The Destroying Angel

Hazel covered her mouth. And tried not to make any noise as she hid behind the tree. He was behind her. Hazel could hear his ragged breath echoing through the silent forest. In her other hand was a rock. She clutched it so tight she felt like her fingers were going to bleed. She looked at the castle ruins. All she had to do was to make a run for it.

She rushed forward. The man ran after her, teeth bared like a wolf’s. He grabbed her bright red hair. She turned and hit him with the rock. She heard his jaw dislocated. Hazel had no idea that she could be that strong. The man howled in pain and fury and Hazel rushed into the swallowing darkness of the castle’s ruins. The man popped his jaw in place and let out a yell of a barbarian. He ran into the castle after her.

…

Liam Thatcher was a terrible man. He treated animals badly. He cheated the elderly out of their wallets. He robbed several small businesses. 

Now he has done something, that has to be his most terrible sin yet.

He murdered his now ex-girlfriend.

Her name was Eloise Townson. She was eighteen and volunteered at a library. She was always sweet, but very timid, and Liam was always a bully. And lately, Eloise had been confiding her problems to someone that wasn’t him. Well, a couple of someones. A boy named Shaun who was better than Liam in so many ways, and an older woman in her twenties named Layla, who was also a therapist friend.

Hanging out with them, Eloise grew bolder. And one day, she did something that struck a nerve. At that, Liam had enough. He had been planning this day for a long time. For a solid month, he dumped apologies, gifts, and romantic gestures onto her. He did this until Eloise thought he had actually changed. Poor Eloise.

Liam patted the dirt on the last hole. He stood up and looked at the dirt for a while. Then he spat on the grave and walked back to the caravan.

He sat inside, wondering what he was going to do next. Of course he is going to be one of the first people that the cops will come to in search of Eloise. He felt angry at her for telling her new friends about him while she was still alive.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. He froze. Who could be knocking at this hour? In the middle of the woods? So far from civilization? He grabbed his knife. Freshly cleaned and hid it in his jacket. Liam opened the door and was surprised to find a girl with red hair, around eighteen years of age outside his door. She wore a pair of boots and a green dress. Slung over her shoulder was a cloth bag. She had thick bangs, and a timid expression on her face. She reminded him of Eloise.

“Hi, I’m sorry! I didn’t meanta disturb you! I thought this was my campsite. I’m campin’ with my folks. Have you seen ‘em?” she asked.

Liam tilted his head. By the looks of her, he guessed that her folks were probably hippies. This was a popular forest for that group to camp in. Had she seen him do his crime? He couldn’t risk it. Eloise put up a fight. She made some noise. This girl might've heard it.

“Do you need help finding your campsite?” he asked.

The girl shook her head and backed away.

“No. I’m good. Thanks anyways.” she replied.

Liam stepped towards her. Slowly and carefully. A friendly grin on his face.

“What’s your name?”

“Hazel.”

“A pretty name for a pretty girl, Hazel.”

  Hazel backed away and smiled politely.

“Thankya much. I best be off.” she replied.

Liam watched her walk in the forest. His smile faded. She definitely knows something. He was sure of it. He walked after her.

It was a full moon, and they were walking down a path with not as thick of a canopy. The girl seemed wary. He followed her closely, but not too close. Making sure their foot steps matched. She stopped.

“Hello?” she asked.

Liam didn’t respond. Hazel continued walking. Liam continued walking. Same pace. Same steps. Then Hazel started walking faster. Liam started walking faster. Then both of them burst into a run. This just confirmed it. She knows something. Liam was sure of it! He ran after her. She was fast, but Liam was gaining on her. Then she did something that he did not expect. She ran off the trail. Liam realized she was running towards Eloise. He ran faster. Then…

She disappeared. Liam looked around. He cursed under his breath. Then on top of a boulder, he saw her. She was climbing up the rock. She saw him and scrambled to her feet and took off. Liam climbed after her. He noticed that this part of the woods was much more overgrown. Roots tripped his feet. Branches scraped his face. He ran into a clearing.

She disappeared again. Liam gave a shout in frustration. Then there was a shriek in the woods on the other side of the clearing. He ran towards the scream. Not anticipating that there would be a steep hillside on the other side. Liam fell forwards. A tumbled down the hill until he landed in some briar bushes. He stood up, covered in briars. His breathing grew ragged.

“Where are you?!” He shouted.

Hazel ran towards the castle. Liam snarled and ran after her. Brandishing his knife.

…

Hazel hid behind a rock column. The man was behind her. Covered in briars. Having relocated his jaw. Looking for her with a flash light. She breathed heavily. Her head was throbbing. She heard something slithering in the darkness.

This is it.

It’s finally going to happen.

She gasped in a breath. She clenched her fist. She stepped into the light. And looked directly at him. Liam gave her a sadistic smile and held up his knife. Hazel stood her ground. As Liam moved closer, he began to slow. Something was off. Hazel lifted up her bangs. She had a bright red tattoo of a sun on her forehead. A few pebbles landed between them. Liam looked up. His mouth hung in horror.

At first he wasn’t sure what he was looking at. On the ceiling was a creature. A creature not part of the natural world. It looked like an emaciated man, but it was ten feet tall with long fingers. On its back was a pair of wings covering his head. The creature flew down. Hazel ran to the stairs. Liam stood there in horror. The creature’s head looked like a flower bud. It opened. There was a bright red face of a man inside the bud. The eyes were completely blank. It looked like a mask. Then the face twisted in a toothy grin. The creature leapt forward.

Hazel looked away as the creature bit down on the man’s shoulder. The man let out a scream and ran out of the castle. The creature didn’t run. He didn’t need to. Hazel ran upstairs and watched as the man collapsed on the ground near the treeline. A dark trial leading to him. The man started crawling until he couldn’t. The creature swooped over her head and landed next to the man.

The creature picked up the man and flew back to the castle ruins. The creature took one look at Hazel. Hazel held her breath. The creature smiled at her, and bowed his head with respect. Then he took the body to the tallest tower.

Hazel sighed in relief. Once again, the Destroying Angel is fed. For the next five years. Her first hunt had been a complete success.

…

In the middle of the forest, far away from modern life, was a village of people with red suns on their foreheads. They awaited in the dark with great fear and anticipation.

“Look!” One little girl cried out.

Hazel walked towards them, weary, but smiling. The village burst into a roaring cheer.

“The new Daughter ‘as made it ‘ome safe!”

“Our crops will be bountiful!”

“Justice prevails and another wicked being gets it!”

“The Destroying Angel has been fed!”

Hazel smiled. Seeing the people she loves and protects happy, safe, and having plenty to eat… makes what she has been through worth it.

That night, she had a dream about Eloise. Eloise was in a little cottage in the middle of a beautiful forest. Flowers growing around her cottage. Sheep grazing in their pens. Inside, she is in a library filled with books. Sipping the best hot chocolate she has ever drank. A kitten purring in her lap. She read the newspaper: Destroying Angel is fed once more. She sees Liam’s face. Eloise smiled.