Abel Hayes and the dark phoenix

I was panicking now, mumbling whatever I could about Ms. Weber the Yowie while my mom listened, her frown deepening with each sentance that came out of my lips.

She grabbed the keys, tossed me my combat boots, and roared, 'Get to the car. Now!'

Both I an Vere boiled for the the Cadillac, and as he ran, Veres tail was swaying from side to side — Yeah, I was never going to get used to that.

We sped out of the parking lot tore through the night while the deluge of rain

Wond roared in my ears, and the torrents of rain continued to assault the wind shueld.

Worse than all these was the blinding cover of darkness the night brought.

No one should uave been able to see thses condition, but pursing her lips, my mom somehow kept us in the center of winding road.

Blinding flashes of lightning would seldmly illuminate the arcing road, I looked at Vere sitting next to me wrapped in the seat vent.

His teeth were chattering nervously and his antlers would sometimes bumb the care cailing, forcing him to sink deeper into his seat.

I was really wondering if I had finally lost it, or if he was wearing some kind of cosplay item.

And he also wore a strange scent -- The scent of wet grass and wool – the scent one might get from sheep far.

Way too may things were zipping around in my mind. And amongst them, the one I asked aviut was, 'So, you've met my mom before?'

As you usual he didnt meet my gaze, his gaze focused on the windscreen, even though there was nothing to look at, 'No, I haven't,' he admitted. 'I hadnt met her in person until today. But she knew that one of us would be assigned to protect you once we knew of your existence.'

'What do you mean protect?'

'I had to watch you. And keep out of harms way. But I want you to know that I never lied or misled you. I am still the Vere you know,' he added worriedly. 'I am your best friend.'

'Um… what are you, exactly?'

'Thats not important.'

'Not important? You have a freaking tail –'

Vere let out an annoyed grunt 'Bah, Im a sprite. A wind spirit!'

That sound had always sounded weird to me, but I always assumed it was one of his quirks. Now I realized it was exactly the kind of grant a farm animal will make.

'Whoa. Woah, wind spirits. Like then kind in Mr Kamau's stories?'

'Was the man you saw at the subway a mere story? Am I a mere story?

Was Ms Weber also just a story?'

'So it wasnt just my imagination! She was real! And you made me think I was crazy!'

'We had to keep you in the dark. For our veiling magic to work, you needed to believe that you were merely mortal.'

Vere answered, like what he was saying was actually makibg sense. 'We put magical fog over the humans' eyes to keep them away from the Celestial world. We hoped it would also make you think that Ms Weber was all in your head. But it was no good. You had already awakened.'

'Awakened— What do you mean?'

The horrifying bellow that had sounded at the hotel happened behind us again, closer this time. Whatever creature was chasing us...it was gaining.

'Abel,' my mom said gebtly, 'We have a lot to talk about but now is not the time. First we have to reach the sanctuary. Youll be safe there.'

'What sanctuary? Who-what is chasing after us?'

'Oh, there's no reason to panic,' Vere said, even though he sounded more pabicked than me. 'Just a hord of blood thirsty demons who want to kill you in the most painful way imaginable.'

'Vere!'

'What? I said not to panic.'

I tried to think through the confusing haze and somehow make sense of what was happening, but I couldn't do it.

Either way I was certain this was real. I couldn't drean up something this messed up even if I wanted to.

My mom made a sharp right turn. We swerved off the asphalt and onto muddy, uneven ground. There were no longer any buildings or electric poles around use, the darkened silhouettes of giant rocks.

'5 kilometers away from the Mount

Kosciuszko'. Vere announced with excitement as he peered through the car window. I didn't know how, but I knew he could perfectly see through the surrounding dark.

'Mount Kosciuszko?' I asked.

'Thats where the sanctuary is.' My mother's voice was shaking; she was trying very hard not to let the pain creep into her sentences. 'It is hidden by the mountain range, and Mount Kosciuszko is its entrance.'

'But you said I might never see you again.'

'Abel please,' my mother begged. 'Neither of us has a choice this time.

Try to understand dear, you're in grave danger.'

'Is this because of the one eyed freak at the subway.'

'He isnt your usual one eyed freak,' Vere said. 'His kind are called the Juwaris. Do you know what it means – the fact that it appeared in front of me. It means that every demon within a hundred leagues is aware of you. I really dont know how we haven't been attacked yet….'

'Attacked! Like what happened with Ms Weber?'

'No dont worry. We'll be fine.'

'Vere, you literally just said tha-.'

'I said bo such thing. Well definitely, definitely be fine.'

'Queit!' my mom yelled.

She jerked the wheel to the rleft, and our car ascended up a road that arched around the mountain.

At the same time my eyes finally caught a glimpse of what was pursuing us – a giant hulking form plodding through the rain.

'What the f*ck is that?' I cussed in. I didn't normally swear, especially around my mom, but I was really freaked out this time.

'Alnost therre,' my mother said, ignoring my tasteful question. 'Just a little more, please, please, please.'

Outside the creature was veiled by the rain and darkness – I could here its every step more clearly with each passsing second. It was almost upon us!

I thought about Ms Weber and the exact moment int time when she'd turned back into he true form with fangs and claws. My limbs went numb from delayed shock.

She had really been every bit of the monster she appeared to be... and she'd wanted to kill me — She would've killed me.

Then I thought about how I had defeted her.

It was Mr Kamau....and the strange Kane he had given him; It had miraculously become a spear.

Before I could ask Vere about that, I felt a wicked tingle in my spine.

There was a bestial roar accompanied by a thunderclap, a deafening boom! and our car suffured a massive colision.

The car windows exploded as it's doors crumpled like tin foil. It split from the middle, into two halves spiraling into the muddy earth.

I remember feeling unmoored, like a leaf being blown about it a hurricane.

I could feel bits and pieces of shrapnel and glass lashed into my skin as I opened my eyes and said, 'Ow.'

'Abel!' Vere's worried bleat sounded nearby.

'I'm fine….'

I tried to shake off the daze. I was still alive. There was a giant Boulder docked where the car should have been. After our car had collided with it, both halves halves swerved into a the mud. .

One of the passenger doors and the drivers door were stuck in the mud.

It was the Boulder. That was the only explanation. Someone or something had thrown the boulder at us and snapped our car in half.

Right besides me, in the other half of what had been our car was a person as still as a corpse. 'Mom!'

She spilled out of the Cars wreckage. There was a nasty cut on her forehead and she wasnt moving. I cradled her in my arms and tried to shake her awake, thinking, 'No! This can't be happening. You cant die!'

Vere touched her neck with two of his fingers, 'Shes fading fast. We need to-,' He was suddebly silent.

'Abel,' he prodded.

I looked up. At the same time there was blinding a flash of lightning. The sight of its horrible form turned my kneed into jelly.

It was the form a massive creature, like a dinosour. I could faintly see the rows of teeth jutting from its maw.

Its entire body rippled with muscle.

My entire body trembled. 'What is –'

'Abel,' Vere said very anxiously. 'We have to move.'

I nodded mechanically, Vere took on of her arms and slung it over his shoulders and I did the same.

'Abel – its not far off.' Vere shouted in the rain. Do you see that crack in the moutain?'

'What?' But as I followed the direction of his gaze, I saw the tree she meant: a large crevice embedded into the sielde the moutain.