War from Under the Bed

Into the Belly of the Beast

Two days have passed since the attack and Sadie still didn't seem to have to strength to do anything other than exist. Everything was a chore...she just wanted to lay on the pad and think of nothing. No amount of encouragement was enough to get her to want to do anything else.

"Jack needs our help..." Pang's voice cut through the haze. Sadie looked up from her untouched food.

"Jack..." Sadie said and the name brought back unpleasant memories she didn't want to remember. Henry fighting for his life in a sea of bodies...Jack being torn from her as they flew away...so many angels dead. She whimpered, trying to shut her eyes and forget them. She didn't want anymore...no more!

"Popi, Popi be gentle," Sam warned as the angels approached, Popi's magic roaring with impatience and Sam's flickering with hesitation.

"I've been gentle for the past two days Sam!"

"She's in a lot of pain."

"We have no time for pain, we're in the middle of a war that we're slowly losing!"

"SHUT UP!" Sadie cried, throwing her food at nothing, "JUST SHUT UP!" Her locket grew warm and she wished she could just throw it away. She didn't want to be the savior anymore!

Popi's face was thrust into hers, a fierce glare on it, "Stop your grumbling and get up! You have a job to do!"

"I don't want to do it anymore! Find someone else!" Sadie roared, her emotions a twisted thing that she didn't even recognize. Courage fluttered but she ignored them. She didn't care! "I don't care if the monsters take over! Let them have this stupid place, I DON'T CARE!!!"

Popi grabbed her shirt and shook her, "Listen to yourself! This is earth we're talking about! Do you want Pang to get taken too?! Are you abandoning Jack?!!"

Sadie tried to shake out of Popi's grip, kicking her, "Let go! If YOU want to save it so badly do it yourself!"

"I can't!!"

Sadie tore the locket off her neck and thrust it in the angel's face, "TAKE IT!!! TAKE IT!!! I DON'T CARE!!!" She screamed and struggled, but Popi's hold was strong. She tried to throw the locket, but she couldn't let go of the chain. Why was this happening? Why?! Her hands turned to ooze as she continued to struggle, but her hands refused to drop the locket that tied her to this cursed fate. Frustrated tears strung her eyes and she stopped struggling, sinking to the floor in a heap of defeat. She didn't even have to strength to wail as she sat there, tears streaming from her face in a mixture of anger and grief. "...please...I can't..." Popi let her shirt go and the silence only made her feel worse. Someone took the locket and put it back around her neck.

"Why not."

"...My family...they're all...gone..."

The harsh truth was harder to accept now that it was out in the open. It made the grief she felt heavier. Even if she won this war...she didn't have anyone to go back to. She was all alone...

"So is mine," Pang's quiet voice brought her back to reality. The young girl put a hand on her arm and the locket around her neck blaze with magic. Sadie let out a small sob and buried herself in Pang's hug. The warmth soothed her pain and helped her stop the tears. Courage pulsed once more and finally spoke.

"I'm sorry...but Henry wouldn't want you to give up." Those words helped her to pulled out of the warmth and wipe her face dry. No one moved as she breathed. Sadie sighed and ran a hand along Henry's orb that sat nearby.

She can grief later. Right now, she had a friend to save.

"For Henry," Sadie said and stood, magic flowing from her hands, "Let's go take down the monsters."