Just one more day “Mom smiled.

Standing in front of the police cruiser where an officer waited to escort him.

Adonis glanced over at him before replying.

“I love you Mom , thank you…” Adonis smiled back at her and stepped in to wrap his arms around her. She threw herself into his embrace.

“My boy…I’ll see you again. I love you “

Adonis entered the escort vehicle and rode back to the facility where Doctor sutherland was waiting for him.

“Hello Adonis, I know this isn’t an easy time, but I need you to follow me “

Following the doctor back into the office dorm which seemed brighter. and more artificially lit than the main floor. It felt like a separate building. 

Now that they were both sitting down, Adonis waited for the conversation to be initiated. Adonis was eager to hear what Sutherland had to say.

“I'm not supposed to show you this, but I think this might jog your memory as to what happened. Are you ok with me showing you the footage we captured?” “I am “

Sutherland turned his monitor to face Adonis and could see what he had remembered there. chess board across from Marthus who looked normal. but as pixelated as the video was, he could tell something was said. and then his posture changed dramatically to a stiff upright position. A faint green glow. Adonis got closer to the screen to see it better, but it faded quickly and Marthus just seemed to lose it. jumping on top of the table cracking his clipboard over the side of Adonis’s head. At that moment Adonis was unconscious, so he hit headfirst on the floor while the maniac once therapist ran wild around the main floor attacking other nurses.

Sutherland eventually lulled the monitor back cutting footage short.

“I'm glad you showed me that, but it doesn’t bring anything to mind yet”

Sutherland nodded “ok, you can take some time to rest your head and think about all that. I need to finish the police report. whatever you remember would be essential to helping me write more accurately. because I have no idea why this has happened”

“I'm sure it wasn’t his fault, we knew him” 

“You knew him better than I did . your guess is better than mine, and also before you go.

Adonis held the door open and glanced back over his shoulder. 

“Some investigators will interview you sometime today … I’m not sure when. and also, please Wait for an escort. there on their way”

Adonis wanted nothing more than to be alone the rest of the day but if he could help it he wasn’t going to do it in that fucking room. He paced the empty concrete basketball court; the fresh air helped him think and stay calm. his escort received a phone call, Adonis watched him all the way up until he hung up the phone. Without needing to be told Adonis went back into the foyer with his escort where an armed officer was paired with two investigators waiting for him.

“I have a space for us to talk if you would just follow me, please “ 

Adonis and the other three men behind him were led toward the female side of the foyers square. down a corridor reserved for reviews and private meetings. His escort stopped abruptly halfway down the hallway and unlocked a door. Adonis held two doors at the end of the hall in his sight, he had gone through them many times enough. it was a somber reminder, that room would be the room where his fate was decided.

Adonis sat at the end of the crescent shaped table facing the door. and everyone else sat around him. 

The male investigator with a tan suit spoke first introducing himself and his partner.

“My name is, detective Harron and this is detective Lane .

don’t mind officer Gage he’s just here for the free coffee aren’t you?”

Gage stirred his drink with a smile not bringing his eyes up to the rest of the room.

“Now Mr Markaine …”

“Adonis “he corrected 

Detective harron re started his sentence.

“Adonis, you are being questioned because of an assault that occurred on September 12th just four days ago. Tell me what you did that day?”

Adonis smirked.

“I’m cutting straight to it, he’s crying wolf to cover his ass because he knows that he snatched me off the street and threatened to break every bone in my body if I didn’t leave town “ The investigators looked at each-other and wrote it down.

“Adam wystan is the brother of his twin. Adam Wystan the second. I went to court for defending myself against his brother, he wants to cover his ass after getting his revenge on me.

Detective Harron asked his first question.

“Did you defend yourself against Wystan?”

“Nope because I was bagged and shoved into a car “Adonis smiled sarcastically.

“What was the car model and where there any witnesses to validate this?”

“We were in the middle of summerton ridge shopping center, it’s bullshit no one reported his plate. But yeah, it was a silver Buick maybe a 03”

“Where were you before this incident?”

“At the metaphysical shop not a block from where I was picked up “

Gage put down his mug and finally looked at Adonis.

“You know that funny looking lady that owns the shop actually reported the car “

Adonis sat back in chair and laughed.

“Oh, Camilla thank you!”

“However, she was told by other witnesses what happened she didn’t see it directly. we don’t have a name of this other person to validate what she said. I don’t even think she knows it was you “

Adonis finished laughing and took a deep breath.

“So, some other witness flagged her down and told her to call?”

“Yup” Gage said and went back to his coffee.

After the interview Adonis couldn’t stop laughing to himself, he felt hopeful again being pulled into Dr Sutherlands office.

“How did the interview go?”

His escort answered for Adonis.

“Well, it doesn’t sound like Adonis could be guilty of anything, but the case is ongoing”

Sutherland nodded.

“That’s all I needed to hear, there’s hope “

After dinner He was able to call Marie and told her about everything that had happened. Sometimes, the patients in the foyer behind him would get too loud. A nurse guarding the area would have to remind them to remain courteous to others. Getting back to the conversation Adonis caught eyes with His escort leaning against one of the many pillars surrounding the foyer.

“You can use this time to show them that you’re ready Adonis, there would be no better time “Marie said while the nurse held the phone to her ear.

“Yeah exactly, I can’t wait for Alina to come back tomorrow I could really use some cold dirt “

She laughed “we should start a small garden when I can move again”

“A cactus farm doesn’t sound so bad” he said

Before she could reply back, his escort pointed to his watch and pushed out two of his fingers.

“It’s almost time already, make sure you say goodnight to mom for me “

“I will, and I love you Adonis “

“And I love you “

Hanging up the phone his escort came to him.

