Angel Switch

Chapter 2 – Nathalie

'Ashriel,'

I heard Haamiah's voice, but I kept my sight on the oak tree in the middle of The Garden. I was still enraged after what happened in the hospital. This wasn't the first time I had a battle with a malevolent spirit, but in the hospital, I was distracted many times making me angry at myself.

'What am I dealing with, Haamiah?' I asked him, glancing at the angel standing beside me. 

"Mephistophilis," Haamiah answered briefly. Mephistophilis is Lucifer’s agent that collects the souls of the damned.

"Why would his agent collect her soul?" My eyes narrowed, thinking of the obvious answer, Corynne sold her soul to the devil.

"That explains why the mission was given to you, Ashriel."

Still, I couldn't stop thinking. Hers is already a damned soul, and it is bound to be punished in hell for eternity, but the underlying reasons for sending me to fetch her soul is still a big question for me. 

What did Corynne trade her soul for?

"Are you ready to know your next mission?" he interrupted my thoughts. When I nodded, he continued., "She is your next mission,' he said, pointing to a young woman sitting on the bench.

Fear radiates her body, her hands fidgeting and she kept on humming or mumbling something incomprehensible. Although we have the gift of hearing thoughts, in this place, we can no longer hear human thoughts, and relying on reading their faces or eyes would be dangerous as it may pose many meanings.

I studied the young woman sitting on the bench. She has waist-long, thick, and curly black hair that matches her almond-shaped green eyes. Her pointed nose and plump lips contributed to her enchanting beauty. She was wearing a long, black evening dress, which may be when she died she just came from a party or celebration.

He gave me the scroll. 'Your next mission, you will go back to earth, assume her body and live as her for forty days,"

We are pure spirits and since we have no actual bodies, we can assume a body only when the need arises, like this special mission.

'You must accomplish her unfinished business, only then she can ascend,' explained Haamiah 'or descend,'

I gazed at him and felt the challenge in the mission. Once I descend to earth, to where her body was, I will wake up as Nathalie, and I will be relying on her memory to discover and unearth things about her and her unfinished business.

'And my third mission?' I inquired, looking at the other scroll, which is a mystery to me because it wasn't supposed to appear yet.

Hamiaah opened the scroll and curved an enigmatic smile as he showed me what is written on the third scroll.

Nothing. It was blank.

I blinked but I did not ask questions.

'Ashriel, are you ready?'

'Yes!' I answered.

Haamiah opens his beautiful white wings, which sparkled like millions of diamonds and spread a blinding light in The Garden. After a while, the light shimmered like big fireworks in the sky.

 ---

I was already in Nathalie's body when I gain consciousness. My lungs gasped for air, and I had to cough to expel something that blocked my throat, and then horrified that I spewed blood.

Forcing my eyes open, I searched her brain to give me information of where she was at the moment because I was feeling all her pain and fear. She was burning with fever and her every muscle was in excruciating pain. I groan as I tried to move.   

When my eyes finally open, I realized where I was. Nathalie’s body was stashed somewhere in the forest and tried to cover her with earth's dirt and branches. Whoever tried to kill her either did a lousy job of dumping her or she was just lucky to have her body possessed. 

She must have been dragged from somewhere because I could see bruises all over her body.  Her long, black dress was torn, and she even lost a shoe.

I looked up in the sky.

'Haamiah, what exactly happened to Nathalie?' I asked although I knew he will not answer.

As I checked Nathalie's body, I found traces of stabs that were now healing supernaturally. My possession of her healed her every wound, even her broken ribs. Now I understand why she wasn't able to finish her business. It was very obvious, someone tried to kill her. She must have tangled herself into something big.

Today marks my day one as Nathalie, and I had to find out about her. Usually, when I possess one's body, information about the owner is as easy as downloading data. I should have the information I needed as soon as I gain consciousness, but it’s like a part of her brain needs some kind of code or password.  

I stand up and scout the place, hoping to find a clue about her. Heaven helped because it didn't take long to find her purse. I pick it up hoping to find some clues, and I was glad to find her company ID, wallet, and cellphone.

