With one agonizing scream, Dianna's body tumbled down the stairs. Gabriel's head jerked toward the sound. Wick grabbed his throat, hurling him over a table. Trace acted on impulse. He knew the next decisions he made were crucial to his survival. Are you a moron? His brain screamed. Those demons are distracted. Run!

Five seconds after the scream Trace dashed through the cafeteria doors. "Get him!" Feather ordered. Wick jerked Gabriel up by the collar. Gabriel swung his fist. Wick caught his hand, jerking it behind his back.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

In the distance, the three viewed the storm's destruction with horror. Small fires continued to erupt in Cat's Eye. The wind, no longer silent, seemed to screech. Chris, Ramona, and Justin stared at the window. "Okay, how does he expect us too."

"Stand still," Justin said. Smoke rose off the windowpane. The glass exploded, shattering shards onto the ground. Chris raised his eyebrows. "Show off."

One by one they boosted each other through the hole, the last guy being pulled. Ramona sat on a table. "I'm tired."

"Now's not nap time. Hold my hand. We're about to blend in with the air."

They walked quietly into the hall, climbing down a stairwell beside the gym.

"Where do we go?"

"Shhh!"

They peered into the gym. Coast clear. The hardwood floor was decorated with blue and yellow colors. Plaques and various flags hung on the walls. Two tall basketball goals stood on opposite ends of the court. Rows of metal bleachers sat underneath a giant painted bobcat.

2 rows of bleachers shook. Justin's heart started pounding. Then he remembered he was invisible.

Chris: "Don't make a sound."

Justin: "Gotcha."

Justin squeezed Ramona's hand reassuringly. Ramona smiled, but even having Chris and Justin near her didn't calm her anxiousness.

Scratch. Scratch. Scratch. A basketball rolled across the floor. Two Lost Souls crawled out in the open. Although Chris was in their line of view, they looked past him.

"Where.is.everybody."

"All.gone."

"Where..are.survivors.disappeared."

"None.left.all.converted."

"Yes.yes.ha ha ha."

Chris feelings of fear became dread. His nose tickled. He couldn't suppress it.

Chris: "I'm going to sneeze!"

Justin: "Oh no. Hold your breath."

Chris: "I'm turning blue!"

"Ahchoo! Ahchoo! Ahchoo!"

The Lost Souls froze. Their gaze circled suspiciously around the gym. "Who's.there." the female snarled, her eyes blazing red.

Chris: "Well that went well."

The dreaded creatures crept in separate directions, carefully sizing up the gym.

Justin: "Let's head to the door as quickly as possible."

Chris: "How? The exits are blocked off."

Justin: "Pal, right now I am grinning at the fact that you've completely forgotten about our powers."

Chris: "Oh yeah. Sorry."

Chris focused on the basketball nearest the female. It rolled further to the left, then flew up and smacked her face. She spun toward the bleachers, howling and extending her claws. Her male friend inched away from the doors. "Show.yourself.enemy."

The basketball rose to the goal, swishing through the hoop. The male picked up the ball. He sniffed it with distaste. "Chris!"

Uh-oh, Justin thought, the spotlight's on him. Time to fix that.

The Lost Souls whimpered. Heat built inside their bones, dissolving the tissue. Their fur roared with flames. While the monsters thrashed and screamed, Chris led them out of the gym. "So much for a clean, effortless rescue."

"What rescue? There are no survivors."

"They could've been lying."

"Why? They were unaware of our presence."

Ramona caught sight of the main stairs. Lying in a crumbled heap was Dianna. Her broken body appeared lifeless. A bloody wound marred her temple. Trace gently scooped her into his arms, uttering moans of despair. "Come on baby, wake up!" "Noooo!" Ramona cried. She set Dianna's head in her lap. Justin felt for a pulse. "It's weak," he sighed. Chris, however, had a plan. "Come on guys. Ramona's a healer. We're not gonna let her talents go to waste, are we?" Ramona chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully at the prospect. Chris and Justin watched in awe as she carried out the magnificent healing process.

