The Diabolical Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Fire Angel.1

His fine dark hairs were drenched in crimson red liquid. His once shining claymore lay broken and defeated. Screams of pain and agony reached his ears but, his vision was blurred by a gray cloud. He tried to grip onto something but, his body was no longer under his command. It was free, finally free. 2

He was aware of the blade stabbed in his heart and fluid that escaped his body but, he was not in pain, he was numb, numb and lifeless. He had fantasized about death and was expecting to see a light but, there was no light. There was only the mist, the numbness and the lifelessness.3

He heard a sweet melody and cries disappeared but, the mist remained. He was in a trance now, he felt a sensation, a deadly chill that ran through his body like a shock, perhaps his soul was leaving his miserable body. Perhaps it was moving onto the higher plane. The higher plane, the high heavens, the paradise was there any such thing? He felt he was being sucked though a hole.4

A few seconds were like eternity, it was as if a part of him wanted to go though but another wanted to remain. The walls were tightening on him. He was stuck somewhere, unable to move, to speak, to feel.5

He began to suffocate, the pain was returning, the walls were going back. 6

The melody stopped. The cries returned. The cloud vanished. The fire came back. The numbness was gone and the heat was here. 7

There was one battle still left to be fought. He clutched the dagger and forced it out his heart. His bodies screamed silently in protest. Tears boiled away before they could come to his eyes. 8

His fiery wings returned, the fire angel was aflame again. 9

The archfiend was waiting for this. It smiled, the moment was here. The Angel was easily recognizable among the masses. “The flaming being, the defender of the light,” it spat contemptuously. It had seen how weak the thing was. His demise would be its moment of glory. 10

It flew toward the flaming beast. The two beings looked into each other’s eye. His eyes were ablaze like his sprits. Its eyes longed for glory. It was bound to end here, like this. The fighting around them stopped. Humans and demons alike stopped and watched as the two beings stood face to face.11

The archfiend brandished it blade above its head. It grinned, his eyes on the defeated claymore. 12

A furious swipe was made. It barely missed the angel. Another one was made. The angel flew high to dodge it.13

He closed his eye, she returned. She smiled in his direction.14

“Get him tiger.”15

It was difficult but, it had to be done. One life for millions of other lives. It made sense.16

He stopped in mid air. He had to concentrate, the temperature began to rise. His blood began to evaporate; he could taste his own flesh rotting. The archfiend drew level with him. 17

"Have I only fought death to accept it once more, never to see her again?" He thought. No he could not allow his weakness to take over."Give me strength, lord."18

He opened his eyes. “May you burn in hell, fiend.”19

A blast of all consuming fire and the seen dispersed.20

Shah woke up, troubled by his dreams. He was sweating badly and his whole body was shaking. The dawn was approaching, Shah got up and took the water bottle from Gm’s side table and gulped it furiously. He had stopped shaking but his heart was still beating very fast. He glanced at the alarm clock. 6:15 in the morning. There was still time, but he decided not to wait. He went to his cupboard, opened the door and took out his freshly pressed uniform from the shelf and some clean towel from the ball of clothing.21

A film of what he had seen was going through his mind. The thing, the man, what was this all about? He used have that dream since he was seven but recently he had managed to convince himself it was out of some movie but now that he saw it again and this time so clearly, it seamed so real. He went outside the dormitory, took a quick shower, got in the uniform and then went back to wake the others. None of them were very happy about the prospect of waking up. Slowly and steadily the others got ready as well. Finally by seven fifteen they were all ready.22

At about seven thirty they went to the central hall for breakfast.23

“Man! First day already, the holidays really flew, just like that.” Yawned Boots helping himself to some toast,24

“They sure did.” Said Gm, taking a look at the newspaper,25

“How many classes we got today?” Asked Bin, 26

It was Shah who answered, “Nine! We’ll be off at three thirty.”27

“Oh!” Screamed Boots in horror, “They are really going to work us like donkeys in the senior year.” 28

“They sure are.” Gm agreed, with out paying much attention,29

After finishing breakfast, they went back to their dormitory to get their bags and then about at 8:15 they entered the Assembly hall in the academic block for the morning assembly.30

There they stared out with the usual verses from Quran, then the little headmaster or Hedi as the boys called him made his usual boring start of the term notices, so did the D.P, reciting dates of selection and matches for different sports. Finally they all reciting the national anthem and went of to their classes. 31

