Number 666

Number 666 Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"You think he's ok?"

I had turned to Uri. Uri ignored me. He was just sitting there. Right next to him though was the boy Chamuel. The others had gone to taken Raphael into a private office. Maybe they were trying to keep us apart. I wasn't sure really. Maybe they didn't trust me around him. Hell after what had just happened I wasn't sure if I trusted myself.

I had made ripped at Raphael, tearing his clothes off of him. I had torn his flesh off of him. I had done all of this without even touching him.

"He'll be fine," Chamuel replied, "He's Raphael after all."

"What's that mean?"

"Raphael is the healer of God. He can heal himself. He'll snap back in no time."

"Thank God."

"I guess you do believe in him after all? Huh?" Chamuel stated.

I hadn't even noticed I said that. Uri had even looked up at me finally. He was looking at me differently. I wondered what he was thinking. I felt like shit over attacking Raphael like that but what made me feel so much like shit was the fact that Uri wasn't running to my side and making me feel better. It just seemed like something Uri would do. Instead of doing that Uri just leaned back in his chair. He flexed his muscles contributing to the tense feeling in the air.

"It's just a saying," I told Chamuel.

"Sure you right," Chamuel replied, "Man. Regardless. That was cool as fuck. Let's trade."

"Trade?"

"Trade abilities. I take the sword and you take the third eye..."

Sword?

"He already has the third eye," a voice said.

I realized at this moment the others had joined us. They had walked out of Rag's office and it was Rag who was leading them out of there. The looks that I got from Gabby was nothing funny. She was literally grimacing at me. I was shocked by it. As they walked over to where I was sitting I noticed Raphael was there as well.

I stared at him. Cham was right. He had completely healed. All except his clothing of course. His body was smooth. No cuts. Raphael had wrapped a his winter coat around his waist and it was barely doing it's job of concealing him. I was sure he was naked under there. I had to admit at first I was surveying his body to see if he was ok but after a minute I was just being thirsty. Raphael was sexy. His deep Italian tan seemed to depict every cut in his muscles. It outlined every curve. Raphael had a broad, toned chest. He had a strong, powerful neck. My eyes crept down to his abdomen. It was well defined. Everything had cuts in it. This boy definitely spent some time in the gym and it showed off.

He must have noticed me staring at him because he walked behind one of the desks and took a seat concealing his body. I was kind of glad he did because it was hard to focus with half-naked man walking around.

"Look man. I'm sorry about that," I told him.

Raphael ignored me. It was Gabriel who looked over at Rag, "He's out of control.

Rag nodded, "I know. Still you guys assumed he wasn't from the Archangel Michael. I guess no one doubts that."

"Not with that sword flying around," Cham stated.

"What sword?" Gabriel asked.

Cham pointed at his forehead, "I saw it. I saw it with my third eye. It was a sword with blue flames. I didn't see who was wielding it but someone was."

It explained the cuts.

Rag explained further though, "The archangel Michael carries a blue flaming sword that he uses to cut through etheric cords and protects us from Satan and negative entities."

"It sounds dangerous," Gabriel added in.

"It is no doubt," Rag replied, "Most of you have dominion over one thing but the archangel Michael had dominion over many things. I had no doubt it was only a matter of time before he sent visions to his son's third eye or he used the blue flaming sword to defend his son. He is a vengeful angel and a powerful one."

Cham looked over at me, "Ok. You got it. I'm jealous."

Rag shook his head, "Your third eye is much more focused Cham but Michael does have the gift. We'll need all the gifts the archangels give us. Especially now that the trumpet has sounded."

"What does that mean?"

"It means the war begins," Rag explained, "It means we must begin our assault against the dark natures of the storm. They are coming. The scars that mark the world...they are black. The blood that streams from the rain. They are red. And we are the white ones. We are the representatives of heaven. Whether you like it or not."

Rag was speaking in poetry. The others were listening as though his words were coming from some sort of prophet. I was confused by the moment. A string of curiosity I had to admit came through me but it was interrupted by a sense of fear and confusion about what I was getting involved in. I had this feeling like this was above me. I had this feeling that maybe they had made a mistake thinking I belonged among them.

