It was a quiet ride. Collin hasn’t looked at me since we left the place. Turn right, said the phone’s map. I was staring at Collin, who is unexpectedly serious right now. “Why is everyone so quiet?” I asked loudly.
“We’re tired, Mia,” Azriel said, whose head was leaning on the window, “we just want to shut everything up, and I don’t mean no disrespect but, including you. We need you to stop thinking and stop talking for a bit.
”I stared out the window and kept quiet. Then my thoughts started singing Party in the USA, “Mia!” the three of them shouted, forgetting that they can all read minds. “Alright, sorry,” I said softly and laid my head on the seat’s headrest. Minutes have passed and I looked at the back, seeing both Merikh and Azriel asleep gave me a chance to talk to Collin. “You’ve been awfully quiet. Are you okay? Did I do something?” I asked.
“Yeah,” he flatly replied, “I am great.”
He sounds sarcastic, I thought. “Nope, not sarcasm,” he said out loud.
Oh, so this is how it’s gonna be?
“You know, not everything is about you. I can feel whatever I want to feel without anyone taking it personally.”
I can tell he’s pissed. I just don’t know why. Then it clicked, “was it because of the kiss?”
“What kiss?”
“Don’t play dumb. I heard you and Azriel talking.”
“We didn’t –“
“In your heads!”
I was getting pissed too. This is why I don’t want to get attached to anybody or anything. I’ll get caught in the middle and in the end, who’s gonna get hurt more? Me or them? I lost so much already. I don’t want anything in this relationship I have with these three to crash and burn. I’m not sure I could hunt again without them. Collin took a deep breath and sighed. I opened my mouth to talk, “don’t even dare say something about me taking a deep breath and sighing out loud. I can do that without you making a huge fuss about it,” he commented. I stared, a bit surprised to see this side of him, but he never took his eyes off the road. Then I heard Azriel in my head, don’t worry about it. He’ll be okay.
I turned my head to look at him, but his eyes were closed. Probably his subconscious is awake.
I didn’t realize I fell asleep. When I opened my eyes, the sun is shining brightly. Collin found a gas station somewhere. Azriel and Merikh stretched at the back and yawned. Azriel opened the door and went outside. He stretched his neck from side to side then he walked a few feet away from the truck and untucked his wings. He spread it wide open, revealing majestic brown feathers with a few gray and white spots and streaks. He flapped it once, the truck moved a little bit from the strong wind it caused. I heard Collin on the other side of the truck, “dude! What the hell?!”
Azriel turned around and saw Collin, “oh. Sorry. I thought no one was there,” he smiled. Collin called him over and taught him how to pump gas. Azriel tucked his wings first before walking closer to him. I turned around to look at them when Merikh caught my eye. “You and Collin okay?” he started.
I shrugged my shoulders, “I’m not sure. He, I don’t know, he’s pissed. That’s for sure.”
Merikh just nodded then he got off the truck, “where are you going?” I asked. I was answered by a slam of the door. The three of them were talking outside. Soft enough for me not to figure it out.
When the gas was full and the door was closed, the three of them entered the truck but this time, Merikh was in the driver’s seat. Collin and Azriel were seated at the back. We were about to leave when Azriel asked to not move just yet. He went down and entered the small store. When he got out, he was holding the store’s basket with some snacks and drinks in it. He rode the truck again, handing Collin the basket before closing the door. “Come on,” he chirped, “ready to go!”
We were all staring at him, “what? It’s a long drive to reach the hideout and I am feeling a bit ‘snacky’.”
Collin grabbed a Gatorade from the basket, and just stared out the window. I was looking over at him, waiting for him to turn to me and just give me a smile or a nod, anything will do actually. When Merikh changed the gear to drive, I slowly sat down properly, looking straight ahead. I can see Merikh’s concerned look on his face on my peripheral vision but I just looked down.
We arrived at Warren, Ohio. Just another stop, another day. Merikh parked on the side of the street, a few feet away from the town’s bookstore. When he lifted the handbrakes, Collin’s phone rang and he was the first to get out of the truck as he answered the phone. I looked at Azriel, who shrugged his shoulders, then went down to check on Collin. He was still on the phone when he started to look around. Both Merikh and I went out of the truck, walking towards Azriel, who was sitting down on the truck’s bumper bracket. “Who’s he talking to?” Merikh asked his brother.
“I don’t know. But he kind of mentioned the town. Wait,” he lifted his index finger up, then he closed his eyes.
We just got here…I have no idea…what? No. I’m fine. I promise…yeah, it is weird…no, I meant the town. The town is weird…it’s too good to be true…actual people walking around…there’s even a diner full of eating patrons…yeah, I’ll, uh, we’ll check it out…shut up…yeah, no, I think Azriel is listening right now.
Azriel immediately opened his eyes as soon as Collin mentioned his name and saw Collin looking straight at him shaking his head then he hung up the phone.
