Seraphim and Theorem

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ABSTRUSE
ABSTRUSE
126 Followers

"What's so funny?" asked Angel.

"Its all funny. An angel and a demon working together for the same cause." Said Lilith. "You to give her back hope while I try to keep it from happening."

"Just remember, winner buys lunch." Said Angel stubbing out her cigarette into the ground.

"I plan on having surf and turf." Said Lilith stubbing out the cigarette in the palm of her hand.

"What makes you so sure of yourself?" asked Angel.

"I plan on playing unfair." Said Lilith.

Angel laughed. "So what else is new about that?"

They sat in silence for a few moments. They both had the same goal and the same choice, to reside on Earth or Go onward.

"So was Heaven what you thought it would be?" asked Lilith.

"I don't really know. Never really thought I would get to go there." Said Angel. "Was Hell what you thought it would be?"

"Parts of it reminded me of Earth." Said Lilith. "Only there were fewer Starbucks."

Lilith rose and brushed off the back of her jeans. "Well, time for me to go while she's confused. Thanks for the smoke."

"I'd wish you luck but...you know." Said Angel. "You are the competition"

"Soon to be the winner either way." Chided Lilith. "Later, loser."

Petra took the pillow off of her face when she felt someone sit on the edge of the bed. It was Lilith. That was the last thing she needed.

"You alright? I saw you running in here all flustered." Lilith seemed concerned.

"Yea, just peachy." Said Petra.

"You and Angel have a fight?" asked Lilith.

"You'd like that wouldn't you?" asked Petra.

"Petra, I don't know what kind of person you think I am but I really don't like to see anyone unhappy. I've listened to you in group therapy; I've watched you since you came in here and I know you don't really belong here. I only want to help you." The lie rolled so easily off her tongue.

Petra pushed herself up so she was sitting against the headboard, her knees brought up to her chest as she hugged the pillow. She looked at Lilith. Her dark eyes looked softer today and her red hair, which was usually pulled back into a severe ponytail, was down and ringlets wrapped around her shoulders. She almost looked angelic to Petra.

"We did have a fight. She tried to analyze me, can you believe that?" asked Petra.

"Yes I can. It's all part of her pattern. I suppose it's easy for her to do considering the amount of time she's spent in therapy." Lilith paused. "She didn't get violent, did she?"

"Angel? No. Why has she been before?" asked Petra.

Lilith pulled up her pant leg to reveal a slight scar on her right calf. "That's from when she threw a chair at me."

"Wow. Why did she do that?" asked Petra.

"She started on me about how I should get my head out of my ass and see the world for what it is, blah, blah, blah. Life isn't about logic it's about hope and love. I should stop fighting with God, etc.," said Lilith.

"She did the same thing with me." Said Petra

"Did you tell her to go to Hell too? What garbage. Why should I get my hopes up that life is going to be easy and that I can find the answers inside of me? People live and people die and I get that, but life is more complex than that don't you think?" asked Lilith.

"Yes I do." Said Petra.

"So what is the point in relying on hopes and dreams when the hard facts are that life is going to be painful but if you persevere you can work around that. I remain steadfast in my belief that only we are responsible for our actions not some intangible entity." Said Lilith. "According to most secular schools of thought we are born damaged. How does that inspire hope? My free will is what leaves me to be a heterodoxical misfit."

"See, you get it, why can't Angel?" asked Petra.

"Because she's insane." Said Lilith as she headed towards the door. "If I were you I would just give her a wide berth. I must be off; I don't want you to get in trouble for consorting with the enemy. Later."

"Thanks for stopping by Lilith." Said Petra. Lilith gave a small wave without looking back.

Angel came back around dinnertime, but didn't go to eat. She went to her room and stayed in bed. She stayed in bed all of the following day as well. Petra tried to speak to her but she just stared straight ahead at the wall. She started to worry because Angel didn't move, speak, eat or even take her medication.

December 23rd afternoon.

Petra had a visit from her roommate back home. They exchanged gifts and caught up on some news. She received cards and notes from some of her co-workers that she was going to read later. When she got back to her room Angel was standing and staring out the tiny window.

"Hey you're up!" said Petra tossing her gifts onto her bed.

Petra went over and stood next to Angel. She couldn't help but notice how tired Angel looked. She seemed distant.

