Angel City - Isaac’s Bedroom

  Isaac’s phone buzzed incessantly on the nightstand. Someone was calling way too early. He groaned, squinting at the screen. It was Joe.

  “Joe? Hey man… what is it?”

  “Sorry, bro… I needed an answer right now, before work. I’m with some guys from the old team… we’re playing soccer tomorrow afternoon. We’re one player short. You in?”

  Isaac sat up in bed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. A game sounded good. Normal.

  “Hmm… Yeah! I’m in.”

  “Nice! I’ll tell them to stop looking. Tomorrow at 4:30 PM then.”

  “Cool… putting it in my calendar.”

  “Okay! Anxious about the date with Kate tonight?”

  “Yeah… very much so, man! I’m planning some stuff…”

  “Good… if you need help, let me know. I can recommend a place down by the beach… it’s beautiful at night. Alex loved it.”

  “Speaking of Alex… she wa—”

  “Bro, gotta go… they’re calling me back in. Talk later! Peace!”

  Joe hung up. Isaac put his phone down, stretched his arms wide with a loud yawn, and got out of bed.

  Angel City - Kate’s House

  Isaac pulled his car up to the curb in front of Kate’s house. She appeared in the window, waving, and signaled that she just needed to grab her bag. Isaac waved back, smiling.

  As he waited, he glanced into the rearview mirror. His own reflection stared back.

  His gaze drifted, focus dissolving as he fell deep into the recesses of his mind. The reflection in the mirror began to ripple. The quiet street faded, replaced by the roar of a thousand voices chanting in unison.

  He wasn’t in his car anymore. He was standing on a high stone dais, wind whipping his cloak, facing a legion of armored warriors stretching to the horizon.

  “Tonight is ours, Warriors of Olympia! We will put an end to this stupid war… Today… no Grimorian will live to tell the tale, and their foolish King shall fall!”

  “YEAH! FOR OUR KING!” The roar of the army shook the ground beneath his feet.

  Gwyn, the old master, stepped up to Isaac, embracing him tightly.

  “Wonderful, my King… Your father… King Goda… would be proud of you, my son… Bring victory to our house today!”

  “Thank you, Master Gwyn.”

  Aiko ran forward and hugged Isaac fiercely. He laughed, the joy feeling incredibly real, hugging her back. Then another woman — small, with fierce, familiar eyes — ran up and joined the hug.

  “Easy, ladies!” Isaac laughed. “Mia… Aiko? What are you doing here on the battlefield?”

  “Isaac… Isaac…” Mia whispered urgently.

  Her voice began to echo, distorting, as if she were speaking from underwater. The colors of the battlefield started to bleed and blur.

  “…I-Isaac?”

  Isaac blinked, confused. The vision of Aiko and Mia swirled into gray static.

  “Isaac!”

  A loud knock on glass shattered the world.

  Isaac jolted violently in the driver’s seat, gasping for air as if breaking the surface of water. The army vanished. He was gripping the steering wheel so hard his knuckles were white.

  He looked to his right, heart pounding, sweat beading on his forehead.

  It wasn’t Mia.

  It was Kate. She was standing by the passenger door, knocking on the window, looking at him with genuine concern.

  “Isaac? What’s wrong?” Her voice was muffled by the glass. “You look scared… are you sure you want to go?”

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  Isaac took a shaky breath, forcing his hands to relax. He unlocked the door.

  “Kate? I… No… I’m fine,” he lied, wiping the sweat from his brow. “Just… lost in thought. Miles away.”

  He stepped out of the car quickly, regaining his composure, and opened the passenger door for her.

  “Your chariot awaits, Ms. Mitch!”

  Kate giggled, the tension breaking, though her eyes still lingered on him for a second. “Thank you, Mr. Anderson!”

  Angel City - Feng’s Chinese Restaurant

  The atmosphere was cozy, the smell of jasmine tea and spices filling the air. Isaac and Kate were laughing, chopsticks in hand.

  “…And then he came in, and we had to run out the back!” Isaac finished the story.

  They both burst into laughter.

  “Joe is too much…” Kate wiped a tear from her eye.

  “He really is.”

  The laughter died down into a comfortable silence. Isaac took a sip of his drink, looking at her over the rim of the glass. The candlelight reflected in her eyes.

  “Can I ask you a question?” Kate asked softly.

  “Of course.”

  “Why did it take you so long to ask me out?”

  Isaac froze slightly.

  Ah, Kate… always direct. Always surprising me.

  “Maybe I was waiting for the right opportunity…” he said, forcing a charming smile.

  That was a bullshit answer.

  “I understand,” Kate said, looking down at her plate. “I don’t want to pressure you… or make things awkward, Isaac. But honestly… I’ve always wanted this.”

  They locked eyes. The honesty in her voice stripped away his defenses.

  “Me too, Kate.”

  She looked up, surprised.

