The Celestial Gate by Avital Dicker (red white royal blue txt) 📗

and his face covered in sand. “I told you I’m no good at it,” he moaned. He picked his wings up from the sand, shook them clean, and put them back on. “You know what? Seeing that you’re such a hero,” he told the bogo, “you’re coming with me.”

The bogo’s tails suddenly drooped and he vigorously shook his snout no. But Enochio, ignoring his objections, picked the creature up in his arms. “Let’s not forget whose idea this was,” he said. “If I’m going down, you’re going down with me.” He again spread his wings, beat them, and rose in the air. The bogo, hiding his head deep in the angel’s ample belly, howled with fear.

Except for a few steep skips in the air, Enochio’s take-off was smooth this time. They flew just a few inches above the Orphils, some of which bared their teeth and growled at their passing. “See that?” Enochio asked the bogo. “They know they’re not allowed to growl at angels. But they don’t seem to care, though, do they?”

This troubled Enochio, who decided to put on some speed. According to the regulations, Orphils were obligated to obey angels. But Enochio sensed that something was wrong. If they dared to bare their teeth, they’ve stopped obeying the regulations, at least in part, he thought. While they hadn’t yet attacked him, who knew what might happen? It looks like God really has to show His presence in these parts, he mused.

Enochio and the bogo were now flying over the sea. Enochio was afraid of going too high; he didn’t altogether trust his rusty wings. Therefore, wavelets wetted his trousers from time to time. “Just so you know, I’m having no fun at all,” he grumbled to the bogo as he wiped a few salty drops that had splashed into his eyes.

The bogo cautiously peeked out. The sea was blue and flat, but there was no sign of the children. “Where are they? I don’t see them,” Enochio brooded.

Inside the submarine, Yam had just freed Rae. “Don’t move until I tell you, you hear?” he said to her sternly. Just then, the submarine started shaking from side to side, causing Anise to stumble. Seconds later, the craft started shuddering uncontrollably.

“I think we’re going even farther down,” Anise whispered.

Mor saw a school of seahorses playing hide-and-go-seek through the porthole. “I should really learn scuba-diving,” he said, unconcerned.

“Me too,” Rae agreed, but seeing the look on Yam’s face, she quickly fell silent.

Anise looked at the fathometer, which was now showing one hundred and ninety meters. “We have to move,” she said. The three quickly pulled on the wetsuits.

“Rae, get dressed,” Anise urged her.

Rae, smiling, just pointed to the gills on her feet. “I’ll be fine,” she said.

“In my next incarnation, I want her planet,” Mor laughed.

“We’ve got to go now,” Yam whispered, looking at the fathometer. One ninety-five. “When we hit two hundred, the submarine is going to collapse and everyone on board will drown. The Dakar had no survivors.”

The cabin door opened, showing a pale Roy. “Now!” Mor yelled. All four leaped, flinging Roy to the floor and rushing to the exit.

Chapter 26

A shot was heard and the masked man fell just inches from Sual. Amalia lowered her gun and rolled the man onto his side. “He’s dead,” she said, her face betraying nothing of the storm that raged within. It was the first time she’d ever killed someone.

Theo saw the blood rush from her face and tried to place a comforting arm around her shoulders, but Amalia sidestepped him. “Let’s keep going. It’s dangerous here. We’re sitting ducks,” she said coolly, and started to walk without waiting for a response.

Sual was about to follow Amalia when Theo grabbed her arm. It’s possible we’re not walking out of here alive, he thought. He’d never forgive himself if he didn’t tell her what he felt for her. He drew Sual close. “I love you,” he whispered.

Sual looked at him in utter amazement. Without saying a word, she hurried to catch up to Amalia.

Yam was the first to break the surface of the sea, followed by Mor, and finally by Anise and Rae. “We did it!” he said, taking off his mask.

“I saw Ido chasing us,” Anise said.

“That’s impossible, there were no survivors of the Dakar,” Yam answered.

“They’re practically our age,” Anise said sadly. Yam looked at the horizon, trying to estimate the distance. Land was too far away; they’d never get there by swimming.

“Watch out!” Anise suddenly yelped as something fell into the water with a great splash. Waves started forming again.

“For Pete’s sake,” they heard a familiar voice say as Enochio’s head broke through the surface. “I lost my balance. It’s all your fault!” he snapped at the bogo swimming alongside him.

“And you!” he turned to look at the group, “I told you not to move from the gate. Look what you’ve done.”

“I’m really sorry,” said Anise, trying her best not to burst into laughter.

Just then, they saw a dark cloud moving quickly over the water in their direction. The bogo started barking madly at the strange vessel. The Orphils on board held weapons in their gray arms pointed their way. Anise looked at their hands, each of which had ten fingers ending in sharp, yellow nails. She shuddered with revulsion.

A bullet hit the water, missing Mor by inches, and detonated below the surface.

“I don’t believe it!” Enochio mumbled. “They fired at us.”

“Really? You don’t say,” Mor noted caustically.

“I think we’ve got to get out of here,” Anise muttered.

“How interesting, but I don’t see a rescue boat on the horizon,” Enochio retorted with anger.

“And here I was, thinking that you’d offer us a ride,” Anise said.

“Oh yeah,” Mor liked the idea, “that would be awesome.”

“The answer is NO. En-oh. NO,” Enochio was furious.

“I can take someone with me,” said Rae, showing off her lovely wings.

Anise looked at Enochio, pleading with her eyes. “Rae can take one of us, maybe two, but not all.”

“It’s totally out of the question.