I didn't believe.

I didn't believe in any of this.

They stayed quiet. Maybe they expected me to say something. Maybe they expected me to walk away. I noticed out of everyone Uriel. He was staring at me. The others probably wanted to but he was the one who stared. He was waiting for my response. Those eyes glared at me...brown deep and interested.

"I'm find it hard to believe what you're staying," I finally stated breaking the silence in the room.

"Before we fought minor representatives of the fallen," Rag explained, "Now we face something bigger. It's the first time we are all together. Will you come with us Michael? Will you come and at least see our enemy?"

Rag waited patiently.

Silence. I hated it. Why was Uri so willing to just jump into this? Why were the others so willing to fall into this? No one questioned it. Rag wasn't questioning anyone else. It was only me. I was the odd man out. Uri had come into this mess the same day as I was and somehow he had found a solution to dealing with it. He had found purpose here. He had found purpose that I didn't have. I wanted to see through Uri's eyes. I wanted to understand what his purpose was here. And that was what interested me the most about it.

That is why I stayed.

"Show me," I explained. If only to know why the others were so determined I wanted him to show me what they were determined against.

"Let's begin," Rag explained.

He had turned to Cham. At first Cham didn't even notice he was looking at him. It wasn't until Gabriel cleared her throat that Cham finally came to attention.

"Oh. Me. Right. Let's see. I need a pen. You know. Give me a pen someone. This 3rd eye is a little high maintenance if you know what I mean."

It was Uri who handed him a pen. Cham sat at one of the empty desks. We surrounded him. I was close to Uri without noticing it. I hated being close to him. I thought about moving away when I realized our arms brushing against one another but now it was too late. Everyone was so focused on Cham. Everyone was so silent and still that me moving now would just give away the fact that he still made me uncomfortable.

"What's happening?" I asked.

It was Ariel who answered me, "Cham is using his third eye to find the first battle. Each trumpet will be a major battle. You heard that first trumpet? That means our first enemy is here..."

"How many are there?"

"How many what?"

"Trumpets."

"Shh---" Cham stated at that moment, "I need silence. I have to focus g'damn it."

He definitely was high maintenance. What was he going to ask for next? Roses and a white trailer? I shut up though and focused like the others to what Cham was doing. He had his eyes closed. He had a pen in his left hand. He had a piece of paper in front of him. His eyes were just closed.

One minute passed and then five minutes passed.

"What? Do the angels have him on hold?" I asked.

Just as I said that and was so sure this was ridiculous Cham began to write. He began to write without even opening his eyes. The others gathered around the table and looked at what Cham wrote. I stood back. Maybe it was because Uri was one of the first ones to stand close to Cham.

"What does it say?" Ariel asked.

Cham hadn't answered. He had opened his eyes. He seemed as interested as the rest of us to know what he had written down.

"It's the first battle," Rag stated picking up the paper, "It will be at 3 am...Wednesday Morning."

I shook. It was Monday. So soon. It was happening so soon. By the look of things I almost immediately regretted telling them I would be participating in this. No one in the room seemed confident. Everyone was afraid and I figured they knew more than me so they had a reason to be afraid.

=======================================================================================================

"Do you think it was a good idea to invite Michael to this?" Gabriel asked.

It was the day after Cham had revealed where the first battle was. It was Tuesday night. It would only be a matter of hours before they would have the first battle. It was coming sooner than she thought it was and her nerves were getting the better of her. She didn't show it of course. Weakness wasn't something that she liked to show.

She had pushed up against the door to Rag's private office. She attempted to look cool at times. She had on her leather jacket and her wild hair. You would think she was a strong girl. Many times people even thought she was a lesbian because of her rough nature. She wasn't one though. She was raised around boys. It was always important for her to be strong.

Strength was the foundation for excellence. That was what her mom had always taught her.

"Come in," Rag replied, "Close the door behind you and have a seat."

She knew why he was talking like that. The others were outside. Everyone had come back the next day except Michael. She liked to think it would surprise her that Michael hadn't shown back up but it didn't surprise her.

