Shadows and Skies

Peter Lewis lay on the cold hard ground in the empty building, completely alone.

The only sound in the stony silence was his heavy breathing as he felt his body shut down. He could feel the gargoyle’s venom continue to spread through his veins but he didn’t fight it. He let it come, all the fight leaving him. He was dying anyway so what was the point? He was done fighting. Fighting only brought more pain.

He closed his eyes. So this was it.

“Get up, Pete.”

His eyes snapped open. No, it couldn’t be. . .

It was.

Michael was kneeling over him, scowling down at him.

“Mike?” he said in a trembling voice.

“Do not even think about giving up.”

“But I’m so tired.”

“That’s no excuse. Being tired doesn’t give you an excuse to quit.”

“But what can I do?”

“Keep fighting. Hold on.”

“Hold on for what? I’ll be dead in a few seconds.”

“Someone’s coming. They’re going to save you.”

Peter started to close his eyes again. “I don’t think I want to be saved. Kane Moonblood is back. Raven City is being destroyed and soon the rest of the Eternal World will be destroyed too. Mom and Dad might be dead. So what’s the point?”

“Peter August Lewis,” Michael growled down at him. “Don’t do this. Don’t even think about it. It is not your time. Do you hear me? It’s not your time. If you even think about quitting now, I will kick your ass so hard you’ll be brought back to the Land of the Living. I will make sure of it.”

Peter felt a smile form on his face despite the pain he was in. That was the Michael he knew. And he knew his brother was right. He couldn’t quit now. He had others depending on him.

“That’s right,” Michael said and his image started to disappear. “Know there are sups out there depending on you to make it and they have your back. Know I have your back too, even when you can’t see me.”

He disappeared. As much as Peter didn’t want to, he knew he had to keep fighting for the sups that depended on him.

Hannah depended on him.

Ruben and Laura depended on him.

His parents depended on him.

So he kept fighting. For them.