Why Come Back?

What's going on?

    Sir gets up from Angel’s hospital bed and pops his back. He grabs his phone and messages one of his bodyguards to pick him up. Sir looks back at the body in the bed. Angel was never the best with rough treatment, but at least he was smart enough not to complain. He knew Angel was awake. He knew Angel was hurt. Angel was much different than the days in the garden. Did he actually recognize him? What he was. It doesn’t matter anymore. It‘s his time to leave.

Luke lays there in the fetal position, hugging himself tightly. He closes his eyes and tries to remember a happier time. When nothing comes up, the reality sinks it. One that he could never escape. He’s alone, and no matter who helps him, he has yet to make something out of that stupid garden. 

He whimpers softly, begging for something or someone.

“S-spider….” His eyes fill with tears, “Come back, please.”

Luke begins to sob, and his whimpers get louder. Then, suddenly his memory finally sustains his wish. 

    He sits in the garden, his sobs echoing in the emptiness. Someone puts a hand on his shoulder.

“Are you alright?” The voice is soft but firm, “Why is an angel weeping?”

“No, I can’t find my….. I don’t know what I lost,” He looks up, only to see a monster, “But I know my wings won’t open without it.”

“You don’t have wings,” The beast has appendages on its sides and back, “Not anymore.”

“What are you talking about? I do though I was flying just this morning,” He replies, feeling his heart sink and his uncertainty set in, “Right?”

It offers him a hand, and he cautiously takes it, unsure of its intentions. It lifts him to his feet and spins him.

“If you wait,” The beast speaks as kindly as it can, “You won’t need them.”

“Thank you, mister….” He looks up into the beast's eyes, “But, I can’t wait. I have to get out before I’m stuck.”

“Impatient,” The beast releases Luke and starts walking deeper into the garden, “I fear you may already be stuck.”

Luke halts. The spider legs loom over him eerily, making a wave of fear flow over Luke. He let the creature into the garden when the flood began. It ran off as soon as Luke turned his back. What was this thing?

    Luke snaps out of it when he hears a nurse opening the door. He pretends to sleep, unsure if the nurse could tell. 

    “Is everything okay, sir?” The nurse asks.

    “Yeah, just a bad dream,” Luke turns over, wincing a bit, “Did I accidentally press a button?”

    “No, there is someone outside begging us to check on you, and she isn’t giving a name,” The nurse looks at his file, “Were you expecting a visitor?”

    “...You can send them in,” Luke smiles weakly, “I wouldn’t mind the company.”

The nurse nods and leaves. Luke lays back, uncertain about his choice. As the door opens, his heart pounds, the more and more his uncertainty grows.

    “Have you found him yet?” He hears a voice, but it’s not in the room, “He’s just out of reach.”

    Luke looks at the stranger. He feels like he should recognize her.

“I’m sorry to bother you, sir. A friend asked me to check on you,” She shyly steps into the room.

“It’s alright, dear. What’s your name?” Luke lays back.

    “Oh, I’m not-” She tries to speak, but when he looks at her, she stops, “Luke?”

“What a coincidence, that’s my name too,” He smiles at his crappy joke, “I’m sorry, I’m afraid I don’t quite know you.”

    “Right…. Well, that’s okay,” The girl approaches, “You don’t need to anyways.”

Luke wants to question her, but exhaustion suddenly overtakes him. He closes his eyes, seeing her three steps from him.