World After

43

HER FACE crumples but no tears come this time. She’s probably too dehydrated.

“Hand me the sandwiches.”

She glares at him.

“They won’t do you any good. You’ll just get thirstier if you eat them.”

She pauses, then grabs the sandwiches. She throws them at him.

He chuckles as they bounce off his chest and land in pieces on his bloody bandage. He puts a sandwich back together and takes a bite. “Not too smart, are you?”

She puts her head down on her arms on the tiny table and slumps there like she’s given up.

The video goes dark.

I catch myself before asking whether she came out of that all right. For a moment, I forgot what she’s like now. Of course she’s not all right.

Doc hovers his finger over the eject button. “Had enough?”

“No,” I say through gritted teeth. “Not yet.”

He drops his hand. “It’s your punishment. Who am I to argue?”

The screen comes back on again.

Time has passed. The light has dimmed and the shadows are longer now. The door opens and an angel comes in. It’s Burnt.

Paige raises her head. When she sees who it is, she scrambles off the chair and frantically crawls under Beliel’s cot.

“Ah, so that’s where it went,” says Burnt watching Paige.

“And where did you go?” asks Beliel.

“You didn’t seem to need us, so we brought you some food and water and left you to sleep it off. How are you feeling?” Burnt bends over to look at Paige.

“Just fantastic, thank you for asking.” The sarcasm in Beliel’s voice is unmistakable. “What are you doing?”

Paige screams as Burnt drags her out from under the cot.

“Let her go,” Beliel bellows.

Burnt lets go in surprise.

“You don’t do anything without my permission.” Beliel grabs Burnt by the arm and yanks him to his face. It must hurt like hell in his condition, but Beliel doesn’t show it. “You don’t touch that girl. You don’t even breathe without my permission. Uriel gave you to me to command. You think he’d spend a second of his illustrious life wondering what happened to you if you ended up as a splatter on the wall?”

Burnt looks back at him defiantly but with a touch of nervousness. “Why would you do that?”

“You really thought I wouldn’t notice that you were trying to starve and drain me with thirst?”

“We left you food and water,” Burnt grunts through his teeth as he tries to jerk his arm out of Beliel’s grasp. The demon holds tight despite the pain. “We brought you back, too, when we could have left you on the streets to die.”

“Uriel would have plucked you alive if you hadn’t. You boys still don’t have the nerve to lie to him, do you? Afraid you’ll get some divine punishment. Well, his punishment would feel playful compared to what I’ll do if I ever wake up to dinner out of my reach again. Understood?”

Burnt nods resentfully.

Beliel lets him go.

Burnt takes a step back.

“Get me some decent food and water. Fresh meat, cooked to body temperature. I’m not a child who can live off peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.”

Burnt turns to go with a sneer.

“Bring a few sandwiches for her, though.” He tips his head toward Paige. “Nothing like a dead broken thing in the corner of your room to stink up your day.”

Burnt glances at Paige who has scrambled back under the bed, then at Beliel like he’s lost his mind.

“Problem?” asks Beliel.

Burnt slowly shakes his head.

“Too bad. Now, I’ll have to wait to finger-paint the walls with your blood.”

Burnt turns to go.

“Bring a pitcher of water and some milk for the girl too. Pronto, feather boy. I don’t have all week to lounge around. The sooner I can fly to talk to your precious archangel, the sooner you might be set free from your duties.”

Burnt leaves.

“Come out, Little Worm. The big bad angel is gone.”

Paige peeks out from under the bed.

“That’s a good pet.” He closes his eyes. “Sing me a little song while I drift into a nap.” He grimaces with the pain he refused to show the angel. “Go on. Any song.”

Paige hesitantly starts humming “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”

The screen goes blank.