"Scared someone might catch on to Michael."

"Scared no. There's nothing for them to catch," Rag explained, "You should be concerned about the upcoming battle and not Michael."

"I've fought the fallen before," she explained, "More than any of the others."

"This won't be like the others."

"And I've prepared for that," she explained, "Michael will slow us down. He doesn't know anything about his gifts. He doesn't spend time here like the others do. Uri is learning fast. Michael isn't learning at all."

"He'll be fine."

"Why do you have so much faith in him?" Gabriel explained, "He is sloppy. Did you see what he did Raphael? Michael is a...liability to us all. He'll end up getting us killed if he comes."

Liability. That was the best defense she could come up with. Gabriel wasn't much of a talker. She wasn't witty like Cham and she didn't have the understanding nature that even newcomer Uri had. She was rough around the edges. She spoke with her fists. It was her fists that she would depend on. Her fists and her allies. Michael wasn't an ally of hers.

"You didn't come up with this by yourself, did you?" Rag asked.

He was on to her.

"There is a consensus..."

Laughter followed.

"Consensus? What do you think this is? The Republican Primary?" Rag asked, "What does a consensus mean when Hell rises from the depths. Will you all get together and vote then?"

"No one voted. We all agreed. It was almost unanimous. No one believes that Michael should be there tonight. They sent me to tell you. They---no----we'd feel safer if Michael wasn't there with us."

"Almost you say?"

"What?"

"You said it was almost unanimous," he explained, "Meaning there are some who believe that Michael should stand with us."

Gabriel shook her head. She wasn't getting her point across. She had gathered with the others in the break area of the office space. They had talked almost an hour. Raphael was the one who should have been sent in here. Instead they decided to send Gabriel. She was never good with words. Give her an enemy. She'd take an enemy over diplomacy any day of the week.

"You aren't understanding where I'm coming from," Gabriel stated.

She was clutching her chair. She clutched the wood with such a strength that it began to crackle and break under her weight. It happened before. Strength was a gift if used wisely but at times it did become quite awkward.

"Who was it?"

"Most of us," Gabriel replied eagerly, "Most of us believe he shouldn't be with us g'dam it."

"No. That's not what I'm asking you. I'm asking you who feels like Michael should be with us?"

"Uri."

Rag seemed surprised. Gabriel felt at least that it must have been confusion that Rag was showing. Gabriel had been confused an hour ago when Uri went to bat defending Michael. This was Raphael's idea. Gabriel agreed with him of course. Ariel and Cham were of course weren't bothered by the situation and seemed indecisive either way. Either they didn't know or they didn't care enough. They had to be convinced and that had taken a little bit of time. Uri wasn't convinced though. Even to the last minutes Uri argued that Michael should have been there.

"How interesting is that?" Rag asked laughing a little bit.

"You aren't taking this serious Raguel?" Gabriel stated with a intense stare, "Do you understand what is at stake if we lose? Aren't you concerned?"

"I am very concerned but it may be a good thing," Rag explained, "Maybe it's a good thing that someone believes in Michael. Someone besides me. I think he needs it. You know? I think it may be important if someone believes in him? It won't hurt any would it?"

It would hurt. Gabriel wondered how she could explain this to Rag but words didn't come to mind. She had feelings for Uri. She hadn't known him long of course but Uri was getting increasingly interested in Michael. She could feel the awkward stares they shared with one another. She could feel the intensity in Uri when he spoke about Michael. If she wasn't careful Michael could lead Uri to a dark path.

"This isn't a charity case," was the best Gabriel could come up with, "And you aren't in our leader Rag. Overseer is not the same a leader."

Why hadn't Raphael done this meeting? Her words kept getting mixed up with one another. They came out sharper than she had meant them to come out. Raphael looked offended. Gabriel thought about apologizing. She had even opened her mouth to apologize but then she just stopped. Raphael wouldn't apologize. Gabriel had to show strength in more ways than one now.

Emotions was something that she could spare. She had to show strength. Strength was the only thing that mattered. She would apologize after she had saved them all.

"Fine. You can lead the first battle. I won't even show up," Rag explained, "It's on you."

