Angel -
Chapter 8
LORA
I’m sitting on the couch, staring at Speckle and Spot, when Dad comes and sits next to me.
“You have a thinking face on,” he says. “What’s wrong?”
“I - I’m just, thinkin about what it’s like to be a goat,” I lie instantly.
Speckle munches some grass out of his bin.
“Yeah, interesting, aren’t they?” Dad says, looking at them.
“I wish I knew what they think,” I say. Maybe they knew how to sneak out of our parents’ house with a centaur and a normal kid.
“I have a book here about that, actually,” Dad says, standing up. “Mom took most of our books before she left.”
I perk up. “Really?”
Dad nods. “If, I suppose you really wanna know what goats think. The book’s called A - Z Animal Slaves and How to Keep Them Happy. Quite a depressing name but it does talk about what the animals like and what they’d think if they were in a situation. All the books are in the basement. I think it might make you happier.”
I dash off quickly, my wings bursting out and flapping just for speed. I throw open the door, and cackle madly at the sight of all the boxed books.
I hear footsteps, and I cover the book on my lap with my white feathered wing.
“Relax, it’s me.”
I sigh. It’s Ludi.
“I remember the last time I walked in on you reading Dad’s books,” Ludi grins and sits next to me on an old couch. “What was it - yesterday? The day before yesterday?”
I smile. “Did you know our life would go so upside down?”
“I don’t think anyone did,” Ludi looks at the book’s cover. “Hybrid Slaves - What You Need To Know. You know, we read this book so much someone would think it was the only book openable.”
“Yeah, well it has answers.” I say. “I hoped that maybe by reading these they’d have information on how to trick devils.”
Ludi scans the boxes of books on their sides, spines up. Then he lunges forward and takes one, and it’s big and heavy.
“Best way to start is know what he’ll be expecting,” Ludi reveals the cover to me. How to Defend your Section of Hell.
“Good start,” I say, then turn back to my book.
The female hybrid often becomes the angelic one, because mostly it is the mother that is the angel, but if you find your female hybrid is getting feverish or loopy, you may want to check her wings. If her wings are turning darker, you may have the rare female demon.
I glance at my wings, right beside Ludi’s. His look like the colour of fresh snow. Mine look… now that I’m looking for it, mine look like the colour of thin smoke.
You’re fine. You’re good, I tell myself firmly, then look back at the book.
“Here’s something,” Ludi says, and points to a row of tiny print on page 394.
Be aware of distractors. Sometimes, the doomed soul will send an accomplice to you. The accomplice will proceed to start a conversation while the doomed soul runs for it.
Most demons fall for this trick many times, and it is called the second one that devils fall for.
“That won’t help us, Ludi.” I say, leaning back. “We don’t have anyone that can distract Dad while we escape. Remember, Erin and Grayson are coming with us.”
Ludi shakes his head. “No, not that paragraph. This one.” He re-points to the page and this time I read the right paragraph.
The first most dangerous escape attempt is the Disguise. You’d think that you could tell if you see a doomed soul disguised as a daemon or a demon, but you will be surprised at the creativity of the escapees. If someone attempts to pass you, examine them closely. If something is out of place, even slightly, immediately stop them and interrogate them.
I look at him. He’s excited.
“We dress up as Mom and walk out!” Ludi grins.
“Erin, Grayson, you and me all escaping disguised as Mom?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.
He slumps. “Yeah, now that I think about it - it’s a dumb idea. I’ll keep reading.”
“We’ll find a solution somehow, don’t worry,” I put an arm around him. My eyes track down to the page again.
second one that devils fall for.
“Hang on,” I sit up straight, pointing at the page. “Ludi, I think I’ve thought of it…”
Ludi looks at me, his eyes sparking. “Have you now?”
Erin bites her lip. “This seems really risky to me.”
“It won’t be if you and Grayson ask, Erin.” I say.
“Why do we have to ask?” Grayson asks.
“Because Grayson is a kid and Dad feels guilty that you’re trapped here.” I say. “And Erin’s a centaur. Just say that 90% of centaurs shift better with fresh air or something.”
Erin and Grayson look at each other. “It might work,” Grayson says tentatively.
