A Banded Escape

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

Stacey laid in that spot on the floor, broken. She had long since stopped bleeding but she hoped that the blood would start up again and cause her to bleed out so she could escape this world.

Her promise to Abby rang in her mind and she hated herself for making a promise she could not keep. She was fresh out of tears by now. Now all she wanted to do was sleep; and that's what she did.

Cool hands touched her face where Luise's had burned her before. She welcomed the cool sensation imagining it was death welcoming her, taking what was left of her broken soul to the world of the damned. That's what she was, damned. She had made a covenant with the devil and did not deserve any better treatment than a mass murderer.

"Stacey?" A feminine voice called out to her. Funny, she had always imagined death as a male.

"Stacey? Are you with me?" She questioned.

Stacey opened her eyes to see Luise kneeled at her side with her hands on her face. "Oh thank goodness you're alive!" Luise chirped. "I thought we might have to do this on our own."

The young woman looked up at the afore mentioned with confusion. "Who's 'we'?" She asked as she rose up, propped on her elbows.

Luise gave her a warm smile. "Take a look." She said with a motherly tone as she pointed to the front door.

Stacey turned slowly in the direction of the front door imagining a thousand people that could be there but who stood, braced against the frame was far from the ones on her list. Her breath caught in her throat before being pushed out but a watery laugh. She covered her mouth as hot tears spilled down her face once again. She scrambled to her feet and slammed into the man's side, squeezing him tightly. "Dad." She whispered. She grabbed hold of his face, unable to believe she could actually feel him, hold him. "Dad, is it really you?"

The older man chuckled and pulled his daughter close. "Yes, it's really me."

"But you died." Stacey murmured into his chest.

"That is true," He said. "But Luise came and got me. She said you could use an extra push."

Stacey turned to the petite woman. "How?"

"I'm a fallen angel." Luise began. "We are the people who are too good for the devil but too bad for God. We wander the earth stopping good individuals from falling into the devil's trap. But that's all I have time to say. We're running out of time. Lucinda is probably starting the gate opening ritual now. If we don't get a move on we'll never get to her in time."

Stacey pulled away from her father and walked over to Luise with watery eyes. "But Luise, how can I stop her when I'm just as bad?"

Luise squeezed her shoulder. "Stacey, you're not an evil person like Lucinda is." Luise assured her. "You were only overcome with temptation. The fact that you got a hold of yourself and got Lucinda out of you shows you have as much good will as an angel."

The two hugged quickly. Stacey wiped a few stray tears from her face and asked, "So where are we supposed to find her? Is there like some sacred area that rituals like these are conducted?"

"Something like that." Luise said as she led the other two outside into the middle of the street. "Lucinda is going to complete the ritual wherever she first made contact with the devil's queen, aka you. Now think, where was it that Lucinda first touched you?"

Stacey thought over everything that had happened over the past few months. "The bathroom in Game Town's main arcade." She answered. "I found her talking to Abby and she had grabbed my hand. I had felt this weird current go through me that nearly knocked me out. What was that?"