Project Angel Book 1: Awakenings

Chapter 19

Micah

For the last week, Enjeru has not woken up. Ever since that day I’ve been avoiding Angelique. If she would have just been thankful for that single act, or better yet If she would have just been on guard none of this would have happened. But now I’m sitting here next to Enjeru who is unconscious and doesn’t show signs of waking up anytime soon. The door slides open, and I look up to see Jake.

“Hey, Jake.”

He frowns at me while closing the door behind him.

“Micah you can’t keep doing this to yourself. It’s been a week, and you haven’t left this room since she came here. You haven’t been eating, and I know you haven’t been sleeping. She won’t die. You need to take care of yourself a little, or are you just trying to avoid Angelique that badly?”

I look up at him but don’t answer. I turn my attention back to Enjeru and her sleeping figure. Then back to Jake.

“I don’t know,” I whisper.

“Look you guys need to talk. I know you feel like this is her fault, but we all would have done what Enjeru did. Enjeru most likely saved her because she knew how good of a friend you consider Angelique to be. Enjeru did that because she’s trying to be a better member of this team. So now she needs you to try for her. Go talk to Angelique.”

I look up at Jake knowing he’s right.

“Fine, I’ll go.”

“Good you go, and I’ll stay here I’ll call you if anything changes.”

I get up and trudge slowly to where I know Angelique will be. I step into a garden where everything is currently in bloom. I can hear the soft shuffling of feet in the grass. I follow the sound to a clearing. Angelique stands in the center sword in hand. She’s practicing what she always does when she’s stressed. She swings her sword but throws it to the ground in frustration. I step out from behind the tree trunk and she turns towards me quickly wiping away her tears.

“Angelique I….”

“No Micah you have every right to be angry with me. I’m the reason she’s in the bed unconscious. I’m the reason you’ve been so unhappy. I just couldn’t get past who she is, what she is.”

“Angelique I’m not angry with you. At first, I tried blaming you, but I realized I was mad at myself more because I couldn’t do anything to save either of you.”

“But you have to understand I’ve been told my whole life that her kind was bad, evil, demons, but obviously there are some exceptions. And I should have seen that I should have been grateful, but seeing all of you fawn over her I don’t know I felt...I don’t know how I felt.”

“Angelique we don’t care about Enjeru more it’s just she saved us all. Twice for you now. And we were taught the same things you were, but we’re realizing that just because you’re taught something doesn’t mean it’s true.”

“Micah I know I’m a bit rough to deal with, and that sometimes I take things to far. But if you could find it in your heart to forgive me I would appreciate it.

“Angelique I’m not the one you need to ask for forgiveness. But I wouldn’t mind having my best friend back.”

“I think I can do that.”

She smiles at me before punching me lightly on the arm.

“Would it be alright if I visit her. Enjeru that is.”

“Of course I’m sure she’d appreciate it.”

We walk back to the room to find nothing has changed. I take a seat next to Enjeru, while Angelique stands further away and Jake leans against the nearby wall.

“Why isn’t she waking up?”

“They can’t figure it out. She’s perfectly fine physically. The poison didn’t affect any vital organs or appear in her bloodstream when test were run. But she’s just been stuck like this ever since that day.”

“I wonder…No it couldn’t be…..”

She walks towards Enjeru slowly seeming to debate on something.

“What’s wrong Angelique? Is she hurt?”

She touches her, but retracts her hand immediately.”

“What’s wrong why did you….”

“Micah she needs your help.”

“Why, what is it?”

“She’s trapped. Someone or something is keeping her trapped in her mind.”

“Who? How?”

“From what I could tell this poison was meant to keep her locked up and only someone skilled in magic would be able to reverse the effects.”

“We have to do something!!” Jake yells.

“I can only think of one thing but I need someone well versed in magic.”

“I can do it.” Jake volunteers.

“No, while you’re good Jake Micah would be the better choice. If something happens with the seal while I send him over he can fix it over there as well as here. You don’t deal with sealing as well.”

“I can’t Jake would be better.”

But you’re the only one who can help her. You have to go into where ever she is, and pull her back out.”

“I really don’t think I can do it.”

“Look there’s a 24-hour window of time we have left now. If you don’t save her by then I’m afraid she’ll be trapped until Kiro decides to release her.

“And he won’t do that until he has her…” Jake whispers.

