The Basil Children

Chapter Three

Tess grasped Paris' hand and began to sprint. Paris quickly grabbed Delilah, who gripped Winston's arm tightly. The four were running, but the world seemed to crumble behind them, as though they were going too fast for regular human comprehension.

When they stopped to get their bearings, Paris realized she was in New York City. In her six human years of life, she had never witnessed New York City in all its splendor.

"Jesus that's a lot of noise!" She exclaimed. Taxicabs, buses, and off-duty police cars were all honking and screaming at each other.

"That's not even the half of it." Tess smiled at her. Paris was staring, open-mouthed, at apartment buildings that seemed to literally scrape the clouds.

Tess grabbed her hand again. "Come on, we have a schedule to keep."

Delilah and Winston were barely following, like nervous puppies straggling behind.

Tess led them down the glimmering street lined with apartment buildings and businesses that looked as if they were made entirely made of glass. Tess pulled them into one of the skyscrapers. They walked into the lobby, clearly out of place among rich business owners and Broadway actors.

"We need to go up to the penthouse please, our friend lives there." Tess spoke smoothly to the receptionist over the gold-painted counter.

"One moment miss." She replied, smiling a bright smile that Tess graciously returned. Tess let go of Paris's hand awkwardly, dropping hers to the side. Paris stuck her hand into her bag, trying to find her cigarettes.

"Looking for these?" Tess asked, taunting. In her hand she held the cigarettes.

"Would you stop that? It's freaking me out." Paris told her, snatching the pack from her.

Tess gestured just behind her. "I don't think you're allowed to smoke in here, though."

Paris spun around and noticed the no smoking sign. She shoved them back in her bag angrily.

The receptionist interrupted, "Here is the key to the elevator. You're going to need one to get to the penthouse."

Tess thanked her, winked, and walked across the lavishly carpeted lobby to the silvery elevator, waving at Paris, Delilah, and Winston to follow her. They stepped into the lift, and Tess inserted the key into the lock.

---

As the four angels walked briskly down the corridor after they got out of the shiny elevator, Tess whispered to Paris, "It doesn't seem like Delilah is very heroic to me..."

Paris simply ignored her and continued walking down the extravagant hallway. Winston and Delilah were murmuring to each other, Delilah fretting over leaving her bass back at the school, and Winston was reassuring her they'd get it back.

They came upon pair of glimmering double doors, hearing Beethoven through the walls. When the piano playing seemed to stop, Tess reached out her hand.

Knock... Knock... Knock...

---

A girl with flaming hair opened the door.

"Who are you?" She asked the group.

"We are fallen angels." Paris replied in the same tone.

Tess looked at Paris with a mixture of admiration and awe, and said to the girl without releasing her gaze from Paris, "We need your help to save the world."

The girl froze.

"What did you say?"

"I said, we need your help to save the world." Tess said plainly.

"My name is Tess. That is Paris, Delilah, and Winston. We are all fallen angels, and you are one of us." Tess explained, seeming to know what the girl's next question would be.

"I'm Candace." The girl answered.

"You don't have to trust us, Candace, but you should come with us." Tess said to her.

Paris was nodding just behind Tess's back, agreeing.

Candace simply stared at the odd group, befuddled.

Finally, she broke out of her stupor and gave them an answer.

"I will come."

---

The group strolled through a suburban paradise in the dark, the only light coming from the stars shining up above their heads. Tess stopped in front of a plain, one-story, symmetrical house. The drapes were drawn tightly and no light shined through the windows.

Tess turned around to face the other angels.

"Here's the plan." She said sternly. "We need to get to that house." She pointed to the boring, suburbia-oriented home in front of them. "Then, we need to convince number six and seven to come with us. After that, I'll show you where you'll be living from now on."

"What?" Paris asked, dumbfounded. "You never said we were going to leave our homes forever."

"Oh, it was in the terms and conditions. Nobody ever reads them though." Tess smirked.

The group frowned. Tess led them down the winding concrete path, and came to a halt abruptly at the door.

"Listen." Tess whispered. "Paris, I need you to walk around to the back of the house. Second window. Wait till the light switches on, then knock on the pane three times for me please. When he comes to the window, whistle."

Paris nodded and jogged around the corner.

"The rest of you, stay in the bushes until I say so."

"Why?" Candace asked under her breath.

"Jesus, could you just take orders?" Tess sneered.

---

Paris's face was bathed with golden light as someone switched on the lamp inside the bedroom. She straightened up from her crouch, and lifted her fist to the window.

Knock... Knock... Knock...

A boy with orange locks ran to the window, white as a sheet. He opened the window slowly, not breaking his gaze with Paris.

"Jeez! I'm sorry, I must have given you a terrible scare!" Paris mockingly apologised. The boy smiled.

"My name is Paris. What's yours?" She asked, puckering her lips to whistle. A shrill sound echoed down the street as she did, and the boy covered his oversized ears.

"My name is James!" He hollered as Tess came dashing around the corner. "Who are you?" He asked the figure coming around the corner.

"I'm Tess." She said. James looked at her disapprovingly, as though scolding her of something.

"We're fallen angels."