Satan's Vessel

3.

Two days passed—and they passed slowly. Drearily. Achingly. There was nothing to do. There was nowhere Kaitlyn could go. She had books to read but she couldn't focus. She had food and water and all her basic necessities met but she felt like she was full of holes. No matter how much she drank, she thirsted. No matter how much she ate, she hungered. No matter how much she slept, she was always so tired.

The angels could sense that something was going on, just like Jacob always could.

'Speak to us, Kaitlyn,' Zeke said, his orange eyes troubled. He crouched beside her as she sat amid her blankets. 'We can help.'

Kaitlyn opened her mouth, then shut it, looking away. 'No, you can't.'

There was nothing they could say that would make her feel better. They could say all they wanted about how her family was safe in heaven. They could say how her parents knew only happiness and peace and love—but it wouldn't be enough. She had to hear the truth from the source. She had to question Satan directly. But no matter how much she slept, he wouldn't appear. It was the first time in months that her dreams had been her own. And she knew he was tormenting her for what she'd done. For leaving him in the lurch.

Only two days had passed—and it felt like forever.

Where was Jacob? She felt his absence like an ache in her chest. She really needed him.

The third morning dawned cloudy and drizzly. It was the kind of weather where it was both cool enough to pull on a sweater and warm enough to take it off minutes later. Kaitlyn sighed as she gazed through a partially-boarded window. The gloom of the outside mirrored the gloom of her insides exactly.

'Kaitlyn.'

Kaitlyn turned.

'We must leave.' It was Zeke. His beautiful head was tilted back as he gazed towards the ceiling, his dark hair falling down his bare, muscular back like a silken waterfall. His eyes were blank as though he was somewhere else. Kaitlyn looked around at Samuel and saw he was doing the same. Catherine and David were somewhere outside keeping watch, and she wondered if they were all communicating with each other.

Kaitlyn prickled with fear. Whatever they were talking about, she could sense it wasn't good. 'What-what do you mean, leave? I thought we were going to stay until Sunday.'

Samuel levelled his head. His yellow eyes flashed. 'We must go.'

Kaitlyn jumped when Zeke suddenly seized her wrist. She hurried after him as he tugged her towards the church's rear entrance. Slinging a bag over his shoulder, Samuel followed them. They had just fled outside when they all turned at the sound of a car pulling up at the front.

'You sure it's not Jacob?' Kaitlyn said hopefully.

'It's not Jacob.' Samuel yanked open a door of the pickup and slung his bag inside.

'What about the rest of our stuff?' Kaitlyn said as Zeke pulled open the rear door and helped her inside.

'We leave it.'

What about David and Catherine? What about The Fallen finding them? Did they have another church to get to? Didn't they want her to put on her blindfold? There were so many questions Kaitlyn was desperate to ask but the angels were clearly in no mood to answer them. Zeke slid in beside her as Samuel took his usual spot behind the wheel.

The doors slammed shut. The engine roared. Kaitlyn bounced in her seat as they drove down an uneven dirt track. It felt similar to the route they'd driven down when they'd first arrived. Kaitlyn strapped on her seatbelt. She glanced back but no one was following them. All she could see was the church vanishing behind the trees. And she saw she'd been right—it was a demountable.