Tag: Angela

  • Adventures in Wonderland – Part II

    “Pull over right there,” Elizabeth said.

    The cabby pulled over, confused about why they were back here. When he set the transmission to park and stopped the metre, the driver looked into his rear-view mirror and found a stack of twenties on the seat with the door wide open. He caught sight of her hightailing it down the sidewalk while holding onto an old piece of pottery.

    The Van Helsing Resurgence by Evelyn Chartres

    After closing the door, he shifted into drive in time to watch a series of squad cars screaming in from around the corner with their sirens blazing. He slammed his fists against the wheel and shoved the transmission back into park. He would be going nowhere soon, considering how they cut him off at both ends.

    “This is going to take a while,” he muttered.

    * * * *

    “I’m here!” Elizabeth yelled while running down the alley.

    She saw a little girl dressed up like a nun standing in front of Clara. She ran to within a few yards, slowed, then dropped to her knees at Clara’s side.

    Elizabeth was out of breath. Adrenaline coursed through her veins and clouded her thoughts. Why did this child seem so familiar? Perhaps she was a fragment from some long forgotten dream or a faded memory?

    “Good,” Angela said. “Get ready.”

    “For?” Elizabeth asked.

    Angela smiled warmly, and reached for the handle of the knife buried in Clara’s chest. Meanwhile, she placed her free hand against Clara’s chest to get more leverage.

    “This is not going to be pretty,” Angela thought.

    “It will be alright,” Angela said to Clara. “Now I’m going to pull the knife out, and this nice lady will pour some ambrosia into the wound.”

    Elizabeth was gripping the amphora with all her might. Clara coughed violently in response, which startled Elizabeth, who jerked out of the way. Doing so caused the glowing liquid to spill everywhere. Fortunately, after some adjustment, a large quantity of the fluid managed to seep into the open wound.

    “Not very graceful,” Angela said with a giggle. “But it seems to be working.”

    When smoke rose out from Clara’s wound, the damaged tissue began to heal. Her coughing transitioned to a light rattle, and before they knew it, her breathing was back to normal.

    Clara’s eyes did not open. Instead, she slumped further onto the pavement. When her wing made contact with the hard surface, she grimaced in discomfort but did not wake. Angela took Clara’s hand, smiled, and watched her elder sleep.

    “Those wounds were pretty severe,” Angela said. “So it may take a while for her to recover.”

    Of course, fate had other plans for them. A police car stopped at the mouth of the alley, and two officers jumped out.

    “Freeze!” One of the officers ordered.

    “Just what we needed,” Angela said grimly, but a grin soon made her face shine. “I’ll go deal with the bulls. You wake her up.”

    Before Elizabeth could object, the young one turned around, smiled, and faded out of existence. All that remained was her grin, an eerie homage to the Cheshire Cat.

    “She was probably dying to do a bit of haunting,” Elizabeth said and was immediately filled with guilt for using the world dying in front of a spirit.

    Despite their distance, Elizabeth noticed a measure of confusion on the officer’s face. A shame that it faded away so fast once his training kicked in. Meanwhile, his partner noticed the hesitation and approached. Since this one was armed with a tactical shotgun, the situation was not progressing as well as she hoped.

    “Come on, Clara,” Elizabeth said.

    When she tapped Clara on the cheeks, the officer trained the pistol in her direction. Apparently, the application of first aid to the wounded did not comply with this man’s definition of freeze.

    “Freeze,” the officer repeated. “Hands where I can see them.”

    Elizabeth thought about complying, but the commotion in the park was getting worse. That meant Clara was needed out there.

    She slapped Clara harder, ignoring the armed men as best she could. Clara did not react, so Elizabeth wondered just how far this needed to go.

    “Last war—,” The officer said.

    Angela materialised just ahead of the officers and did so with the flair of an artist. At first, her bones faded into existence followed by sinew, muscles, fat, and skin. She remained partially translucent throughout, which had a profound effect on the nearest officer. He stopped breathing, his heart rate rose, and his hands began to shake.

    “We heard you bulls the first time,” Angela said.

    His partner, however, was not fazed by the show and brought his weapon to bear. He was about to bark out an order, but Angela turned to face him.

    “You really don’t want to do that,” Angela said while her skin dried up, and shrank until she looked more like a mummified corpse.

    When she smiled, the sound of that leathery hide crackling echoed throughout the alley. That would have been more than enough to scare the shit out of the average moviegoer, but it was her cackle that really sold it. Despite the special effects, the man remained steady and focused. He pumped the weapon one time to eject the buckshot and chambered a slug that would wreak havoc at this range.