“It has to.” Ludi says. “This is our one chance to save the world.”
I look them all in the eye. “We’ll lay low for a few days. Maybe… tuesday, let’s say that. Tuesday Erin and Grayson will convince Dad to let us outside, Ludi and I will take out Spot and Speckle, we’ll make them run and Dad will chase them. That’s our chance.”
“What’ll happen to the goats?” Erin asks worriedly.
“Dad’ll catch ’em, he’s fast like you would not believe.” Ludi says reassuringly.
Erin looks down. Grayson pats her shoulder. Ludi smiles reassuringly.
“Tuesday,” Erin and I say at the same time in the same firm voice.
Today was Friday. Tuesday was too far away for our impatient minds. Let me just say this - no matter how much I wanted to, I did not use a time-speed spell. Part of the plan was to get Dad to trust us enough to let us outside.
But it was incredibly torturous, waiting forever just to escape. What if we finally escaped, and the war had already started?
Every night, I’d wake up quietly and I’d see Erin at the window. She’d be muttering to herself and staring at the sky.
Centaurs, I think as I lay down. What odd creatures.
The next day, we all got up looking like we hadn’t slept at all, Erin especially.
“Horrible morning!” Ludi says teasingly to Grayson, who winks.
“Terrible day to you!” Grayson grins.
“A terrible day to you too, no-good sir!” Ludi stands and bows to Grayson, who bows back.
I catch Erin’s eye and smile. She doesn’t smile back.
“Ah, Erin! Horrible, no - good, rotten day to you!” Ludi leaps across the room and shakes her hand. “Is the world about to explode? Do you have any more terrible prophecies?”
“No,” Erin stares out the window. “No, I’ve been trying to see what’s happening by reading the planets. But - they won’t tell me anything.” She turns to me. “Are you sure that I’m the centaur? Maybe it was a one - time - thing. Maybe the planets just wanted me to feel, well, special.”
“I refuse to believe you’re an ordinary girl, Erin.” Grayson says, walking to her side. “You’re a centaur, no doubt about it.”
“There really isn’t any doubt about her centaur-ness,” I say. “Just read Mythical Beings of Your World - an Enslavement Copy and Supernatural Beings of Your World. Most books are about enslavement, really. But if you read What Slave did You Buy? you can tell she’s a centaur.”
“Your nerdiness makes me feel better, Lora,” Erin grins at me.
“I’m existing for that,” I say with a smile. That’s not true. You’ve read the books. You know that you’re existing to be evil.
I’m not evil yet, I tell myself firmly. I have time.
But what happens when I do become evil?
I should run. I should hide myself. I can’t hurt my friends and family. The moment I become close to being evil, I will run to the other side of the world.
“Are you alright, Lora?” Grayson asks, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Your face just fell.”
I realize Erin and Ludi are staring at me. “Um, yeah, I’m - I’m okay.”
Ludi is still looking at me. “Can I talk to you Lora? In the basement?”
I know what this is about. He’s worried for me. I can see why. So I nod, and follow him to the basement.
The smell of books calms me down from my panicked state. I run a finger along the spine of Supernatural Beings of Your World.
“Lora, what’s going on in that nerdy head of yours?” Ludi asks me.
“Mmm, you know… this and that…” I pull out Embrace your Evil. Then I put it back quickly.
“This. And that.” Ludi raises an eyebrow.
I look at Are You Born to be a Slaver? I feel sick. “Yep.”
“Tell me the truth,” Ludi says. “I can tell how you feel, we’re twins.”
I stare at Destined for the Devil - Autobiography of Satan. Then beside it, How Much Pain Can You Cause?
“Alright, I’m not fine. Something’s been bugging me since Salan came over.” I sigh.
Ludi gestures to the old couch, and we sit down on it.
“I don’t want to be evil, Ludi.” I whisper.
Ludi looks down. “I shouldn’t have told you…”
“No, I’m glad you trusted me,” I say. “I’m just… it’s not a good future.”
“I still caused you to worry,” Ludi looks down and sighs. “I’ll figure it out, Lora. I’ll help you with this -”
“Ludi, all you have to do is stay my brother,” I say. “That’s all I need from you.”
Ludi looks up at me. “As long as you stay my nerdy twin sister.”
