Hell's Angel

Chapter 47: When Nightmares Become Reality

SALEM

Pieces of ash float around the dark sky and a few land in Aella's hair. My eyes take in my surroundings and I notice how Aella is hovering over me, calling out to me, saying my name, and something about the situation seems oddly familiar. My ears continue to ring until finally the ringing slowly goes away and I can hear her as she's yelling for me and shaking me. Her emerald eyes search mine and slight relief fills them when she realizes that I'm okay.

"What's going on?" I ask, "Where are we?"

"Come on, we have to go!" She shouts and grabs my hand, "Whenever we went through the portal something went wrong and there was a giant blast. We all got separated from each other."

She pulls me up and leads me through the ash covered woods and closer to the burning city. I glance upwards and notice how the sky looks like it's stained with the color of blood, smoke blacks, and shades of oranges. A flash goes off and the oranges turn into yellows for a few seconds while a loud rumble follows until the flash dies down. Is this really what my home looks like?

"Where are we going?" I ask her.

"We have to get you to safety, you're all that matters!" She shouts over another loud rumble.

I frown slightly and stare at her back with confliction. Her wings ruffle and panic fills me as I realize that this is from my dream that I had a while ago. My chest tightens and I find it beginning to be harder to breathe as she leads me to the city.

We enter the city full of burning buildings and the fires reflect off of some of the shiny pieces of metal on them. We walk past ruined cars, cracked sidewalks, flickering street lights, and swaying telephone lines. She leads me to an area where there's barely any rubble, but we're mainly surrounded by buildings and a parking garage, except for in front of us and behind us. She turns to face me and looks me in the eyes, hers burning with determination, but in need of hope. It's as if she knows something that I don't, and it bothers me, because it feels ominous, but I think I do know what she's thinking now that I've seen this before. I just don't like it.

"Okay," She starts, "You need to get out of this city. We had to walk through it in the first place because the palace is on the other side and that's where Evangeline and your father are. We can't get there without being spotted by going around, so we had to come this way. Otherwise I would've taken you through the woods or flown you over. I want you to run, run until --"

"I'm not leaving you," I shake my head.

"Now isn't the time to act all courageous, Salem," Amusement shines in her eyes but she frowns, "You need to get out of here."

"But I can't just leave you here!" I shout.

"Shh," She shushes me and glances around, "Not so loud, but yes you can. Just go, run and don't look back, it's simple."

"It isn't that simple because I don't --"

"Salem," Sadness fills her eyes and she grabs both of my hands and holds them in hers, "Please. Go."

A few more pieces of ash float down from the sky and another blast goes off in the distance. I stand there, knowing what will happen to her if I don't make up my mind quickly, and more panic fills me.

"I--"

"Salem!" She cuts me off, her eyes widening, "Look out!"

She tries to push me out of the way, but I tackle her to the ground and the assailant flies by us both, their glowing white saber barely missing us both. My eyes widen in surprise as I stare into Aella's eyes and realize that I just prevented her death. Did I just...does this mean that she'll be okay now?