Enid was pulling on her underwear. She was rushing she’d spent yet another night at Allison’s place and she had to get home and get her shape changed so she could go to school. It was near the end of the semester.

“Aww what’s the rush Enid?”

“I told you…I have… to be someplace in the mornings.”

Enid sat down and started trying to latch her bra and felt Allison’s arm around her waiste tugging her closer.

“Please don’t go.”

“You have to go to work.”

“I’ll call in sick.”

“You always say that but never do.”

Allison pouted.

“That’s because you always leave.”

“Don’t pout. It’s impossible to resist.”

“Not really you keep leaving.”

“I need to go.”

Enid kissed Allison.

“Have a good day.”

Allison waved after tugging on Enid’s arm playfully.

*****

Enid collapsed in her seat in Art class with only a few seconds to spare. Maria looked at her playing with her crucifix. Enid was everything but looking put together. She’d grabbed Allison’s top by accident, so she was drowning in it. Kerri snickered.

“Someone’s on a walk of shame.”

Enid blushed in spite of her best efforts not too and shrugged.

“So?”

“Ooh tell us about him.”

Enid shook her head.

“Come on, you have been single for your whole time here. Share!”

“Nope. I don’t kiss and tell.”

Maria frowned.

“Enid, you know… that if you are not married it is wrong.”

“God can go beep himself. For all I care.”

“Enid!”

Enid flinched recognizing her teacher’s voice.

“Sorry Ms. Wells. I beeped.”

“You’re in a Catholic School Enid Aurelius.”

Enid sighed.

“I know, I know.”

“Don’t want to hear that sort of thing ever again.”

“Yes, Ms. Wells.”

“Very good. Okay, so today you will be completing your portfolio.”

*****

Enid being the short girl she was in her real shape sat on one of the small walls at their school kicking her legs because they wouldn’t reach the ground and eating her lunch in the warm June sunlight. In other hand she had a fresh manga out of a box of them she had received from her family in Japan. Her friends at the school were fascinated how she could read the Japanese. Enid wasn’t a big fan of the style. The ones she’d gone through so far were slow moving. She did like the practice with kanji. She took another sausage out of the lunch Eyre had sent with Maria and started chewing on it absently. She hadn’t noticed a woman was approaching with her son. She finally realized she had an audience when she heard someone start babbling about Saints. Enid looked up from her manga and blinked at the woman and noticed the teenage boy with her, whom she recognized as Terrance one of the juniors she had occasion to run across from debate team. He looked like he was about to blow up his cheeks were so red.

“You’re her. You’re the Saint! Sarah of Savia. Please heal my daughter. Please.”

Enid blinked.

“I’m sorry I’m just a high school student.”

Terrance looked like he wanted to shrink and vanish.

“You are her, I saw you on the TV, you put the sword into the stone. Please, you can heal her. She…she should be here now, in school with you but she is too sick.”

Enid looked at Terrance who shook his head.

“Mom, she’s just a kid like me, she’s on the debate team mom.”

“Nonsense. She healed the sick. You know the story; She healed that mother of twins.”

Enid was finally rescued by an unlikely savior. Sister Willow who was arriving for their afternoon religion class.

“Ma’am, you are mistaken, this is Enid, she’s one of the students here.”

Terrance’s mother blinked as if someone had just splashed cold water across her face and started mumbling apologies to everyone. Terrance nudged her onwards and Sister Willow glanced at what Enid was reading. She leaned on the small wall her almost six feet of height dwarfing Enid.

“A pair of glasses will not hide the truth, Enid. If you can help that child, you should. I remember her. She was a good student until she got sick.”

“She should have gotten vaccinated.”

“Maybe you can tell her mother that. She believes fervently that God is against them no matter what the Father at the church says. We’ve had to ask her not to spread that at the church. I wonder, how did you know she should have been vaccinated?”

Enid did a mental facepalm, her gift had told her. Sister Willow continued.

“The world is not as simple as it seems on the surface. But I know you know that. Sister.”