Dianna opened her eyes. At first they were glazed and unfocused, but soon rested on Trace. A weak smile played on her lips. A slight shiver raced through Ramona's spine. Her hands tingled. It was at times like this that her healing powers scared her. I wish I fully understood how it works.

Dianna's fingers twitched. Her neck rolled to one side. A single word slipped from her mouth. "Momma." Her chest heaved. "Dianna," Justin said soothingly, "There's nothing to be frightened of." She gurgled, anxiously kicking. "Momma!"

Trace glanced up to ask Ramona if Dianna was delusional, but her horrified expression silenced him. Chris and Justin stopped talking. They peered down the hall.

NEXT CHAPTER

Although the storm raged around Emerald and Gandor, all was quiet in the park. They'd built a small fire. Sitting across from her partner, Emerald gazed over his shoulder at the jungle gym. "He's quieted."

"Good."

"Do you suppose we made a mistake?"

"Of course not. What makes you ask?"

"Lance is the angel, the one to be feared above all the others, and yet he hasn't done one thing to make my knees quake."

"He can't remember."

"He never will!"

Gandor's nostrils flared. "Don't argue with me. I'm right. Why do you think we pick on him so much? Why do we inflict so much suffering? If we allowed him a moment's peace, we're finished."

"You fear him?"

"To an extent, yes. If you were smart you'd fear him too. But for now we have the upper hand, and I will play it until the game's over."

"But he's weaker without his friends. Doesn't it take all 5 pieces of the puzzle to complete the picture?"

"The 4 missing pieces cover the edges of your puzzle. Lance fills the center. Get my drift?"

*~*~*~*~*~*~

Lance sat on his knees. In some ways the newfound darkness was comforting. Do not despair, a voice whispered to him.

Suddenly heat expanded from the corners of his eyes. A glowing apparition appeared before Lance. The body developed recognizable features. Deep blue eyes. A mop of unruly brown hair. A small splash of light-colored freckles across the nose. The same mischievous grin. The boy seemed close to 15 or 16.

Lance gasped. "Neil!"

Neil chuckled. "Bet you're surprised to see me. It's been awhile."

Surprise was an understatement. Lance could still recall that sunny afternoon in July.1995.

By noon, the Mississippi weather had reached high levels of heat and humidity. Neil lived in a three-story ranch house outside of Clinton. He and Lance were swimming in his in-ground pool. Neil's sisters, seven-year- old Anne and ten-year-old Holly, were tossing a ball on the trampoline. Lance dove off the diving board when Holly cried out.

"No! Oreo! He can't get down! He'll fall! Neil please save him!"

Neil and Lance emerged from the pool, pulling shirts over their heads. They searched for the spot on the roof where Holly's black and white tabby was stranded. The attic window as open, so somehow the cat managed to climb outside and on top of the chimney.

Neil heard it meowing pitifully. Holly begged him to help. Neil smiled. "You can count on me kiddo."

As Neil opened the back door, Lance caught his wrist. "Don't man. This is too dangerous." Neil smoothed hair off his forehead. "Relax Lance. I'll be fine. I go on rock climbing trips in Colorado every summer." "This is different!" He persisted. Neil went inside.

Lance, Holly, and Anne waited anxiously for several minutes until Neil hoisted himself out of the window. Being athletic, it wasn't difficult for his limber body to climb the short distance to the chimney. He scooped Oreo into his arms, petting and soothing the spooked cat.

Holly jumped up and down. "Yea! I knew he could do it."

"Uh huh," Anne chimed in, "He's the best big brother. He taught me how to ride my bike and stood up for me when those mean boys stole my backpack. And he can imitate cartoon characters. He's so cool! He's not scared of anything."

Neil waved to Lance. Lance cringed. "Just get down from there!"

Climbing down wasn't as simple as going up. Oreo complicated things. The cat jumped out of his arms as he leaned into the window the sudden movement made Neil wobble. He lost his footing. His body pitched forward. Everybody screamed. Luckily Neil grabbed the windowsill, but his fingers were slipping. "HELP!" Neil shouted, "I CAN'T HOLD ON!"

"Anne," Lance ordered, "Call 911!"

"What's the number for 911?" She sniffed, nervously twisting her sundress.