They entered the new room they had been assigned. It looked much for neater and well kept that any other room they had been assigned to before. They were seniors after all. Their class, from the beginning divided in to two very clear groups. Their group was the smaller one that always took seats at the right side of the class, as they entered they saw the other one had already taken the left side chairs even in this new class. They had to pass though them to get to what was now their side, though an unspoken rule.32

Some in the left side, said hi to the boys as they passed. The exchanged the greeting with reluctance. They were from the same group that the boys had got engaged in a terrible fight with last year. It had reached height, and they were a couple of busted heads, the matter had reached the authority and all their parents were called. Shah knew what this greeting meant, they were ready to leave behind the past and so were the boys.33

They received warm welcome in their part of the class. And then, they immediately started chatter about movies, sports and other stuff. It was finally when professor Liaquiat entered the class that everyone stopped talking. That day passed rather quickly. Some teacher didn’t teach at all but ended up chatting with the students, others gave them interesting insight to what they’ll be doing this year, while some like hedi, at once started there monotonous drone, which went over the student’s heads like a rocket. Finally the day came to an end with an interesting debate with Urdu professor over the coming election.34

They didn’t have any homework, except for the new mathematics exercise they had to practice. However, Shah thought and others agreed. “That could wait.” Now with the whole free day was in front of them, the though was exciting. The seniors had more flexible curfew hours. They could go deeper in the village with out the risk of being caught. 35

“Now who’s up for some Street Fighter?” Asked Shah,36

“Not me. We haven’t been to the village yet!” Said Bin, imagining himself in the lush green meadows sprinkled by white snow, the beautiful golden apples on the trees and……….37

“First let’s get change and have some lunch, we can go the village afterwards.” Said Gm, bringing Bin back in the real world,38

“I guess you’re right. We have so much time to visit the village now, up to 9 PM!” Said Bin, his eyes were sparkling.39

“Yeah, more time for you to feast your eyes on the girl that works in the Apple orchard!” Said Shah, with an evil grin, 40

Bin grew so red that it looked like he was suffocating. Boots was quick to point that to him so that Bin got back in his senses and tried to recovered from the shock.41

“What girl?” Asked Bin, in a timid voice,42

This response was so amusing that boys started to roll from laughter.43

“What…..what…..girl…..he ….asks!” Shah was laughing so much that he had trouble speaking out a full sentence.44

“The one you’re always staring at from the tea shop, she must be what, ten years older than you!” Said Gm, he too was laughing and so much that tears kept coming out of his eyes.45

Bin turned if possible, even redder. Finally, the three of them stopped laughing and made their way to the dormitory. They kept quite with occasional outbreaks of suppressed laughter. They changed their cloths speedily and went in to the hall for lunch. Bin looked very embarrassed so the boys decided to lay it off. Finally having finished with their lunches, the boys had to drag a very quite Bin to the village. 46

“Please, guys I don’t want to go.” Bin pleaded.47

“You’re coming Bin!” They replied together, as they dragged him. 48

Finally after being dragged for sometime, Bin decided to give up and walked with them quietly while the other chatted non-stop about different girls in the village. Soon they entered the busiest portion of the village, the market. Today it was filled with lot of students, mostly in gangs like them others in couples. While the gangs preferred to walk, every sitting spot had been taken by the couples. The only tea shop that was free was the one exactly opposite the apple orchard, Amir Bahi’s place. “Poor Bin,” Boots thought to himself as they entered the shop.49

The owner of the shop, “Amir Bhai (Brother)” was delighted to see them. He greeted them with much enthusiasm. He brought them tea along with some almond cookies, by himself. The boys didn’t have to ask. The owner was pretty fond of the boys and they knew it, but they sometimes found the fondness and the same cookies over and over a bit overwhelming. 50

“Since, it your first day back, the tea’s on me,” Said Amir as he personally delivered the tray to their table and soon afterwards he joined them on the table to start their usual discussion on politics. Bin didn’t take part in it, staying quite like a stone and concentrating hard on his tea to avoid looking at the orchard even by chance.51

“I know, you kids disagree but, I like the army and I like General ruling over us.” Amir Bhai announced52

“This is insane! The general’s insane!” Said Boots repulsively,53

“Don’t call him general Boots, call him dictator! That’s what he really is.” Said Gm forcefully,54

This attracted eyes towards their table,55

But they didn’t care about that. The discussion became more heated as they continued. And soon most people left the shop because of the racket, while those who stayed started to listen intently, making comments occasionally and some making odd sounds every time Shah or GM used a swear word, while referring to some political figure.56

