CHAPTER 9

It was a cloudy day but I could still see the sun in the sky as I walked back home. It looked like it was going to rain today. I loved standing in the rain. I love crying with the sky; at least this way I wouldn't feel lonely.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't even see where I was heading. I bump into a man while walking.

I quickly apologize and try to move forward.

"I've heard so much about you, my dear Ophelia. I was waiting for you."

His voice had this velvet like smoothness but it was the sort voice that brought chills to you instead of calming you down

"I'm sorry. Do I know you?"

"How forgetful of me; I'm Azrail. The Angel of death. Look, I don't have anything against you. You have a long life, my dear. Can't say the same about your brother, Preston, can I? That poor soul had such a short life. I just came here to ask you to stop whatever you're doing with Xavier. A sad soul that no longer wants to live shouldn't be here. That boy has made his choice and he needs to die."

I wasn't a strong believer of the heavenly world. If someone would have come up to me a few weeks ago and told me that angels exist, I would have laughed at their faces and asked them to believe in something more real.

Something that deserved to be believed in.

However, now I have no idea what to believe in and what not.

"What do you mean by that. His Guardian Angel has chosen me to save him. I'm not backing out of this now."

"Ok Ophelia, let's make this even simpler for you. How about you, give me Xavier and I give you your Preston back? You wouldn't choose a random boy over your twin, would you? You have a day to think about this. We will meet tomorrow. I'll be waiting to hear your choice. Goodbye Ophelia"

He smirked at me as if he hadn't just given me the ultimatum of life.

A cloud of black smoke appeared and just like that he disappeared into thin air.

I stood there. At the same spot. Azrail was dangerous. No doubt about that. His black leather clothes and his attitude didn't help that.

If I stop helping Xavier, then I would get Preston back and this way my mother would love me. I would even have my lifelong best friend with me.

Preston or Xavier.

Xavier or Preston.

If I choose either one of them, someone was bound to get hurt. I felt my throat clog up and I knew a panic attack was on its way. It became harder to breathe with every passing second. I tried to calm myself down but nothing worked.

The blood pounded in my ears. My heart thudded in my chest. My hands shook. My feet tingled. My vision disfigured, as if I was looking through a fish-eye lens. I had to get away. I couldn't stay near that damned spot any longer. Breathing was hard. Really hard. As if I'd just run the London Marathon.

Tears streamed down my face as bile rose in my throat.

I felt like I was drowning and I didn't know how to swim. The water slowly entered my lungs and I began to let go.

I was going to pass out. I knew I was.

Suddenly I felt a hand over my shoulder. She gave me a bottle of water and told me to take deep breaths.

"Everything's going to get better, my dear. Just take deep breaths and stay with me."

After a few minutes my heart rate was back to normal and I could finally see who calmed me down.

It was Xavier's mother, Audrey. She had saved me from drowning.

And I knew it was time to return the favor. Her little boy was drowning too but no one knew.

And I was going to pull him out.