"Move it Holly!" Holly was already crying. "But." "Now!" Lance turned to Anne. "Talk loudly to him while I run upstairs."

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Lance dashed up the stairs, ran down the hall, turned the corner, scrambled up the 3rd floor stairs, and reached the attic ladder when he heard a long scream. Neil's scream.

THUD! THUD! The screaming died out, then stopped altogether. Lance stuck his head out the window. Neil's fingers were gone. Anne sobbed. Tears welling in his eyes and an anguished wail rising in his throat, Lance looked down three stories below at the concrete pool ground, stained scarlet red.

Lance opened his eyes, willing the painful recollection to vanish. "Did it hurt too badly?"

"Naw," Neil waved his hand, "Hardly a scratch."

Lance laughed as he tried not to get choked up. "I miss you. We were best friends. I felt so guilty for the longest time."

"It wasn't your fault. God called me home. By the way, I have an answer for your question."

"Huh?"

"The one you asked me at my funeral. After they lowered my casket and everybody was heading to my house, you stayed in the cemetery. You threw a rose into the ground, looked at my tombstone and said, 'Was I a good friend?'"

"Oh."

"The answer is yes."

"Thanks. I spoke with Holly last month. She graduated third in her class and won a scholarship to Princeton. Anne has a boyfriend. She's going on a ski trip with the band this fall. Oreo brought home a cat named Cookie. They gave birth to kittens."

"I know. I watch over them."

"Neil, it's great to see you again."

"Yeah. Nsync's a cool group. Your friends seem like fun guys. Listen, I can't talk long. I'm to deliver a message to you. Lance, it's up to you to save everyone from those demons."

(Skeptical sarcasm) "Really? Compared to the others, they're the ones."

"They're the ones getting your butt out of sticky situations."

"No kidding."

"You're not handling this right."

"Then what do you say I should do?"

"Pray. Yes, it is a simple answer, but that's all you need. Humble yourself at God's mercy. Forget trying to scrape out of this mess on your own. That is what you've been doing, whether you realize it or not."

Pray. Lance nodded. He didn't know what else to say. Neil's glow began to fade.

"I'm leaving you, Lance."

"Wait! I.I.can't we talk just a little more?"

Neil hugged Lance, then stepped away, floating further and further into the distant, vast mist. "We'll be together again.soon."

WHOOSH! Wind hit Lance's face. He was alone in the cold darkness. He heard Emerald and Gandor. The storm brewed around them. I'm back.

Although he was unable to see, Lance tried to imagine the beauty of the sky before the storm. The clear, crystal blue. Shimmering sunlight filtering through weightless, feathery clouds. His face grew numb as he concentrated. He wanted his heart to open up.

God, I need your help. I need to discover my destiny. I can't do it on my own. I need you Lord. You are my rock and my strength. I love You. Please help me.

It was short, yet as soon as the prayer was finished, a small fire lit inside Lance. A gentle breeze ruffled his cheek. He couldn't explain it, but it was like experiencing God's touch. He blinked. When he opened them, his sight returned. Lance suddenly felt powerful. With God, all things are possible.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

Outside the jungle gym, Emerald tensed. "Something's funny." Gandor rolled his eyes. "It's your imagination."

Emerald stood. "The fires are dying. The rain is stopping. That doesn't strike you as odd?"

"Nonsense," Gandor argued.

Lance snickered, "Are you sure?"

Emerald and Gandor jumped. Emerald panicked. If we let Lance go any further, we're through! Emerald's nose twitched. Her lips mouthed words quickly and forcefully.

Lance had been preparing to send Gandor out of Joey's body, when he froze in place.

Gandor's jaw dropped. "Emmy, you haven't performed that spell in quite a while."

"It was necessary." Lance fell to the ground. His expression never changed. His breathing was labored, but steady.

"See what I mean?" Emerald glared, "Give him an inch and he takes a mile! He won't stay paralyzed forever. I'm straining to keep him this way."

"Fine. We'll begin the ceremony."

"No we can't. Where are Wick and Feather? Is Gabriel dead?"

"OK, so we're running behind schedule. Chill. Everything's under control."

