Sitting huddled under an old oak tree, she stared blankly into space, unable to accept what a huge mistake she had made. She thought that by doing so she would be able to get closer to Jack, but her plans were in ruins. Since then, she hasn't seen him once. She was naive to think that he actually wanted her on his side. It was still all about revenge here, and he was only now relieved — after he had definitely destroyed her.
She was suffering. Not only internally, but her body endured torment as every bit of goodness in her was dying out. The process was slow and painful. The angel who committed such a cruel act had to bear the burden and go through the painful transformation in solitude.
With no one by her side, she had to cope alone. Since she lost her angelic powers she was so weak that even rising from the ground made it extremely difficult for her. She was still stuck in one place, waiting for it to finally pass. It felt like each day dragged on mercilessly, allowing her to cry from helplessness.
To make matters worse, her head had been spinning for days. Sitting motionless, she stared at one point feeling like everything was spinning. From the flowers in the meadow to the treetops. She had had enough.
She closed her eyelids when she felt something bad happening to her stomach. Suddenly, she got a nightmarish pain that she couldn't control. She clenched her teeth and shed tears of helplessness. She was going through a real nightmare, and the heat that had been bothering her for days made her even more exhausted.
- What is going on? - she whispered with panic in her voice, her hands touching her aching belly.
She hysterically looked around her, trying to search for some help, but she was alone. It was impossible for anyone else besides Alison to be in such a place. In this remote area, she could only count on herself. This was her punishment. She had to suffer the consequences and live in torment for a whole month because this was the only way Henry could help her. He had a good heart, as he took pity on her and told the Archangels about nothing, returning to the girl and giving her help. Even though he left her here completely alone, at her mercy, she was still grateful to him. She preferred to endure this rather than spend the rest of eternity locked up.
She realized how much he had sacrificed for her. Not every angel would have done so. Especially not one as obedient as Henry. He couldn't imagine that one day he could turn away from God. It was the first time he had done something so nasty. He decided to hide Alison — he protected the angel who was close to falling.
She lowered her gaze and watched her belly, which inexplicably began to enlarge, with horror in her eyes. She became so hysterical that she could not control her breathing. Furthermore, she began to howl because she didn't know how else to react. Panic took over her body, making her look hysterical.
- Someone help me, I beg," she whispered through her tears, silently hoping that Henry would listen to her. Under the circumstances, she could only count on him.
She looked around gratefully when she heard his footsteps. She closed her eyelids, shedding bitter tears in the process. The blond man was heading in her direction, but the expression on his face was cold. She was well aware of how much regret he must have felt for her after what she had done, but he nevertheless appeared to help her.
- Something bad is happening to my body, and I don't know what to do! - she replied anxiously, looking at him with pleading eyes. The angel squatted down next to Alison and put his hand on her stomach. He lifted his gaze and with palpable calmness, looked the girl straight in the eyes.
- I know, Alison. That was the reason I helped you. Because of the baby you are carrying in your belly," he replied, and she froze. She felt like she got shortness of breath in the first moment because she couldn't take in air. She was so overwhelmed with panic that she was unable to control her breathing. - I knew this the moment I took you to safety. In our world, pregnancy happens differently, definitely worse and more painful, and especially unimaginably fast. It's only three weeks, after 21 days you will have a baby.
She shook her head as she had the feeling that she would faint shortly. The volume of information made her unable to take it in with a healthy consciousness.
She was shocked.
- I thought, we can't have children.
- Angels can't, demons yes," he stated, and she lowered her head and covered her face with her hands with resignation. - The fate of this child will be difficult, which is why you can't keep him with you. No one can find out about its existence. It has never yet happened that an angelic woman had a child with a demon. You understand what I'm talking about, right?
She burst into tears. She knew what he was talking about. This child will have a hard life because he will be born half angel — half demon, so it is for his sake that she will have to give him up. The moment he falls, she will be cruel, so staying by her side would be the worst thing that could happen to him. This child was not guilty of anything, he could not suffer.
- You will take care of him, won't you? Will you do it for me?
- The child will definitely be safe, this I can assure you.
*
Weeks passed, and she was stuck in one place waiting for the end of the pain that was ravaging her body to come. Pregnancy was further harming Alison because the baby was growing too fast, and this was bad for her well-being. Never before had she suffered so much as she did during that month. The pains she was getting were unbearable.
- Is this what you wanted Jack? Did you want me to suffer like this? So you finally succeeded," she said, watching the starry sky. - I just hope that our child will not inherit your nastiness and will lead a reasonably good life. That's what I would like.
She cried out as a shrill pain unexpectedly came over her. She opened her mouth wide, trying to take in air, but this made the pressure even worse. The contractions were so intense that she didn't know what to do. She was alone and needed help.
