Diabolus: The Lethal Hunt

Chapter Eleven

BEVERLY WOODS

    And here comes the rain, the drops steady and soft, falling from a sky of white velvet. They come all together and yet as pioneers, reuniting with their siblings and creating a whole. On the ground that was just recently stroked by a pure storm, having its way shown by the lightning, as if it was starlight pulsing through the graphite sky, lightning came in great networking forks. The air feels so thin in the rain's embrace, so fresh like the Earth was just swiped from all the sadness, anger, or grief like all the bad things just disappeared with a swing of a thunderstorm's broom.

    I wish it was just as easy. With a gust of some element of air, all of your problems are swept away as if you've given them to the wind to hold in its cold hands until there's nothing left of it. But that's not how life works.

    All of my problems are still here.

    And you're not.

    And the tears have stopped like all of me was drained with nothing left to cry with. All I can feel is being empty, the hole that even the fruit of our love can't fill like a part of me was ripped and I can no longer function without it the same way I did. There's no reason to smile anymore - as much as all of us are trying to live at the moment because we don't know how many of them we have left. I was angry at the universe, to introduce us only to take you far away, yet I have found my peace with it.

    Because you are coming back. I can feel that you are.

    Coming back to us.

     My fingernails start playing with the buttons of my silk dress as I imagine him doing it. I know he would be teasing me, his fingertips stopping with each button as he whispers something spicy under his breath, but looking deeply into my eyes.

   That's the main ingredient in where you came from, my dearest angel.

    My hand slides down my almost huge belly, as I feel a very slight kick into my middle finger. As flowers open in spring, the little flame of joy blooms inside me, a size of a match but so strong and warm. As if our baby was trying to hold his mom's hand, giving its support and spreading hope, with so much power that even the room begins to look lighter. Even after all this time, an honest smile appears on my face - showing the world that there's still strength inside of me - a wish to keep going.

    "I can't wait to meet you." I whisper under my breath before I hear footsteps coming my way.

    "Beverly..." Aaron's unusually calm voice makes me turn around to face him.

    He looks different. Aaron's voice has a husky drawl and every step he takes is in slow motion compared to almost anyone else I know. I fail to notice his usual restless movements and blabbing about everything and anything. spreading his hands to the sides or doing some weird things with his fingers. That was our Aaron, and only at that moment, I realized how much life his nonsense brought to us.

    There are those single details about all of them that help me get through every dark path I cross. Aaron's childishness. Kevin's endless support. Avery's fragility. Brooklyn's tenderness. Lexi's courage.

    Brent's loyalty.

    Kai's love...

    Those traits are the things that keep me going, they're the hand that's being offered when you fall. The push that you need to keep going and survive. The strength in the muscles when they're ready to give up. The medicine when all you can feel is pain. And, truth be told, you couldn't appreciate these things more if not for the dark times we're constantly facing.