Chapter Eleven

"Why did you kill them, Nes? Wasn't it unnecessary?"

Agnes almost rolled her eyes, but she had a headache, so she refrained from doing so. Rolling her eyes during a headache made it worse.

"I should have let him rape me and kill me instead? Ah, yes, I'm an angel. An angel does not say no," Agnes said. She did not even try to keep the venom out of her voice.

"Then why Maia Bedi? What did she do?"

"That was not unnecessary. I needed to save myself," Nes said. "Now, it turns out I might have saved myself from the police, but not from so-called angels."

Agnes figured she might as well not lie to Casta about the two kills since it looked like she knew all about it anyway. Even after seeing all this, she had a hard time believing she was an angel. No matter how much she thought about it, it did not make sense. She was not pure. She was not a good girl. She was not kind, empathetic, or anything that made someone angelic. Agnes was the exact opposite of an angel. She also would never believe her parents were angels. They were terrible and Agnes was never happy when they were alive. They made her feel about herself.

"Listen, Nes, I'm trying to get the Base on your side. They will not forgive you, but I want them to give you another chance," Casta said.

"Another chance? You sound like they gave me more chance before."

"They did. You were given more chances, Nes. Not just one," Casta said sadly, shaking her head slowly. "However, you failed each time."

Agnes had no idea what she was talking about. More chances? Was it about what she did before killing two people?

"When you will stand before the Base, I want you to be polite and respectful and remorseful. I want you to beg for their forgiveness," Casta said, taking Agnes's hand suddenly.

Agnes pulled her hand away. "Beg? I will not bow before anyone, Casta," she said firmly. "And I will never beg. Let them kill me, for all I care."

"Oh, Nes, only if you knew."

Casta showed Agnes to a room and told her that she had to stay there until the Base was ready to see her.

"Are you going to lock me in?" Agnes asked.

"No. You are free to move around. However, you cannot leave this place," Casta said.

"Ah, yes. Basically a prisoner."

"You are not a prisoner, Nes. Try to understand. It is for your own good."

Agnes shut the door in Casta's face. She never liked that woman. Casta made her want to lose her control.

The room was way too bright. All the walls were white and there was a huge glass window on one side. As Agnes looked out, there was nothing but blue-white sky. It looked familiar as if she looked out the same window once before. She shook off the feeling of déjà vu. There was no way she would have been here before. It was a false alarm.

Agnes wanted to change out of her dress. She wanted to lay down naked and go to sleep. That was exactly what she did. But first, she took a quick shower. She usually did not take baths. Baths made her forget all sense of time. However, a shower made her feel she was in control of herself.

She was worried about Jin. It was strange how once she thought she would never be as close to anyone as she was now to Jin. When she first met Jin, something about him familiar. She felt a connection with him right away. When she decided to be his friend, she knew he would understand her. It was an instinctive thought which turned out to be true.

If something happened to Jin, she knew she would never be able to get over it.

Agnes slept for a long time. When she woke up, it was still bright outside as if no time had passed. She put on a robe that she found in the small walk-in closet (hers at her mansion was much bigger). The robe was purple; her favorite color. It was soft and felt luxurious on her skin.

She combed her long hair in front of the mirror. She would have looked better if not for the two pimples on her cheek.

If an angel, then why do I have pimples like humans? Shouldn't I be above these stupid things?

She slipped on a pair of fluffy slippers and opened the door, half expecting it to be locked from the outside. It was not. If it was Theo and he found a door locked, he would have had a heart attack. Agnes never understood this fear of his of locked spaces. Then again, Theo never understood her fear of spiders.

She almost bumped into someone.

"Careful there," he said. Agnes knew the voice. It was the red-haired boy, whose name she had forgotten.

"I'm hungry," she said. "I want some food."

He stared at her as if she said something absurd, then chuckled. Agnes did not see what he found so amusing.

"Certainly. I will show you the dining hall."

"What's your name again?"

"You forgot my name?" he asked. He seemed to not be able to believe that someone could forget his name.

"I was not paying much attention."

"Ah, yes, your friend. Anyway, my name is Ruman."

"I'm Nes."

"I know you. I remember your name."

Agnes knew she was not forgettable easily. It was not that she was breathtakingly beautiful. She might be a little bit attractive, however, not someone who people would have noticed in first glance if it was not for her eyes. She knew people would remember her for her eyes.

Ruman led her through a long hallway that Agnes was certain she would forget to the so-called dining hall. It was for a big family, for certain, since the dining hall could seat up to twenty people easily.

"It's just Rezef, Daisy and me right now, along with you three. Dinner will be served three hours later. You are a little early. The chef will probably get you something early for today. However, after this, you have to follow the schedule."

"After this, I might not be here," Agnes said.

Ruman turned to her. Agnes noticed his hair was not the kind of red that she saw on people before. It was the color of fresh blood.

"Did you actually kill two people?"

"Two people? No," Agnes said.

"No?"

"No."

"Then you will be here. With us."

"No, I won't be."

"What do you mean? You said-"

"I said I did not kill two people," Agens said as she walked past him. "I killed more."

"Now, I want something to it. Might as well have a full stomach before I'm killed," she added as she found herself a seat. She could feel his dumfounded eyes on her back. She could not care less about what he thought about her. Angel? Fuck that. She would rather be a demon.