She called out to Henry, hoping that he would take pity on her and support her during these difficult moments, but when he still didn't show up, she realized that she had to manage on her own. It was a punishment. Henry wanted her to suffer now. Since she dared to fall despite his pleas, she had to endure these cruel torments alone.
Is it that time already? She thought with panic. She completely did not know what to do. Although she had witnessed several births in which women screamed so shrilly in pain, only now was she able to feel the same as they did. Only that the human women had the care of doctors, and she? She was consigned to complete seclusion, forced to fend for herself without anyone's help.
- Relax, Alison. I'm here, I'll help you. - She heard Henry's voice.
And yet. He had not left her.
*
With happiness painted on her face, she looked at the little creature. The boy lay in her arms, stoically looking at his mother straight in the eyes. He was beautiful. She easily invented in him the features of appearance that he had inherited from his father.
- This is my child," she whispered with delight, unable to take her eyes off him. - I still can't believe it. This boy is the fruit of my love for Jack.
- He is the fruit of forbidden love. When he grows up it will be better if he doesn't find out about it. Then others won't guess either," Henry stated, touching her son's fragile hand. The girl's heart was breaking when she thought about the fact that she would have to give him away. Currently, she was not going to let her son out of her arms. She couldn't. - What name did you give him?
She thought about it for a long time, but was unable to come up with any name. Nothing came to her mind.
- I would like something with a "J" after his father's name, but I have trouble with the rest.
- Jeremy," Henry added, and she looked at him surprised. The blond man smiled broadly and pointed a finger at her stomach. - The kid made an unexpected bump, you know.... - Angel tried to demonstrate this, which looked funny, so at one point Alison giggled. - Don't laugh. Jeremy is a nice name, I don't understand what you don't like about it," he said indignantly.
- I didn't say anything of the sort. - She tried to defend herself, seeing his displeased face. - I like the name. Very much. Thank you, Henry.
The angel nodded and smiled at her in a friendly manner. She got the impression that he had temporarily stopped resenting her. She treated him like a friend. It was only because of him that this all worked out because if he had turned his back on Alison, she doesn't know what would have happened to her and the baby. That's how he saved them. She was grateful to him.
- By now I should have taken the baby away from you. I know you still have a few days to transition, but I'm afraid you'll get too attached to him, and then it will be much harder for you to part with him.
With these words, he made her embrace the infant even more tightly. It was too soon. She wanted to spend some time with him before she lost him forever.
- I beg you to let me spend these last days with him. Even if it will be a hard parting, I will put him in your care. I'm not going to put my son in danger when I eventually fall. Please, Henry.
The angel looked at her carefully, but did not say a word. After a long silence, he nodded, and she breathed a sigh of relief at the news that she had gotten his permission. If he had wanted to he would have taken the baby from her right now, but apparently he still showed some compassion towards Alison. Even though she had failed him, he was able to help her. He took care of her and helped her with the delivery, which was hard for both her and him. He was a true friend, which unfortunately she did not appreciate before.
- Are you afraid of what is coming? You will be left alone. There are no friends in the world of fallen angels. This life is dirty and full of sin. There you have to cope on your own. The stronger you are, the better for you. Remember this, otherwise they will destroy you.
Henry's words sounded frightening. She guessed that he did not intend to scare her, but rather to warn her. She was slowly entering a whole new world, one that was more dark and devoid of any kindness. Into a world that was entirely different from the one she had lived in so far.
- Jack has always been strong, so that's why he's someone important in that world. But what will happen to me? That's something I can't predict," she said quietly, gazing at the sleeping Jeremy with sad eyes. At that moment, he took on a real face. He looked like an angel. - You don't believe in me, do you? - With this question she surprised Henry because in the first moment he opened his eyes wide. - I know you have doubts. I am weak because of Jack. My love for him completely stupefies me, because of which I am unable to think rationally. Your fears are right. You are right, I am afraid of what awaits me in the new world. But you know what, I have a feeling that the new personality will make me stronger. Perhaps I will finally face the man I love. That's what I hope," she replied, smiling sadly.
Henry put his hand on her shoulder, in this way trying to give the girl encouragement. He wanted her to be strong enough.
- I should hate you, but I am too good an angel because this feeling does not come at all. You are lucky that I am your friend.
*
Henry was right. These few days had made her too attached to her son. At the thought that she was going to give him the baby today, she had a panic attack. In addition, something bad began to happen to her and there were times when she had mood swings. She couldn't control her anger and even for a moment felt like tearing Henry apart for trying to take her son away from her.