"It's going to snow tonight. The snow will blanket everything and make it beautiful, but underneath will lie the dead waiting to be reborn." Angel said flatly.

Petra didn't know what to say, she felt responsible for Angel's behavior. "Angel, I'm sorry about the other day. I was drunk and being stupid. Please forgive me?" asked Petra.

"I've forgiven you and everyone else." Angel continued staring straight ahead.

"Look I have to go to see the shrink but how about we talk when I get back?" asked Petra.

"We'll talk." Said Angel as she continued to stare out the window.

When Petra returned from her appointment Angel was nowhere to be found. Her bed was made and all her things were neatly arranged. At first Petra thought she may be with her therapist but she never showed up for dinner. She didn't show up for Christmas caroling and movies that night either. Petra even sat through "It's a Wonderful Life." When it came time for bed Petra panicked. She went to the nurse's station to see if they knew anything.

Petra had taken her meds and was asleep when security started their search for Angel. They would search the buildings and the grounds as much as they could at night then resume in the morning if needed.

December 24th Morning

Petra woke from an uneasy sleep. She had the strangest dream. It started out with her sister's funeral. Everyone one was there offering condolence. She was standing next to two women who were talking about how it was a shame that they lost their only child. What did they mean by that? Petra looked around but couldn't see herself there between her parents, the place where she stood that day.

She then found herself standing in her laboratory. There was a young man she didn't recognize sitting in her place. The photograph of her and her sister was nowhere to be seen. She always kept it in the same spot so she could remember why she was doing all of that in the first place.

When the young man went across the room to get more samples she peeked into the microscope. He was looking at neuronal cells.

"What the hell is he doing?" She thought to herself."He should be looking into cytokines."

The young man came back and placed a small drop of material on a fresh slide and began to look at it.

"You should be looking into my notes. We are looking at immunosuppressives and not neuronal cells. Look at the cytokines" she said to the young man.

"He can't hear you." Said a voice from behind her. It was Angel looking like an angel.

"What are you doing here?" Petra asked. "And why can't he hear me?"

"Because you were never born."

"What do you mean I was never born?"

"You don't exist. You never were here or there or anywhere. You no longer have a purpose because you lack the spirit needed to complete your destiny." Said Angel.

"And just how do you know all of this? Let me guess, because you're an angel, right?"

"Yes. Your destiny is planned out well before you reach the earthly plane. When you are born it is up to you to fulfill that destiny, to grow and contribute to mankind." Said Angel.

"What, you're saying I wasn't born because I won't keep up my end of the bargain? How do I know what that is?" Petra asked.

"You have the conviction but as I said, you lack the spirit. You look into a microscopic world everyday and that prevents you from seeing the big picture. You know that somewhere swimming in that drop of blood is the key to the answer you seek. It's a sure thing because to you it's tangible. However everything in the known universe is not that way. There are many things that are indefinable and that's okay. You don't have to know the hows and whys of the way they work just have the faith that they will and that they do work. You can know how a daffodil grows but you can't ask it why it wants to be yellow and face the Sun.," said Angel.

"I don't get it." Said Petra.

"Petra. Your sister would still have died whether or not you were born. There is no one to blame for her death because it was her destiny to die. It is the trigger in a chain of events. She passed you the torch, now it's up to you to carry it to the next level. There is a reason why you chose to go into the field of research." Said Angel. "But your inability to just have the hope that you will find what you seek holds you back. Stop being selfish and recognize your gifts."

"I'm not selfish. I'm thorough." Said Petra.

"And you're starting to disappear." Said Angel

Petra looked down to see her body started to disintegrate down to the cellular level. The last thing she heard was Angel saying..."You're not here."

When she rolled over she noticed Angel's bed wasn't slept in last night. Angel rarely made her bed. An alarm went off in Petra's head. She got out of bed and dressed quickly then made her way to Lilith's room.

She quietly opened the door so she wouldn't disturb Lilith's roommate and padded her way over to the side of Lilith's bed. Crouching down beside the bed she gently shook the sleeping woman.

"Pssst. Lilith. Wake up." She whispered.

Lilith moaned and then opened her eyes. It took her a minute to realize that it was Petra in front of her.

"Hey girl, what's wrong?" Yawned Lilith.

"Angel is still missing. I remember you saying how she shut down before her last attempt at suicide, you don't think she...do you?" asked Petra.

