Dark Angel

Chapter 5

As I pulled my car up behind Melika's, I examined the neighborhood. New Orleans east a somewhat forgotten neighborhood after Katrina as well, nothing really came back but the people and those people had to fight to get the simplest of necessities back here. I used to spend many a days running these streets and enjoying the company of my aunt and that good ass southern style cooking. I felt a smirk come across my face as the memories flooded my mind; I missed that shit. When my moms got sick, it was Aunty who took us in and took care of us, so in my eyes, this house was home. The rotten wooded fence wrapped around the house, exactly how it did when I was a kid.

As I exited the car I felt a smile spread across my face, I felt the wind wrap around me to welcome me back to the neighborhood and whispered in my ear that I have been missed. The feeling of warmth followed as I walked up to the front door and the smell of sweet candles and food flowed right through it. My heart swelled at the good memories that flooded my mind and the smile I was wearing spread even more. Before I could raise my hand to ring the doorbell it flew open and I was met with a face that I hadn't seen in ten years. Strangely though, a smile was plastered on the face of the person I hadn't laid eyes on in ages. Love and longing was laced in her eyes as she reached out her arms to hug me, words need not be exchanged as I embraced and inhaled her scent.

If a warm cool breeze had a smell, her scent would be it.

Her hug was everything and it truly felt like home and her embrace was something that I felt like I was missing in my life. She released me from our embrace and took a look at me as tears swelled up in her eyes. I know that she was hurting, I felt it and this hurt was not because I just stopped coming around but because I know that I completely turned my back on her. It was strange with my aunt, my feelings towards her. I felt like I had a stronger connection towards her than my own mother, but with everything that happened, I had to choose my mother over her.

Her hand rested on my face as one tear drop finally fell, "I've missed you, my boy,"she finally spoke in a raspy voice. I hadn't realized it but I longed to hear that voice, I think my soul needed to hear it. For so many years, it was my aunt who kept me sane and in tact. Her words of wisdom as constant reminders of who I was destined to be kept me out of the street life for a little while.  I bit my lip as I felt the same emotions start to take over me; I stared in her eyes unable to form words but I knew that she knew how I felt, if anything, I knew she felt how I felt.

"We can talk about that another time, I know you're here for a different reason," she said now patting my face. She grabbed my hand and guided me into the house. The smell of cooked herbs hit my nose with a vengeance and made my eyes water as soon as I crossed the door seal. I don't know if it was the smell but in an instant, I felt my head get cloudy and woozy. My vision blurred and my breathing became ragged and that burning sensation on my stomach came back with a vengeance. I felt myself tighten the grip on my aunts hand as I felt her stop.

"Amarachi," I heard Malika's worried voice say in the distance. I heard footsteps approach

"Stay back," I heard my aunt say in a stern voice. I didn't know if she was talking to me or Malika but the footsteps ceased and so did I; I stopped moving and the burning sensation continued and the breath that I was meant to release got stuck in my throat. I felt my body fall to my knees as I closed my eyes. That creepy laughter came into my mind.

"They know he's here," I heard my aunt say in the distance, " stay back Malika."

"They?" I heard the worry in her voice, the petrified tremble in her tone gave her away.

"Fight them Neve," I heard my aunt say as she grabbed my wrist . Words could not explain the electricity and fire that shot through me as soon as our hands touched. The touch of her hand around my wrist  burned, it was as if hot coals were placed on my skin and set on fire. I tried to pull away because the pain was unbearable and her touch was killing me but my efforts were weak. I found that I did not have the strength to pull away as I felt sweat moisten my forehead. The questions started to run though my head, "what the fuck is going on?" I felt my eyes roll to the back of my head as I felt a hand wrap around my wrist, the power surge that went through my body brought me back to reality or what I thought was reality.