“Which one of you is it this time.”

“We haven’t met, well we have obviously, I’m your teacher.”

“Have you been here the whole time?”

“Yes, you think he wouldn’t have someone watching over your sister and you?”

“Enid. There are some truths you are not ready for. Suffice it to say, he wouldn’t have put you here for that woman to see if he didn’t want you to go heal that girl. Who knows maybe she has the cure for the next pandemic? Or maybe she might make a post on the internet that inspires someone to not give up hope, that inspires them to save the world?”

“So, which one are you?”

“Sariel. Archangel of Protection. At your service.”

“Are you even female?”

“We are neither, sister. I usually prefer to appear male. Father wants what father wants and we are but his servants.”

“So why the games? Why ask me if I’m Saint Sarah, why go telling the convent? And that bullshit where Maria spilled her guts about Michael and Ezekiel?”

“To prepare the world for your coming, sister.”

“Why do you all keep calling me sister!”

“Because you are the first-born daughter of God. Beyond that are truths I cannot provide. I like not being in Hell.”

“Yesh, tough boss. Do as I say, or I’ll imprison you for all eternity.”

“Finish your lunch but know nothing happens randomly when he’s interested in you. Heal the girl.”

“Why break cover now?”

“Because the time is drawing near. You need to be prepared. I cannot protect you from what is to come in the next few months. I wish…I wish I could.”

“What is coming in the next months?”

“Your truth. See you in class Enid. Be a sis, don’t tell your sister about me hmm?”

Enid glared after Sister Willow/Sariel and stuffed the last sausage in her mouth and chewed furiously. Looking back down at her manga.

“Bitch.”

Sister Willow started the class with a lesson on helping others and why Jesus preached it, along with several gospels showing it. Enid almost broke her pen as she listened to the angel pound her point home. Her annoyance was obvious to everyone around her but it’s not like she could tell Maria why she was in a bad mood. Her mortal friends she didn’t care about but lying to Maria it went directly against her promise to her.

Bitch.

As she had that thought Sister Willow quirked her eyebrow in Enid’s direction. Enid made a face.

*****

Enid gave up resisting. It was obvious she was supposed to heal this girl, so she tracked down Terry, that’s what everyone called him except for teachers. Enid barely knew him beyond being partnered for a few debates. Terry was not what most would consider conventionally attractive. There was a lot of acne. His hair was never styled right, and he rarely wore stylish clothing. He also wore glasses that were a bit large for his face. He did have friends; He just wasn’t the kind of person Enid would hang around with at school because beyond debate team their paths would never cross. His friends made quick escapes when she appeared behind them. She even saw one thumbs up. The moment he saw her his cheeks went a bright red.

“Did someone tell them I bite?”

“No…uh…”

“I do. But not today.”

“I uh…look you’re cute but.”

“Ya, no I’m apparently into other girls, so I’m not here for that. What I need to know is what happened to your sister?”

“What?”

“Your sister, why does your mother think she needs healing? Demonic possession? What’s going on here? Why is she asking for a person she thinks is a Saint to heal her?”

“She got sick…she didn’t get better.”

“Pandemic?”

“Yes, mom wouldn’t let us get vaccinated kept telling us to pray.”

Enid sighed.

“So, I’m going to tell you something, and I swear to god if you tell anyone I will end you. But I can heal your sister. Can you get me in to see her?”

“She’s in the hospital. She’s been off and on a respirator for three years. You can’t help her.”

“Look Terry. I’m not going to get any peace until I just go fucking heal her, so you get me in to see her because I have a date with my girlfriend tonight and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let God fuck with that. Do we understand each other?”

“Yes ma’am.”

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

“That is the right answer. Now you call your mother. You tell her that Saint Sarah has interceded on her behalf and to come drive us to the hospital where your sister is currently at.”

“Yes.”

“Hurry up, clock is ticking, and I need to get ready for my date.”

