Page 40 of Heart Shaped Wreckage
“After more years than I can count, our bodies… without the full essence of God began to… deteriorate and fade. Not all of us fled into Hell with Lucifer. There were those of us who made a home on… on Earth and did our best to survive. When my body gave out, my spirit wandered. Soon, the smartest of us learned that we could inhabit a human body and extend our lives for many years. Heath was dying, and I… I slipped inside him. His body is not mine, but now it is. Do you understand?”
“So, it’s possession, but… he was dying.”
“I would never want to take… to take someone’s life from them. Heath greeted me with open arms. He has since gone on into eternity, and his body now belongs to me.”
“You just wanted to live?”
“Do you think… me a monster? I must repulse you.” He was struggling so hard to talk.
“I can’t wait to sleep in your arms again, you stupid idiot. But to do that, I think we have to figure something out. You may see yourself as a monster, but I see you as my savior. You have never given me any reason to fear you or hate you. You are you, and I am me. You are not evil and scary – well, maybe a little scary. I mean, you truly like alpha wolfed out there. But it was also kind of hot. The way you stood up for me.”
Heath took a deep breath, and his eyes closed. He fell asleep. He had been hurting. It was easy to see.
“That has to hurt?” Someone whined.
I turned to look behind me, and a tan dog lay in the grass. “I blend in perfectly here. I was worried you’d never see me, so I thought it best to let you know I’m here.”
“Another talking animal? If only Dandelion could meet you all.”
“And who is Dandelion?”
“Dandy is my crow and… I have a crow? I have a crow!” I tried to let my memories flow, but all I could see was a black crow and nothing else. I just knew he was mine. A familiar.Myfamiliar.
“Ah, a memory from a lost past.” The dog licked itself. “I’m Gula, and I’ve been waiting for you. The sword pierced his skin. Poor thing. Once, he walked among us as a deity when he was much younger. But he has always been old, hasn’t he? His kind were at the birth of everything. Poor thing.”
“He’s leaking golden blood. I tried to bind it as best I could.” I sat down and pulled my legs up in an embrace.
“Oh, that won’t matter. His ichor is attached to the soul, not the human body he wears. No blood flows through him since his possession has taken complete hold. If only he were human,he might survive. It won’t be long now. It’s a shame, I actually always liked him. He gave great scratches.”
“What can I do?”
“Do you still have the stones that you sought? The stones that allow you to seek?” She bent backward and licked at her hindquarters.
“Stop that. Tell me what I need to know.”
“If you could, you would, and you know it. Don’t judge me for who I am.” She whined.
I reached over and petted her head.
“You give good rubs, too. No wonder the two of you have become so close. I can feel your bond. Dogs always can.”
“I have the stones,” I held them out in my hand and showed her.
“Say the prophecy and try to understand what it is you must do next.” She sat up and placed a paw on my arm. “Hurry, there is not much time.”
‘Legion leader, once a friend,’ I recited.
“Yes. Think.” She lay back down and looked up at me with her brown eyes.
“That has to be that Aurelius angel asshole.” I nodded.
“Go on.”
‘Now a foe but closely kin.’ I thought about it for a second and petted her head. “Heath was once an angel with him and was cast to Earth during the fall. I had worked part of that out already. But now, I know more than I did.”
‘Seeking stones – swirling pool.’ I paused and sighed. “We did that. I hate sand.”
“Everyone hates sand. Imagine how it burns my paws,” she whined.