“Angelique I.... ”

“Micah please.” Jake pleads.

“O...okay.”

She nods before taking my hand.

“Now Micah if I send you there's a chance you might not be able to save her. If she’s to caught up in whatever she seeing it may be impossible to pull her out.”

“I understand.”

“Good now close your eyes, and focus on Enjeru.”

I do as she says. At first, I can hear her murmuring something, and then it’s silent. Suddenly I’m thrown forward into a room. I look around seeing it’s someone’s bedroom. I hear yelling, and feet running I quickly duck into the closet. A girl runs in. She’s crying and throws herself on the bed. She has wavy black hair that flows down her back, and copper skin. She seems very familiar somehow. She raises her hand, and the door slams shut locking. There’s more padding of feet followed by loud banging.

“GO AWAY!!!” She screams.

“Enjeru Mommy didn’t mean it.”

“GO AWAY!!!!!!!”

“Enjeru sweetie your Mother didn’t mean that she was just upset. We all are, I’m sorry if we hurt you.”

I have to stop myself from jumping out of the closest. That’s Enjeru, and this is before her Mother died?

“Enjeru honey please come out so we can talk.” A woman’s voice cries.

“NO, YOU ALL HATE ME SO I’M NEVER LEAVING MY ROOM AGAIN!!!!”

“Honey I’m sorry I let my emotions get the best of me, I shouldn’t have cursed you like that….I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions...I…”

Silence follows with neither side saying another word. Slowly you can hear everyone at the door leave.

“Enjeru please forgive me if I could take it back I would…”

Enjeru sits up her arms wrapped tightly around a stuffed black rabbit with red eyes. Tears are streaming down her face as she hugs the rabbit closer. She appears to have not heard a single word that was said.

“Everyone hates me now. Everyone.”

The room begins to fade, suddenly we’re in what looks like a parlor. A woman with curly black hair deep hazelnut eyes and bronze skin sits in one chair while in the other a hooded figure.

“Please you must fix this, I didn’t know….I didn’t mean to hurt her like this. Please Xa….”

“I’ll do my best to fix her.” a gruff voice replies.

“Please, I didn’t mean to hurt her like that.”

The room fades again this time Enjeru stands in the room her face is darkened, and her hand is gripping a dagger.

“She’s why you’re like this. She’s the reason you can never be free.” The gruff voice from earlier states.

“No, Mommy said she was sorry...she been saying she was sorry... I should forgive her….”

“She’s why you’ll never live a normal life again. She punished you now punish her.” It hisses.

“Who are you? You aren’t Uncle. Uncle would never tell me to do this. Uncle knows Mommy didn’t mean it “

“Foolish girl you will do as I say. Your Uncle is not the only one with power.”

She falls to her knees in pain. I run from the shadows to her, but something sends me flying back. I look at her in pain and my heart breaks. She suddenly stands her eyes void. She turns walking towards a room. I hear a deep laugh rumble through the room. Then large boot steps begin echoing through the room. A man is visible he’s tall and lean. He smiles as a whimpers echo from the next room. I run past him praying it has nothing to do with Enjeru.

As I enter the room I see Enjeru in the middle of the room a dagger hanging loosely from her hand and a body beneath her feet. She suddenly drops the dagger and falls back.

“Mom?…..Mommy?….”

She looks down at her hand and screams. Footsteps run to the room, but they all stop in the door entrance. She turns towards them blood all over her, and tears in her eyes.

“I……..didn’t…..mean…I.…..don’t.………know..”

Her father walks up to her, and slapping across the face so hard she cracks the marble floor under her as she hits the ground. Everything goes still except for the blood running down Enjeru’s temple.

Enjeru scrambles up towards the other door.

“Enjeru wait!!!!” What I assume to be young Kiro screams.

“Father she wasn’t in her right mind someone made her do it I saw it just now!!”

“Kiro are you sure?”

“Yes, she didn’t do this on purpose I swear...“

“Enjeru come here. Daddy shouldn’t have done that without asking you what happened. Daddy is sorry so please just come here it’s okay.” Her father says softly getting down on one knee with arms outstretched.

She looks up with fear, and hurt running so deep in her stare that it almost burns.

“Enje…..”