*****

Terry’s mother was talking enough to make Enid regret this but based on past experiences God would just screw with her life until he got what he wanted. Ezekiel had been right, play the game get it done. So far, she’d found Allison and was happy. Somehow, he’d saved them in that car wreck. She wasn’t about risk her relationship by disobeying him.

“Mrs. Smith. Please. I’m here to help but you’re driving me nuts.”

“You’re a Saint.”

“Yes, but the saying patience of a Saint, really doesn’t apply to real one. I’m here because if I don’t heal your daughter God will make my life one lesson about helping others after another until I do. I would really like to have an uninterrupted date with my girlfriend tonight.”

“But you’re a saint.”

“Mrs. Smith. I am a teenage girl who happens to also have been a Saint in a previous life. I’m not her, she was a god-fearing heterosexual woman with a big sword. I am a seventeen-year-old girl who gets called to do miracles sometimes against my will. If he had a problem with my…choice of partners he would make it clear. Now, I’m going to say this once: if I hear my name come up in association with healing your daughter, so help me God you will regret ever meeting me.”

Mrs. Smith swallowed hard when hearing Enid’s tone.

“You do not seem like a Saint.”

“I’m not. I’m also angry at you. If you’d just gotten your children vaccinated instead of listening to bullshit people put on the internet you daughter would be finishing grade eleven with us at the end of this month instead of laying in a hospital. You know Saint Sarah of Savia tried to find a normal cure for the black death before she whipped up that magic spring? She couldn’t find one because it didn’t exist yet. Well one existed for this last plague and you let some religious wing nut on the internet convince you not to give it to your children. You’re the worst kind of parent.”

Terry’s mother had tears on her cheeks by then end of Enid’s rant.

“Trust me, God wants you to use medical science, or it wouldn’t exist. Bull shit on the internet, that’s people. If you listen to one thing, I say like it’s from God’s lips to your ears that’s the one thing you should remember.”

Enid followed the pair up to the room. She had never met Gabriel Smith, but she could be her. Hair was brown but they were the same size and shape. Enid looked around.

“Where is Mr. Smith in all this?”

The pair looked at the floor. Terry spoke up.

“Jail…he did things to Gabby.”

Mrs. Smith was blushing deeply and walked out tears in her eyes.

“He abused her?”

“Yes.”

“Good thing the police got to him before I heard about it.”

“You’re angry.”

“Yes, my father abused me in every manner of the word. Still in therapy and it’s been years.”

Enid held up her hand and closed the blinds.

“I need to know what is wrong with her to know if I can help.”

Enid picked up the room phone and dialed the nursing station.

“Hi, this is Dr. Thomas. I’ve been brought into consult on a patient, Gabriel Smith. I was told a file would be ready for me but I can’t find it anywhere, I’m in with the patient now, could you bring it here?”

Enid hung up the phone and shrugged at Terry who blinked at her sudden change of voice. A nurse came in fifteen minutes later with a thick folder looking around.

“Was a doctor in here?”

Enid nodded.

“She was, but went to talk to the mother. Was complaining about some missing paper work. Is that it?”

The nurse rolled her eyes and was about to leave. Enid approached her and met her gaze and implanted a memory of her talking to a forty-year-old version of Enid with brown hair.

“I’m Dr. Thomas. I’ll take the file thank you.”

“Of course, Doctor. I’m so sorry it wasn’t ready for you.”

“No problem, I’m just eager to get started, I think we can help this young woman. In fact, why don’t you forget all about putting this together and coming to see me. You shredded it when you realized you pulled the wrong patient records as per medical rules.”

“Yes.”

“Okay go back to work please.”

“Yes Doctor.”

Enid patted the nurses arm and once she’d left she started going through the file. Frowning as she leafed through the first few pages.

“Enid, how…did you do that?”

“Your mother wasn’t wrong. Okay. Let me focus. I want to make sure I can actually help her instead of just making things better for a little while.”

Enid started leafing through the file further. Mrs. Smith returned about fifteen minutes later looking calmer. Her eyes went wide as Enid was leafing through her daughter’s medical records.