Good thing, the cellphone just needs a fingerprint to unlock. It was brand new, and when I browse it, there was only one number in the phonebook registered as "Boss". No pictures nor other calls, except all incoming and outgoing were from the boss. I shrug as I return the cellphone inside the purse. Next, her wallet. I found bills, no credit cards, not even loyalty cards from shops, but I found one important thing. A key stuck in between the paper bills, with a small note: apartment key.

I smiled, thinking I could finally go home, and take a bath. I will be needing long hours of a bath to clean her body.

'Don't worry, Nathalie, I will take care of you for forty days,' I promised as I looked for a way to get her out of the forest.

I found her apartment in no time. It was on a busy and crowded side of the city, near her office. She has chosen a good spot because from here I could see the tall building where she works.         

People were staring at me as I walk inside the building. A bystander thought, 'Too early for Halloween,' but then I realized he almost commented to all people passing by the apartment building, though he was telling the truth. I was like a walking zombie.

I pressed the up button of the elevator and when I reached her floor, I inserted the key to the knob hole and open it.

"Oh!" I muttered as I open the door. "Oh!" I said again, surprised by one fact about me. I didn't know I have a roommate, and right now, she and her boyfriend were kind of busy making out on the sofa.

"s**t! Nathalie, don't you know how to knock?" she hissed as she pushed her boyfriend, and sat down when she saw me. She immediately buttoned her blouse, while her boyfriend wore his shirt.

"Oops," I said, smiling, and amused that my cheeks flushed. I turn in the direction of my bedroom and pressed my lips to suppress laughter.

"Wrong door!" she shouted, then followed me. Too late, I already pushed the door and was aghast to find the room messy. It was not my personality, surely not even Nathalie's.

My roommate opened the other door. "This is your room," she scowled at me, so I could close her bedroom's door. I did, and walk in her direction.

"What happened to you?" She followed me inside my room, "I know we don't talk or something, but you should have at least told me you'll be gone for eternity,"

How long has Nathalie been gone? 

I had to know the truth, so I gazed at her and looked into her eyes.

She gulped. "I mean, you were gone for seven days, and you were wearing that dress when you left, and you came back looking like that as if you have been murdered and raised from the dead. You stink!" she blabbered, her eyes widened then she covered her mouth with her hand.

"Seven days," I repeated as I looked around the bedroom.

Her bedroom was the exact opposite of my roommate's room. I continued to rack Nathalie's brain, and it was like something blocks her prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, but humans would always leave traces about themselves. I just need to be patient, and I am a master of one.

"Nina," Her boyfriend called and peeked on the door. He smiled apologetically to me, but his thoughts were filled with Nina.

She groaned, "We'll talk later," she said, then stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her.

While Nina's busy talking with her boyfriend, I put my nose in her room. I had to find a clue of whatever unfinished business she has.

Either Nathalie is a minimalist, or she's hiding something. Her bedroom has nothing but a frameless bed, with gray color beddings, and very few things. She probably likes gray to black shades of color. Even the drapes in her window were a dark shade of gray, that I had to open it so the natural light would shine in the room. It awed me to see the view of the river park outside. I continued to look around, there was only one piece of a painting hanging on the wall, one dresser, and one pot of plant, a moonflower plant.

"Hmn," I wondered as I touch the white flower. What is this plant doing here?

I turned around when Nina opened the door again. "Nathalie,"

"Yes?" I beamed.

 She was dazed for a few seconds, and I realized I should stop it, smiling and looking directly at her eyes. I looked away.

"Hmn... ah, now I remember, you said when you go back, I have to remind you of the things you need to do," she told me and pointed on my dresser.

I smiled again, "Thank you, Nina,"

She didn't smile back. "You should stop that, Nathalie, you're creeping me out," she shook her head as she walked away thinking, 'Yikes, what happened to Wednesday Addams?'

Wednesday Addams? I tried to copy her dark personality and sadistic smile, but I ended up sniggering.

"Take a bath, Nathalie, for goodness sake!" Nina shouted from the living room, "I'll just run an errand, I'll be back right away," she added, then I heard the front door close.

I darted to the dresser and opened the drawer. I didn't have to search for it because the planner was the only thing inside. I took it and opened the bookmarked part. I raised my brows as I read the first thing I should do.

Things to do...

1. Take a bath