Devil's Heir (8. Revelation)

8. REVELATION

Evan sat on the chair opposite the invisible Rihette. She looked spaced out for some reason. Evan quietly sipped the last of his orange juice, there was extra sugar in that, he could tell that from the taste. Evan felt Rihette’s hand slip into his. How odd…- Evan thought. She was not visible to any person in the world but was so solidly real to him. He had liked her since the day she had bumped into him. He had liked her way of talking, the way her emotions showed how much ever she tried to conceal them. He was one of the many who could tell what was troubling her and what made her feel good. Like right now, his mood was troubling her, as was Razek’s absence.

"You worried about Razek?"

Rihette bent her head down and gazed outside.

"Rihette, talk to me, I might be able to help."

She said in a disappointed voice, "Razek was called for some other errand. We archangels can transmit messages like Professor X of X- men…"

Talking about their common interests brought a smile to her lips. She thought for a few seconds and then said, "How about watching a movie tonight. None of us are in good spirits today."

Evan nodded his head, his hair settled comfortably around his neck, "Yeah, I guess you are right. You wouldn’t have even dreamt of watching a movie with me or going to the mall with me had you been alive. Sometimes I can’t believe I have you with me, 24 by 7…"

Rihette gave him an angry look, a smile played on her lips, "Oooh! Please, I certainly would have dreamt of going out with you but the sad thing is that I can’t show anybody that I’m in a skewed way going out with you. Why should I even bother? You like me dead! Save the cruel world, God!"

Evan wanted to start an argument about her debating skills but caught his tongue just in time. The tension lifted willingly as he placed a shopping bag inside the rear seat, which Razek had occupied a few hours ago. He didn’t know whether she remembered her life or not. She hadn’t remembered Hikari yet.

"Who is Hikari? Your girlfriend?"

"Wh… what? How could you…?"

Rihette smiled and said, "I’m an archangel Evan. I can read minds and protect them from being read. Hope you understand."

Evan realized that Rihette had been protecting his thoughts from reaching the devil. He said softly as they walked into the parking lot, "She was someone you liked, someone who was emotionally dead when she came to know about your death. She attended counseling sessions with me back at the school. Uh… do you remember your life here?"

She said instinctively, "Only the part concerning you. I came to help you. It was my mission. Do you?"

"Do you what?"

"Evan, do you remember your past lives?"

"What are you talking about? Past lives"

Rihette sighed and shook her head.

"I’ll see you in your room Evan, I’ll leave for now, I want to be left alone for a while…."

"But…" he caught her hand just as she started disappearing. Rihette raised an eyebrow in spite of her progressively blushing cheeks. Evan replied to her unasked question, "Yes Rihette, I want you to stay. I want you to feel the same cool breeze I feel when I sit with the windows down, I want you to see the darkening skies. I am the ruler of the darkness, I wanted to show you its beauty, something which couldn’t beat your heart’s beauty…"

Rihette now crimson in color because of the handsome lines used, said stuttering, "Al… alright, you got me, Evan. Let’s go home. I have a feeling the days excitement is not over yet. And yeah! I’ve to tell you something tonight. Communication skills…."

Evan heard her giggle as they drove out of the parking lot. Part of Rihette’s mission was to bring back Evan’s memories as the archangel and as the human he was before becoming the devil’s heir…. The time to reveal truths was nearing. It was she who needed preparing to do and an opportunity, to tell him his identity; guide him along the path of revelation…. She wondered if he would get his memories back once the coronation was over.

Evan drove slowly, carefully. His eyes were heavy and the only thing that kept him on was the pull he felt towards his room because of the darkness. Sighing, he swerved away from a bus and turned into his lane. Rihette slumbered quietly in her seat. He didn’t want to go inside the house, see his uncle’s face. Why was everything so confusing? Untamed anger made him bang the steering wheel loudly.

Rihette caught her breath and woke up, "Evan! Are you all right?"

Her voice was still sleepy. He shook his head and saw tears fall in his lap. What now? He was crying in front of Rihette- for no particular reason. He let his head fall on the steering wheel and faced away from Rihette. Why? Of all times why now? He’d met Rihette just a few hours ago. He tried to control his tears but then they were uncontrolled things. He himself had seen it proved many times.

Rihette felt helpless for perhaps the first time since she had become an angel. It felt queer and somehow unreasonable. She placed her hand over his arm, and felt his shoulder muscles tighten. "Evan I don’t want to force your thoughts out of your mind. That way I won’t be lightening your load. Talk to me Evan. You know I can’t tell anyone…"

Evan turned to her and said, his eyes glistening, "It’s not that you can’t tell anyone; I know you won’t tell anyone."

"You don’t have to be insecure about me, you know our relationship is at an equal level from both our side."

"It isn’t that equal, considering you are alive and I’m dead…."

Rihette said after some time, "But we are still both archangels."

Evan felt his heart beat skip as he concentrated on the quiet Rihette had caused. She said, considering the silence as an indication to go on, "Evan could we go for a walk… please?"

Evan said huffily, "I don’t feel so good..."

"What’s wrong, Evan?"

He replied in a whisper, "I think I’m going for a black out…"

All of a sudden he started screaming as if in pain. He crushed Rihette’s hand so bad she pursed her lips from yelling. She tried to quieten him down, but in vain. Before his uncle could arrive she rolled the windows closed. She turned to the other side, to roll up her window but was shocked to see a dozen ravens surrounding their car….