Foggy Nights
Angel enjoyed foggy nights for a few reasons. One, fewer people came out. Two, the world seemed to almost slow down. And three she always felt more comfortable in the dark. She walked along the road only the sound of her hi-tops on the pavement haunting her. Despite the chill in the air she wore a pair of shorts and a light jacket, the hood pulled up over her head. If anyone walked past her she did not turn to look or even acknowledge them. The laces on one of her shoes had come untied but she ignored it and kept walking.
Ahead of her through the fog she noticed several guys all standing around a street light pole. She turned and started across the street away from them. Behind her she heard their footsteps as they started following her. Sighing she kept walking, her pursuers casually making their way steadily towards her. Glancing up she noticed through the fog another group of guys standing in front of her. The men spread out blocking her way down the sidewalk. One of them stepped forward and she recognized his features perfectly, and her scowl deepened.
“What do you want Jason…” she said.
“Heard you beat up some of my guys the other night,” he said, “we’re simply here to return the favor.”
“I warned them,” she said, “I told them to leave me alone.” The guys behind her spread out too circling her. A couple had clubs and chains, even a few knives. Jason crossed his arms and grinned widely.
“Sorry Angel, your luck has just run out,” he said. Several of the guys rushed forward swinging their weapons. She sighed again and ducked moving quickly. A chain flew at her and she grabbed it swinging the guy over her head and tossing him into another. One guy swung his club but she grabbed it crushing the wood under her fist. A second later the guy flew backwards crashing into a couple others. She spun effortlessly on the ball of her foot slamming her other foot into a few guys sending them sprawling to the floor. Within mere seconds all the guys that had attacked her lay groaning on the ground. Jason stood there eyes wide.
“What are you waiting for, get the bitch!” he said. The rest of the guys started circling in closely eyes watching her warily. One brave fellow lunged forward with his knife but she moved gracefully to the side, the knife hitting air. Another swung his club towards her head while another swung his chain. She grabbed both in each hand and yanked on the chain. The guy stumbled forward and she kicked out her foot sending him to the ground. She ripped the club out of the other guy’s hand and smashed it over her knee. The rest of the guys started turning and fleeing through the fog, Jason calling angrily after them.
“Get back you bunch of cowards! She’s just one girl!” he said to the empty night. He turned and found Angel standing right in front of him, glaring at him from under her hood. Stepping back he looked at her apprehension on his face. A second later he pulled out a gun and pointed it right at her face.
“Don’t fuck with me,” he said. Angel reached up placed her hand over the front of the gun moving it out of the way. A shot rang out and echoed through the fog. Jason stepped back dropping the gun. Angel glanced down at her hand, a large hole right in the middle of her palm. A moment later the muscles and tissue started knitting back together. Within seconds the hole had healed. Jason fell the ground looking up at her with horror.
“What—what the hell are you,” He said. She knelt down and looked him right in the eye.
“Someone you shouldn’t fuck with,” she said. Standing up she started back down the road. Pulling her hood tighter around her head she sighed deeply. People sometimes…
The outline of the church came into view as Angel got closer. She walked through the front doors, and was greeted by the familiar smell of incense, and the calm quietness that permeated the place. It did not matter how old a church really was, inside they always felt timeless. Some of the sisters still walked the halls, a few of them nodding to her as she made her way through. Down the hall she finally reached her bedroom and opened the door to see Mother Superior standing there waiting for her.
“You’re late…” she said.
“Ran into some people I knew,” Angel said. Mother Claire gave her an all too familiar stern look, raising an eyebrow.
“These people wouldn’t happen to be Jason and his gang now?” Angel barely looked up as she sat down on her bed and began untying her shoes. She learned never to question how Mother Claire quickly heard news. Nothing happened in their small mountain town without her learning about it almost instantly.
“Yeah…” Angel said untying the laces of her other hi top and slipping them both off.
“You know what I’ve told you about fighting Angela.”
“What was I supposed to do Mother, let those guys do whatever they wanted to me?”
“Violence is never the answer,” Mother Claire said, her voice never rising but the disappointment was clear in her eyes. Angel sat there on her bed, feeling a child again. Mother Claire sighed and sat down in the desk chair.
“You could have really hurt any of those boys. With strength like yours…”
“I held back a little. All I did was scare them.”
“Still any show of your strength will get people talking.”
“What guy is going to admit that a skinny girl like me beat the shit out of them?”
“Language Angela,” Mother Claire said rubbing her forehead. She sat there for a moment and glanced over at her, “I’m glad to see you are alright.”
“You’re seriously worried about me?”
“Of course dear, I don’t care how quickly you heal I still worry someday you will meet your match. Regular people may not be able to harm you but what about other…”
“Mother they haven’t sent me out into the field in months,” Angel said, “Bishop Hanson hasn’t even summoned me to see how I’m doing. Things have been so quiet lately.” Almost too quiet. The fact that she has not gone out on the field even once gave her goosebumps. Some of the others saw it as a good sign. Yet she knew it could only mean something big must be coming. Mother Claire got up and made her way to the door before turning back around.
“By the way, a young seminarian is coming to stay with us,” she said. Angel turned to look at her mouth open.
“A seminarian, like a guy?”
“Unless the Church is allowing for female priests now then yes a guy.”
“But Mother, this is a convent! I thought guys weren’t allowed?”
“Bishop Hanson wishes to possibly recruit this young man to join the order,” Mother Claire said, “so we are making an exception. And he wants you to show him around.”
“Me!? Why me? I hate guys.”
“I think hate is too strong a word my dear.”
“Still why me?”
“He is around your age, and Bishop Hanson wants him to feel comfortable. Also if he does join the order you will be working closely with him so it would help for you two to get to know one another,” Mother Claire said smiling softly, “and it wouldn’t hurt for you to get to know others either.”
“Seriously isn’t there someone else? Another of the sisters, another member of the order? Anybody?”
“This is an order directly from the bishop Angela,” Sister Claire said, “and I agree with him that is might prove good for you.”
“This is bullshit,” Angel said.
“Language,” Mother Claire said, “he’s arriving early tomorrow morning, so I pray you are on your best behavior. Good night”
“Mother…” Angel said, but Mother Claire had already closed the door. Angel sat back down on her bed and lay back. A guy…she hardly talked to anyone much less a guy.
“It’s still fucking bullshit!” Angel said.
“Language,” Mother Claire said from behind the door.