"Rag..."

She had hurt his feelings. It was clear. She had gone too far.

"Is that all you wanted to speak to me about?" Rag asked her.

She got up at that moment.

She went to the door about to leave.

"I'll bring Michael," she finally broke down, "But if he gets in my way, don't be surprised if your angel doesn't return."

=======================================================================================================

"What do you want?"

I was at the top of the stairs. It was 2 am in the morning. I hadn't been able to sleep. My stomach turned. The battle scared the fuck out of me. I had decided not to go to the first battle. It wasn't an easy decision. I just felt like maybe I wasn't as interested as I thought I was. Fear had frozen me in place. I had seen the Bull. I had seen the darkness in his eyes. I had to live with that. I didn't want to see anything worse than that. Now that I was away from them there was nothing pulling me back. I could ignore them.

God had turned his back on me. I could do the same.

I had been sitting in my bed when I heard a doorbell. The cold breeze entered the house from downstairs. When I walked to the top of the stairs I looked down to see that someone had beat me to the door.

It was the Bull. He had opened the door and he was speaking to someone.

"I'm sorry sir. I came to speak to Michael."

The voice sounded familiar.

The bull looked up, "Do you know what time it is?"

I quickly ran down the steps. I grabbed my jacket. The idea of the Bull around scared the fuck out of me. In the middle of the night he scared the fuck out of me.

As I got to the bottom of the steps I saw that it was Raphael. He was dressed in a heavy winter coat. He had layers on. he had a hood underneath his coat. He looked like he was freezing out there but still seemed attractive even with his tan skin turning slightly pale. What the fuck was Raphael doing here of all people? I didn't get it. The bull was a lot taller than Raphael. He arched over him. I wondered if Raphael was intimidated by his size. If he was...he didn't show it. He was standing there with the cocky smirk I only knew Raphael to have. There was something so conceited and uppity about his behavior sometimes that annoyed me really.

"I'll deal with this?"

"Where do you think you're going?" the bull asked me.

The way he asked me it was what scared the fuck out of me. It made me jump a little bit. The bull said it in such a forceful way. I just stood there for a moment letting the fear pass before I responded.

"It's an emergency?"

"At this time of an hour."

"Yes."

I grabbed Raphael at that moment and pulled him away. Raphael had no idea what the hell he was doing.

We walked down the street. I looked back several times and noticed that the Bull hadn't closed his door as of yet. He was still watching from the house. He was still watching quietly.

"How do you know where I live?" I asked.

"Uri..."

"Why did you come here?"

"Gabriel sent me."

"Why?"

"I ask myself the same question," he stated shaking his head, "Personally I don't think we need you. You did say you were going to be there. I'm assuming she took you serious. I don't know why. Next thing I know---she sends me. Of all people. Isn't that ridiculous?"

"It is..."

He was looking at me like I was a coward at that moment. It bothered me a little bit but the more I thought about it I rather have been a coward alive then someone who was trying to be brave six feet under. I had a bad feeling about this. I had a horrible feeling about the night.

We were at his car. He didn't have a nice car like Ariel. Raphael car looked like shit. It had to be at least two or even three decades old. When he opened up the driver's side door it looked like the door was going to fly off the handles.

"I'm not driving in that."

"Just say it," he quickly stated.

"What?"

"Just say you are afraid and you don't anything to do with this," Raphael stated, "I am just here to confirm that you are going to pussy out. Everyone expects you to be afraid."

"I'm not afraid."

"Sure you are," he replied shaking his head, "You don't have anything to live for. You have nothing to fight for."

"You're rude as fuck."

"Maybe," Raphael stated and shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe you're right you know. I'm not Cham. I don't have a third eye but you're no good. I can tell you aren't. You have nothing to fight for. You have nothing to believe in. So say it. Say you are too afraid to give a fuck about anyone but yourself so that I can be on my way..."

"That's not fair. Are you still mad about me attacking you?"

"No. I could care less about that. I'm not mad at you. I don't care for you. Plain and simple. I just don't like you. You are nothing. See that stuff falling from the sky. It's snow. I don't need a third eye to tell that's all you are. Snow..."

