Purgatory. This is where souls who had a chance for redemption went, as far as humans were concerned. As Alison was an angel in her previous incarnation, the same rule did not apply for her. People could make mistakes, but not her. In her previous life, she screwed up, so she agreed that if she died now — her soul would go to purgatory. For all eternity, with no chance for repentance. She knew what she was choosing to do, but she deserved it. As an angel, she did things that were forbidden. She deserved to be punished. The archangels gave her a second chance anyway, allowing her to live anew. If Jack and Raphael had been mortal, their souls would have gone there too, but in this case, they were beings who could not die, so they fell and were banished from heaven.
Now Jack was standing in front of Alison, staring at her with dangerous eyes. Henry struggled, trying to break free to help the girl, but through the painted mark he had no power and was weakened. She knew that her end was approaching. But that didn't make her feel despair. Her heart ached because the only man she loved hated her so much. For so many years he had been waiting to take revenge. Since he had gone to the dark side, he no longer had any feelings inside him, so he could not love her. All this time she lived with the belief that he had forgiven her after all. She wanted that to be the case, so she told herself that he actually cared about her.
No. It wasn't Jack anymore. Not the one she had fallen in love with and for whom she had broken the ban.
- Stop looking at me with those pathetic eyes! - he roared, and then she felt unpleasant chills on her body. When he was angry, he scared her incredibly. She was afraid of him, and the worst thing that could happen to her now was to die at his hand. She couldn't let that happen. Furthermore, she was unable to die killed by a loved one, so she decided that she would take her life. It would be much easier. In time, Jack might begin to regret his decision. Old feelings could revive in him, and then he would realize that it was too late. He would have to live an eternity, suffering with the thought that he had killed her.
Jack was everything to her.
- So is it over? - She asked, trying to force a smile. She felt tears gathering under her eyelids, but tried to remain firm, to show him how brave she was.
- Don't even attempt to arouse pity in me. I am no longer the angel who loved you long ago. Nothing moves me, I have no feelings, so you have nothing to try for. Suffering gives me great joy, so I feel like watching you die, killed by me. I tried for a long time to make you trust me again, and I know how much you love me. This will make your suffering even deeper. I want to watch you die in pain," he said with excitement in his voice, at which the girl closed her eyelids. It was his words that caused Alison pain. Her heart was in pain. Her soul was in shambles.
There was a noise upstairs, and George ran down to the basement. Jack pierced him with a sharp look and snorted contemptuously when Manuel - another subject - appeared.
- What are you doing? After all, you said you aren't concerned about revenge and intend to protect Alison," announced George, looking at her carefully, as if trying to see if she was injured.
- Lalala," replied Jack in a dispassionate voice, smiling sultrily. - You are all morons. This was the plan from the beginning. I tried to regain her trust so that I could get revenge later. No one has figured me out," he added, amused. - Besides, you guys have nothing left to do, so you can go away. You have played your roles, but the show is over.
George did not take his eyes off the girl, but when she nodded as a sign to leave, him immediately denied it.
- No way. I won't let you die, Alison.
Jack crossed his arms over his chest, laughing under his breath, as if all this amused him. He was so good at masking his emotions that they didn't know what he was thinking about at any given moment.
- You always drooled at the sight of her, and she pounced on you because she couldn't see the world outside of me. Is it worth fighting for such a woman? In this case, you will die both of you, and if you let go it will only be her," he stated, glancing at Alison out of the corner of his eye.
- You are to blame for everything, not her. Alison tried to save you because she didn't want you to become a monster," Manuel spoke up uncertainly, but quickly fell silent under his gaze.
- Did she want to help me? I think something didn't work out for her.
She couldn't let Jack kill her, so she discreetly slipped out of the basement, but he noticed rapidly that the girl wasn't there and only managed to run outside, and already appeared in front of her. He smiled contemptuously, and she began to slowly retreat backwards, not taking her eyes off him.
- Are you in such a hurry to die? I feel like tiring you out a little. You don't even know how exciting it is. It's fun to look into your frightened eyes. You look like a helpless kitten, asking for mercy.
George ran out of the house, followed closely by Manuel, who carried the semi-conscious Henry out of the basement.
Alison opened her eyes wider when she realized that the angel was regaining his powers. She was afraid of what might happen shortly.
Jack turned toward them, and Manuel suddenly slumped to the ground, pawing at his head and shrilly screaming. Jack was causing him pain, and there was nothing she could do. George crouched down next to his friend, and a mocking smile appeared on the fallen angel's face.
- You made a deal. You turned against me, so your time is up," he stated, and the girl covered her mouth with her hand when she noticed that Manuel had aged a lot instantly. He had regained the lost years he had sold to Jack for his soul. Suddenly, he fell still, and his head turned toward Alison, showing empty eyes.
She turned her face away and closed her eyelids, and Jack burst into loud laughter. His attention was drawn to George. She was afraid that he would do the same thing to him, but then the fallen angel was confronted by Henry.