    “Come on, Clara,” Elizabeth said, now visibly shaking Clara.

    Other than a brief interruption in Clara’s breathing, she appeared to be blissfully unperturbed by the impending storm. Elizabeth began to panic. She knew that the situation would only worsen and doubted the cops would understand her non-compliance once Angela ran out of tricks.

    The first officer snapped out of it. Emboldened by his partner, he pointed the pistol at Angela who showed no concerns.

    “Really boys,” Angela said. “Am I going to have to give you the high hat?”

    Angela’s features morphed into that of a youthful child. Her hair then defied gravity, resembling that of someone submerged in water. While the effect did not phase the cops, the world surrounding them certainly reacted.

    The air grew cold, and while it was autumn, the drop in temperature was sudden, and dramatic. Frost permeated from under the child’s feet, causing the pavement to freeze while it spread. Once the phenomenon reached the first cop, his breath turned to ice which forced him to back away.

    “Clara!” Elizabeth exclaimed, and this time she followed through with a slap loud enough to echo.

    The weather disturbance was starting to get the attention of other officers in the area. Some looked on in awe, while others radioed in the sighting, sure to bring in some reinforcements.

    While the frost continued to spread, it also became more focused. When the second officer moved his finger onto the trigger, the weapon itself iced over. The metal became so cold that it forced him to drop his weapon.

    “Come on,” Elizabeth pleaded.

    Elizabeth knew this situation was about to blow. She sighed, which oddly enough alleviated her panic and was momentarily thankful for the small miracle. Without any better ideas, she leaned in and kissed Clara on the lips, unsure of its effectiveness or where that particular idea came from.

    Angela began to laugh maniacally, which corresponded with an exponential growth in the disturbance. Anyone near the expanse was now actively trying to keep away from it, while those caught in its wake regretted their decision.

    Meanwhile, Elizabeth’s kiss lingered on those lips until her partner reacted. Before she opened her eyes, Clara moulded her willing body against Elizabeth’s. The passion they shared grew in intensity, and for a moment, there was no one else in the world.

    That’s when a frantic officer decided that brute force would solve this once and for all. He emptied a clip into the young girl, and while every shot hit home, her laughter only intensified.

    Clara did not react. Such sounds were like old friends to her now. Alas, Elizabeth, fearing that the shots were meant for her, jerked back and in doing so, caused the broken wing to shift.

    “Ouch,” Clara said before she smirked.

    That reaction showcased how Clara and that girl were cut from the same cloth. From that, it was easy to figure out how Edith could have fallen for both. She also realised that Clara had been milking this…

    “Milking this situation to get a kiss?” Elizabeth asked. “You’re an incorrigible flirt.”

    Clara adopted an impish grin, then looked towards the spectacle. While the frost approached their position, she was not concerned nor worried. Once Clara spotted the amphora, she smiled, grabbed the vessel, and swallowed several mouthfuls of its golden contents.

    “You know,” Clara said when she stopped drinking to get some air. “I’ve always liked men, but when I’m around you, I really have to wonder why I haven’t given the fairer sex a try.”

    Elizabeth should have been concerned, but Clara’s demeanour had a calming effect. Those smart ass words disguised as flirting succeeded in getting Elizabeth to smile. Even though it was fall, she felt warm, desired, and certain that she could survive anything, including a nuclear winter. All she needed was this lady to watch her back.

    “Watch this,” Clara said.

    Angela’s eyes began to glow, while her voice rose in pitch until it shattered nearby windows. The banshee’s intense scream forced people to cover their ears. All the while, a solid wave of cold air pushed forward, enveloping vehicles and men alike. Once the wave dissipated, she was gone.

    The immediate aftermath was a sight to behold. The ground was covered in a thick layer of snow, while more fell lazily from the sky. Anyone far enough away, would have seen something akin to a life-sized snow globe.

    While those caught inside were less than appreciative, at least they were alive. Their skin and uniforms had turned white from the frost and appeared to be nothing more than breathing snow sculptures. Meanwhile those outside of the globe were left wondering what they should do next. Should they assist their peers or avoid drawing out that girl for another round of games?

    “Carrots must have attended the same lectures I did,” Clara said.

    Elizabeth stood up, while looking over the spectacle and gasped. By now, she was nearly numb to such acts of wonder. As judged by Clara’s demeanour, it would take a hell of a lot more than that to phase her.

