swept her up in his arms and
flew.

Adler, already at the house when she and Max landed,
looked through his ancient tomes and journals, his face a mask of
nothing.

“I need to know,” Gabby didn’t hesitate, the vision
of the blood and death around her circled her mind. And Sarah,
still missing.

Adler pulled out a thick tome, ignoring her. Gabby
reached out and took the damned book from his hands, sending it
flying across the room where it smacked against the wall and
thumped to the floor.

“I. Need. To. Know.” Her blood ran cold throughout
her body. She felt the room tremble under her as if responding to
her spiraling emotions. No. It was just her imagination.

Adler didn’t look concerned by her tirade, and Max
had not moved from the doorway of the massive library with the
collection of everything old.

“What is the Second Sign?”

Adler motioned for her to sit. She shook her
head.

“Sit,” he demanded, his eyes changing from the deep
brown to the pearly white.

She sat with her hands on top of the cedar desk,
interlaced, her clothes wet and cold from the rain.

Adler walked slowly to the book, lifted it as if it
were a child, and placed it gently on the desk in front of him. He
sat and gently guided his finger to an index and opened it. He
opened his mouth to read, but seemingly thinking better of it, he
closed his mouth and met her gaze.

“The Christian bible speaks of a time when Jesus
went to Galilee, and a certain nobleman implored Jesus to heal his
dying son.” Adler's words echoed above the rafters in the vaulted
ceilings.

A deep tremble Gabby did not miss.

“This nobleman didn’t believe as much as had to
witness the miracle. And so Jesus told him to go, that his son is
healed. This is referenced as the Second Sign.”

No one broke the silence that followed. Even Max had
not moved and Gabby held her breath. Adler watched her closely.

“Naite is right then. I was stillborn. Max
accidentally brought me to life.” She drew her brow. “So what does
that mean?”

“Gabby, the universe and all its realms are recycled
experiences. This reference comes from the Christian bible, but
there are many other faiths with similar stories. The Second Sign
refers to a soul who was not meant to live, yes, but you’re missing
the second part.”

Just then her phone rang. She broke away from Adler
and took it out of her pocket relieved to hear Jake. Adler let out
a deep breath.

“Sarah’s been found,” he whispered. It sounded as if
he was cupping the phone. “She’s here at General. I think you
should come. She’s in pretty bad shape.”

“I’ll be right there.” Gabby hung up and turned to
Adler, his expression a stoic mask. “They found Sarah. I have to go
to her.”

“Gabby, we need—” Adler began.

“It’s my fault she’s there. I need to know she’s
going to be okay. We will handle everything, Adler. Whatever she
needs.”

Adler seemed to fold in on himself, sighed, and
nodded. “Of course. I’ll call the hospital. Max”—he turned to Max
who’d said nothing—“go with her. Sarah will need you.”

Max bowed, looked at Gabby with a small shake of his
head, and went out. Gabby ran upstairs and changed her clothes,
drying herself as best she could before following Max out.

With Max’s power of persuasion he would be able to
get them in to see Sarah, especially since Miller with his small
police force, had remained close to this case. Two murders in a
span of hours. It wasn’t looking good.

“Gabby, we need to discuss some things,” Max said
with a resilient calm.

Gabby turned to her brother. He gazed out into the
now darkening road. His features were taut with hard edges. She
loved him so much it hurt, but she couldn’t trust him. She didn’t
believe in him anymore.

“Not now, Max. I can’t deal with it right now.”

He sighed.

They arrived at the hospital and with Max’s
influence were able to go in without attracting much interest.
Sarah lay on the bed, her body balled up, rocking back and forth,
muttering something. Her eyes were veiled and staring out in front
of her. Gabby folded her arms, clutching her elbows, making sure
she wouldn’t touch anything. The impressions in the hospital where
people were hurt and some dying caused her too much pain. Watching
Sarah suffer from whatever she’d witnessed at the Crossroads
reminded Gabby of the fragility inherent in the human soul. Gabby
had been at the house. Had seen what Heather had been capable
of.

“Sarah,” Gabby whispered and Sarah sat up abruptly,
her bottom lip quivering, her blue eyes wide, her reddish blonde
hair sticking up all around her in a halo.

“You. No.” Sarah shook her head violently. Her eyes
darted through the room, unseeing, but fear implanted into her very
being.

Max stepped forward, pulling Gabby behind him,
blocking her line of sight. “Get out of here,” he whispered, just
as he stepped closer to Sarah, taking her hand.

Sarah seemed to melt and fell into Max who wrapped
his arms around her, cradling her like a child, whispering words of
comfort, maybe allowing her to withdraw from the terror if only for
a little while. Gabby envied Max at that moment. To be the grace of
good, to be sought after and revered, the ultimate gift of peace.
Jealousy rimmed her heart. She could no longer be comforted by him.
Turning back to the door, she opened it using her arm warmers as a
barrier between her flesh and the impressions of everyone around
her.

The well-lit hallway shielded her from the last rays
of gray light which burst through the window, already dropping its
wide arc to the west. She looked at her watch. Her twenty-four
hours were almost up. She heard a familiar voice and rounded the
corner.

Miller stood in the hallway talking to Jake and
Jenna. Jake held a cold compress against his head, his clothes
sodden and stained with blood and mud. Because of Gabby. And Jenna
was a hot mess beside him. She held his hand like a protective
mother. Gabby envied her ignorance, her innocence of the cruelty in
the world.