Page 33 of Death Match

“You’re right. It could,” Michael said. “However, to convince the maze and divine powers to complete a Trial this way is…unusual. I would even go as far as to say near impossible. I doubt the other Archangels will be able to achieve the same thing.”

Again, that was good, right?

Everything they were discussing sounded like good things on the surface, but the twinge of uncertainty in their tones made my anxiety stir. As if something could still go wrong. If it was the unpredictability of it that they didn’t like, I didn’t blame them.

But if I truly did just beat my first Trial without even trying, I was going to look at it as a plus. One less Trial for me to do in the long run; one less chance to die. I’d take it.

The oppressive heat of the jungle like atmosphere began to lift off me, and suddenly, a chill seesawed its way up and down my back. I paused, confused by the abrupt change in temperature, and searched the area around me. Nothing had changed that I could see, but an icy coldness started to gather at my fingers and toes, sliding up my arms and legs to the center of my chest.

“Something’s happening,” I shouted up at them, staring at my arms. Goose bumps radiated all over my skin as the strange ice sensation traveled through my veins. My entire body shook instinctually.

“Jade? What’s wrong?” Eli asked, voice full of fear.

“I don’t know—” When the cold reached my face, I gasped. As if I had been dunked into a tank of artic water, all my senses stopped working. My mouth couldn’t even move to speak.

One final icy blast struck the center of my head, jolting sharp pain behind my eyes and making me cry out. My vision whited out, the greenness of the maze’s center turning into nothing but blankness.

Was I in the Void again?

My chest tightened. Had I died again?

Oh shit.

Hank?

Expecting to see the old homeless guy again, I blinked rapidly and gave my eyes a hard rub. Slowly, the feeling of my body returned, and with it, the scene faded into view all around me, reminding me of the change into planes when passing through the spirit door. Except this time, the place that appeared before me wasn’t familiar.

The streets were covered in garbage, and the putrefaction baking in the summer sun was unbearable. Most of the buildings here were falling apart. Windows were broken and covered by wood or sheets. Graffiti decorated the sides of abandoned cars, benches, and closed storefronts. And not the artistic kind either. More like gang tags and vulgar words. Even though it seemed to be around the middle of the day by the dense heat pressing against me, not many people strolled the sidewalks. On the next street corner, a group of four men sat on the stairs of a rundown apartment complex, listening to a curse-filled rap song on one of their phones.

So, where was I? In the living world?

Had I been transferred to my Trial after all? It was the only thing I could think of that made sense.

And here I thought I was getting away with skipping over it.

Not so lucky.

I went to step off the sidewalk and into the street when something tickled up my spine, urging me to turn around.

I did, my gaze lifting to the person coming out of a door of an old row house, and my mouth dropped open in shock.

Dull brown eyes and equally dull hair pulled back into a ponytail. Jeans, tank top, boots, a ripped jean jacket, and a messenger bag over the shoulder.

It wasme.

I was staring at myself.

Holy fuck.

“E-Eli? Michael?” I stammered, glancing up at the sky. “Can you guys still hear me?”

No one replied, and my heart thundered. I was alone again, unable to talk to the angels for guidance.

Well, technically I wasn’t alone-alone because another me was coming down the steps, getting closer by the second.

When she passed in front of me, I stiffened. She didn’t acknowledge my presence at all, but just being this near and seeing my own face peering up and down the street for any oncoming cars was freaky.

The other Jade readjusted the bag’s strap on her shoulder and strode across the road.

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