I looked up at her. Her eyes were red, not unlike my own, and they showed an emotion I had seen on her face before. It was one of hope, but one that remained frightened. She wore it every time we made up after a fight.
Sorry Adriana, we're not making up this time.
"Adriana." She stood and didn't hesitate to step into the knee-deep water to walk over to me.
"Why are you here?" She stood just barely out of my reach, afraid to approach me further.
"Why are you?"
"Because this is where I come when I'm frustrated."
I nodded. "Likewise."
"Why are you frustrated?" She looked genuinely worried. What a load of crap.
"Isn't exactly easy to find out someone you love hates you." I looked away from her and decided to focus on the sky over the edge of the waterfall instead. She turned to look that way as well.
"I know exactly how that feels," she said as if she had tasted something bitter.
"Do you Adriana?" I asked, my anger reflecting in my voice. I once again turned and looked at her.
"Yes, of course I do Caleb, or do you not remember you leaving me?"
"I remember you turning your back on me when I needed you, whereas I would have given anything, anything at all, to stay by your side because I loved you so much."
"Turning my back on you!? I did no such thing! You left me Caleb, you left me for...for them! For God's sake Caleb how could you do that!? How could you leave with the demons!?"
"They have done nothing wrong! They have been forced to watch as corruption took over Heaven and were only trying to protect it!"
She paused and looked more frustrated than ever, as if trying to wrap her mind around something. "What sort of crap have they been feeding you!? Corruption!? Caleb, corruption isn't possible! It's Heaven for crying out loud, the only souls that end up there are the good ones! You were the freaking King are you saying you were corrupt!?"
"No!" We were both silent for a minute.
"You're saying I was corrupt." It was a statement, not a question. And the look in her eyes was that of complete, total, betrayal.
"Yes. And I'm going to make sure that doesn't happen again." Her eyebrows creased, and then widened when she saw the sword I pulled out.
"No." She shook her head. "No, no, Caleb, no." Tears began to fall from her eyes. I lunged at her and she ducked out of the way. "Caleb, stop!" I lunged at her again and she ran around to the other side of me. "I was never corrupt! We were happy and at peace, as we had been for so long, until Kris took control in Hell! Do you not remember!? He one day attacked without warning, he started the war!" I turned and lashed out at her, faster this time. I scratched her arm but she still managed to dodge my attack. "Caleb! He killed us!!"
And then I froze.
He killed us.
Those three words struck me like lightning as they unlocked a memory that had been buried deep in my mind.