He walked towards us, “who was that?” I asked.
“Uhm, well, we have to check out this town. It’s an apocalypse and these people here are walking around like no monster is walking amongst them,” he said, without answering my question.
“Okay,” replied Merikh, “but who was on the phone?”
“Someone you don’t know.”
He proceeded to open the truck bed’s compartment, and handed me my duffel, without as much as looking at me. He closed the cover and walked over to the library across the street. The three of us looked at each other then followed Collin. When we got inside, Collin was standing in front of the reception/drop-off.
“Yeah, he said he left it here,” we heard him say softly to the old woman sitting on her chair, typing on the computer.
“I’ll check it, my dear. Hold on for just a moment,” she said in a very cheery voice. Collin just nodded. Then the woman stood up from her chair and went inside the staff room on the side. She came back with a blue velvet box, handing it over to Collin. He placed it on the table and tried opening it but the woman placed her hand on top of the cover and glared at Collin. “You don’t open that here. Unless you want some of them to come and take it from you,” she whispered.
“Sorry,” he said softly, she removed her hand and he lifted the box up. Placing it securely under his arms, then the woman puts a hand on his forearm, “tell him I said hi and I am still waiting for the Book of Fate.”
Collin smiled, “I will. Thanks, Mrs. Durham.”
She smiled back at him and went on with whatever she’s doing.
He passed by the three of us like we’re not with him. When we got outside, he took his phone out and dialed pressed a caller. “I got it. What am I gonna do with this?” he immediately said. There was a long pause on Collin’s end, “I am not risking that! How –“ he cuts himself off, taking the phone away from his ear, looking up then he returned the phone to his ear, “fine. Fine! No! They’re coming with me. I am not leaving these three in this town. When did I tell you that I trust you?” he said before hanging up. “Come on,” he turned to us before walking away again. “Collin,” I called for him, “Collin!” I stepped in front of him.
“What?!” he shouted.
“What is going on? You’ve been acting strange lately. You’re getting these weird phone calls and collecting a box that seems very suspicious. And you know the librarian!”
He sighed, “you wanna know what’s going on?”
I nodded. “Fine. I’ll tell you. As you can see, this town was never touched by the apocalypse. Those weird phone calls, well, they’re really none of your business. And the librarian, Mrs. Durham, she’s been here for years,” he paused, “the last time I saw her was 1999. She was 78 years old then, she’s still 78 years old now. No one in this town has aged in years.”                “Why didn’t you say anything?” Azriel asked while he looked around, stepping away from the little circle we were gathered in. “Because this is something I wanted to do by myself,” he countered, “besides, you guys have been through more than I did, I suppose.”
“Look,” Merikh started, “we’re here. You got us here, no questions asked. But you gotta tell us more than that. We’re not going to settle for “it’s none of your business” because it is our business. Now, what’s in that fucking box?”
“Fine. This box contained the Goddess of Time and Death. If released here, everyone in this town dies. I don’t know how or who captured her or whatever but as per Mrs. Durham, if anyone opens this box here, other gods and probably even demons, will come and get her. She’ll be either used for the good or get manipulated to do the bad. That’s why –“
“I’m taking it from him,” a voice said behind them. I turned around and saw a tall man with dark skin and golden eyes. Merikh seemed to recognize the voice, because he just rolled his eyes the moment the man spoke. “Hey Bart,” greeted Azriel, “are you the guy who’s been calling him?”
He chuckled, “that would be me. Yes.”
“But you hate using a cellphone,” Azriel tried to confirm.
“I did but everyone up there was talking about this little box humans use. It is easier to call anyone though.”
“Heaven has reception?” I blurted.
“Hahaha! No. It’s strictly for earth use only. Mia, right?” he said and stretched out a hand. I nodded and shook his hand. “I heard so much about you. Uriel and Michael have been arguing about it a lot. Many of us leave the room whenever those two get head-to-head about the Nephilim,” he sighed, “well. I better go.”
Collin gave him the box. He checked it first by putting his hand over it and closing his eyes. Merikh turned around to see what his other older brother is doing and silently scoffed. He was getting impatient for some reason. When ‘Bart’ opened his eyes, he smiled at us, and he was about to leave when he caught Merikh glaring at him. “Wow, Mer, I didn’t realize you’re still alive,” he scowled at him.
“Yeah, well, I thought you were dragged in Hell by Lilith a few months ago.”
“That bitch has no power over me.”
“Sure, but you are whipped by Hermesiel herself.”
“Don’t bring my wife into this,” he fought back, “it’s not my fault she chose me over you.”
Azriel, Collin, and I were surprised, all our eyes widened. Bart then looked at us and gave us a smile before disappearing to go back up to Heaven with the box.               
“Well, that was, uhm, uncalled for?” Collin wasn’t sure what to say after that.