Lilith propped herself up on one elbow and brushed the hair from her face. "No. I don't think she would do anything this close to Christmas. She's probably just in hiding somewhere thinking things through." Said Lilith.

"She spoke yesterday but she was so distant." Said Petra.

"What did she say?" asked Lilith.

"She talked about snow coming, forgiving and that we would talk when I got back." Said Petra.

"Sounds like she's waiting for you." Said Lilith, "Where do you think she may have gone off to?"

Petra thought for a moment. "I know where she is!"

Back in her room Petra scurried to find warm clothes and an extra blanket. She dressed quickly and with the rolled up blanket tucked under her arm made her way to the small room where the doorway led to the forgotten basement passage.

She slipped past the nurse's station as they were doling out meds to the other patients. Arriving at the room and as she opened the door she remembered she didn't bring a flashlight. She didn't want to risk getting caught so she continued by using her intuition and taking small hurried steps. Shuffling along the only sounds were her footsteps and the squeal of a rat whose tail she stepped on; they were both equally afraid. It seemed like forever to reach the door to the outside. Petra had to use both hands to pull it open, the snow and ice had sealed it shut. It finally broke free and she pushed her way through the frozen vines and bushes.

The snow was starting to fall again in big fluffy flakes. They stuck to her hair and eyelashes as she looked for signs that someone had walked through there. The only imprints were faded ones left by security patrols. She had a little trouble finding the pathway that was now blanketed by snow.

As she worked her way through the woods she could hear the wind carrying whispers. The voice seemed familiar but the language was unknown to her, she chalked it up as her mind playing tricks on her. She felt herself start to slip and grabbed at a nearby tree. A sharp pain stung her palm; she recoiled and looked to find it was a thorn tree. One of its little daggers was stuck in her hand. She yanked it out and watched as her blood dripped down into the snow leaving bright red spots in contrast to the stark white snow.

The burning sting from her wound made her realize she could feel pain. It hurt like Hell. She clenched her fist and pushed the pain back down saving it for later. Her breath formed small clouds of vapor around her. She could hear the snow falling as clear as a bell. Her senses seemed more pronounced.

She pushed onward until she could make out the shape of the rundown house. The sound of her blood rushing through her veins beat steadily against her eardrum. She tentatively stepped over the threshold and made her way to the room where Angel had taken her that day.

The clouds heavy with snow made everything a little darker and she had to squint to see better. She could see the wine bottle, now smashed poking it pieces through the snow. Along side of that were a few faint pink splotches that led into the far corner of the room. She realized the rumpled form was Angel.

Petra rushed over to the still form and began to unroll the blanket. Angel was sitting up against the wall, her skin was ashen and her lips were blue. Petra could see the gashes in her wrists, the shard of glass still in her one hand. The cold had kept her blood from flowing too quickly but enough had flowed to fuse her hands to the frozen floor.

Petra tucked the blanket around Angel and felt against her neck with two fingers, her pulse was still there but very slight.

She held Angel's face in her hands. "ANGEL! It's Petra. Please wake up." She began to slap Angel's face while calling her name. Angel's eyelids slowly fluttered open.

That's it girl, wake up for me." Petra wrapped her body around Angel's sharing her warmth. "I'm going to get you out of here."

"It's too late." Whispered Angel.

"No. It's not too late." Said Petra as she rubbed Angel's arm to get her blood pumping. "You taught me that much."

"I don't get it?" said Angel.

"My eyes are open now. You were right I wasn't seeing the big picture. I created my own martyrdom because I enjoyed my own pain. I didn't see others were being hurt by it. You called me on it and my stubborn need to always be right prevented me from seeing that until you showed up in my dream. You made me realize that whether or not I was born Bianca still would have died, but I have the chance to possibly save others because of her death. I'm so close to finding it Angel, the answer is there but I'm looking too hard." Said Petra as she wrapped her scarf around Angel's head and neck.

Angel raised one eyebrow and looked at Petra through half closed eyes. "So you've had a revelation?" she whispered hoarsely.