“How did you get those?”

“I prayed to God.”

She glared at Terry who nodded.

“I’m sorry, I know it’s a violation of her privacy but if I heal her and it’s just temporary, she might die. So, I need to be sure I’m doing what she needs. If they missed cancer then I can repair the damage but it will just come back.”

Enid found the tests she was looking for and then started looking over the MRI.

“Multiple organ failure, mostly the heart and lungs. She’d need multiple transplants to live through this. I’m guessing they told you, a month, two max. Her kidneys are on the verge of failing. Virus is gone.”

“How do you know all this?”

“I was a doctor in a former life. A pediatric surgeon. Consulted on a lot of these in 2023. Last variant was a doozy. Hit a lot of kids. Most are already dead. Okay I can heal her.”

Enid closed up the file and put into her pack to be disposed of later. She closed her eyes touching Gabriel and started chanting the spell to transfer the damage to herself. Gabriel started choking on the intubation which was the latest one of several. Enid pulled it out for her expertly as the last of the injuries transferred. She was out of the sun so the inability to breath had little effect on her. Her new wounds healed swiftly, and she smile down at Gabriel.

“Welcome back to the world of the living Gabby.”

A doctor and a nurse rushed in only to see a very wide-awake Gabriel with no jaundice in her eyes, breathing on her own and a strong heartbeat. They looked at the tubes that had been down her throat and at the two teenagers and the mother.

“Who pulled these out?”

Enid held up her hand.

“I did, sorry she was choking, wasn’t sure if you’d get here in time.”

“You shouldn’t touch medical equipment. You don’t have the proper training.”

Ya because seven years of school and a decade and a half of practice, and two decades of consultation didn’t teach me shit.

“Yes Doctor, sorry.”

Mrs. Smith was crossing herself and looking at Enid with tears in her eyes. The doctor looked to Gabriel.

“This is a miracle. We’ll need to run some tests, but you’re lung function is back to normal, heart is strong.”

“I’ll let you get to those tests. See you at school tomorrow, Terry. Mrs. Smith.”

“Wait! Please.”

Enid sighed she was almost out the door before she heard Gabriel’s voice she paused.

“Thank you so much Doctor, mom, Terry, can I talk to her alone?”

“Of course, of course.”

Terry guided his mother who was still in shock out of the room leaving Enid alone with Gabriel. The two girls had never met before but Gabriel was looking at her like she knew her.

“You’re Enid. You healed me. The angel said you would.”

Enid looked unamused by the fact someone had told this kid about her already.

“Did they now? Nice of them to make promises on my behalf without consulting me.”

“No, no, you were meant to do this.”

The girl had tears dripping down her cheeks.

“She said you would. She also said that your father… did things to you like mine did to me.”

“Look, we don’t need to get into that.”

Enid felt a strong hand grip her wrist.

“No, we do. She said you needed to talk about it.”

“I have been for months. It hasn’t helped.”

“That’s because you haven’t confronted him about what he did. I got to read a victim statement so he could hear what he did to me, you haven’t been able too.”

“My father’s dead.”

“You know he’s not. You know where he is, and what you need to do.”

“How do you know this, Gabriel?”

“Gabriel told me. She said her sister needed me and that she would send her to me to heal me.”

“Are you, her sister?”

“Apparently.”

“Thank you for healing me. I… was ready to go. She told me that God said it wasn’t my time.”

“I’m sorry you got caught up in this, but I’m glad it got you healed.”

“I didn’t believe, not like mother.”

“Your mother believed too much. God, he doesn’t give second chances randomly. If you had been vaccinated, you wouldn’t have been this sick. Maybe convince others? If I am his daughter like the news keeps saying, then maybe my message is just as valid. Saint Sarah of Savia says, get vaccinated, your life depends on it.”

“But…you healed me.”

