Taking Angels (The Angel Crusades) by CS Yelle

song.
We stayed around until Jeb finished packing up
the equipment. Trish and Jeb then spent about a half hour
making out in her Jeep while we waited for them. Elisa
and Tommy steamed up the windows in his car and
Cassie, Carl and me, sat awkwardly in Carl’s car. Carl
looked at his watch every few minutes, afraid of staying
out too late and getting in trouble with his parents. Trish
finally opened the door to the Jeep as Jeb stumbled out
his side, reluctantly ending a lip lock with her. He gave us
a smirk and hurried to his waiting band mates. Elisa and
Cassie said goodbye to their boyfriends and I wandered
over to the Jeep, feeling more than a little left out.
We stopped by Sammy’s to pick up some pizza
and then headed over to Elisa’s house for a sleepover. We
talked into the early morning. I explained the ‘kind of’
kiss with Allister at least a dozen times before the girls
finally drifted off to sleep.
I knew he’d saved me twice now, but still didn’t
know why. He didn’t act like anyone I ever knew. What
would he do when he found out about my dreams? What
if he knew? My hand slid to my lips, thinking of what
almost was.
I fell asleep on the couch, my hand still to my lips.
    My dream came slowly, easing into clarity as a
window slid open. Why would anyone leave their window
unlocked? Standing on a fire escape with looming
buildings all around, the sound of traffic came to my ears
as I turned and looked to the highway close by before
stepping into the room. It was a bedroom, small and
cramped, and cluttered with too much furniture. A young
woman lay in her bed, sleeping peacefully as music
played from a tiny stereo in the corner.
    As I moved closer a wispy image surged towards
me, confident, defiant. It resembled the woman sleeping,
but more ghostly, spirit-like, her face stern.
    “You don’t belong here,” she scolded, her lips not
moving. “Be gone with you.”
“I don’t come for her,” I said in a deep voice.
“Your kind is responsible for these deaths,” the
spirit accused. “I know it.”
“Being aware of it and being safe from it are two
entirely different things,” I laughed.
My hand reached out quickly, gripping the ghost’s
neck, not realizing what happened until I heard the
gasping.
“How is this possible?” It strained to speak.
“All is possible for us,” I said as the spirit went
limp. Then the wispy body was drawn into my own,
absorbed.
    I woke up screaming, sitting up on the couch
where I’d fallen asleep. Elisa, Trish, and Cassie gathered
close, their arms around me trying to comfort me. I cried
so hard my blanket was soaked with my tears.
    “It’s okay, Britt, it’s just a bad dream.” Elisa tried
to soothe me.
I looked to each of them, their eyes filled with
worry.
“But what if it isn’t?” I cried.
I rushed to the bathroom, closing the door behind
me feeling their eyes on my back. Leaning on the sink I
stared into the mirror. Foreign blue eyes, red from the
tears, were reflected back at me. It was as if a stranger
stared back, someone I didn’t know anymore.
I splashed cold water on my face and wiped it
away with a towel, leaving my face perfect. Perfect like
them; Allister and Angelina. They knew something.
Allister and his sister held the key to this mystery.
I needed to find out what they knew. No more delays.
I raced out of the bathroom, grabbing my clothes and
stripping off the t-shirt I wore to sleep. I quickly pulled
my shirt over my head and yanked my jeans up, fastening
them. I glanced up and Elisa, Trish, and Cassie watched
me, motionless, their faces a mix of confusion and fear.
“What?” I asked, looking around the room for my
shoes.
“What? That’s all you have to say. You wake us
up screaming to death, nearly giving us a heart attack and
all you can say is ‘what’?” Trish had the edge in her voice
I knew wavered on the verge of a blowup.
“What do you want me to say?”
“Try explaining,” Cassie spoke