The Angel

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All I see is white for forever. Except for the large windows where you can see the most popular cities of the world. One side it's Tokyo, and the next it's London. It makes a nice touch; even makes it feel homely. But I guess it's homely for me only because I haven't lived in any other place.
If you live somewhere...does that make it home?

My friend walks towards me with a sheet of parchment in his ringed hands. "So what miracles are we doing today?" I smile, swinging my legs underneath the giant chair I use to see out of the glass. It's giant because I consider myself to be quite tall, but on this chair my feet don't even reach the flooring.

"Well. There's a person at half past six who will be...impaled...and killed...but it isn't their time so we must stop it." He looks up at me, a little concerned, but grins anxiously. "I'll do that one."

I sigh silently with relief. Those miracles always make me extremely anxious. If you don't do it in time, there's no going back. Then not only do they lose their life-by your own hand, mind you-but you also lose yours.
That kind of action, accident or not, will send you straight to Hell.

"And the next one, a couple of humans must meet one another today as it's their destiny to fall in love. We have to make sure that happens."

I look disheartened and push up my round metal glasses. I'm not sure which one is worse so far. I'm terrible at making people fall in love...I wish cherubs were still in operation.

"Ah. Look," He miracles a chair and sits beside me. "I know you're worried, but no-one is going to force you to do it, Willow. This is why we work together!"

"But you always end up doing all of the miracles, and I'm always doing the paperwork." And I know that he must like paperwork, as it's almost the same as writing books, and Aziraphale loves books. "I don't know why I'm so bad at it. The miracles, I mean."

"I don't know either." He shuffles as if he is about to say something very important. "But what I do know is that one day you'll make one perfectly." He beams.

"Thank you, Aziraphale."

"Have you been practicing?"

I turn to the scenery. "I will...When I get the time."

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It was only about an hour ago when I felt the cool breeze of my wings disappearing. And now I'm lost in the woods.

What am I going to do? If the Archangels find me, God only knows what will happen. The trees are beautiful. They look just like they do in their pictures with leaves that are green and a particular shade of sushiney-yellow sometimes. Which makes me believe it's close to Autumn-at least I think that's what they call it.

"PUMPERNICKLE FUDGECAKES!" My foot suddenly catches on a hole sticking up, and I slam on the grass, but get straight up again and brush myself down.
I pass another oak tree, and a sense rushes over me, like something is watching me.

My blonde waves flip around to face the Archangel Michael. The one thing I didn't want to see.
Why couldn't it have been a beautiful deer?!

He inches towards me cautiously. "Now...I'm not here to hurt you."

I bound away as fast as my aching legs can go. I don't want to hear anything else he has to say. My eyes start to sting.
They killed my best friend. I killed my best friend. For the sake of saving myself.
I wish angels didn't cry holy water, even if it is watered-down.
No-I wish I was immune to it. I rush into the deepest part of the woods. You can tell because the masses of tree canopies make it seem like I just ran under a shield of night. My legs start to cramp up and I feel like my ankle will give way in any second.
Oh, you silly angel. You can fly at will!
I force myself to spread my wings and float under the top branches. Humanity cannot see me. Luckily, I don't think the Archangel Michael can either.

In the distance, I can see a swarm of tiny birds coming towards me. I think it's a thrush. Or a swallow. I watch them, and wait for them to change direction. But they don't. They knock against me, my glasses snapping and shattering with the impact. With feathers and scrambling beaks everywhere, I fall to the grass below. I let out a scream of shock and close my eyes. Is this what it feels like to become a demon?

I survived! Thank you, pile of leaves!
I look back one last time and keep running as my wings fade away again, miracling a brand new pair on glasses on my face. Hopefully this won't be for forever.

The Demons

Something seems to glow in the tops of the trees before us, then it plummets from the sky in a bundle of white feathers as a load of birds fly ahead.

"Do you think that was the-"

"Well, what else is it going to be?! A giant glowing swan?!" I roll my eyes.

"Let's go!" Zerrin exclaims and we rush towards it. As we curve around a tree, all of us bump into a tall, wavy-blonde-haired girl wearing a ripped white shirt and a pale blue pleated skirt. Emphasis on ripped.

Her eyes seem to glisten behind the lenses. I wish mine did that.

"Oh! I am so sorry!" She says, helping us up one by one. As she touches my hand, a strange feeling rushes over me. I gasp, just as her entire body sinks with a sudden fear. She probably only just noticed my eyes. Maybe I should have worn sunglasses.

The angel pulls her hand away from me and speeds in the opposite direction.

"It's the angel!" I shout and we follow her through the forest. How come she's so fast?!

We come into a small clearing, and the blonde mop heads into a ruin. I'm not sure what it used to be, but I don't have time to stop and look.

As soon as I step onto the mossy, cracked tiles, I wince and pull back.

"It's consecrated ground." I growl.

"What a bitch." Orla remarks. You can almost hear the angel's sigh of relief echoing from inside.
A few of us check the back of the crumpled building but It's sealed off. She can only come out one way. Which is where we are all standing.

"So what do we do now?" Naylin asks.

"Wait for her to come back out." Tibby replies.

"Exactly, I'm not risking my life for some status reward." Zerrin says, slumping on the grass.

I furrow my eyebrows. "I'm not going to let a stupid angel defeat us."

"But what are you going to do, Ellie? You can't fly in there, it will destroy your wings!"

I walk into the church ruins with no remorse and no second-thinking. Every step burns my feet, and every so often I have to hop or skip. The angel gazes at me; half-amazed, half-horrified. I grab her by the collar, and pull her glasses off, hoping to blind her. If doesn't seem to have much effect, and she tries to pull away, squealing and clawing at my hand. "Stop! Get-get off me!"

I slip away and take her arm instead, to try and lurch her forward. The material on the inside of my shoes are melting and I groan in pain, baring my teeth at the exit.

"Ellie! Just leave her!" I hear one of my friends shout from outside. But luckily, an idea appears in my brain.

I let go of the angel for a split second, and pull the pieces of stranded rope from the dusty, moth-eaten remains of the curtains. I tie the rope around her wrists behind her like a prisoner. While I'm painfully bringing her outside, I realise she can't seem to develop her wings. She could have just flown out of here. But I decide not to tell her that. She still struggles and grunts until I break out into a run, trying to survive as much damage as possible.

I throw her before the sun. My pack of demons stand up and grin at the sight proudly. As do I.