    She then grabbed Clara’s hand and helped her up. The other immediately brushed herself off and spread out her wings to their full size. Despite having seen them before, the sight of those magistic feathered wings.

    “They taught you about ghosts?” Elizabeth asked.

    Clara nodded, smiled, and said, “Professor Stephens taught us this subject as part of his second year lectures. I figured there was an awful lot of detail for something that was not supposed to exist.”

    “But—,” Elizabeth tried to ask.

    Clara anticipated the question and added, “He taught us about the creatures of myth and legend. Ghosts were noteworthy because of the depth of knowledge shown, along with the steadfast denial of their existence.”

    That had been the professor’s way of toeing the line, while providing his students with valuable insights. Angela, just like Clara, had paid attention. It did not take much to figure out that a soul called down from the heavens was a ghost in all aspects but in name.

    “She used up all her power with that stunt,” Clara said. “She will wake up in her own world in a couple of months once she’s had the chance to regenerate.”

    Elizabeth wanted to ask a few more questions but thought better of it. Sometimes ignorance was bliss, and this was the perfect example.

    Clara was surprised to see the conflict growing within and proud of how well Elizabeth was doing. Instead of saying something, she winked out of existence and reappeared holding a shotgun and a couple of police issued pistols.

    She then proceeded to hand a weapon over to Elizabeth and chuckled when the other recoiled from the cold. The recipient briefly glared at Clara and stuck out her tongue in an effort to diffuse the situation.

    “You ready?” Clara asked, extending an arm.

    “What about the amphora?” Elizabeth asked, but then noticed it was already gone.

    Instead of retracting her question, Elizabeth moved in and held on to Clara. With one swoop of Clara’s wings, they were airborne, heading towards the park. They did make an effort to avoid the snow globe, and despite their being witnesses, no one made an attempt to stop them. An angry ghost was more than enough for one day.

    “Gabriel is not going to like this,” Clara muttered.

    Disclaimer: This chapter is currently in development. There are likely typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. Please do not treat this as a polished and completed work!


  • Collision Course – Part VII

    Edith lunged forward, poised to plunge the blade straight into Clara’s heart. Her eyes focused on the precise spot to strike at the expense of anything else. That is, until a blur of blazing orange materialised from out of the ether.

    The Van Helsing Resurgence by Evelyn Chartres

    “What the—” Edith said, questioning her eyes.

    The apparition gained definition in both shape and form, but the girl maintained a modicum of transparency. The red hair, freckles, and acolyte’s uniform were all clues to this interloper’s identity.

    “Carrots,” Clara tried to say, inducing a coughing fit that sprayed liberal amounts of blood over the pavement.

    Edith questioned her next step, and the why of this situation was her first thought on the matter. She had not summoned this child, nor was there a reason that she could think of. Doubt set in and infested her thoughts, much to Clara’s relief. Sadly, that coughing fit had been severe enough to render her unconscious.

    Angela’s lips moved, but she was unable to vocalise. Frustrated, the apparition closed her eyes, calmed down, and materialised fully into this world.

    “What in heaven’s name are you doing?” Angela questioned.

    “I’m fulfilling my mission,” Edith said bluntly. Her features then softened before adding, “So I can get back to you.”

    Angela smiled before wrapping her arms around her lover’s mid-section. Given their age difference, this looked more like a mother being reunited with her long lost daughter. Edith dropped the blade and lifted the child. That single moment of intimacy was enough to feel whole, wanted, and alive.

    “So,” Angela said. “You think that killing the greatest love of your life will bring you back to me?”

    Edith jerked her head back and blushed. She never thought it possible that Angela would defend Clara, let alone show a mastery of insight on matters that Edith had yet to admit to herself.

    Angela giggled and gave Edith a quick peck on the lips, “You really thought I knew nothing of this, or even suspected?”

    “How did you?” Edith asked.

    “For one, you summoned me from the grave to fetch Clara. You could have chosen anyone else, like say the Reverend Mother,” Angela replied.

    “And?” Edith urged the other to go on.

    “I saw you two during the war,” Angela said. “That woman saved your life and endangered her own when she left behind her great coat to keep you warm in the dead of winter.”

    Edith always figured that Angela had stayed within the confines of her own world. She never once questioned why Angela was able to recognise her after aging twenty-years. For this to make sense, Angela would have had to visit the overlook and keep an eye out for Edith.

    Angela knew the thoughts running through Edith’s mind and said, “Yes, I saw that.” She then giggled before adding, “I wanted you to be happy. So why complicate matters?”

