As the trains zoom past the passengers, and the rattling sounds revibrate off the station's lined shiny grey panels, no one hears the gut-wrenching screams of agony and despair coming from the once celestial but now earthbound creature, bound below Angel Underground station.

But when the trains rest and no living soul is around, the heavy chains binding the creature fall away. The escalators that are brimming with the living during the day but are barren, now that it's past midnight, rearrange themselves. A small opening at the base of the escalator widens slowly, and a hand, bruised and bloodied, juts out of the gap, followed by the rest of the body, which is equally battered.
The humanoid shape stands up and sways; bending down, his empty pupils search for the last remaining shackles that are holding him captive. His hands find the cold metal, and he tugs at them; they break.

As the chains fall away and disappear, his body heals. Like a miracle, the pathetic looking creature morphs into a divine being with fair skin, dark hair, and blue doe-like eyes. A pair of ivory-colored wings unfurl from his back.

The angel looks around, his eyes alert and searching. A moment later, the metal creeks as the tracks bend and twist, and much like the escalators, rearrange themselves. The ground cracks, and thick dark smoke escapes it.

The angel smiles as his eyes wander over to it. He looks on as the smoke dissipates, and through the dark veils, a shape emerges.

"Aezlyss..." A soft sigh escapes the angel's lips as he ignores the blade and moves towards the tracks. "You are late." The angel states, holding out his hand towards the woman with wine red wavy hair, hazel-colored almond-shaped eyes, and ruby lips. Clad from head to toe in a flowing black dress that flutters even in the absence of wind, the woman takes the offered hand and steps out of the thinning mass of smoke.

"Afriel!" She exclaims, wrapping her arms around the angel's neck, "I missed you, my love." She whispers in his ears and looks into the blue ocean-like eyes.

Afriel beams and leads his lady to the lone bench backed against one of the steel grey panels.

"Have you been well?" The lady asks, stroking the side of her angel's face; the angel nods and lies, "I have been well. I keep an eye on humans as they go about their business; I look out for them and stop them from committing sins. Everything is as it should be. I am happy. They won't let me in heaven, though. They need me here." He intertwines their fingers, "And you?"

"Afriel, heaven is beautiful. I love how everything is so bright and cheery and welcoming. I have made several friends too. I wish you could come take a look." A tear escapes Aezlyss's eyes and falls to the floor, tainting it red.

Somewhere not very far, the chains rattle; Afriel pulls the woman in his arms. "You need to go now. Duty calls. I will see you tomorrow." He promises, placing a soft kiss on Aezlyss's lips.
With intertwined fingers, the lovers walk towards the tracks where the angel bids farewell to the woman who had captured his heart. The woman who he had lost, she had killed herself in the spur of the moment after being tainted.

When the reaper had come to harvest Aezlyss's soul and take her to hell, Afriel, who had failed to protect his lover, had tried to save her. The angel and the reaper had struck a deal. As long as the angel was ready to be locked here, where the woman had killed herself all those centuries ago, lose his wings, his eyes, be chained, and bear the wrath of hell, the woman would be allowed a passage to heaven.

And so, Afriel lived as promised, bearing the burden, the punishment for falling in love, thinking that he was protecting Aezlyss.

The angel was wrong to think that.
When Aezlyss had wanted to know the reason he was taking her to paradise instead of hell, he had revealed the truth. Distraught, Aezlyss had begged the reaper to show mercy.

The soulless, cold being who had never known love had smiled, "What can you offer?" He had demanded.

"Anything!" The woman had offered.

"I am sorry, but that's not enough to save him." He had stated, a hint of amusement coloring his voice.

"It has to be enough for something!? Please." She had begged.

Finally, just to test the feeling that meant nothing to him, he has offered, "I can let him out of it for a few minutes in a day, but for that you will have to suffer all that he is going through as well. I will sweeten the deal. I will even let you two meet him when he is out."

"But it will hurt him if he sees my suffering; if he comes to know what I have done." The woman had reasoned.

"I will make sure he never finds out." The reaper had promised, "So, what do you say?"

"Yes. I am ready to receive my punishment." The woman had said, and she had done it gladly.
As the smoke thickens once again and consumes Aezlyss, she returns to her cage, to bear eternal suffering in return for their precious moments together day after day.

The passengers, though unaware of the things that go on in Angel station in the time between midnight and dawn, do know that no evil soul can call this station home, and those who dared to try were captured and sent back to hell soon enough.

Why, you ask? Simple. The reaper had understood the meaning of love a little too late, and thus as penance, had taken it upon himself to guard the station, making sure that when the lovers did meet, they were not disturbed.

{Word Count:- 996}