When the Angels Fell

Chapter 15: A New Face

The beeping of the alarm clock seemed deafeningly loud to Abigail’s sensitive ears as it shook her awake. Groaning audibly, she reached across to hit the off switch. Instead, her half-hearted attempt only succeeded in knocking the clock onto the floor.

‘Goddamned piece of-‘

Reluctantly leaving the warmth of her bed, Abigail let her feet touch the carpet and stood immobile for several long seconds. Finally summoning the energy to move properly, she reached down and picked up the still-beeping alarm clock. Several hard bangs on the top silenced its infernal noise and with a relieved sigh Abigail returned it to the windowsill.

Choosing to leave the curtains closed on account of her tired eyes, she quickly retrieved a t-shirt, red in place of her usual black, and a pair of light blue jeans. The tantalising smell of fried bacon drifting in from under the door convinced her to leave her hair in its messed-up state and make her way downstairs.

‘You’ve dressed very bright today,’ her dad remarked with a half smile as she appeared in the kitchen.

‘I’ve seen enough black to last a lifetime,’ Abigail replied, sitting at the table and pulling her food towards her.

‘Now there’s something I never thought I would hear my daughter say,’ her dad laughed, his face splitting into a genuine smile.

The food gave Abigail the required energy to sort her hair out, retrieve her bag from the chaos of her room and walk the short distance to her dad’s car. Once more, the drive through the crowded streets took place in silence. Her dad kept the doors locked once they reached the school, giving Abigail pause.

‘Something wrong?’

‘Try and forget,’ he said, turning to face her. ‘It’s better that way’

‘Ok…I’ll try’

‘Go on then’

The doors unlocked with a soft click and Abigail stepped from the heated interior of the car to the chill of a city gripped in the icy talon of winter. She shivered reflexively and pulled her coat tighter. She had almost reached the school when her dad’s voice stopped her.

‘One more thing’

‘Yeah?’

‘No fighting’

Abigail nodded and walked up the long gravel to path to the (thankfully) warm admin block. The receptionist she had met on the first day was gone, replaced by a flame-haired woman. The face that looked up at her seemed familiar, yet the identity remained frustratingly out of reach.

‘Abigail,’ she said, greeting her with a cold smile that failed to reach her green eyes. ‘Have a good day, won’t you?’

‘Erm…sure,’ Abigail replied hesitantly, suddenly wanting to get as far away as possible. She had just reached the door leading to the inner courtyard when the elusive identity clicked.

Oh shit

Morwena