Alison's attempts were for nothing because she still had no power. The angel surpassed her, which is why he took the child from her without any problem. He could see that it was getting worse and worse for her, as she was only a few hours away from complete transformation. She was unable to control herself. One minute she was crying hysterically, and the next minute she was hurling slander at her friend. She didn't mince words, completely unconcerned that she was making him uncomfortable. All she wanted was for him to give her the baby, so she grasped at every means.
Jeremy began to cry, and she rose from the ground and shakily moved toward Henry, who was holding the baby. Unfortunately, she sank to her knees and cried out of helplessness. She raised her head and looked sadly at the angel, who whispered a brief "sorry" to her with a movement of her lips and then melted into the air. She reached out her hand in that direction and burst out crying bitterly at the thought of never seeing her child again.
At one point she got a terrible pain in her chest. Closing her eyelids, she pressed her hand to her heart, thinking that this would somehow soothe the sharp sting, but nothing of the sort was coming. Instead, the pain became more intense, and she rolled over onto her back.
She closed her eyes and, breathing hard, waited for it to pass. Enduring the pain was no news to her, as she went through it every day. She had suffered terribly all month but for the last week, when she had Jeremy with her, she tried not to think about it. She did everything as long as she could focus on her son. Now that she had lost him this pain was twice as strong.
She hoped that the angel would take proper care of her son, although she should have been calm about it. She had been naive in not listening to him before. He had been right all along. Henry warned Alison not to do anything foolish out of love because she would regret it later. That's right. Now she regretted her stupidity. She thought that when she fell, she would get Jack back, but that's precisely what was part of his plan. The cruel bastard had taken advantage of her, letting her suffer while he boasted victory.
She should have hated him, but she wasn't able to. She feared that he would always be her weakness again.
Night came. She opened her eyes wide as an unknown force took over her body, causing her to bend in half, gazing at the sky with panicked eyes. She was unable to do anything. Furthermore, she stuck in that position, enduring the pain and waiting for the end. She could feel it coming. She knew that her hour had struck. The time when she was about to become an entirely different person.
She screamed through her tears as a searing pain passed through Alison's back, causing her to feel as if someone were tearing off her wings. She wanted it to finally end. Furthermore, she had suffered enough for a month to finally realize how big a mistake she had made. She realized her stupidity. She had sacrificed everything for a man who did not care about her at all. Likewise, she suffered a fitting punishment.
Farewell to the real Alison, she thought, and then a roar full of pain came from her throat, testifying to her complete transformation.
*
She got up from the ground and shrugged off the dirty clothes she had been wearing since Henry had left her there. She sniffed her blouse with distaste and squirmed, smelling the unpleasant odor. She felt like all her bones were hurting, so she raised her arms up and stretched relatedly.
- Damn, I smell worse than a stray dog. I'm getting sick of the smell," she muttered under her breath, and without thinking, she pulled off all her clothes. She looked around with interest, and her attention was caught by a small stream in which she decided to wash herself.
Never before had she felt so carefree as she did at the moment. She didn't care about anything. She could do whatever she wanted. No control, which made her finally experience wonderful freedom.
- Damn all angels, this is just real life. I finally feel fulfilled," she replied with satisfaction, rinsing herself with water.
- From your mouth, it sounded quite caricatured. - She smiled under her breath when she recognized Henry's voice. She didn't think he would come to greet her.
She stood up and, without restraint, turned to face him. Henry looked disgusted by this sight, and it amused her.
- I forgot that now your personality is entirely different from the previous one," he announced, turning his face in the opposite direction.
- You act as if you have never seen a woman's body. A few days ago, you took the baby out of me," she stated with an indifferent tone in her voice, not taking her eyes off him.
- This is not a woman's body. It is the shell of a demon, which disgusts me even more," he declared, to which she snorted under her breath. - I managed to deduce that you no longer despair for the child. I see that you don't even care what I did with him. But that's good because I wouldn't have told you anyway.
She smiled mockingly and threw him a furtive glance. Ever since she fell, the presence of the angel had irritated her incredibly. Now she understood what Jack felt with her. It was revulsion.
- Take care of yourself, angel, while I will jump to the store for free clothes," she announced, with feigned sweetness in her voice.
It only took a brief moment for her to find herself in a closed store with brand-name clothes. She picked out a few items for herself that met her criteria. She intended to show everyone what a great transformation she had undergone. Now she was somebody, so she also had to look like it. Confidence was just the thing.
- I will conquer everything, you too Jack," she whispered, smiling triumphantly. She stood facing a large mirror and looked at her reflection with delight. - The powers serve me because I look attractive again. You will eventually appreciate it, dearest. I will make you lose your head for me again.