It was cold outside. It as cold as fuck. Raphael held his hand up and caught a piece of snow. He held it out over the roof of his car as I stood from the sidewalk. The snow melted in his hand and disappeared. Raphael laughed as though proving some point. Raphael was patiently waiting for me to admit it. I don't know what came over me. It was that curiosity again. I wanted to know what it was that Raphael believed in so much that was making him want to risk his life. What was making him so angry at me? There had to be have been a force behind it.

I wanted to understand what it was that drove him. Maybe...maybe it could drive me too...

"I'm coming."

Raphael looked shocked, "Boy. Stop playing. I'm not about to kiss your ass. I don't need you to be sarcastic. Like I said you don't have to come. Won't make any difference to me. Or anyone else for that matter. I'm not going to kiss your ass..."

"You going to open this door or not."

Raphael gave me a sharp eye, "You're serious."

I paused waiting at the passenger door for him. Raphael raised an eyebrow at me but ended up opening the door.

=============

We drove for almost thirty minutes. Raphael was using a GPS that he had in his phone. I looked down at his phone to see how slow and stupid it was. I thought a few times about suggesting we use my phone instead. It was clear that Raphael didn't have a lot of money. It made me wonder more about him. It made me wonder where he came from. He had a broken down car, a broken down phone. His clothing didn't seem fly or anything like that. He seemed like a real humble looking guy.

"We lost?" I asked.

He adjusted his phone, "It says here. This is the address..."

I looked down the street. There was an old abandoned train station ahead of us that had closed down a few years ago. It was snowing. The snow was dropping down steadily. It made Raphael's old car flicker a little bit. Raphael's heat was horrible. It was barely working. I was shivering but I knew it would be even colder outside. There was no buildings I could go to for heat either. We were in the middle of no where. I didn't even see anyone around. I guess it was early as hell. The city was asleep.

It was a little too still actually. We did live in DC. Even at 2am there should have been more people out. Maybe one or two people here and there. No. There was no one.

"I don't see anything."

"The others will be around in a minute," he replied.

"Maybe you got the wrong address," I suggested.

His phone was old as dust.

Raphael shook his head at that moment, "It's the right address."

"It's cold," I replied pushing at his vent, "What's wrong with this car? Maybe we should head back. I mean it's almost 3 isn't it? The others aren't here yet. It's snowing. I don't see any demons---do you?"

"Look. You didn't have to come. I'm not turning back now. You didn't have to come g'dam it. I told you no one was going to kiss your ass. Didn't I?"

"Ok...you talk about kissing my ass a lot."

"Shut the hell up..."

"Are you---blushing?"

Raphael shot a fierce look at that moment. I could almost see this panic in his eyes. Now why the fuck would Raphael be panicking over a little simple joke like that?

Raphael shook his head and crossed his arms, "Don't get crazy. I'd die first."

"Oh right. You're straight. I forgot," I replied before snickering a little bit, "I remember there was a time that you forgot too...as a matter of fact."

He looked uneasy at that moment. He adjusted himself in his chair. I had to admit I loved watching him squirm the way he did. I had turned my entire body to watch the show. This boy was really squirming at this moment. Why was he so goddam nervous?

"Stop it," he replied.

"Do I make you so uncomfortable?" I asked, "You give me too much power..."

He took a deep breath. He looked at his phone. I could see he was texting one of the others. Maybe he was trying to ignore me. Maybe he was trying to change the subject. I also noticed a failure icon appear on his small screen.

"Fuck....I'm stuck here with you."

"But you don't mind."

"What?"

I rolled my eyes, "Don't play me. I may not know much...especially about this battle of heaven bullshit but I know some things. I know when a guy is attracted to me. "

Raphael took a deep breath. The breath was deep as fuck. I could tell he was trying to fight it for some reason. I wondered what the reason was. Did he really believe he was straight? Did he really think it was normal for him to get so nervous around another guy like he was getting now. I had to admit my ego was shooting through the roof at this moment even without him trying to give in to me.

It took him almost two full minutes before he finally denied it, "No one is attracted to you."

"I don't believe you..."