“Yes, and I wouldn’t have had to if your mother hadn’t listened to random voices on the internet. People keep saying evil is among us, its not, its in us. I am hurting someone I love very much because I’m here with you, instead of with her. Because your mother listened to lies, so her, I donno, her sins are compounding. Don’t be your mother. Oh, and I was never here, okay? Also, eat less sugar, you’re going to end up diabetic otherwise.”

“Did god tell you that?”

“No, your medical tests did. Good night and good luck with your second chance, use it wisely.”

Enid patted her hand and walked out.

*****

Enid looked like Sarah tonight and rushed into the restaurant half an hour late. Allison was sitting at the table they had reserved already three drinks in based on the empties. Enid told the person at the front she was here with Allison and was led to the table. Allison’s looked sad.

“Oh. You came.”

“I’m sorry Allison.”

“Its okay I’m sure something more important came up.”

“Yes, and no.”

“You could have called, or texted.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You said that already. This is our five-month anniversary dinner.”

“Anything I say will sound like an excuse.”

“Try me.”

“An angel told me to heal a girl then proceeded to teach me a lesson on helping others for an hour and a half, then inferred I would have no peace until I did it.”

“Oh.”

“I didn’t want to say anything because you’re feeling guilty now and you have a right to be angry.”

Allison sighed and nodded. Enid could tell she was about to eat too much because Allison tended to guilt eat.

“Look Allison, you and I, we have complicated jobs. Sometimes we will not be on time, but lets just promise we’ll always make it, if not on time, we’ll always be there.”

“Okay that sounds good.”

“What are you getting?”

“I was thinking of crab and a big steak.”

Enid nodded.

Yep. That’s I’m a terrible person and I shouldn’t have been made at her healing a poor little girl food order.

“Don’t get too full. I was hoping we could…try out that thing we bought tonight.”

Allison blinked at Enid.

“You know the thing.”

Allison’s mouth formed an O and then she grinned.

“I forgot about that.”

*****

Enid was laying on her side looking out at the downtown Edmonton lights. The sun would rise soon. Sarah’s apartment was a penthouse and had a beautiful view Edmonton’s downtown. She felt Allison snuggle closer to her and started spooning her. She put her hand on Allison’s and wove her fingers into it. She would have left the bed to read a book long ago, but she felt very comfortable right here in Allison’s arms. He memory drifted back to Gabby’s words. She’d been able to tell her father how his actions affected her with a victim statement and that Enid had never been able too. She knew exactly where he was. She could easily drag him up tell him what she felt then cut his head off. Enid pondered the value of doing that as the sun rose and she felt herself breathing and her heartbeat rush to life. Allison snuggled closer as if she sensed she was no longer next to a corpse. They lay like that for another thirty minutes before their phone alarms went off. Enid sighed because that meant another day of school and leaving a cozy warm bed with her love. She felt Allison tugging her to turn her over and then they kissed.

“I always feel like I’m going to wake up and you’re going to have vanished into thin air like you’re a dream.”

“And leave a cozy warm bed with you?”

Allison smiled at her. Then noticed Enid’s abnormally creased brow.

“Is something bothering you?”

“Sort of.”

“Can you tell me about it?”

“If say, you were wronged, I mean, someone did terrible things to you, and you could confront them about it safely, and then…kill them, would you?”

Allison laughed as if Enid was joking but then realized she was being serious.

“I mean, I would want to tell them what they did to me was wrong to their faces, but I’m not sure about killing them.”

“The crimes were vile. Kind of thing that get you the special place in prison and hell.”

“I will never agree with the Death penalty.”

“What if they are dangerous and can’t be just let out of prison?”

“What are you talking about Enid?”

“The scars on my back. They are from him. He’s trapped somewhere terrible. A living death. I can rescue him.”

“Well, if he hurt you like that I’d love to give him a piece of my mind, maybe spit on him.”

“But you wouldn’t kill him?”

“No, what if he feels guilty? What if he learns a lesson that he can teach other men? Don’t do what I did? Is killing him going to make you feel better?”

“Yep.”

“But, is it what is best for you?”

“Gah you’re worse than my sister and my therapist.”

“You asked babe.”

