Chapter one...

The following is the very first chapter of The Angel's Prophecy...

Enjoy... <(^_^)>

Midnight Rain x x x

To tell the truth it was pretty uneventful at first. I spent the night in the park curled up under an old cricket uniform in the run-down pavilion and ate half of the loaf of bread. It was a cold winter night and the wind rattled the few windows that were still in tact. It was bitingly cold and I shivered terribly as I tried to get some sleep. Eventually I dozed off but it was a restless night and I kept having the same recurring vivid nightmare……

……It was the day after my fifth birthday and I stood in front of a door in my father’s manor. Everyone appeared to have forgotten what day it had been yesterday.
I could hear my father’s authoritative voice sounding from behind the door I had been warned never to open. He was giving many orders to what sounded like large group of people.
I looked up at the large red ‘No Entry’ sign hanging from the mahogany and braced myself. I admit I was angry with my father and it may have seriously affected my judgement. But with a look of grim determination I closed my small fist around the cold door handle and turned.
The door swung open on silent hinges to reveal the most beautifully strange place I had ever seen. Why would my father not want me to see such a wonderful place?
It was a long hallway that sloped gently downwards to what I assumed was the basement. The walls of the hallway were encrusted with millions of jewels that almost seemed as if they were glowing. There were gems of every colour imaginable and I could only guess at most of the names. All the way down the hallway floating near the ceiling were what appeared to be crystal orbs. Each one seemed to have different coloured ball of light in its centre. The floor on which I stood seemed to be composed of pure silver and gold tiles that were surprisingly warm to my bare feet. It was almost like the pathway to heaven except that it sloped downwards.
I stepped through the door and it instantly closed behind me. For a moment I was possessed by horror for there was no handle on this side of the door. I was trapped. The only way I could go was down this forbidden, enchanted hallway. And so I did. The hallway seemed to go on forever and it became apparent that it was becoming steadily steeper until I was nearly sliding down it. Where did this thing lead?
I had no way of telling the time and no way of knowing how much further I had to walk. My father was sometimes down here for hours at a time; sometimes even all day. Then I spotted a door up ahead I didn’t even know why I hadn’t seen it before. After all I’d been walking in a straight line. I sped up slightly but the door didn’t seem to be getting any closer. I broke into a run my footfalls reverberating, resonant in the silent hallway. But still the door didn’t get any closer and so I tried a different approach.
I thought like my father would, and before long came to the conclusion that the mind is more powerful than reality so I thought that the door should come to me. The strange thing was; it actually did! The far wall was moving closer and closer towards me even though I wasn’t moving a muscle. The door reached me and I saw the handle was gleaming gold set with small white diamonds that sparkled like stars in the light from the orbs. The door itself was silver. How much money did my father spend on this place?
I reached for the glittering handle and made to open the door but my heart stopped as I felt like I was falling, falling down. The next thing I was aware of was lying in bed in my room. It was late and my father was nowhere to be seen. Silently as I could I tiptoed out of my bedroom and down the stairs to the ’door’. It opened easily enough and I was once again in the mesmerizing hallway. Instead of walking all the way down I just thought my way through the door at the other end. I felt the familiar feeling of peculiarity as the far wall moved towards me and then through me as if I was a ghost.
Then I was standing in what appeared to be a laboratory. There were monitors on all the walls and a chair with straps as if its occupant was usually restrained. On the wall furthest away from me was another door. I went to open it but I spotted something glinting out of the corner of my eye. I whirled around and was horrified to see a security camera pointing right at me. I was in trouble now, no doubt about it. So shrugging off the camera I opened the door and immediately I wished I hadn’t, for a shrill alarm sounded and I was instantaneously seized by a pair of large and uncomfortably familiar hands. My father had found me out, but not before I had caught a glimpse of what was in the second room. There were rows of cages and inside were people! But these were not ordinary people, for they had talons, whiskers, tails and all kinds of other grotesque mutations. I stared appalled, at my father who was admiring his creations with evident satisfaction.
“Wonderful aren’t they sweetheart?” he asked with a callous smile I had never seen before.
“But they’re people.” I argued.
“No they’re not. Not anymore. They’re test subjects.” he replied coolly. “Anyway, what are you doing down here? I told you never to come here. How dare you disobey your father?” he was shouting now and I was terrified. I’d never seen him angry before and my mother had always cautioned me not to do anything to enrage him. I felt a sharp strike to the back of my head and everything went black. When I woke up I was back in bed feeling confused, dizzy and disorientated. Was it a dream then? Somehow I didn’t think so but still I felt it must be. Honestly my own father carrying out experiments on people, it was absurd. Nevertheless, I felt unsteady about the painful bump on the back of my head.
I went down to breakfast and between spoonfuls of cereal told my father about the dream I’d had. He just laughed and said I should cut back on the sugar before bed. I rubbed the back of my head absent-mindedly and he looked worried.
“Are you ok, darling,” he asked. “You had a nasty fall last night you know,”
I looked at him suspiciously and said, “What do you mean, father?”
He replied, “You fell out of bed darling. Quite a racket you made too. I’m surprised you didn’t wake up. I put you back into bed personally.”
I felt better for that. It explained everything. I pushed my bowl away and stood up, not looking at him.
“Well, I’m going to go play with my birthday presents from mum.”
He stood up sharply knocking his chair over and looking panicked, “Whaat? It was your birthday. When?”
“The day before yesterday. But it doesn’t matter. You’re a very busy man,” I added quietly as I walked away. “I understand.”
“Have fun, sweetheart.” he called after me.
But I wasn’t going to play with my toys. I walked up to the door. But it wasn’t there. Instead there was just a wall with a painting of my father hanging on it, underneath which, was a plaque that read Lord Azriel, beloved benefactor of Lovers’ Leap. I was staring, dumbfounded, at it when the real thing appeared at my shoulder. “I know. It gets me every time too. Isn’t the use of colour magnificent?” he asked.
“But where’s the door, father?” I was confused.
“What door, sweetheart? This portrait’s always hung here.” he replied, also sounding puzzled.
I walked away slowly and could have sworn I heard my father saying, “Curse you Djon.”……

……I woke up with a start and blinked at the icy sunlight filtering in through the broken window above me. I hoped my mother was ok. I ate the remaining, stale half of the loaf and crept out of the pavilion. I’d decided the night before I would travel as far away from my mother as possible, then maybe she’d be safe. I’d settle down, get a job, lie low and keep a sharp eye out. It had been unbearable since my father had died. My mum and I were permanently looking over our shoulders. Dozens of men had been after us, well after me, and that put her at risk too so I’d resolved to leave. I was fifteen after all. I could look after myself.
It was at least midday but no-body seemed to be out; probably because it was winter. I walked briskly trying to think of a place where I wouldn’t be putting anyone in danger.
I was lost in thought when I came across a large iron gate. I looked between the rusty bars and saw a deserted factory. I figured I must have walked farther than I originally thought. This place was miles away from my home. I kept on walking looking around at the terrace houses and wondering what my mother was doing. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts again that it was a while before I heard the footsteps behind me. I didn’t look back but I quickened my pace considerably. The person behind me followed suit.
I cursed myself for coming this way. There were no side streets for at least half a mile. I started to jog, praying that I wouldn’t run out of breath. I was low on energy as it was more than five hours since the loaf of bread. The footsteps behind me became quicker and heavier, so, dropping all pretence I broke into a run. I cold see the side-street coming closer and hoped I would reach it before the person behind reached me. I guessed from the sound of the footsteps behind that my pursuer was a man, and he was getting closer.