  “I… I’ve always loved you. Since high school,” Isaac confessed, his voice steady. “But unfortunately, I was always afraid of disappointing you… or being disappointed myself. I tried other ways to get over it… but… I always come back here. To you. Because you… you really are too special to me.”

  Kate’s eyes filled with tears. She quickly wiped them away.

  “Sorry… I think I was too honest.”

  Kate laughed through her tears, shaking her head.

  “It’s okay…” she beamed. “I love you too, Isaac. And I’ve always loved you since high school too.”

  “Really?” Isaac grinned like a teenager.

  “Yes. Grandma Nita knows all about it.”

  “Grandma Nita… I haven’t seen her in ages.”

  “She’s at my place. If you want to visit her later… she’d love it.”

  “I will.”

  Kate wiped her face with a napkin and took a deep breath, composing herself.

  “Well, Mr. Anderson… we have two people who love each other here… what should we do about it?”

  “Hmm…” Isaac leaned across the table. “I think they should try dating, Ms. Mitch. What do you think?”

  “I think that’s a great idea, Mr. Anderson.”

  They laughed again, their hands finding each other across the table. Isaac reached out and gently touched her cheek. She blushed, lowering her head. He lifted her chin until their eyes met again.

  She smiled. And then, leaning over the remnants of dinner, they kissed.

  Outside Feng’s Restaurant

  Isaac paid the bill, and Kate accompanied him out into the cool night air. They interlaced their fingers, walking close together.

  “I want to take you somewhere… somewhere special,” Isaac said softly.

  “Where to?” Kate smiled, squeezing his hand.

  “It won’t be special if I tell you now.” He winked.

  Angel City - Azula Beach

  Isaac led Kate down to the shoreline. The moon was high, reflecting off the dark waves of Azula Beach. Kate gasped at the scenery.

  “It’s beautiful!”

  They sat on the sand, looking out at the endless horizon. The wind picked up, and Isaac took off his jacket, wrapping it gently around Kate’s shoulders before pulling her into a hug.

  “Do you like it?”

  “Yes! I almost never come to the beach during the day… imagine at night. It’s breathtaking.”

  They smiled at each other, and Kate snuggled deeper into Isaac’s embrace, resting her head on his chest.

  “Thank you, Isaac… for this wonderful night. I love you. I will never forget this moment.”

  Isaac smiled, looking out at the water.

  “I love you too, Kate. I will never forget this moment either.”

  Kate smiled, closing her eyes, but then she felt a warm drop of liquid hit her arm. She pulled back and looked up. Isaac was crying. Tears were streaming down his face silently.

  “Isaac… you’re crying. Are you okay?”

  She reached up and touched his wet cheek. Isaac blinked, surprised, and wiped the tears away, staring at the moisture on his hand. He didn’t understand. Why did he feel such profound, crushing sadness in a moment of such joy? It felt like a goodbye.

  Kate hugged him tighter. “I’m here, Isaac… I will always be here.”

  Suddenly, a harsh beam of light hit Isaac’s face, blinding him.

  He squinted, raising a hand. Two police officers were standing over them, flashlights trained on their faces.

  “Good evening, young couple,” Officer Hernandez said, his voice void of warmth. “I ask for your understanding… but you need to leave the beach immediately. Mayor Dorian’s orders. As of the determined hour, everyone must return to their homes. There is a killer on the loose… one can’t be too careful right now.”

  “A killer?” Isaac asked, shielding his eyes.

  “Yes,” Officer Mendes replied, stepping closer. “So please… gather your things and return to your homes immediately.”

  Isaac felt a strange vibe from the two officers. It wasn’t just authority; it was something predatory. Kate stood up quickly, dusting off the sand.

  “Let’s go, honey…”

  Isaac stood up and grabbed his jacket. He and Kate began to walk away from the water, back toward the parking lot.

  Isaac glanced back over his shoulder.

  The two officers were still standing there, watching them leave. Officer Mendes wasn’t just watching; he was smiling. A wide, unnatural grin that seemed to stretch too far across his face in the shadows.

  Isaac shivered and quickened his pace.

  Angel City - Kate’s House

  Isaac pulled up to the curb in front of Kate’s house. The engine hummed quietly. Kate looked at him, noticing his distant expression.

  “Isaac, honey… is everything okay?”

  “I am… just thinking.”

  “About what? Can I know?”

  “I… Nothing,” Isaac forced a laugh. “I was just imagining you eating that chicken wing! You really went to town on it!”

  Kate burst out laughing, playfully hitting his arm.

  “Stop it… don’t say that!” she giggled.

  “Okay, okay,” he laughed with her.

  “Thank you for tonight, Isaac. I loved it.”

  “Me too, Kate.”

  She leaned in, and they kissed softly. Kate smiled one last time, stepped out of the car, and walked up to her front door. She waved before disappearing inside.

  Isaac watched until the lights inside turned on. Then, alone in the dark car, his smile faded instantly.

  He drove away into the night.