I smile. If only he knew… But I can’t tell him about my plan to run away. He’d try and stop me. I can’t let him.
I hear stomping upstairs, and at the same time Ludi’s and my stomachs rumbled.
“Grilled Cheese for Lunch!” Mom yells.
We throw ourselves up the stairs.
The next day, I’ve accepted my doomed fate of hiding as a demon. It’s for the best - I’ll survive. But who knows if Ludi, Erin, Grayson, Mom or Dad could if I don’t hide.
So yes, I’m willing to sacrifice myself.
“Lora, did you read chapter eleven of What Happens When Your Slave Is Overconfident yet?”
I nod. “Several times, in fact.”
Erin grins at Grayson. “Told you so.”
“Where you bragging about my sister’s nerdiness?” Ludi says, poking his head into the kitchen.
“Maybe,” Erin grins. “Grayson didn’t believe she could hold so much information in her head.”
“Well, she only said she’d read it,” Grayson scoffs, but flashing me a grin at the same time.
I grin. But then I stare hard at Ludi. “Aren’t you supposed to be reading An Earthquake - Or An Escapee?”
“Yeah, but I was busy practicing.” Ludi says, coming into the room.
“Practicing?” I scrunch my nose. He doesn’t play any sports or instruments that I know of. “Practicing what?”
“Practicing my procrastination,” Ludi says, sitting down. “Reading about escapes and earthquakes are so boring if you weren’t actually there.”
“It’s essential that we know how to disguise our escape,” I say. “If we start running, and Dad catches the goats already, he’ll see us. And he might hear our footsteps. So we have to be quick and quiet. Which is what that book tells us. How to run so quietly that even Cerberus can’t hear you.”
“This plan has so many holes in it,” Erin says, groaning.
“Let’s discuss them while Mother and Father are occupied,” Ludi says in a ridiculous voice.
“Is that supposed to be me?” I ask dryly.
“Yeah. Spot on, isn’t it?”
“He’s right. Can we talk about the plan? You said demons were fast. What if he catches the goats, then Erines us? Our plan is ruined, and we’ll never get another chance.” Grayson frets.
“Dad’s fast enough for goats,” I say. “But he’s not fast enough for two flying hybrids and a boy on a centaur’s back.”
We all look at Erin, who pales.
“What, me?” She asks.
“No, the centaur out the window.” Ludi points to the tree outside.
“I’ve never shifted before, you know this.” Erin says to me, ignoring Ludi. “And I don’t think I can do it while I’m panicked.”
I wave my arm. “Then he’s not as fast as a car. Alright? Better?”
“So - what you’re saying is we steal your parents’ car.” Grayson stares at me.
“Yup.”
“And Ludi says you’re the smart one,” Erin teases.
“You’ve never drove before, Lora.” Ludi reminds me.
“Yeah, but I’ve watched Mom and Dad drive. It looks easy enough.” I head downstairs. They follow me.
“It’s different for us. We’re only - what, I think we’re all fourteen?” Erin looks around us.
“Fifteen in April,” Grayson raises a hand.
“Fourteen and almost-fifteen. We’re not old enough to drive a car without an adult.” Erin turns to me. “We’d be breaking at least ten laws.”
“Maybe three at most,” Ludi says.
“Whatever. You know what I mean,” Erin waves a hand.
I trail my finger along the book spines. I know there’s a book about driving here somewhere…
“What if we crash, what if we get arrested, what if your dad really is faster than a car -” Erin wrings her hands. “Maybe we should rethink this plan.”
“No time,” I say. Here it is...n’t. A car’s different from a chariot.
“She’s right.” Grayson sighs. “Maybe we should just wing it.”
“Exactly.” I say. Wing it. Haha. I’ve got wings.
“Lora - are you feeling okay?” Ludi rushes toward me as I flop onto the couch, a hand on my forehead.
“Yu-huh,” I smile. “Ya-hah, Yo-Hoh, Yep-Yap…”
“Does anyone else feel like we’re screwed?” Grayson asks.
“We need to get you to bed,” Ludi says, hauling me to my feet.
“Bedtime!” I yell.
“No wonder she said to steal a car,” Grayson mutters to Erin.
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