    “That… I was aware, yes,” Edith replied.

    “Just like I knew that your vigils over the mortal realm were for more than sightseeing,” Angela countered.

    Angela squeezed Edith’s neck and kissed her cheek. The senior of the two did not notice any waning in affection or emotion. In fact, the opposite was true.

    “Besides, I saw Clara fall to the mortal realm around the same time you did,” Angela said with a nod. “Happened right after that shockwave hit us.”

    “You mean?” Edith asked.

    “That she was telling you the truth?” Angela asked to confirm. “Yes, Gabriel confirmed it for me. Although that wasn’t the biggest surprise.”

    “Oh?” Edith asked.

    Angela kissed Edith passionately before pushing herself away and landed on the pavement. She then walked over to Clara, placed her wrist against the wounded woman’s forehead, and shook her head. She then turned to look out towards the alley’s entrance. In the distance, there were signs of panic building in the park and that meant their time was growing short.

    “You were waiting for me when I got home,” Angela said with a straight face.

    “I was home?” Edith queried.

    Angela nodded, “The incarnation of you who never became an angel. The one who finally managed to find release from all of that duty and honour that haunted you in life.”

    There was another Edith out there which meant there could be two Claras as well. That did a lot to explain the remnant she found back in the apartment.

    “I know you don’t really get what’s going on,” Angela said.

    The sounds of people in a panic were growing more pronounced. Edith turned her head to investigate and saw streams of people fleeing the park.

    “Your destiny awaits,” Angela said while she pointed to the commotion in the park. “I’ll take care of Clara, just like I did for you. Remember? Now go!”

    Angela’s smile was warm and compelling. She remembered seeing that beautiful child, even through the delirium induced by a near fatal infection. All the while, the sense of panic out there continued to grow.

    “I love you!” Edith said before running into the chaos.

    “I love you too!” Angela said with a smile.

    In the back of her mind, Angela hoped that Elizabeth would get back here soon. Otherwise, Clara would not have long in this world.

    Disclaimer: This chapter is currently in development. There are likely typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. Please do not treat this as a polished and completed work!


  • Home Is Where the Heart Is – Part III

    Angela needed to get home and collect her thoughts, or at least that was still her plan. She was not ready just yet, hesitant to enter a world that she shared with Edith for the better part of a century. This was their sanctuary, the one place they could be themselves without risking an inquisition. Even in paradise, there were expectations. Most of the dearly departed were free to do as they pleased, so long as it was contained within their pocket of reality. For lack of a better term, people saw and experienced what they desired.

    The Van Helsing Resurgence by Evelyn Chartres

    The fable about the Tower of Babel proved to be prophetic in many ways. People were often unable to see eye to eye, discord brought upon by elements that set them apart, and that ultimately sowed the seeds of conflict. Most chose to forgo the attempt at peaceful coexistence in favour of living within a dreamworld of their own making.

    Angela was just as guilty as the others, inhabiting a world where she was free to run through the halls of the Tower. She had been so young when she died that her idea of Heaven was playing hide and seek with other girls. For the longest time, that had been her whole reason for being: trapped in a world of fun and games, all the while, blissfully ignorant about the true nature of reality.

    It was Edith who opened her eyes to the truth. Being summoned to the mortal realm had been the lesson. For the first time since death, she realised there was a world beyond her own, beyond the veil of death. In a way, Angela had always known there was something special about Edith, since only true love could have summoned her from beyond the grave.

    When Angela set eyes on her love in her adult form, she knew immediately who it was. Ever since being summoned, she maintained a vigil over the mortal realm. Edith may have been thirty years her elder by then, but all of the signs were there: eyes with a gleam that never faded, the softness of those lips, and a smile that spoke volumes on how much Edith missed her.

    Edith never did learn the truth. Angela never dared to let it slip that she had been waiting for decades. Why risk hurting her? Who needed to know that in a bid to hang onto life, they also managed to reveal the depth of deception that surrounded their life?

    From then on, Angela shared her little world with Edith. It had been an adjustment at first because their love was considered taboo. For Edith, she was willing to do anything, including breaching the gates of Hell just to be in her arms. For better or for worse, Edith became her life, and neither had regrets.

    “Here you go, little girl,” a man said extending his hand.

    He was holding the largest cone of ice cream that she ever set eyes upon. It was a massive waffle cone adorned with at least five heaping scoops of ice cream. Her favouritest in the whole wide world too, vanilla, but dipped in caramel and covered with sprinkles.