- When you were an angel, I already sensed that there would be trouble with you. I did everything I could to push Alison away from you, but she was staring at you like a picture. And now she has to suffer for her mistake. I wish I had been able to stop her before she freed you.
- I was always smarter than you," he replied, shrugging his shoulders. He grabbed the brunette's hand and pulled her to him, embracing her around the waist. - We make a beautiful picture, don't we? So look at us because this is your last chance," he stated, stroking her skin with his fingers. - It will be over soon, angel," he whispered in her ear, and before Henry could react, he moved the girl to another place. They landed in a meadow, and she moaned in pain as she sank to the grass with her whole body.
He purposely let her out of his embrace.
- Henry will find us when you are dead," he stated, and she swallowed her saliva harder. Jack began to move toward her, and she, sitting on the grass, began to retreat backward. She couldn't let him kill her. He was driven by a desire for revenge, but later he might start to regret it. - You are so naive to believe me. What can love to do to a person? - He stammered and crouched down beside her, watching her carefully. - Probably now you wonder by what means he plans to kill you? I must admit that it's a difficult choice, but you know it very well, because you once had powers too. Life was more beautiful then, wasn't it? Admit it, as a human you were terribly boring.
- You were the best thing in my life and will always remain so," she replied in a trembling voice. She tried to pretend to be calm, but the thought of seeing him for the last time and that it would be over soon did not allow the girl to be composed. The pain in her heart was so powerful that nothing could mask it, even what she had planned.
With tears in her eyes, she looked at Jack and put the razor blade she found in the basement in her mouth when she was looking for a crayon. She thought it would be useful to her, but she didn't think she would use it to commit suicide. She knew it was the only way before he reacted. It was painful, but it was dying fairly quickly.
Jack looked at her and froze motionless, watching as streams of blood flowed from her mouth. She was choking, spitting red liquid. The pain was excruciating, but not enough to overcome her suffering heart.
With semi-conscious eyes, she glanced at him one last time, as he was at her side instantly. He managed to shout her name, and then darkness came.... Darkness that was a harbinger of the coming eternity.
*
People say that death is terrible, that they are afraid of old age and the day when they will have to leave. They say that by the time they close their eyes, their suffering will be so deep that they will not be able to say goodbye to their loved ones. They are afraid that they will never have the chance to see them again, that they will disappear from here simply by falling asleep, and that the world on the other side will not really exist.
Alison was not afraid of death, but of never seeing her beloved again. The man who was her whole world, even though he hated her. A fallen angel whom she loved so much that she was able to sacrifice herself for him.
Now her soul was on the other side. Locked behind a brass door, along with other souls who were being cleansed of their sins. She did not get that chance. She had to spend all eternity here, keeping an eye on order and helping the lost find the right path to follow to get to heaven. To the eternal paradise, that was the most beautiful place.
Sitting on a rock, she stared into space, unable to stop thinking about Jack. All the while, she wondered what he was feeling now: satisfaction, anger, or perhaps despair when he realized what he had done?
Burying her face in her hands, she lowered her head and then felt someone stepping behind her. It was no ordinary soul. Tentatively, she turned around and looked at the angel, who smiled serenely at the sight of her. Puzzled, she rose from the rock, and Henry carefully measured her.
- You don't even know how hard it was to get here for those measly five minutes, so I have to be quick, or I will meet the wrath of the Archangels," he stated, and she parted her lips. She couldn't believe that he had managed to get in here.
- How did you do it? - She whispered, not taking her eyes off him.
- As you can see, I'm still their favorite, but I didn't come to talk about it. I'm here to talk about you," he announced, and she opened her eyes wider and shrugged her shoulders.
- About me? But about what? You know very well why I'm here. This is the best place I could have ended up in. I don't deserve heaven, not after what I did.
A mysterious smile appeared on Henry's face, which made her seriously doubtful. He was up to something, and she knew it was nothing good.
- There is a chance that you won't have to spend all eternity here," he began, and the girl furrowed her brow. After all, the Archangels had decided this long ago, before she was reborn as a human being. If she dies, she will go to purgatory to take care of lost souls. - You will never be normal, you will always have something extraordinary about you. You have a chance to atone.
- But what do you mean. - she replied, shocked.
- You can get your wings back, but on one condition. - There was a strange glint in his eye, and she sensed that it was nothing simple. - You must subdue Jack, who is sowing real hell in the town after your death. He is worse, unpredictable than before, and only you can stop him. With your recovered powers, you will be strong enough to cope for sure," he replied, and Alison murmured.
Did they want her to fight Jack? With the man, she loves?
- You are also an angel, why can't you stop him? Why does it have to be me?
- He is stronger than me, and you know his weaknesses. You are the only person who can stop him. This is the last chance for you, Alison. One last chance for you to get your old life back. The choice is yours.