Saving Grace by Christine Zolendz Page A

head.
    I heard his door slam as I quietly opened the front door and let myself out.
    I walked into the front lobby on trembling legs. I opened the lobby doors to the icy cold March winds and the sounds of an early New York City. I stood in front of his building looking at the street that lay before me. My breath faltered and came out shallow and uneven.
    Barefoot, I walked down the street toward my apartment. I eyed my Jeep parked on the corner of my block and walked towards it, the filthy concrete of the streets scraping against the tender soles of my bare feet.
    I searched through my jacket, found my car keys and beeped the unlock button. Yanking the door open, I climbed in. I should leave. Leave and start over. Lea would need to understand . I jammed the key into the ignition and turned on the engine. The heater blasted on and my audio system erupted into Exit Wounds by The Script . I could picture the angels laughing down at me all dressed in their Sunday best.
    Assholes. Motherangelfucking assholes. Pieces of Higher than Thou good for nothing, life sucking, s even deadly sinning shit stains! I gripped my steering wheel so tight my fingers ached and was disgusted with myself when the tears pooled in my eyes. I pressed the heels of my trembling hands to my eyes to stop the tears from falling. I was not going to allow myself any more grief. I had lost myself somewhere along the way and then I lost my way . I waited forever to find my heart and start my life. Forever is over. I'm not spending one more minute on it.
    When the song ended, I turned off my ignition and yanked out my keys. On the passenger seat next to me was my cell phone with the drained battery that had been left in my Jeep since who knows when. I grabbed it, jumped out of my truck, and found my way home. It wasn't in my nature to drive this drunk anyway.
    The apartment was silent when I walked through to my bedroom. I locked my door behind me when I got inside, plugged my phone in and fell asleep somewhere between the phone charger and the bed.

Chapter 10
    Something was buzzing and it wouldn't stop. I begged it too, in my head at least I did. I didn't want to open my eyes and find out what it was. But, it wouldn't stop taunting me.
    It took me at least twenty minutes to pull myself up and fully open my eyes. The sun blasted through my window, assaulting me with all its head splitting brightness. I looked around my room to find the source of the ear bleeding noise. Ugh. My cell phone . Shitfuckphone .
    I crawled across the mattress, and across the floor , because I could barely stand to move. I grabbed the phone and crawled back to my pathetic excuse for a bed. I poked the phone repeatedly until it stopped its screeching and promptly feel back asleep.
    The next time my eyes opened, night had settled outside my window. I vaguely wondered if it was the same day, at least my headache was gone. And I kind of felt better .
    Still in my hand , sat my cell phone and I poked the side button to turn on its screen. I slid the lock off to see three voice messages. Hmm. I pressed the icon and cradled the phone to my ear.
    "Monday, February 13th. First new message," the recording announced. Two days after the angel pretending to be Blake attacked me .
    "Grace, it's me , Shane. You' v e just got out of surgery," his voice was shaking. "It's been eighteen hours and we don't know if you're going to make it. I just, I um , just, damn it. Grace, if you get to hear this, fuck I hope you do, I'm going to do everything I can to save you. Lea told me everything; I can't believe you've been here the whole time. I never knew. I'll find Gabriel, or Michael, or any of them. I'm going to do anything to help you. I love you Grace."
    "Monday, February 13th. Second new message," the recording announced again.
    "I can't leave your room. Nobody is coming, Gabriel, Michael, Samuel , none of them. I promise you, I swear. I swear Grace , I will do anything to end your punishment. God,