Panting, Lisa stares at the hole as things begin to grow quiet. She takes a few steps towards it and dares to peek inside. Suddenly, a demon rushes to the surface and screams, causing Lisa to fall backwards. The demons remain underground, and Lisa quickly tosses Lilith's arm into the hole. As she scoots away, the hole begins to close up and there’s one last scream, the scream of Lilith. It muffles as the ground seals itself.
Her chest heaving, the blood on her disappears. Her hands move over her body quickly and she finds herself healed. Relief rushing through her, Lisa falls back to the ground and closes her eyes. Her heart slows down and, her breathing finally under control, Lisa takes a deep breath and gets to her feet.
A gentle breeze tousles her hair, and she looks around at her surroundings. The field she fought Lilith in begins to fade, images of her condo seep through and she finds herself standing in her bedroom. The area around her moves into place, and her bedcovers turn down. The sun sets through the windows, and the clock on her wall runs through a few hours in a matter of seconds.
She feels herself being lifted into the air, as if floating through a dream. The air around her blows gently, and a gown appears on her body. She’s lifted into her bed, the sheets and cover pulled up to her shoulders. Her head tilts to the side and her eyes close. Lisa falls into a deep, dreamless sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Alex screams from the pain surrounding his body. As quickly as it starts, the pain stops. Everything around him is quiet. Feeling a light breeze touch his body, he slowly releases his head and looks up. Recognizing his surroundings, he realizes he’s in Central Park. The area appears to be colorless, completely dead.
Getting to his feet, he looks around and takes a step forward. Hearing the crunch of leaves, he looks down. The leaves have changed from a dark, muted color, to the brown color of fall. Looking up, the sky blends from gray into a light blue. The tree bark fades to a dark brown, and the leaves on the tree turn a golden yellow. Looking out towards the park, he hears voices of children playing and adults talking. One by one, human bodies begin to appear in front of him.
“Lisa,” he whispers and walks further into the park.
A woman sitting in the sun, wearing a large-brimmed hat and reading a book, looks up at Alex. Realizing that she sees him, he stops and looks down at her. She smiles and pulls off her glasses. Her brown eyes look up into his. “Can you see me?” The question is out before he has a chance to really think about what he just asked.
“Of course.” She sets her book, Love in the Time of Cholera, down. “Are you lost? Do you need help?”
Alex shakes his head, scratching it. “I’m good…I think. Thank-you, though.”
“You’re welcome.” The woman raises a single brow, watching him. Slipping her glasses back on, she picks up her book as Alex walks away from her.
Moving through the motions in Hell seemed like an eternity. Alex continues to walk through the park. Where’s Lisa? Is she safe? As he asks himself these questions, something catches his attention. Looking to his left, he finds a young man leaning against the oak tree where Alex previously stood.
Walking over to him, he immediately recognizes him from the reddish-gold glow surrounding his body. His features are different because he appears human. “Michael.” Alex smiles as he approaches the Archangel.
“Selaphiel; well, Alex now.” Michael returns his smile. Moving away from the tree, he reaches his hand out to Alex. Grabbing his hand, Alex pulls Michael to him and hugs his lifelong friend.
“What are you doing here?” Pulling away, Alex looks at his mentor. He wants to ask him what has happened to Lisa, but figures that this is a conversation to have later.
“You made quite a spectacle of yourself, Alex.” Michael walks, motioning for Alex to join him. “You made the forbidden sacrifice for her.”
Alex nods a few times, looking down. “I love her, Michael.”
“You realize what this means for you?” Michael stops walking and turns to his friend.
Looking down at the ground, he sighs heavily. “Yes, I understand the consequences of the decision I made.”
Michael places his hands on either side of Alex’s shoulders and smiles. “All is not lost.”
Looking up, Alex begins to feel hope. “Will I be allowed back in?”
Shaking his head, he says, “Unfortunately, no. Once you become a Fallen, you’re cast out of Heaven for eternity. But Alex, as I said, all is not lost.”
Alex sinks slightly at this news. He knew what it meant for him when he became a Fallen. Curious to what Michael is talking about, he looks up, meeting his eyes. “What do you mean?”