“Listen, that dictator is a son of a …………..” Shah stopped in mid sentence. He saw the cup on his table vibrating, others started to feel it as well. Suddenly it gained strength, and the whole ground began to wobble furiously.57

“What’s happening?” Shah asked, he tired hard to keep his voice strong.58

There were screams coming from everywhere.59

“It’s an earthquake!” Boots joined in the screaming.60

“This is no earthquake.” Said Gm, his face was white from fear.61

“Who cares what it is? Let’s get out!” Shah yelled,62

Everyone in the shop was brought back to their senses by this statement, and they rushed towards the door but at that very moment the lights went out.63

“Why isn’t your generator working, Amir Bhai?” broke out a panic stricken voice of Binu. 64

Then the ground gave a particularly nasty shake that caused Boots to fell on the floor, face first. With that the wobbling stopped. The sound of the generator could now be heard and the lights were back. Most people in the shop were on the floor, some were trembling, other threw up the moment the wobbling stopped. The boys were still on their feet looking uneasy, while Boots was hosting a bloody nose.65

“We could expect aftershocks. You should get back to the school.” Suggested a very shaken Amir bhai.66

They boys didn’t lose a second and quickly rushed towards the school, the streets were deserted, and the shopkeepers were closing down. Boots cleaned his nose with his sleeves as they walked with increasing pace. Then, Bin heard a huge explosion, he looked back to see smoke coming out of the forest.67

“Look!” he pointed over the smoke. The guys looked at the direction Bin was pointing at.68

They could see the smoke too, it freaked them out even more and they started to run. But as they ran Shah gave the smoke another look, he was stunned to see a figure made of smoke in the air. He had seen it before, it was the fire angel. He shook his head and it was gone. ‘I must be dreaming.’ he thought.69

As they ran, Gm kept reciting the same words over and over. ‘Nothing is watching us, we are not being followed.' He tired hard to convince himself that he was just imagining things.70

As they reached the school gate they saw the headmaster with the security chief and other officers standing at the main gate looking very serious.71

“Sir, what’s happening?” Boots asked while panting.72

“We don’t know yet. May be a volcano, but that hasn’t occurred in Khagan before.” The headmaster replied, he was deep in thought.73

“Come on, inside now.” Ordered the security chief, Shah spared him a look of deep loathing as they went towards the boarding house. It was five PM but all of them took of to bed, still in their casuals. They didn’t want to talk what just happened. They were still in shock, they had seen nothing like it before. It was beyond them that why the place didn’t crumble.74

They just lay there, without talking staring in space and finally went asleep. Shah was the first to wake up at 3:15 in the morning. By four all of them were up, still they laid talking a little but keeping the events of the previous day of the discussion. At six Gm went out to take the newspaper from the library. He came back and read it silently when he was finished, he spoke.75

“Three dead, two local and a girl from Al-hamra, a volcano erupted at Shogran that was what caused the wobbling. As for the fire in the forest the volcano had nothing to do with it. Something else caused it.”76

“The deaths, how did they occur?” Asked Shah,77

“Caught in fire one of them. One fell from the roof of his house. The girl however was scared to death.”78

The boys were left speechless by the last piece of information. But then Boots spoke, “What about the power failure? The generator didn’t work for quite some time. What about that?” 79

“No mention.” Gm replied.80

“The explosion! What about the explosion?” Asked Bin, just remembering that horrible sound, this was welcomed by silence. No knew what to say.81

“What explosion, Bin?” Shah asked.82

“Didn’t you here it? I heard it, that’s when I saw the smoke. Come on, it was pretty loud.”83

“Bin, the volcano erupted at Shogran. It wasn’t big enough to cause the fire, so surely it wasn’t big enough to make an explosion.” Gm explained.84

“I don’t know about big enough. The earth shook like crazy! Why did it if the volcano erupted back in some Shogran?” Asked Boots,85

“Boots, the lake is in Shogran, it’s quite near, that’s why it wobbled like that but we heard no explosion.” Said Shah,86

This was true, no one expect Bin had heard it, Bin looked really confused. 87

“I did however saw something…….strange.” Shah had decided to tell his friends, all about it. He then explained all about the vision and the dream. The atmosphere in the room was very tense now. Gm wanted to tell them about his intuition but he held back, the guys were extremely worried even without his help.88

“Well classes are canceled today.” Gm said hoping to expect some enthusiasm over the news but none came.89

“Let’s get some breakfast.” Said Shah and they quietly made there way outside the room.90

The day had taken a dramatic start so had their first week as seniors.91