Crimson

Chapter Three

The next day, it was a Monday and Raven was to return to school. She still remembered the messages on the bridge.  The words written in response still chilled her to the bone. She had continued to write messages on the bridge, and in return, as she turned her back, a reply would appear and the chalk would have moved places. It wasn’t even that, that scared her most. She’d recovered from the initial shock after a while, but that’s not to say she was perfectly normal with it. But as I was saying, it wasn’t the actual conversation. It was the end of it.

Not that this hasn’t been an interesting conversation, but I have to get home now. And if you don’t mind me asking, who exactly are you?

Don’t worry. I’ll be there. And as for whom I am…

Yes?

It doesn’t matter. Though, you may say, what I am does.

And what are you?

Have you not realised yet? My, my, you are naïve.

Can’t you just stop with all the riddles and the insults and tell me, for once?

Okay.

So… what are you?

Dead.

She thought all of this through as dawdled on her way to school, which was the next village along. It forced her to trek through the English country side between the two villages, every morning. Raven heard loud hoots and shouts as an open-roofed blue Cadillac pulled up next to her. Not bothering to look up, Raven was surprised when she heard her name called from the car.

“Hey Raven! You’re looking a little glum, fancy a ride?”. It was Luke Hetten. Blue eyes, blonde haired. Classic douchebag. Player. Complete prick. All that cliché shit. Raven hated him, with every shred of her being. It was just that simple. Ever since his hormones had kicked in, he had been after Raven. That’s while he dated girls, cheated, dumped them, and rose to the top of the food chain in their school. He didn’t even try to conceal his lust for her.

Raven hated him almost as much as she hated clichés.

She gave an aggravated sigh and spun around to face him, in his fancy car.

“Luke.  We’ve been through this, I’ve told you over and over again. I don’t want a ride from you. Actually, I don’t want anything from you” Raven hissed, annoyed at him. Her silver eyes flared with a deep fire.

What she wasn’t expecting, however, was for Luke to hiss in return, quite literally, as his bright crystal blue eyes diminished to a deep shade of blood-like red.

Raven couldn’t help it; she screamed. She couldn’t see past the pure fear in her mind as Luke jumped out of the car, stalking towards her in a predator-like fashion.

What the heck’s going on?! Was the only thought running through her head as she froze, paralyzed with fear. She’d seen weird things, scary things (like the… ghost… on the bridge) before, but she had no preparation for that. It’s not everyday someone you completely hate just sprouts bright freaking scarlet eyes.

There was the sound of thunder rumbling and a sudden streak of powerful went lightning striking across the sky. The trees swayed as if blown by a huge burst of wind. Colossal black and grey storm clouds rolled across the sky to cover the previously blazing orange sun.

There was a windswept shout, saying something Raven couldn’t catch, and then sound of some sort of huge wing beats, before a crash sounded behind her and long, powerful arms drew her back.

The arms released her, and she spun to see Adrian; but with a pair of huge, white, feathered wings spouting from his back. Instead of the homely brow eyes she knew, he had deep, golden orbs, like the afternoon sun. But his messy pitch black hair was still the same; scruffy as heck, and blowing in every direction because of the wind.

“Keep back, daemon!” Adrian almost roared at Luke, pushing Raven behind him, shielding her from Luke’s view and the now pouring rain with his massive, beautiful wings.

Luke snarled, long, sharp yellow teeth producing from his mouth and sharp, dagger-like claws (or were they talons) tearing through where the tips of his fingers used to be. His skin blackened and charred until it was a shade of dark ashy grey all over, apart from his face, which was a shade of grey so dark it was almost black. Out of his head grew two long, twisted horns that resembled those of a ram. His normally blonde hair faded to a plain grey. Gnarled, bat-like wings spouted from his back.

When his whole… transformation… was over, he licked his smirking lips with a long, snake-like red tongue. “You can’t protect her forever, child” and then he grinned wildly and shot into the stormy sky, surprisingly fast on his twisted wings.

And Raven, not for the first time, or the last, passed out stone cold.

 _____

Later.

 

When Raven awoke, she was on a long balcony and she had a perfect view of the now-setting sun. She vaguely remembered something about a balcony from Mit, but she couldn’t remember exactly what he had been saying at the time.

And then, it all snapped back to her. Her brother’s death, the bridge, the messages, a blue Cadillac, red-eyed Luke…  Adrian!

Raven’s head snapped around and, just as she had suspected, perched on the edge of the balcony was Adrian, wings and all. She gasped and Adrian’s head snapped up, his now calmer golden eyes clashing with her moon-like silver.

“How... what?” She almost stuttered, confused tone matching the shocked expression on her face.

Adrian scuffed the toes of his shoes together. “That was Adrian… in his… less attractive… form. Basically… he’s a demon”.

Raven gaped, unable to take all of it in. She blinked a couple of times, pushing all thoughts of Luke out her head for a little while. Clearing her throat, she questioned Adrian again.

“What about… what about you?”

Adrian laughed nervously.

“Well” He began sheepishly, “I’m kind… sort of… well, um, an… angel?” He sounded almost like he was questioning himself. He started up again. “I mean, fallen, or I’d be, you know, up there, but-” He cut himself off as Raven reached out to brush her finger along his white feathered wings. They were as soft as her cat’s fur. Adrian jumped out his skin, very almost falling off the balcony. He stared as her hand wide eyed for a moment, before laughing awkwardly and shaking his wings out, a bit like a dog would it’s coat. He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly as she spoke.

“Oh wow… you really are an angel”. Adrian responded with nothing more than an offended look and a laugh.

 

_________________________________________________________

 

Author here! I jus wanted to say, thanks loads for reading. I’m sitting with my cockatiel and listening to Rihanna while typing this, so excuse me for the oddness. I really wanted to put ‘Well, that escalated quickly’ after the part about Luke’s eyes. But hey, how was I meant to fit that in with it still making the slightest shred of sense? The answer is I couldn’t have. Well, maybe you, random reader, could? I’ll happily dedicate a chapter to anyone who can make me laugh. Well, I intend to stop being random and just let you leave now… well, you could leave anytime you wanted. I couldn’t stop you if I wanted to. But really, bye now! Thank you ever so much for reading, amazing random person. -Author.