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Sunday, twenty-nine days after prom.
I don’t know how many hours or days it’s been. I’ve figured out that the TV can remain on if I use a small amount of Angel Light. Aiden said this is live TV, but could it be that what I’m seeing has already happened? I wouldn’t put it past him to lie to me.
The screen shows me Kieran leave the Angel Tower, and his wings twitch erratically. He leaps to the skies and lets his wings pull him in what seemingly is a random direction.
As soon as he passes through the Veil, he’s heading toward the southern states in the U.S. Kieran materializes on the outskirts on the southern edge of a city and it’s pouring rain.
I wonder where he is? Why he’s there?
The rain is coming down so hard it’s pelting his body and soaking his wings. The wind whips around like a tornado, blowing tree branches and almost bending them. Downed power lines lay in standing water in the ditches. People are stranded inside their vehicles, on top of their houses, and some made it to safety in the trees.
The sky is an unholy black as the wind carries whispers of death.
Kieran is high in the sky, and I can see white caps crashing, destroying the sandy beaches.
The river that runs eastward from the center of the city crests over its banks and threatens to wash away parts of the city. Everything floods. The water rising at an unprecedented level. Thunder cracks the sky, casting an evil shadow over everything.
In the lower lying areas, cars are being swept away. Houses are bending and snapping. I fear that the inhabitants will all die.
Instantly, Kieran appears next to the Summer fairy who is standing in the parking lot river.
I know those two have a special connection. Did she call him to her?
“This is crazy, Sidelle!” Kieran shouts.
“I know. Something is going on here,” she responds. “As soon as it started raining, I felt in in my wings. Nature isn’t supposed to be like this. No warning, nothing.” Her arms are extended high into the air, and a green glow surrounds her.
“It’s got to be the doings from the Marqs.”
“That’s what I’m thinking, too. We have to help these people, Kieran,” she grits through her teeth. “It’s too strong; I can’t slow the rain or the winds. Maybe if more Summer fairies were here, we could combine our glamour. If my father were here, he’d probably be able to stop the buckets from pouring onto earth.”
“Sidelle, you alone can only do so much. And I’m here now, and we’ll both help. I’ll let Michael know that he needs to send reinforcements because you and I aren’t going to be able to handle this many people. We can use the stadium for all the displaced persons. We’ll open the Astrodome next door, too, if we need it. You start transporting as many people as you can and get them here. I’ll work on getting supplies and will help you rescue the humans.”
Ah, my friends are in Texas. I watch Kieran press on his chest. Light pulses and then vanishes.
A semi-truck with a water bottle logo catches his attention. The road to the stadium is blocked, so he works on getting it cleared. Using his gold Light, Kieran removes fallen debris from the two-lane highway. Gently, he pushes the vehicles toward the shoulders to make room for the driver. Floating toward the truck, he whispers something in the driver’s ear.
In front of the massive sport arena, Kieran gets a few police officers and firefighters to route and direct traffic. They need the entrance to be clear and act as the drop off point. The city must use this for emergencies because there are people milling around inside, pulling out blankets, cots, and water bottles from closets throughout the hallways.
My fists clench as my anger builds. Who could do this to all those people? I feel sad and helpless for them. I’m sitting here watching their fate unfold and can’t do anything about it.
A bright light toward the playing field catches my attention. Angels descend into the space, creating a strobe light effect. Kieran goes to check in with them.
Is that why he pressed his chest? It must be some sort of distress call or something. I wonder if that would work for me?
Sidelle is suddenly next to him on the center of the lawn. She sections off the ground into large squares. “Divide yourselves and stand in one of the sections.”
“We’re going to send you out in the city. Gather as many stranded humans as you can.” Kieran nods to them, as they aren’t accustomed to taking orders from fairies. “People have cleared the front of the building as the drop off point, but get the Ordinaries here as fast as you can. The Archangels will Mind Wipe everyone after.”
“You in this section, go to the northwest of the city,” Sidelle says. Waving her right hand to another section, she says, “You take the northeast sections. And the last two groups will take the southern sections. Now, off you go.”
“There is definitely something amiss here,” Kieran says after all the angels disburse. “When I entered the city, I could see the Gulf stirring. We should check on that and the small communities along the beachfront.”
“Okay, boss.” Sidelle chuckles.
Kieran shakes his head. Grabbing her hand, they transport onto the beach I saw earlier. The sand has been wiped away. No houses line the shores, either. The water is over the island, and there is nothing left of the community. So many lives lost.
Both of their wings droop.
As they peer back onto the main land, the water line is several miles inland. A tidal wave must have crashed through and destroyed everything in its path. Homes and office buildings are severely damaged from the water’s pressure and force. Boats from the marina lay on their sides, at least ten miles inland.
A stark dread fills my soul as many of them find their way to the Heavens. My chest hurts from the sheer number of them being transported all at once. Tears stream down my face. Sidelle lays a comforting arm around Kieran’s shoulders, not speaking. I know they feel the same sadness that’s pressing on my chest.
There isn’t time to wallow in sorrow.
Kieran’s wings twitch again. “Do you feel that pull, Sidelle?”
“The one now coming from Italy?” She nods.
“You can pinpoint it?”
“We better see what’s going on there. But I have a feeling we’re going to find something like here.”
“Agree.”
They link hands and disappear from wherever they were.
The screen morphs into a new sandy beach, the atmosphere electrically charged. Even I can feel it through the TV. A shadow covers the sunlight and casts an eerie glow over the peninsula. Dark clouds are running across the sky, hurrying to cover the blue with black.
The sand is covered in a thick, gray film. The entire beach has hundreds of thousands of dead fish. The smell must be horrific. The ocean has reclaimed a couple feet of land. The water is receding, but it’s still there. An enormous wave is building high into the horizon, creating a wall of water. It’s going to hit the beach and wipe out the entire downtown.
Kieran’s and Sidelle’s eyes widen as they gawk at the approaching wave. Dread plunges into my stomach.
“Go! Do something,” I yell at the screen.
“Evil is definitely working against us, Kieran,” Sidelle says as she waves her hand across her nose. “All those poor creatures.”
“I know, but we can’t save them. We need to hurry and get as many people away from here as possible.”
They follow the same plan as they had in that other city. They find a building, and Kieran presses against his chest again. Shortly after, more angels descend from the sky, offering assistance.
Many more lives are lost, including trees, animals, and the natural wonders of life.
But we would find a way to prevail.