    Angela had not realised that she had reverted back to her childhood form. She looked up at the man, and found that the view of his face was marred by the sun.

    “Thank you,” Angela said excitedly, so much so, that her hands were shaking.

    “The pleasure is all mine, child,” the man said.

    Even though he leaned towards her, the sun remained at his back. Angela eagerly grabbed the cone and eyed the confection with wide eyes.

    “Remember,” the man added. “You need to keep your strength up because you’ll need your wits about you.”

    Angela looked up from her cone to answer, but only the blinding light of the sun remained. There were no traces of the man anywhere which was unusual in itself. Outside of their own bubbles, souls did not possess the ability to manipulate their environment.

    “Did I miss something?” Angela wondered.

    She shrugged and continued to devour her ice cream. The creamy delicacy disappeared in chunks since she preferred to bite into the treat instead of licking it away. Gluttony may have been one of the seven deadly sins, but how could anyone turn away such a feast?

    She consumed the ice cream while she walked. When finished with her treat, Angela found herself facing the door to their little kingdom. Before the distraction, Angela had not been sure she would find her way here, her mind unwilling to face reality.

    Angela sighed, closed her eyes, and reached for the handle. Just as her slender fingers were about to grasp the knob, it opened from the inside.

    The sound startled Angela forcing her to open her eyes. She barely managed to focus before freezing in place and looking stupefied. She remained like this for a minute before collapsing to the ground.

    Disclaimer: This chapter is currently in development. There are likely typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. Please do not treat this as a polished and completed work!


  • Shadows and Echoes – Part I

    Angela’s mind could not stay focused on a single thought. She re-examined every detail of what was witnessed, rearranging the scenes over and over to make sense of it all. Yet, she was no further ahead in understanding what happened. How could she? What she knew to be real was no longer so.

    The Van Helsing Resurgence - Saturday Scenes

    The young redhead sighed while leaning against the railing. From this vantage point, she watched two angels fall from the heavens. So why was it that only Clara was visible? Her eyes naturally focused on the nude and confident woman and she enjoyed that fight. The battle featured a woman of grace and beauty against a creature that plagued humanity for millennia.

    “I thought we managed to contain them in our time?” Angela pondered.

    That fire and drive had been on display the day they saved Edith from the ghouls. It was not a stretch to see how the love of her life had roused her from the dead to warn that particular hunter. Nor was it difficult to see how Edith could fall for her alluring and daring protégé.

    “Where are you?” Angela asked while a wave of emotions overwhelmed her.

    It felt as though she were underwater, trapped under the unforgiving sea, starved for air while fresh air and freedom were just beyond reach. She could see the white caps of the waves and how their unforgiving size would put ships in peril. Was breaching the surface any more merciful than drowning beneath its fury?

    When a tear rolled down her cheek and onto an arm, she was roused from this storm of despair. Her training kicked in enabling her to realise how this was getting her nowhere and that she needed to focus.

    From her vantage point, she saw Clara leave the bar and head towards the epicentre of the disturbance. If Edith was down there, she would be doing the same, inexplicably drawn to her objective. These ladies were both devout and faithful, their senses finely attuned to the whispers from beyond.

    For now, it did her little good to linger here. Very few people did. To do so risked drawing the attention of a natural born angel. That group was probably already concerned over her last exchange with Gabriel.

    “Home for now,” Angela said.

    Once firmly within the grasp of familiarity and freed from the distractions of reality, would she be free to delve into the matter. The steps she needed to take were as yet unclear, although she did have allies.

    That brief recall to Earth had stirred other souls from their stupors. Gone was the idea that permanent detachment from the mortal realm was ideal. A few even voiced such opinions in her company, but no one dared risk it publicly. This may have been Heaven, but there were still guards lurking about, and that was a clue to the true nature of their existence.

    Perhaps some of them could be leveraged to help? She might even be able to rouse sentiment from the collective, although that would shatter their concept of reality. Most were not even aware that they were in Heaven, or that they could interact with other souls.

    “Choice and self-determination,” Angela muttered.

    The right to choose, wreaked havoc on the ability to predict the future. Not even Saint Peter knew the precise time and death of those who toiled below. The same applied here as well, so what did she witness earlier?

    “How and why?” Angela asked.

    For now, she needed to create the illusion of being an average citizen. What a shame that her stubborn mind had yet to accept her conclusion.

    Disclaimer: This chapter is currently in development. There are likely typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. Please do not treat this as a polished and completed work!


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