Behind the mask

Chapter 9

 When she woke up, April opened her eyes from the bright light. She felt soft soil beneath her, and she could smell the fresh air. She stood up. She was in the forest. She was back. She had never been so glad to be there. She ran down the dirt path. But when she came to the end of it, she stopped. It's been a month since she left. And it's been two weeks since that night. When she saw him for the last time. April hesitantly walked to the front door of a house. What would Asher say? Would he be mad? April didn't know. But she knocked. And the door opened. Asher stood there, not moving at all. And so did April. Was it because he was surprised?

"April?" he finally said. April couldn't talk, because she was trying to hold her tears. She didn't exactly know if they were tears of sadness or joy. Maybe a bit of both. At some point, she just burst into tears and ran to Asher. She hugged him crying.

"I messed up again, Ash," she said. "I ruined everything,"

"What? April, where have you been?" Asher asked snapping out of his confusion. "I was so worried!"

But April couldn't reply. She passed out once again. It had become normal at this point.

Asher sat beside April on her bed. He waited there patiently, lost in thought. He didn't notice when April opened her eyes, nor when she sat up.

"Ash," she said softly. He jumped surprised. He turned around and saw April looking at him.

"April! You're awake, are you okay?" he asked. April just nodded, not making eye contact.

"April... if there's something you need to tell me, I'll listen to it." Asher assured. April hesitated.

"YOu'll probably think I'm crazy." she said. Asher didn't say anything. So April continued.

"Well... After that night when I ran off, I met someone. The pink haired boy. His name was actually Diablo and he was Brianna's brother." she started saying.

"Wait what? You saw him? But wasn't he dead?" Asher asked.

"Yeah yeah just wait. I'll explain." April just said and continued. "So Diablo pushed me off a cliff and well, I died." she said but Asher didn't interrupt. She explained everything. Asher still hadn't said anything.

"And so... I came back to escape Astaroth. But... I have to go back." she ended, hoping Asher understood what she meant.

"Why do you need to go back?" he asked.

"To save Liam... but also get the demons out of Heaven," she said. There was an awkward silence again.

"You don't believe me, I know... it all sounds crazy." April sighed sadly. She put her hand on the crystal on her chest. For a moment, she seemed surprised it was still there when the wings were gone. But then she knew she wouldn't be able to get rid of it that easily. Asher looked at it like he had seen a ghost.

"What... what is that?" he asked.

"Oh. That's the portal I've been talking about," she replied.

"But... I never knew about it. And yet I saw it in my dream." Asher mumbled.

"What? You saw it in your dream?" April asked.

"Yes. Just before you came, I had a nightmare. There was this guy with red eyes shooting fireballs at you or something." he said confused. April was beyond confused as well.

"But... what you're saying really happened. It wasn't a dream." she said.

"Wait really? That actually happened to you?" Asher asked freaking out. But April wasn't concerned about that. She was just confused about how could Asher see what happened through his dreams.