Shooting Star // Eternalian Chronicles Book 1

19) .Cold and Alone.

(Edited)

.Flesh and Stone.

~Catherine Wood~

The crack in Amelia's wall, the one she had told me about many times, it was here, waiting. I could feel the pull, the constant call. I seemed to never be without it. It just took me a while to realize it. Now that I did, the call came louder.

My memory was fine. Though the fear of the angels still haunted me, I was strong, and not afraid of death any longer. I knew I could face them again without a panic attack. I don't know what gave me that burst of courage that I needed, but I liked it, and embraced it.

Amelia, on the other hand, was dying. At first, I didn't know why, but when I looked at her, I saw the reflection of the angel growing brighter, stronger. I knew she looked at the angel in the eye, but what did it mean?

"Right. Amy, Amy, Amy," the Doctor chanted, pacing back and forth. "What's the matter with Amelia? Something's in her eye. What does that mean? Does it mean anything?"

My head raised, finally realizing something. "Doctor!" I called.

He waved a dismissive hand. "Busy!"

"Doctor, listen!"

He turned his eyes to me, looking slightly annoyed.

"The image becomes."

"Yes I get it," he responded. "The image of an Angel is an Angel. So what?"

"We watched an Angel climb out of the screen. She stared at the Angel in the eyes while I stared at its legs and, and a living mental image went in a living human mind. But we stare at them to stop them getting closer, right? We don't even blink, and that is exactly what they want. Because as long as our eyes are open, they can climb inside. There's an Angel in her mind!" It made so much sense! Why didn't I realize it before?

The Doctor slapped his forehead again in understanding. "Of course! I'm thick, aren't I?"

"Three," Amelia groaned. "Doctor, it's coming. I can feel it. I'm going to die. Doctor, what's happening to me? Explain."

"Inside your head," he started. "In the vision centres of your brain, there's an Angel. It's like there's a screen, a virtual screen inside your mind and the Angel is climbing out of it, and it's coming to shut you off."

"What do I do?"

"If it was a real screen," River continued, making me jump (I had forgotten she was there), "what would we do? We'd pull the plug. We'd kill the power. But we can't just knock her out, the Angel would just take over."

"So we do the next best thing," I finished. "We kill the lights." I leaned over, meeting Amelia's gaze. "Amelia, close your eyes."

"No. No," she groaned. "I don't want to."

"Good," the Doctor said, bending down at my side. "Because that's not you, that's the Angel inside you. It's afraid. Do it. Close your eyes."

Amelia squeezed her eyes shut, almost in a way as if it hurt her.

"She's normalising," River exclaimed with a sigh of relief. I stood and she wrapped her arms around me. "Oh, you did it. You did it!"

I smiled and pulled away. I guess I did do it.

"Sir!" One of the soldiers called to Father Octavian. "Two more incoming!"

"Three more over here!" Another one said.

"Still weak," River told us. "Dangerous to move her."

"So, can I open my eyes now?" Amelia asked, hopeful.