Chapter Seven : 

When I Didn't Think It Could Get Any Worse / 

When I was almost completely sure Orpheus was gone, I creeped out from the bushes and dashed back into the house. Its footprints were trailed through the kitchen, dining room, upstairs, down the hallway, and... Into my room. 

I quietly stepped into my room, cautiously watching my surroundings. At first, I thought there was nothing ( Except for the few scattered feathers and footprints ). But as I took more time to examine it all, I noticed that my desk drawers were slightly opened. When I looked inside the drawers, I found them empty. All my journals and papers, things I had written... Gone. Apart from that, everything else seemed untouched. 

I wanted to go back to sleep because now it was 4:38 in the morning and I was entirely worn out, but I wasn't sure whether I was safe to close my eyes and rest or not. 

As I walked down the stairs, I double checked that everything in the house, including my parents, was fine. I locked all the doors and windows, and I went back up to my room to shut and lock my window too. When I looked outside the glass, I saw an incredibly bright light, streaking across the sky. It traveled through the sky, then flew closer to my house... But it wasn't flying, it was falling. Down, down, down, past my house and into the forest. I swallowed hard. I knew I needed to go see what it was, but... I was so tired, tired of trying to figure all this out when really, I felt that it made no sense and was pointless. And then again, it was almost 5 A.M., and anyone would be tired at this hour. But I knew what I had to do.

After putting on a pale blue jacket and grabbing a flashlight, I started for the woods. The sky was no longer that horrifying red, but instead a calm purple, swirling with pink and blue hues, and a few orange-ish clouds. The weird moons were now setting, disappearing in the east. I breathed deeply, hoping to relax a bit. My shoulders hurt from being tense for so long. 

I had been plodding through the forest for about a half hour before I found it. 

Laying in the tall blue grass, was an... Angel. I only say that because I have no idea how else to describe this being - it was like what's shown in those religious picture books, or maybe painted in church glass. It seemed to be unconscious, its long white hair spread out underneath it, a few strands covering its face. Its huge white wings lay limply beneath it, and it wore a pure white gown, layered with luminous silver fabric. Its face was breathtaking, perfect, with broad features and hooded eyes... Which were now open, looking directly at me. 

I turned to run back, away from this being, but I couldn't move. I stood there, frozen, as it gracefully moved to get up. It towered over me; not near the height of the other beast I had seen today - this creature was even taller. It stood before me, looking at me with piercing silver eyes. 

Its eyes were so inhuman; although it only had two eyes, three separate pupils and irises were in each. And I had this uncomfortable feeling as it stared at me with them, almost as if it could see everything I had ever said or done. The expression on its face wasn't clear; I couldn't tell what it was going to do to me. Finally, it spoke.

"You seem scared, Lavender." 

I drew in slow breaths, in order to regain my voice. "I am scared," I replied. And I added, bravely, "Who are you? And how do you know my name?" 

It took a step back from me, sensing my uneasiness."I'm Dolion... And I only know your name because you're the one from the prophecy."