I leaned in to Raphael at that moment. The more I looked at him the more I realized that he was attractive. He was so goddam attractive. There was something smooth about his skin. I had always been somewhat attracted to Italians. They had these dark features. Dark eyes. Dark hair. Thick eyebrows.

Raphael attempted not to look at me. It wasn't until I ran his hands through his blowout that he finally caught my arm and tried to push me away.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Proving this..."

I grabbed at the crotch of his pants. He struck me as soon as I grabbed it. He hit me hard in my face. He hit me really hard. I was actually shocked and amused as the pain broke through my face.

"Shit. Sorry. I. Don't do shit like that. You can't go around touching people," he replied defensively and apologetically at the same time, "People get hurt for shit like that. I told you I wasn't interested in you like that..."

"Then why is your dick hard?"

I stared down. He must have noticed it too. Maybe that was why he was adjusting so much. His dick was hard. it had formed a tent in his pants. I looked down at it. Raphael struggled not to look back at me but he ended up looking back either way. It gave him away.

"I don't know..."

"There are many things that I can't explain. Faith is one of them. I can explain desire though. That's desire in your eyes boy. You want me. It's ok. I won't judge you. I can give you a reason to hate me if you'd like. Why don't I give you a reason to hate me straight boy?"

I didn't know what came over me. Maybe a part of me was really attracted to Raphael. Maybe a part of me wanted to prove something else though. Something deeper.

It wasn't until my hand was massaging his dick that I knew what I was trying to do.

"I'm straight," Raphael stated, "This isn't right."

There. That was it. Raphael was looking at me like I was some sort of sin or something. He had this holier than thou thing going for him and I hated every moment of it. I was going to prove it. I was going to prove that he wasn't any holier than me.

Even angels could sin.

I opened his fly and his dick didn't hesitate to emerge from his jeans. His dick was warm to the touch. Precum was already forming at the head. Raphael had a big dick. It was the biggest dick that I had seen on a white boy outside of porns really. I had to admit I was impressed.

"Sit back...relax..." I replied. Relax. And sin.

"It's not right...it's not right...oh GOD!"

I had my mouth on his dick in the next moment. Raphael leaned his head back. Where was his righteousness now? He wasn't that far above me now was he. His dick squirmed under my body. He didn't fight it. No. He loved every moment of it. And I enjoyed it. I enjoyed him squirming to my warm mouth with a guilty pleasure. He was in eager pain. He was in a miserable delight.

Raphael's eyes rolled into the back of his head. I bobbed up and down on his dick. There was a slurping noise as I took his dick down my throat. I deep throat it. Raphael edged on at that moment.

"Mhmm..." I vibrated my throat as he leaned back in his seat.

Just at that moment though I realized something else.

A knock on the glass!

I jumped up.

"FUCK!" Raphael shouted.

It was too late. The person knocking on the glass had already seen us. It was Gabriel. She looked down at us. At first I had to admit I was amused seeing Raphael quiver like that.

It wasn't until I noticed that Gabby wasn't alone that I got nervous. There was someone else with her. There was someone else who had noticed what we were doing in the car.

Uri....

Fuck.

I jumped out of the car at that moment, "Wait. It's not what it looks like."

Silence. Uri just looked at me in the cold. Gabby was next to him. They both had on deep jackets. I couldn't read Uri's reaction even if I wanted to. He just seemed surprised more than anything. I didn't know if there was anything deeper than that. I wondered if my expression was giving it away.

I was shocked. I was appalled. I didn't want him to have caught us.

Raphael was next out of the car, "He's right. It's not. It's not what it looks like."

Gabby seemed uninterested, "Close your fly Raphael. The others are waiting for you guys. They are waiting in the abandoned train station."

She walked ahead. Uri stayed for a second or two longer. He looked at Raphael before looking at me. Was he hurt? Did he even care? I couldn't tell.

Did it matter to me? Why the hell was I sitting here worrying about what someone like Uri had thought about me. I was giving Raphael some head. I was giving him some head for no other reason than I felt like it. Why the hell did I care about the fact that Uri saw me.

"That can't happen again," Raphael told me.