"A revelation, an awakening or a kick in the ass, what ever you want to call it I've had it and I feel free. Look." Said Petra as she opened her bloodied palm to show Angel. "I can bleed and feel pain, so I know I'm alive. It's tangible and real and it hurts like Hell but it's mine and I feel it. I feel life again Angel. I feel it in these snowflakes, I feel it calling to me on the wind, and I feel it coursing through me. I feel the hope that when I get back to my research that I can make a difference, I may not heal the world but I can heal me and become whole again. Life will carry on and on and on but while I'm in it I'm going to live it and complete the task I was destined to do, what ever it may be."

"I believe you will Petra, I truly believe It." Said Angel. "I wish you much luck."

"Now you have to get up, I'll help you get back to the building." Said Petra as she worked Angel's wrists free from the ground; then she pulled off her shoes and socks. She carefully wrapped a sock around each wrist, put her shoes back on and looped her arms under Angel to help lift her up. Angel was dead weight.

"I told you it's too late for me." Whispered Angel.

"No it's not, I'm not letting you freeze to death out here on Christmas Eve. You have my present to open yet. Now help me out here." Said Petra.

"Petra. You have already given me a gift. You gave me your friendship and your love. My purpose here has ended. It's my time to go."

"What do you mean your purpose has ended?" she asked.

"Over in that corner is a demon waiting for the moment that my heart stops beating. It's here to take my soul." Angel nodded to a spot behind Petra.

Petra looked into the darkened corner opposite them. There was a brief flash of light and then a puff of smoke. A figure stepped out into the light. It was Lilith.

"Lilith! What are you doing here?" asked Petra.

"Duh, I'm here for her soul." Said Lilith. She moved over toward the women and kicked the bottom of Angel's boot. "Will you die already? I have things to do."

Petra's eyes grew wide as she looked at Lilith smirking as she took a drag of her cigarette. "You mean you're a..."

"Demon. Come on say it with me. Deeeee...monnnn." Said Lilith.

Petra looked back at Angel. "I don't understand." She muttered.

"I'm a demon and she's an angel." Said Lilith as she blew a stream of smoke from her lips. She turned to Angel. "I told you Sandahl, that this one was stupid. I'm right as usual."

Petra looked at the angel who nodded a confirmation of what she had just been told. "You were my purpose Petra."

"Why couldn't you just tell me?" asked Petra.

"You don't believe in such creatures as us, remember? I think it's best if you leave now." Said Angel. She closed her eyes and slumped against the wall.

"Okay let's get this over with already." Said Lilith impatiently as she crushed the cigarette under her cloven hoof.

"No you can't have her!" yelled Petra.

"Yes...yes I can because you see she chose to take her own life, she exercised free will and taking your own life is a sin. So according to the rules I get her soul." Smirked Lilith. "Now please leave, as long as you're here she'll continue to cling on to this pathetic life."

Petra looked at the dying angel with tear filled eyes. This beautiful creature sacrificed itself for her inadequate life.

"Take mine." She shouted. "Take my soul instead."

"What? Are you mad?" replied Lilith. "Oh that's right you are or you wouldn't be locked up here." She laughed.

Petra stood up and faced Lilith; she looked into her soulless eyes and said very succinctly. "You can have my soul, as soon as I die, no sooner no later. No strings attached, I'll comply. My soul guaranteed at the time of my death to be taken by you in exchange for hers now. Deal?" she asked putting out her hand to the demonic redhead.

Lilith licked her lips, smiled and shook her hand. "Deal." She then turned to the angel. "Looks like you're off the hook Sandahl. The mortal has made a pact with me. You get to live."

Sandahl was standing next to Petra in her angelic glory. Petra could feel the love emanating from her presence. "Thanks loser." She said to Lilith. "I'll see you for lunch on Monday."

Petra stood with her mouth open. The shock of these two creatures being amicable was confusing. Sandahl sensed this. She took Petra's hands in hers. Petra saw there was no blood, no scars just beautiful hands holding her frozen ones.

"Petra, you have been given a new perspective. I know this makes no sense to you right now. I'm not sure if it ever will. You are destined for greatness and that is more than I should be telling you, but you can now see that we are real corporeal beings. We've been with mankind since the beginning. I could go into details but it's really not relevant." Said Sandahl. "Here is what I can say, that on the eve of the most holiest of days you have been abundantly blessed by a higher cause. Your sacrificing your soul in exchange for mine was the most selfless gift anyone could give and you did it from your heart."

ABSTRUSE
ABSTRUSE
126 Followers