Demon Hunters: Book 1 Faith [editing]

Chapter 57

Mason's phone buzzed again. He groaned and buried his head into the pillow. He had fallen asleep in his clothes last night. At least this time, he remembered to take off his shoes. He actually couldn't remember logging off of the game and making it into the bed.

The phone buzzed once more. He reached out blindly to the nightstand and fished around for the device.

Riley: Are you awake?

Riley: Have you ordered carnations for Zoe? Today is the last day.

Riley: What message are you going to give her?

Riley: Mason, wake up. Stop playing video games all night!

He hadn't ordered the carnations yet. No, he hadn't considered what message to leave her. Honestly, now that she agreed to be his date for the dance, he wasn't sure what to do next.

Mason yawned. It's not a video game.  Deadshot Demolition Derby is the most popular multiplayer online game. It's so much more demanding than any regular video game. His 3D squad almost completed their mission—to invade the enemy compound and retrieve the secret access codes. Almost.

Mason: Thanx

It wasn't until he set the phone down that he noticed the time. 7:16 a.m. "Oh, no." He jumped out of bed and peeled off his shirt. "Vicky!" he yelled. "We're running late." He ransacked the dresser for any clean shirt he could find and a pair of socks. "You better be up."

He rushed into the hallway bathroom and quickly brushed his teeth and poured a cupful of water over his hair. He jabbed the comb across his scalp and toweled off the excess water. He dabbed some deodorant under each arm and sprinted into Vicky's room.

"Are you ready?" He heard the water running in the bathroom. Vicky's room, which originally had been the guest room, had an attached bathroom. He approached the door. "Vicky?"

"In a minute."

"Okay." He had to get to school and order spirit flowers for Zoe. He was going to get her three flowers. They would be delivered on Friday morning. Every girl wanted to get flowers. Even some guys got flowers.

He sat at Vicky's desk. Why do girls take so long to get ready? And she's only seven. The display on his phone reported the time as 7:27.

A series of drawings, some done in colored pencil and others in markers, lay spread out on the desk in front of him. They all depicted the same girl—one with brown eyes and dark hair. Most of the drawings were fuzzy, but a few of the penciled images showed the girl's features. She looked like Zoe. But what's this white shield behind her?

He rummaged through the other images. Wings. Vicky had labeled one of the portraits, "My Guardian Angel."

The bathroom door swung open. "I'm ready," Vicky announced.

"Are you wearing makeup?"

"Of course." She put on her sweater and grabbed her pink backpack.

"But you're only seven." He didn't want to tell her that the makeup had been a little on the overkill side.

"All the girls wear it."

Mason's phone buzzed again.

Riley: You get the flowers yet?

Shoot. 7:34. "We got to go now. We're late." He took Vicky's wrist and dragged her out of the room. 

Mason barely found parking in the student lot and sprinted into the school. A line had formed at the front of a table where members of the student council handed out order forms. "Put your message here. Spirit flowers are two dollars each."

What message was he going to leave? Thanks for going to the dance with... Too desperate. Have a great day... Too bland. He wanted something different. Something that would get her attention.

He inched closer in the line. He retrieved his wallet and scavenged for cash. That's when he saw the note that Diego's grandmother left for him. He read it a few times before, but couldn't make sense of it. "Think beyond the shadowy image of the future. Trust in the heart." Something about that phrase spoke to him at that moment. It's different. Zoe will like that.

He wrote her name, Zoe Andel, on the form and put down Mrs. Willow as her homeroom teacher. He chose two red carnations and one white. Finally, he copied the exact message that was on the note, adding "Your friend, Mason."