“I did, didn’t I?”

Enid smiled and kissed Allison.

“What was that for?”

“It means I do love you, normally I wouldn’t say boo about this to my mortal…friends.”

Allison pulled her close and kissed her.

*****

Enid leaned out her balcony. It was 2 am. It was the time of night she dreaded the most these days. For some reason it was when the faces of the ones she lost would come back to her. Lucius. Mariana. Edward. Henry. Rolf. Hazel. Her pilots. Junpei. Noboukyi. Nishahara. And so many more. She took a sip from her wine glass. It wouldn’t get her drunk but the flavor made her feel better. She glanced back at Allison and pondered how long before her face was added to the macabre parade of memories. She sighed and another face came to her. Her fathers. It wasn’t the drunken angry face when he would hurt her, but the one who showed her how to lift her first sword. She felt like vomiting. It had been happening for the last two weeks. Since Gabby. She looked up at the half moon frowning.

“What God? Are you going to keep fucking with me?”

Enid sighed and glanced back when she heard movement. Allison was coming up behind her and put a blanket over her shoulders. Enid had been standing there naked. It was not like she could feel the chill wind air unless she wanted too. Hazel had a house coat around her and had it pulled close.

“Its freezing out here.”

“I didn’t feel it.”

“You’re naked”

“Meh.”

“Meh? You’re like on a balcony in downtown Edmonton.”

“Hope they enjoyed the show.”

“Come back to bed.”

“I’m not tired, you go ahead.”

“You got more of that wine?”

Enid nodded and sighed and walked back inside tossing the blanket on the bed and walked into the Kitchen and poured Allison a glass.

“You don’t like clothes much do you?”

“I can take them or leave them. I am over being bashful.”

“I thought you couldn’t get drunk…”

“I can’t but the flavor makes me remember what it felt like.”

Allison chuckled and nodded.

“What’s bothering you, Enid?”

“My father. I’ve been avoiding dealing with it.”

“Your father?”

“Yes, he’s in Scotland and in trouble. I hate him. I want him to die. But the world seems to be telling me I need to do the opposite.”

“Well, it is your dad. He kind of brought you into the world, you should help if you can.”

“If I help him then I’m responsible for him and it could be two months before I’m back here.”

“Is this a God thing?”

“Probably.”

“You won’t be left alone until you deal with it, will you?”

“I won’t.”

“Then lets go take care of it.”

“There is no we in this. I need to do it alone.”

“But two months?”

“You have work. You’ll lose your job.”

“I don’t care. I don’t want to lose you.”

“You won’t, not…until after, look, I’ll be fine, my father, might not be.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I’m as likely to kill him as I am to save him.”

“Your back?”

Enid nodded.

“Make someone else do it.”

“There is no one else.”

Allison downed her glass of wine and poured another. Enid could tell she was pouting and holding it in.

“Look Allison, I love you, didn’t mean to let it happen, but it did, now I’m not going to leave you if I can help it at all.”

Allison smiled and pulled Enid’s face close for a kiss.

“Can we go back to bed?”

“I can’t I need to make some calls.”

“You need your sleep.”

Enid sighed.

“I have a confession to make. I don’t sleep, I can’t sleep not unless I’m almost dead.”

“You mean…you lay with me awake all night?”

“Its comfortable, but if I’m going to go deal with this, I need to start making calls.”

“Okay.”

Enid reached out and picked up her phone and started dialing Eyre.

“Hey hon. Do we still have that plane we liberated from the cartel stashed somewhere?”

Allison paused at the door and looked back at the word hon completely bypassing the rather loaded rest of the sentence. She watched from the bedroom as Enid smiled and chatted with Eyre not realizing the woman on the other end of the line was her girlfriend’s daughter. Enid hung up and walked back to the room to a very cold shoulder.

“What is the matter?”

“Who was that?”

“It was my…sister.”

“Oh really. Took you that long to figure out she was your sister?”

Enid hit her head on her pillow and sighed. Drama. She hated drama.