I ignored him.

I followed them over to the train station.

================================================

We descended steps. The subway had been closed for a little while now. I had read about this particular one somewhere. I heard it was some sort of infestation that needed to be cleared up or something. We were able to walk right in though and got all the way down the steps.

It was still shivering as we descended the steps. I couldn't help but to watch Uri as I walked down the steps. Why the hell was I feeling so guilty? Why the hell did I care about what Uri was thinking so much?

It was happening again. I couldn't get him out of my head. It was killing me.

"What took you guys so long?" Ariel asked.

I thought Gabby was going to say something but for some reason seem too interested in the idea. Uri had been really quiet. He stood away from us and was looking around the dark train station. There was such an awkward vibe in the air. I looked over at Raphael. He was avoiding eye contact with me. I noticed the grimace though. I had gotten to him. I had gotten to him whether he admitted it or not. He probably hated himself right now and I thought that was hilarious.

If it wasn't for Uri this would have made this trip completely worth it. It would have made my day. Uri was there though and because of him being there things were awkward for me too.

"I know. We've been waiting for you guys for so long," Cham stated, before rubbing his forehead, "Holy---shit!"

"What?" Ariel asked, "I want to know. Cham! I want to know! Tell me---"

"Cham don't you fucking say a word," Raphael stated.

Cham raised his hand. He was laughing. The way he laughed proved that he must have known what happened. That third eye of his was definitely no joke. Rag said that I had a toned down version of what Cham had. I couldn't imagine dangerous I would have been to the people around me if I had what Cham had.

"Enough of this," Gabby stated, "We aren't here for the bullshit. Have you guys noticed anything?"

"Nothing," Ariel replied, "It's almost 3am. Nothing...."

We stood there for a few minutes. The train station was spooky. I had to admit. The only thing we were armed with were flashlights. It was Cham who had supplied the flashlights.

As time passed I noticed that Ariel and Cham were on the steps silently waiting. Gabriel was looking around with the flashlight that she had. Over to the right was Raphael. I had no doubt that he was still beating himself up about what had happened in the car. It tickled the fuck out of me really to see him in such regret.

Then there was Uri. He was the only one who wasn't using his flashlight and shining it at something. He had walked further down the train station. He had a light but the light was coming from a candle that he had brought with him. By the color of the bright red flame I knew that it was his holy flame.

As I got closer I attempted to smile but I got a cold reaction.

"The flame isn't warding me off again," I replied, "I guess I'm still not so bad, huh?"

His eyes weren't the usual Uri's eyes. They didn't look at me with warmth. He just looked at me with indifference.

His voice was stone and his eyes were blank, "It only works against demons..." he replied before adding in a soft stern whisper, "I thought I told you that."

"I didn't mean literal," I replied before shaking my head, "Um. So Uri..."

"What?"

I looked back at the others. Ariel and Cham were talking on the stairs. Gabriel seemed busy looking around the train station and shining the flashlights on the dark subway rails. She must have been so on edge that she was paying attention to the rats beneath her. Raphael was close enough to probably hear bits of what I was saying with Uri if he was paying attention but I wasn't sure if he was. He was probably still stuck in his own thoughts.

We were alone without really being alone.

"That thing that happened with Raphael," I explained, "It didn't mean anything."

"Well that unfortunate."

"Say what?"

"That is unfortunate. I thought you found something that meant something to you finally. It's unfortunate. I guess not even sex means anything to you huh?"

I was shocked that this was coming from Uri. I had expected something like this from someone like Raphael. Uri never seemed judgmental. He always seemed a little humble. The fact that he was clearly judging me in this sarcastic tone came as a shocker.

"Sex doesn't always have to mean something," I replied.

"It should."

"Look. I don't know that bullshit that you probably learned. But my body isn't my goddam temple. I'm nobody's Buddha. I was just...messing with him. You know. I just kind of wanted to prove him wrong that he wasn't straight. I wanted to prove to him that he's probably a dickhead to me because of his own issues with his sexuality."

"So you suck his dick?" he asked.

He squinted at me. His expression was laced with intention.