*~*~*~*~*~*~

Lost Souls, most of which were only half formed, surrounded the interior. Trace always hated Cat's Eye. People simply didn't care about each other. Still, it was painful to look at those creatures-people he'd known his entire life-and see what they'd become.

Dianna pulled herself into a weak sitting position. Ramona hugged her. "We'll be okay," she whispered. Justin stared intently at the nearest monster, a boy of about 12.

Chris: "No! Stay cool."

Justin: "Are you crazy, why?"

Chris: "They haven't advanced yet. Keep the peace as long as possible."

"NEED.WANT.NEED.WANT.NEED.WANT."

Their voices sounded like insects crawling in the walls. The air temperature dropped dramatically. Everybody stood. Dianna leaned on Trace. She shivered. "I'm cold." He put his arms around her.

Without warning, a Lost Soul sank its claws into Ramona's shoulder blades. The weight sent Ramona plummeting head first to the floor. Her stomach hit the bottom step. Cold tile bruised her cheek.

Justin pounced on top of the attacking Lost Soul, wrapping his arm around its neck. They wrestled to the floor. Justin knew he couldn't use his powers. There was too much risk in burning himself.

Chris metamorphosed into invisibility. Dianna and Trace pressed themselves against the corner. The Lost Souls were growing agitated. Another one latched onto Justin's back. Suddenly its side folded in, as if it were being kicked. It rolled away.

Ramona steadied herself on the railing. Three demons ran at her. Fear knotted her stomach. Ramona wasn't thinking, so her instincts took over. Throwing her hands out, she seized two of them by the throat. The third one was picked up by an invisible person and slammed into the wall.

Ramona squeezed her fingers, breathing out. The eerie sensation tickled her senses. Power filled her muscles. Her skin began to glow. The Lost Souls howled and fought, but it was pointless. They shriveled before hanging limply. Ramona dropped them, running at her third attacker. She ignored the rest of the ongoing chaos.

"Ow! You stepped on my foot!"

Ramona turned to mid-air. "Sorry Chris."

A Lost Soul slashed across her ribs. Searing pain stopped Ramona in her tracks. Warm, sticky blood soaked through her shirt. A reflexive action shot through her arm. Blue heat zapped out of her fingers, striking the monster. It died instantly. Dianna screamed. Trace left her in the corner, punching the Lost Soul that leapt from the stairs.

It seemed hopeless. Justin, scratched and bruised, stumbled onto the steps. Thankfully he regained his balance. One by one Lost Souls began burning.

An idea struck Ramona. She spread her arms apart. Blue heat shot out. It was like an electrical shock. It raced from each Lost Soul, destroying them.

In a sense they're killing themselves. I'm using their power against them.

Chris materialized, dashing to Trace and Dianna. "Well the worst of it is over. Let's go."

Everyone joined hands. They gritted their teeth through the teleportation until they wound up back at Brenner's Café, landing behind the bar.

Although the atmosphere was a miserable wreck, Ruby had made some attempt to clean it up. Adam and Cricket were asleep, tucked under Kellen and Harper's jackets. Speaking of those two, they sat on the bar stools, nursing a couple of beers and clutching their guns.

"You know, this gun reminds me of my security blanket I drug around as a kid."

"Harper, are you drunk again?"

"No. I really feel a lot better with this thing. Anyway, I was just making conversation."

Ruby folded her arms. "Where are the survivors?"

Ramona wiped her hands on her jeans. "There were none," she mumbled, "We were too late."

"Oh, come on!" Justin admonished her, "Let's not blame ourselves. We did the best we could." Dianna nodded. "Besides, you saved my life, and that counts for something."

Ramona frowned, obviously exasperated. "For crying out loud, who says I feel guilty?"

Ruby lit a cigarette. "I've always said that the eyes are like two miniature television screens. No matter how hard we try to hide it, our emotions are always broadcasted through them."

Chris suddenly appeared very worried. "Uh-oh. Gabriel! We left him at the college."

"I'm sure he's alive and kicking butt," Trace replied, "Besides, he had unfinished business."