She turns and runs. I follow closely behind. Her name is being screamed in the background. Yet she keeps running out into the stormy night her steps never faltering. The rain has soaked the both of us to the bone but Enjeru refuses to stop. I can hear her labored breathing, her hammering heart, but she keeps running. She begins to slow finally much to my happiness. She stares up at a building. My eyes follow, but I see nothing special about it. The thick sheet of rain doesn’t help. She turns her head back as if debating whether she should go back, or not. Even in the rain, it’s still clear she’s crying. She turns back to the building, and enters. I follow, and my jaw drops slightly. It’s Libra. Everything begins to click. She’s trapped in the memories of 50 years ago. Everything fades except for a single line of light, and in the middle of the beam is Enjeru. She’s curled up in a ball sobbing loudly. I run to her, but again an invisible force keeps me from her.

“Enjeru…Enjeru please talk to me I’m here to help you.”

“You hate me too. Everyone hates me. My Mother, my Father, all my Brothers, Angelique. I’m alone.”

“Enjeru I could never hate you. They don’t hate you didn’t you hear you Mom wished she could take everything back.”

“STOP LYING!!! Stop it…..everyone who’s ever claimed to care for me has hurt me, and in return been hurt by me. What makes you any different?”

I falter, she’s right what makes me any different from any of them. I reach out to touch her, but again I’m stopped. I fall to my knees not knowing what to do. How can I help her when I can’t even understand how she feels? Then it hits me. No one has ever tried to break down this wall to comfort her. She acts as if what happened 50 years ago maybe even before that doesn’t bother her, but it does. It eats away at her constantly, but when you have nowhere to turn that’s all you can do is let it slowly kill you. This is what Jake was talking about, these are the emotions she hides.

“If you won’t hear me out then I’ll have to show you. I want to get to know you better. I want to be your friend. To be there for you. I don’t care what you’ve done. That’s the past this is now. You can’t change what’s happened, but you can change what’s to come.”

I press my hand against the wall it tries to force me back again, but I won’t allow it I can’t. By adding pressure crackling can be heard all throughout the space. I press my body into it. Searing pain starts shooting to every corner of my body. It’s like thousand of needles being buried into my body, but I’m slowly starting to push past the barrier. Blood trickles down my arms, and temple the harder I press, but it’s the only way to get through to her. Enjeru finally looks up, and gasps.

“Micah stop you hurting yourself.”

“If that’s what it takes to get to you I’ll do it.”

“Stop I’m not worth it.”

“You are worth it.”

Blood has now started trickling into my eye causing my vision to go red.

“Micah STOP!!!!” She says in pure panic.

I continue even though I’m starting to feel light headed. I’m so close to reaching her. Making one final effort I push as hard as I can. Something violently lashes back sending me flying.

“MICAH!!!” I hear her scream.

I smile realizing that I gave it my all. I can hear her screaming in the background, but it goes silent. Gentle hands pick my head up. I look up to see Enjeru in tears.

“You idiot you could have died in reality from doing that.”

“Friends will fight for each other even if that means death.”

“Don’t scare me like that Micah. I can’t lose anyone else.”

" That’s not true Jake, Syaoran, Alice, and even Angelique are all worried about you. We’re a family now we look out for each other.”

“Micah I….”

“….Micah!!!!”

I jolt up, and I’m back in the hospital room. Everyone is looking at me worried.

“What happened is she awake?”

Angelique looks at the ground, and Jake doesn’t look at me at all either.

“She’s awake right?” My voice falters.

“Micah I’m….” Angelique starts.

“I’m right here.”

All eyes turn to Enjeru who is now smiling at me tears brimming in her eyes.

“I’m here now Micah you found me.”

I pull her into the biggest hug possible but release her right away feeling slightly embarrassed. Jake hugs her even tighter, but he doesn’t let go.

“Don’t you dare scare us like that ever again.” Jake says tearfully.

“I’m sorry. I just couldn’t have escaped by myself. If it wasn’t for Micah I would still be trapped in that nightmare.”

She smiles at me softly, lovingly. It makes my heart go crazy.

“Micah there’s something I have to tell you.”

“What?”

“Thank you.” She smiles shyly before looking away.

I can feel a grin start to form on my own face.

“Ugh enough with the emotional shit it’s making me sick.” Angelique snaps playfully.

“I missed you too Angelique.”

“Glad you’re back Enjeru and if it means anything I’m sorry for being such a bitch.” Angelique smiles at her softly.

Enjeru laughs making all of us join in.