Gabriel's Charge

chapter 11

All my tests are done for now! Yay! Here is the next chapter to celebrate my brief freedom. 
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Chapter 11:
Gabriel

He watched her walk up to her room and sat down on the couch. Every night was always the same. He was cast down here to the couch, which wasn’t even that comfortable, when all he wanted to do was be there with her. Tell her the truth and hope she realized that all he was saying was true.

He turned on the television at a low volume so that he wouldn’t wake Katherine, and began watching some random cop show that was on.

As usual, someone had died and they were trying to figure out, whom, why, what and how. Gabriel watched it for two seconds and said “Well it is obviously the brother. The bastard was owed money and they got in an argument!” He rolled his eyes and muttered, “Angels should just take over the police department, if they are truly all this stupid no wonder so many serial killers go unpunished!”

Bored, he stood up and began ransacking her kitchen. Just as he did every night.

Why was there nothing fun to do in this town?

I could explore... He thought, realizing he had never gone anywhere in this house other than her room and living room really.

With this in mind he walked to the basement door and made his way downstairs.

The basement was dark and a little chilly. Cement lined the walls and wooden beams were what kept the ceiling up. There were demon protection symbols on the walls and hidden on the ceiling and on floor there were devil traps.

He walked farther in and found locked cabinets that weren’t hard to open and inside was weapons that could kill every sort of creature. There was even something that looked like an angel blade and Gabriel flinched, he didn’t want to know where that one had come from. Which angel they had gotten that one from.

Katherine hadn’t been lying when she’d said that her dad had built this place to be the ultimate hunter home. They had everything they would ever need to protect themselves.

He stumbled backwards.

He’d opened a door and found an actual person inside.

If they were alive or not was a mystery. They were chained to the wall and had their head hanging down at their chest.

Creeping forward Gabriel placed a hand on the person and he raised his head to reveal someone he knew...

It was not someone he had met often but someone he had seen once or twice before he’d died. It was Karl.

He was a demon, one who’d made a bad deal to help his neighbour and then his neighbour had died anyway. Gabriel had always felt bad for him. He didn’t deserve to be the way he was.

But a deal was a deal and this is what happened to humans who meddled with the dark arts.

“Karl?” He said staring at the man in shock.

Karl raised an eyebrow at him “Gabriel? Is that really you? I thought the boss had stabbed you.”

“Long story. What are you doing here?”

The demon shrugged his shoulders “Got caught. Instead of killing me or even exorcising me from this form they decided to torture me for information about Hell.” Karl laughed bitterly “Except I am not high enough in the ranks of Hell to know any useful information... Not that they care or anything. They think all demons are liars.”

“Well, a fair few really are.” Gabriel reasoned.

Karl laughed at Gabriel “You angels, even when you aren’t all the same you are still the same.”

Gabriel didn’t react he simply looked at the poor man and said “Do you want me to send you back then?”

“Ha, ‘cause it is so much better down there right? Come on Gabriel, I think I have suffered enough. Let me be.” Karl replied with a bitter tone in his voice.

“Fine. Have it your way.” And with that Gabriel walked out of the room, locking the door behind him.

He stood there, hearing the haunting laughter from inside.

Hunters had their duties, he knew that, but that was just pure torture. It was cruel and he didn’t approve of it at all.

Standing there in horror he couldn’t help but wonder if Katherine knew about the prisoner down here. If perhaps she had had a part in torturing him. Was she truly capable of that? He’d seen her send a demon back to Hell once already. Was it possible that she was also a torturer?

No, not the sweet girl upstairs. Not the girl who he had watched and loved throughout the years...

She isn’t the same person! He yelled at himself. She has grown and she is a hunter this life. Get over it!

Moving through the basement more he found a giant chamber that had weights and more weapons inside. Except these weapons were a little dull and it was obvious this was a training gym. This was where the family would come and learn how to kill all the creatures that haunted the night.

He took one of the knives off the wall and held it in his hand. It felt wrong sitting there in his palm. He wasn’t supposed to use human weapons. It was a nice knife however. With a decorated silver hilt and a shining polished blade. Not one that would be found in just any store. This was one that had been made and passed down through generations and generations of hunters.

This one could belong to Katherine for all he knew. This dull training blade.

That was all that was in this basement. He hurried out, not wanting to stay there any longer than he had to. That was not a place where he would be spending anymore of his time. This was sure.

Reaching upstairs again he heard someone padding softly down the stairs.

He hurried up and shut the basement door quietly.

Turning the corner back into the main room he saw a figure walking through looking around.

“Katherine?” He said seeing her red catch in the moonlight.

She looked over at him and he saw her face was contorted in confusion. She walked over to him and her brown eyes were full of questions and she looked so confused.

He smiled at her “What’s wrong?”

“Who are you?” She whispered “Is there something you aren’t telling me?”

This time it was his turn to be confused, “What... What are you talking about?”

“I keep having these dreams... I don’t know if they mean anything or not but... Well you are always in them and so am I but, I am not really... Myself...” Katherine explained; her mouth turning into a frown. She looked liked a lost puppy, her brown eyes wide and almost fearful.

While he looked at her excitement welled up inside him, but he let none sneak through. Her finding out could either turn her against him or make her trust him more. Either way there was no way to tell how she would react.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about Katherine.”

“I think you do. I think you know exactly what I am talking about.” She said coming closer that she was just below his chin, “Do you want to know why? Because I think these dreams I’m having have are not dreams. I think these are visions.”

“Of what?”

“My past.”

Gabriel had to do his best not to grab her and hug her. She was remembering! Or somewhat, she thought she was remembering something. “What do you mean by that?”

Katherine shook her head “I don’t know. I’m so confused, I just don’t know anymore!!”

He pulled her into a hug as she began to shake and he stroked her hair. She shook against him and he heard the sobs “What is happening to me?”

“Nothing, you are just fine.” He whispered comfortingly.
 
She pulled away after awhile and wiped her eyes rapidly “I’m sorry... I guess I’m just tired. It’s been a long day.”

He nodded “I get it.”

“Okay... Well I’m going back to bed. See you in the morning.”

He watched her walk away and sighed. This was going to take a lot longer than it should have.