"That's not what I mean! He's in trouble. I can sense it. I've gotta go back." This decision was met with unanimous objections, but Chris's mind was made up. Gabriel needed him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

Despite his tremendous abilities, Gabriel's powers were no match for Wick and Feather's. Feather pinned his arms to the table. The claw marks burned terribly. Wick raised his talons to slash again when a sudden disturbance was detected.

Chris shook his head, clearing his vision. He had indeed landed in the cafeteria. Thankfully his invisibility kept him hidden, but he was sure that his entrance hadn't gone unnoticed.

He crept around, keeping close to the wall. Wick and Feather's attention was momentarily diverted from Gabriel, giving Chris enough time to sneak up behind them.

Chris used his telekinesis. Wick and Feather flew up off the ground, flying into the wall. Gabriel was picking himself up off the table.

Chris grabbed Gabriel's hand, teleporting them to a place he was certain they could hide. The forest.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

When Gabriel realized what Chris had done, his reaction was less than pleased.

Gabriel jerked his arm away. "Chris! What do you think you are doing?!"

"I thought well.I."

"Thought what? Thought I couldn't handle my own business?"

"No!"

"Gosh, how could you be so stupid? Why did you come after me? Jeez! You're such an idiot!"

Chris overcame the initial shock of Gabriel's insults. Known for being short tempered, he shot back, "So this is the thanks I get? My gosh, I would be thrilled if someone cared enough about me to leave safety and come to my rescue! No wonder you're all alone! Someone would have to be crazy to be friends with you. Jerks aren't worth wasting time over!"

When he paused, he noticed the red slashes across Gabriel's shirt and the red liquid dripping down his left arm. "You're hurt," he said. Gabriel shrugged. "It's nothing."

"Let me help you." Chris encouraged him to sit down. He tore off a strip of his T-shirt, wrapping it around Gabriel's wounded arm.

Gabriel sighed. "Um.thanks. I'm sorry I lashed at you like that. It's not that I'm too proud to ask for help, but you could've been killed." And I'm not worth that.

Chris tightened the knot on the torn cloth. "Tell me, was this meeting with Feather and Wick that unfinished business you needed to take care of?"

"Sort of. It just involves things that have bothered me for years." Gabriel took a deep breath. "I'm not like those two. I'm not like any of the other Lost Souls."

"I figured that. You haven't tried to eat us yet."

"It's more than that. Wick, Feather, and I grew up together, but they've always exercised a certain amount of superiority over me. As a child, they relentlessly picked on me. I was bestowed with nicknames like 'half-breed'. I've always felt the need to prove myself, to show that I was one of them. But as I grew older, I knew I was different."

"How?"

"It's more of a stupid suspicion than anything else. But it's one of those suspicions that nag and nag. I'm also having 'The Dream' again."

"What's 'The Dream'?"

"It's difficult to explain. Uh.(straining to remember).there are colors. I see white walls. A red and blue blanket covers me. I don't know where I am, but I'm warm and cozy. Sunlight peeks through the cracked window. A sweet voice talks to me. I can smell flowers, something like Irises. Next it blurs, and I'm standing on a porch. I see a black truck on the driveway. The person with the sweet voice rocks me. She's singing. Then it blurs again, and I'm in front of a little black-and-white television. I smell cookies. I'm playing with a toy piano and toy cars."

Chris rubbed his chin. "Call me nuts, but that sounds like childhood memories rather than a strange dream."

"Maybe so, but I used to have it frequently. It never changes. Now it's reoccurring."

Gabriel pounded his fist into his palm. "Wick and Feather know what the dream means. I'm sure of it. I want them to tell me!"

He sighed. His eyes looked upward. Suddenly, he pushed Chris out of the way, narrowly avoiding a green beam of light. They rolled to the ground.

Feather started laughing hideously. Wick rubbed his hands. "So you thought you could trick me. Ha! I was certain you were wiser than that." He prepared to send another beam at Chris.

Gabriel leaned over, covering Chris's body with his own. "Don't you dare try to harm him! I swear I'll rip you apart if you do!"

"Aw, isn't that sweet," Wick cooed mockingly, "The brothers are defending each other."

Chris's eyes widened. "Excuse me?!" whispered.

Wick sneered. "You heard me, Gabriel Kirkpatrick."

continued