"Yeah but...again. It didn't mean anything."

"Ah...I see..."

The way he said it though was almost like he didn't see. The way he said it made it seem like he was judging me. I felt it.

It sent a shiver up my spine.

"Is that all you have to say----" I started out but then I stopped at that moment.

I wanted more. I wanted---I'm not even sure. He just looked at me though. Cold. It was almost as though whatever that vibe we once had between us was gone. I had...ruined it. And now here I was sounding desperate to understand where that went.

"What is it that you want me to say?" Uri asked, "I don't get it."

"I just I just--what the fuck was that----"

"What?"

"Did it just get really cold?"

I mean it was already really cold but I realized that it wasn't Uri's demeanor that sent a shiver up my spine. It was something else. It had gotten so cold at that moment. It was so cold that I could barely move my fingers. I felt the darkness grow deeper all around me. It seemed to fade even the flashlights.

Something was wrong. Something was so wrong here.

"Guys..." Cham stated.

"Did you feel it too?" I asked him.

Cham looked at me. He seemed confused. I wasn't sure if this was my version of the third eye or if maybe it was just intuition. Something was wrong here. I didn't know how to describe it. It was that same feeling when a tragedy happened all of a sudden. I had felt it before. I had felt it on 9/11. That is how I would describe what I felt like at that moment. It was almost like all the happiness had been completely sucked out of the room.

"There's rats scurrying around," Ariel stated shaking her head, "I think they are trying to warn me of something..."

"It's here. It's coming..."

"What is?" Raphael stated.

"Everyone get back... BACK!" Cham screamed at the top of his lungs.

He sounded desperate. The others didn't understand but I did. I understood. All of a sudden there was a noise. I had heard the subway so many times and I knew a train was coming even before it came. I could feel the rattling below my feet.

"Impossible," Ariel replied.

She was referring to the train coming. The station should have been closed. Either way no train would have been running at this time. There was a train coming though. There was a light. It was a dim light.

My heart raced when we watched from the dark transit pulled up to the side platform.

It pulled to a halting stop.

"Get behind me," Gabriel told us.

I was happy to follow her lead. We all gathered behind her. I clutched onto my flashlight. I attempted to stare into the subway. There were figures there. There were more figures than I could count. I would have said people but I knew they weren't people! I knew they couldn't have been.

"What the fuck are they?" I asked.

No one replied. Everyone was shocked. The figures were too still. They were almost like mannequins. It was almost like someone was playing a joke and grabbed every mannequin they could find. They shoved them into the train and closed the doors. They didn't move. The figures were still...solid...cold. Something was wrong here. Something was horribly wrong here and I knew it.

Why had I come? Why had I agreed to come?

All of a sudden the flashlight didn't seem to work. It wasn't only my flashlight.

ALL OF THE FLASHLIGHTS!

The place went completely dark. The only light in the whole subway station came from the flickering lights of the train.

"Prepare yourselves..." Gabriel told us.

She attempted to say it calmly but I heard the break in her voice. I heard the break in her voice.

I felt my heart clutch my chest when all of a sudden the doors of the subway opened. I wondered if I could make a run for it. I didn't even know where to run. It was so dark. The only thing I could see was that subway light. The only thing I could see was the flicker.

Flicker.

One mannequin figure moved.

Flicker.

Another moved.

Flicker.

I realized they weren't mannequins at all. They were something much worse. They were something more heinous! The flickering light revealed these distorted faces. Crawling out of out of the subway.

They scratched. They hissed.

I saw hell at that moment.

I didn't know who it was. The figures were gathering. They were shaped like humans but they weren't human.

They were moving fast. There were so many of them. There so many of them and they were coming out onto the platform like roaches running from the light. They moved quickly scattering on all fours! Hissing. Scratching. I caught the face of one of the creatures and noticed it didn't have a face. It looked like someone had burnt off the face.

"Oh my god," someone said.

Maybe they had seen the face too. I wasn't sure who it was who said it.

"God isn't here," I replied with assurance, "That is a little bit of the devil here..."

And it wouldn't let us leave the subway platform alive...

To read the next chapter go to www.crushedcrown.com