“Snack time Adonis “

Adonis followed him to the foyer, where a few boxes of snacks where set on top of the tables. and the patients prepared for a long night.

   Rebecca made her way to spend the night

 at the hospital.

bringing in a box of movies for her and some home cooked pasta.

“Thank you so much momma “

Rebecca smiled and kissed her head.

“Can you lay out the movies for me?” Emma asked 

Rebecca helped her pick one out and put it in the disk player moving the box under her bed.

“I had just eaten dinner “Emma said

“That’s ok, wait a while then love “ 

Rebecca turned the room light off until it was just the glow of the screen mounted on the wall.

Emma did her best to focus on the screen, but she just felt restless, she worried about Adonis a lot. she thought about him all day. and the thought of something terrible happening never seemed to leave her. something felt wrong. considering everything he had to deal with leading up to this Friday and now everything he told her that was happening on the inside. Without knowing it she had stopped looking at the T.V and was now deep in thought. It took a while for Rebecca to notice but when she did, she turned down the volume.

“Are you getting tired honey?”

Marie shook her head and put her eyes back on the screen.

but mom had paused it seeing what her face looked like in that light. 

“Adonis will be ok “

Marie took a second to respond.

“I just don’t feel good about it this time, he has so much hope of leaving, and I don’t want that to destroy him. If things go wrong.”

  There was a gentle wind at this hour. he watched that orange ball of fury sit there on the invisible tightrope of the horizon. Staring at it made his eyes feel good. A kiss on his neck and her tickling long hair behind him felt even better. turning to face her but there was nothing but a dead world. Armageddon's shadow shrouded the sky buildings left to a cindery dark ruin. everything standing was covered in ash. The lifeblood of pulsating golden magma still flowed through the cracks of the broken earth under his feet. Walking only kicked up little embers and opaque thin layers of dead material. floating and crumbling into oblivion. There was beauty to such a world, as there was horror. the reality that nothing he knew before existed anymore. Not here, not under the tattered red banners of a strange cult. Two white-angled Roman nails crossing each other. with one right down in between them. embellished the center of the flags hanging from the sides of the tallest buildings. You would think no one would survive such a calamity, but Adonis saw someone peeking out of one of the windows. an older man with his face wrapped in a filthy cloth to protect himself against the elements. and several others came out of the torn buildings. there clothes were stained and ragged. they all looked as if they hadn’t bathed in months. They watched Adonis pass through the center of the dead town. a few young males wore the emblem on the sleeves of their shirts as if to say. they were in league with the dark forces at work here. More and more people began to show their faces. some coming out from behind destroyed cars, and some jumping onto them to observe him.

They began to whisper to him. it was inaudible, but grew in pitch every time it was repeated

“Infernum …open …the gates …for me …”

“Infernum …open …the gates …for me …”

 “Infernum …open …the gates …for me …”

The belly of the sky rumbled. and from its shadowy threshold a web of red electricity crawled for miles across the canvas of the clouds. He watched the lightshow in awe. feeling the vibration and the gust of wind push against his clothes and hair. A thick bright bolt of red thunder speared down into the earth from afar. the ground was audible in it’s rift. The earth splintered right down the middle. A loud De-compressive expression of air came from the blood red chasm that parted wide. Fading into an abrupt array of tortured human screams. and up from that widening deafening infernal pit. Ascended a woman, nailed to an iron inverted cross. her chest cleaved open. and in her chest a pale white heart stood out amid the other red organs. Adonis walked forward trying to get a closer look at it as he knew it had a strong significance. the buildings around him were now packed with a post-apocalyptic society. children, men, and women of all statures. They weren't watching the spectacle as he was. they were focused on him instead. it’s as if they were waiting for him to do something. A soft moan from her echoed on the wind. Waking the winged soldiers of hell, to flood forth from the maw of their crypt, and invade the sky. while the blonde ripped her hand free of the nail that held it to the wooden cross, and from her palm she blew cinders towards him. those cinders came quickly, causing panic around him. and from the cinders the creatures voice bellowed out.

“Elyndrii…”

Those cinders glided towards him and began to circle his body. Spinning faster until it funneled around Adonis, the cinders had become a blazing hot tornado. speaking to him in both ears. Adonis was trapped within the high walls, of This horrifying spectacle of circling, roaring flames. 

“Cast their souls …into the vortex of blades … into the molten… void!

“Into the infernum!”

The storm departed; its flaming power had faded. Reduced to a pestilence of sentient cinders. It burst outward to the survivors. Chasing them down, it was an anomaly of rage and speed. igniting its victims on contact. it chased after the men and women who ran to take shelter inside their buildings. 

“Their souls belong to the Nyxori!! And their flesh belongs to me!”

Adonis could not watch any longer and jumped on top of the car nearest to him. He waved towards the swarm of lightning and cinders and shouted at the top of his lungs.

“Stop!... Come here!”

It stopped momentarily, and abruptly made its way to surround him again. This thing of swirling and howling cinders confronted him trapping him once more in a cone of its anatomy.

“You do not command me! “

“I do! … What makes you think you are any better of them now!? What makes you think this is what she wants?!”

“She did not make you this way! You are not her beautiful few anymore. you are all destined for oblivion! So, you must all be destroyed!”

“I’ve changed! … I am proof that we can change!”

“Noo… you accepted me because you wanted control, revenge.”

Adonis froze, thinking about the night it had first come to him, his honest first initial thoughts. 

“So let me have mine…”

It pulled itself away from Adonis and began its massacre once more, helpless, tied tight to his emotions and guilt, nothing but laughter and flames now